UBC research associates can access professional development funds to support career growth at the university.

Current funding year

The current 2025-2026 funding year is April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.

Fund status - OPEN

Claims are being accepted in Workday for the current 2025-2026 funding year.

Preparing claims for the 2025-2026 funding year

The 2025-2026 funding year runs from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. 

Claims for the current funding year can be filed in Workday from April 1, 2025 to February 28, 2026

You can submit claims for eligible expenses purchased within the past 90 days. The PD event itself may occur before or after April 1, 2026.

Note 1: You cannot split a single expense purchase across two funding years. For instance, a $500 conference fee payment cannot be claimed as $250 this funding year and $250 in the next funding year. However, separate expenses (e.g., conference registration in current funding year, associated flight in the next funding year) can be claimed if they meet all other eligibility criteria. 

Note 2:  If you have exhausted your current year funding, you can hold onto your receipt and submit on or after April 1, 2026 for the next funding year provided you submit your claim within 90 days of the original purchase date. For example, if you paid for a workshop on January 6, 2026, you may submit a claim starting April 1 but no later than April 6, 2026.

Your maximum yearly claim amount

The annual maximum amount per year is $1,000 per funding year (April 1 - March 31)

How to check your PD fund balance 

Your PD fund is set up in Workday as a "reimbursable allowance plan". View the related knowledge base article to help you find your PD fund details in Workday.

• Check my PD Fund balance — View My Professional Development Funds

If you are research associate (paid) but are not enrolled in a PD fund, please contact the Integrated Service Center for assistance .  

How to submit your claim

Your PD fund claims can be submitted directly through Workday. View related knowledge base articles to help you get started.

• Get reimbursed for my PD fund expense (my out of pocket and my UBC credit card expenses) — Claim expenses against my PD Funds
• Get reimbursement for my department (expenses paid upfront by department) — Transfer PD Funds reimbursement to my department

For more knowledge base articles, claim assistance and general help with Workday, visit the Integrated Service Centre

Eligible Expenses

The funds are to be used for expenses associated with your professional development activities and not any other purpose.

The funds aren't intended for job-required expenses such as job-required training, professional memberships or ongoing accreditation. These expenses should continue to be paid by your department. 

Eligible expenses for research associates 

• resource books and professional journals
• registration fees for courses, workshops, exams, webinars, and conferences
• professional memberships and certifications that are not required for your job
• one-on-one career coaching fees, when provided by an ICF – credentialed coach
• travel and accommodation for out-of-town conferences, as per Policy FM8 – Business Expenses and business expense rules.  

Ineligible expenses for research associates

• activities or travel to fulfill required work-related responsibilities
• local travel expenses
• academic student fees
• application software or licensing ( All Adobe products as example)
• home phone, data or internet plans
• electronics such as  laptops, ipads, mobile phones, e-readers,
• office equipment or supplies

The professional development funds provided to you through this program are not taxed and as such, should not be used towards an educational tax credit on your personal tax return.

Guidelines

Eligible Employees:  Research Associates in paid appointments are eligible to access this funding program as of date of hire. Honorary research associates are not eligible. This funding is non-transferable.

Maximum Claim Amount: You will be reimbursed up to a maximum claim amount of $1,000 each funding year (April 1 through March 31) for eligible PD expenses. There is no proration of the funding amount for part time employees. 

Once you have reached your individual yearly maximum, you must wait until the next fiscal year to apply for reimbursement for eligible PD activities. You are not able to borrow funds from future years.

If you have an unused individual balance at year-end, it will not roll over into the next fiscal year.

Eligible Expenses: For examples of eligible and ineligible claims, refer to the list above. 

Timing of Claim Submission: PD Fund claims, including receipts, must be submitted online through Workday within 90 days of the original purchase date (as shown on receipt) to qualify for funding. After 90 days a receipt is no longer eligible to submit for reimbursement. Please note that a PD Fund claim may be submitted as soon as purchase has been made and can be before the activity start date.

Leave of Absence: You are eligible for funding during a maternity, parental or adoptive leave. Eligibility during other leaves of absence will be considered by Human Resources on a case-by-case basis.

Term Appointments: Your professional development activity must occur (or have occurred) while you are actively employed as a research associate at UBC. If you’re submitting a claim for an activity that’s scheduled to occur after your current appointment term end date, you need to include a note from your supervising faculty member confirming your department’s intention to extend your term appointment as a research associate.

End of Employment: If your employment with the university is ending – either voluntarily or involuntarily – you are not eligible for funding once you have given notice of resignation or received a notice of termination. If you receive notice that your employment will be ending but you are in a period of working notice, you will remain eligible for funding during the notice period.

Fund Administration: The fund is centrally administered by UBC Human Resources at the Vancouver campus. Your PD Fund has a set pool of money for each fiscal year; funding comes from a centrally budgeted source and your use of the PD Funds will not be charged back to your unit or department. Funding is dependent on the ongoing availability of annual provincial funding.

Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis: If all of the funding within the PD Fund pool is utilized in any given year, Human Resources will stop processing claims for that fund until the next fiscal year.

Fund usage will be reviewed on an annual basis: The maximum annual claim amount may be adjusted from time to time to ensure an equitable distribution of this new pool of money.

Non-taxable reimbursement: The professional development expense reimbursements provided to you through this funding program are not taxed and as such, should not be used towards an educational tax credit on your personal tax return.

Reimbursement Process: Professional Development Fund claims are entered, reviewed, and approved directly in Workday.

Your claim will be normally be reviewed by a PD Fund Expense Partner within 5 business days, however the review time may take longer during peak claim periods or if you submit an incomplete claim. You will receive the claim back if the PD Fund Expense Partner requires additional information or if your claim is ineligible for reimbursement. 

After the PD Fund Expense Partner review, your manager or supervisor will review your claim as it relates to your current role and career growth, and approve directly in Workday.

Overall you should allow up to three weeks for the approval workflow to be completed and for Human Resources to process the reimbursement through Workday.

About your reimbursement

Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once your claim is processed you’ll receive confirmation in Workday. 

• If you paid out of pocket, you'll be reimbursed by direct bank deposit.
• If you paid with a UBC credit card (card in your name), your expense will be reconciled directly from your PD Funds.
• If your department paid on your behalf, your department will be reimbursed directly by general ledger credit. 

PD funds and taxation

The funding provided is not included as taxable income on your T4 slip. This means that  you cannot claim the value of any funds received through this program as part of a tuition tax credit or for any other credit on  your annual tax return. Please refer to Canada Revenue Agency – Eligible Tuition Fees for more information.

What managers need to know

As a manager or supervisor, you are accountable for reviewing the relevance of your faculty or staff's PD Fund claim as it relates to their current role and career growth. 

View more information on the page for managers and administrators. 

Questions?

If you have questions about how to submit a PD Funds claim, please contact Integrated Service Centre.

If you have questions about the Research Associate PD Funds guidelines contact the Workplace Learning Associate in Human Resources at email:  pd.funds@ubc.ca 

UBC Faculty Association members can access professional development funds to support career growth at the university.

Eligible Expenses

Faculty can claim reimbursement for professional development expenses that enhance the performance, ability, or effectiveness of a member’s work at the University. 

The funds are to be used for expenses directly associated with a member's own professional activities while holding an active position as a Faculty Association member and not any other purpose.

All electronic devices and any other tangible goods purchased with Faculty PD funds are the property of UBC and must be left with the university at the end of employment ( including retirement ).

Examples of eligible expenses

• travel and associated expenses related to meetings, conferences, or other similar professional activities;
• registration fees and other expenses for meetings of learned societies, other professional organizations, workshops, seminars, and similar activities;
• membership fees in learned societies and professional organizations;
• fees and subscriptions for journals and books;
• expenses directly associated with teaching responsibilities or current active research or professional programs (including equipment such as computer hardware, software, and audio-visual equipment);
• communication and telecommunication network expenses related to scholarly activities and teaching; and current active research
• equipment that is directly related to current active research.

Examples of ineligible expenses

• flight class fares over regular economy (i.e. over lowest available fare on the shortest route ) unless pre-approved by member's Head of Unit with justification as per UBC Business Expense Policy FM8  - Business Expense Rules criteria.
• office furniture (examples include desk, standing desk riser, chair, lumbar support cushion, foot rest, monitor arm, stand or riser, lamp,)
• compensating individuals for their salaries or ad hoc services; service payments must be made to legitimate, registered business entities.
• donations, gifts, gift cards and prizes
• academic student fees
• software required to perform core duties such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud and Acrobat Pro.
• smartwatch such as apple watch

This is not an exhaustive list.  If you have an expense that is not clearly covered here, please contact faculty.pd@ubc.ca for further clarification before submitting a claim.

Additional Eligibility Criteria

• Claims for reimbursement must be made within 12 months of the date when the expense was incurred. After 12 months, the expense is no longer eligible to submit for reimbursement.
• All expenses claimed must fall within CRA’s non-taxable benefit guidelines.
  • As a non-taxable benefit, members may be reimbursed for their own professional development expenses only; any expenses for other individuals are not eligible for reimbursement.
  • As a non-taxable benefit, all equipment and other goods purchased with Faculty PD Funds is the property of the university and must be left with the university upon end of employment
• Travel expenses are reimbursed in accordance with UBC Business Expense Policy FM8.  Prior to booking travel, review the Business Expense Rules (page 14-19) for guidance on travel. Note: meals per diem and mileage claims must be calculated manually on a Faculty PD Fund expense report.
• If you plan to purchase goods or services valued at over $3,500 inclusive of taxes, you must use a purchase order (PO)  and have your department or grant pay the initial cost upfront. You cannot allocate the cost directly to the Faculty PD Fund during the purchase order payment process.    

How to check your PD fund balance

Your PD fund is set up in Workday as a "reimbursable allowance plan". View the related knowledge base article to help you find your PD fund details in Workday.

• Check my PD Fund balance — View My Professional Development Funds

Note: Your  "total eligible amount" in Workday include your assessed entitlement amount for the current UBC academic year (July 1 – June 30) along with your unused banked funds from previous years. 

How to submit your claim

Your PD fund claims can be submitted directly through Workday. View related knowledge base articles to help you get started.

• Get reimbursed for my PD fund expense ( my out of pocket and my UBC credit card expenses) — Claim expenses against my PD Funds
• Get reimbursement for my department (expenses paid upfront by department or grant) — Transfer PD Funds reimbursement to my department

For more knowledge base articles, claim assistance and general help with Workday, visit the Integrated Service Centre. 

Reimbursement Process:

Your claim will be normally be reviewed by a PD Fund Expense Partner within 5 business days, however the review time may take longer during peak claim periods or if you submit an incomplete claim. You will receive the claim back if the PD Fund Expense Partner requires additional information or if your claim is ineligible for reimbursement. 

After the PD Fund Expense Partner review, your Head or Director will review your claim as it relates to your academic appointment, and approve directly in Workday.

Overall you should allow up to three weeks for the approval workflow to be completed and for Human Resources to process the reimbursement through Workday.

• If you paid out of pocket, you'll be reimbursed by direct bank deposit.
• If you paid with a UBC credit card (card in your name), your expense will be reconciled directly from your PD Funds.
• If your department paid on your behalf, your department will be reimbursed directly by general ledger credit. 

Understanding professional development funds entitlement for faculty members

Funds are available for use while an individual holds an active appointment in the Faculty Association for activities taking place while a member.  

Faculty can claim reimbursement for professional development expenses that enhance the performance, ability, or effectiveness of a member’s work at the University. Refer to the information below regarding your entitlement to financial reimbursement.

The funding provided is not included as taxable income on your T4 slip. This means that  you cannot claim the value of any funds received through this program as part of a tuition tax credit or for any other credit on  your annual tax return. Please refer to Canada Revenue Agency – Eligible Tuition Fees for more information.

What an Academic Head of Unit needs to know

 As Academic Head of Unit, you are accountable for reviewing the relevance of your faculty member’s PD Fund claim as it relates to their academic appointment.

View more information on the page for managers and administrators. 

Questions?

If you have questions about how to submit a PD Funds claim in Workday, please contact Integrated Service Centre.

If you have questions about the Faculty PD Funds guidelines contact the Workplace Learning Associate in Human Resources at email: faculty.pd@ubc.ca

Workplace surveys provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to share their workplace experiences at UBC.  

Your feedback offers insight into our progress to make UBC a more diverse, inclusive, safe and vibrant workplace.   

Remote Work Survey

All faculty and staff, whether you work remotely/hybrid or on-site, were invited to participate in this survey from May 2-10, 2022. 

Feedback in this survey will help the university consider how future work arrangements will continue to make UBC an inspiring place for students to learn, and for faculty and staff to research, teach and work. Results can also be used by Deans and VPs understand experiences at the portfolio/Faculty level. 

Creating a flexible workplace environment through the Remote Work program supports a range of UBC’s institutional goals, including the attraction and retention of faculty and staff, as well as our commitments to inclusion, wellbeing, and climate action. 

Privacy

This survey is conducted under the authority of section 26(e) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. To ensure confidentiality, reports will only be provided where there are a minimum of five respondents. Responses will be aggregated to protect the privacy of individual respondents. 
 
Two UBC survey administrators will have access to the survey data (this includes individual responses) for additional high-level statistical analysis. The survey data file does not include names, email addresses, or Employee ID.

Workplace Experiences Survey

The Workplace Experiences Survey is the primary opportunity that all faculty and staff have to share feedback on their experiences of working at UBC.

Learn more about the Workplace Experience Survey results and administration.

Employment Equity Survey

All UBC employees are invited to complete a confidential online survey that helps inform our understanding of the demographic composition of faculty and staff. You can complete this survey anytime. 

The Employment Equity Survey is one way to examine patterns and trends in employment across the university. 

Learn more about the Employment Equity Survey on the Equity & Inclusion Office website.