UGO Student Experience Grants are available to current BCom students in good academic standing to cover up to 50% of the costs for a variety of experiences, including but not limited to:
Participate in a volunteer or service learning program
Funding will be considered for applicants who demonstrate a financial barrier to participation due to the expenses of the program or the loss of income as follows:
- 1/3 of the cost of transportation, accommodation and living expenses while volunteering, to a maximum of $1500
| For example: local, national, or international full-time volunteer program for a non-profit organization |
Compete in a case competition
Funding will be considered for participation in competitions—not already supported by UBC Sauder—as follows:
- Local (Lower Mainland): 1/3 of the cost of registration, to a maximum of $100
- West Coast (North America): 1/3 of the cost of registration, transportation and accommodation to a maximum of $250
- East Coast (North America): 1/3 of the cost of registration, transportation and accommodation to a maximum of $350
- International: 1/3 of the cost of registration, transportation and accommodation to a maximum of $800
Note that further funding for case competitions is available through CUS External Conferences (ExCO). Apply at excocus.com
| Examples of past funded experiences: Unilever Games, Undergraduate Real Estate Case Competition, Yale Debating Championships |
Attend a conference
Funding will be considered for conference attendance as follows:
- Local (Lower Mainland): 1/3 of the cost of registration, to a maximum of $100
- West Coast (North America): 1/3 of the cost of registration, transportation and accommodation to a maximum of $250
- East Coast (North America): 1/3 of the cost of registration, transportation and accommodation to a maximum of $350
- International: 1/3 of the cost of registration, transportation and accommodation to a maximum of $800
Note that further funding for conference attendance is available through CUS External Conferences (ExCO). Apply at excocus.com
| Examples of past funded experiences: Grace Hopper Conference for Women in Tech, Queen’s Marketing Association Conference, Harvard Social Enterprise Conference, The Art of Leadership for Women, Harvard Africa Business Conference |
Complete a certification or designation
Funding will be considered as follows:
- 1/2 of the registration fees to a maximum of $500*
| Examples of past funded programs: Certified Financial Analyst, Certified Associate in Project Management, Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst |
*Students who receive a CFA Program Student Scholarship can receive a UGO Student Experience Grant for the remaining amount, for a total of $500.
Take a course not offered at UBC to develop your technical skills
Funding will be considered as follows:
- 1/2 of the registration fees to a maximum of $500
| Examples of past funded courses: Canadian Securities Course, RED Academy, Brainstation, Lighthouse Labs, Hootsuite Advanced Social Advertising Training |
Organize a new event, program, or service that benefits other BCom students
Funding will be considered for new initiatives that support BCom students’ academic success, professional success, health and wellbeing, or community building. This funding is not to be relied upon as a consistent source of revenue as funding will not be granted to the same organization/initiative again for a minimum of three academic years.
These applications will automatically be considered for both the CUS Special Projects Fund and the UGO Student Experience Grants.
Other
If your funding request is not outlined above but will have an impact on your student experience or skill development, please submit an application or contact us with any questions.
Unsure about what kinds of experiences to pursue? Here's how a few past recipients used their grants to develop their professional skills and enhance their learning.
Sahas Duggirala
Finance option
Sahas received $500 to complete his CFA Level 1 exam
How did the experience impact you?
The CFA Level 1 has enhanced my theoretical foundation in Finance and provided me with insight into the ethical framework that Chartered Financial Analysts abide by. On a more general level, preparing for and taking the exam has shown me the rigor with which investment management should be pursued and the seriousness of the business. It embeds a sense of responsibility into candidates since they will be managing the financial futures of clients. The CFA Level 1 is a great exam that also helps instill discipline and a sound work-ethic.
What do you plan to do once you graduate?
My Co-op placement (January-April) with the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation's (BCI) Private Markets team will give me added insight into the investment management industry. I hope to continue in the field while staying within the confines of the Capital Markets.
Clara Chu
Business & Computer Science combined major
Clara received $350 to attend the Grace Hopper Conference for women in tech
How did the experience impact you?
It was eye-opening to see new technology disrupting the world. I had the opportunity to attend the recruitment fair and it's crazy to realize how in-demand tech-related positions are – especially when considering the level of diversity in the workforce. In addition, I had the opportunity to meet influential leaders such as Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Square and Twitter.
What do you plan to do once you graduate?
Tech consulting at Accenture.
James Lau
Marketing option
James received $500 to complete a Brainstation Web Development course
How did the experience impact you?
Ten weeks ago, I didn’t have a clue about how websites are built or what coding entailed. This experience definitely helped me appreciate the little things on a website (seriously, kudos to all the web developers out there!) and helped me become a better marketer. As a marketing student you don’t learn the hard skills in depth so this class really helped supplement my learnings from UBC Sauder.
What do you plan to do once you graduate?
A few months ago I started a platform called Apologue, which helps students dream bigger while also better identifying their career goals through stories and insights from professionals in different industries. I have huge plans for the platform and I definitely want to work on this full-time and take it to new heights! You can check it out at facebook.com/apologuenet
Submit the online application by the deadlines stated. All applicants will be notified no later than October 23, 2019 for Term 1 funding, and February 12, 2020 for Term 2 funding. Successful applicants will be required to submit a letter of impact outlining the skills they developed through the funded experience.
Only apply for a grant for one experience. If you have multiple experiences that you interested in, contact us to discuss your options.
If granted funding, individual applicants and student-led initiatives are not permitted to apply for funding again.
Academic concession will not be provided for students who miss coursework or exams due to funded experiences.
