Conferences & Competitions FAQ
What constitutes an "external conference"?
An external conference is a conference or competition that is held by an organization or university other than WLU that would be of benefit to SBE students. If you are unsure whether or not a specific event constitutes an external conference/competition and is eligible for an SBESS subsidy, please contact conferences@sbess.ca directly. Please note that our online database lists plenty of conferences and competitions that are eligible.
How do I apply for an SBESS conference subsidy?
A subsidy request form can be found on our web-site, which should be submitted electronically to conferences@sbess.ca and in hard copy to the SBE Clubs Office (P1003).
When should I be applying for subsidies?
You should be applying for subsidies well in advance of the conference date, preferably at the same time you apply for the conference. If your attendance at a conference hinges on whether or not you will receive a subsidy, then please apply earlier in order to receive a response from us before you commit to attending a specific conference. Although we will attempt to assist students as much as possible, please keep in mind that there may be some cases where not all subsidy requests can be accommodated.
How much of a subsidy should I be expecting?
In many cases, students can receive a subsidy of 50% of the delegate fees and transportation costs (from Toronto) for external conferences. However, many factors such as the amount of applications and the cost of the conference could potentially lower that number. Please be advised that conferences held out-of-province generally involve more expenses and may not receive the maximum subsidy rate. Please contact us directly for more information.
How will funding be issued?
If you are accepted for an SBESS subsidy, the organizing committee of the conference you will be attending will be contacted to ensure that you will in fact be attending their conference. You will be issued half of the allocated subsidy at that point and will be required to sign a contract stating that you will attend the conference and conduct yourself in a manner than will not damage the reputation of WLU, the SBE, or the SBESS. When you return for your conference, if you have honoured the conditions of your contract, you will be given the second half of your subsidy.
There is a conference I am interested in attending or a competition that I am interested to compete in that isn't available on your list. May I still apply for an SBESS subsidy?
Absolutely. The list we have on our web-site is by no means exhaustive, and there are other events that can be considered for subsidies. Please e-mail conferences@sbess.ca with information about the conference in question and we will let you know promptly.
I am an SBE club president or executive who needs to travel to external conferences in relation to the work that our club does. Am I eligible for an SBESS subsidy?
For inquiries from SBE club presidents, please contact conferences@sbess.ca for more information or discuss the matter with a member of the SBESS executive team.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact conferences@sbess.ca.
