Student Experiences Fund (SEF)

The Student Experiences Fund (SEF) is designed to provide UFV students funding up to $500 for experiential learning initiatives outside of their courses that support personal and professional growth.

NEW: Funding is available throughout the fiscal year (April 1 - March 31). Eligible students can receive up to $500 through one or more successful applications.

Due to high demand, applications will be considered and pre-approved on a first-come, first-serve basis throughout the fiscal year.

Student eligibility

You must be registered at UFV and enrolled in courses at the time of application and at the time the experience takes place (Please note: For summer semester activities, no enrollment is necessary, but students must be returning to study at UFV the following fall semester)
You must be enrolled in a certificate, diploma, degree program, or a Qualifying Studies student
You must have a minimum GPA of 2.0
You must have no outstanding account balances at UFV
You must have successfully completed the equivalent of one full-time semester at UFV

Expense criteria

The Student Experiences Fund intends to offset costs associated with students’ extra-curricular experiences. Only specific expenses (up to $500) communicated in the application decision email are approved for funding.

Conferences taking place outside of Canada may be eligible for additional funding. Please email sef@ufv.ca.

Please note, registration and admission fees are eligible. Travel expenses may be approved on a case-by-case basis. These include airlines, ferries, shuttles, busses, SkyTrain, taxis/rideshares, tolls, mileage, parking, and hotels. Food expenses are not covered.

Eligible expenses

Conferences
Workshops
Networking events
Panel discussions
Academic competitions
Student membership fees (for associations that offer professional development)
Specialized software licenses (only licenses that are not already available at UFV will be considered)

Other opportunities which may be eligible for funding on a case-by-case basis are equipment rental fees and/or supplies. Requests for supplies may require specific faculty validation. These supplies may include (but are not limited to): required art supplies, project experimentation and implementation materials, poster tubes, and printing costs.

How to apply

Log into your CareerLink account using your UFV student email and network password
Click on Resources > Pathways > Student Experiences Fund (SEF)
The SEF process will look like a checklist. Work your way through the checklist and submit your application.

Application deadlines

Applications are accepted any time throughout the year. Applications should be submitted a minimum of seven days prior to the event to guarantee committee review. Applications submitted for past events are not eligible for funding.

Only complete applications will be considered. Funding is limited, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible. Should there be a surplus of applications that exceed the funding resources, applications that meet the criteria will be ranked according to merit, and priority will be given to first-time applicants.

Post-experience reporting

1. Please note all funds will be reimbursed after the event. Approved applications must submit the following to sef@ufv.ca within two weeks after the experience:

An expense claim form, with all receipts and other proof of costs incurred.
A photo and/or video from your experience (if applicable).
A copy of your resume (with the experience recorded).
A written report on your experience (minimum 200 words).
1. Describe the outcome of your experience. (For conferences, please provide an overview of the sessions you attended, key research tools and methodologies you learned about, and other takeaways.)
2. List three or more newly acquired or improved skills obtained through this experience. Provide examples of how you demonstrated these skills.
3. Reflect on the experience. How did the experience influence your career goals?
4. If applicable, explain the impact of your experience on the community.

NOTE: approved SEF applications for professional memberships do not need to submit a report. All other forms of post-experience reporting must still be submitted to obtain the SEF funds.

Added May 2022