Reimbursements#

Reimbursement requests for participant incentives and related research expenses usually go through the CSC business office.

Relevant CSC Pages#

• Personal Reimbursement
• Gifts / Research Incentives

Ask the PI for the account number: Before submitting, reach out to the PI and ask which account number should be used for this specific reimbursement. Include the study name, what you paid for, and whether the request is for participant incentives, a subscription, or another expense. Many projects and PIs have multiple accounts, and forms may auto-fill the wrong one.

Before You Submit#

Split reimbursements by expense type. For example, participant incentives, software subscriptions, cloud services, and other project purchases should usually be separate requests, even if they are for the same study. For incentives, make sure the amount and payment method match the IRB, consent form, and recruitment materials.

Request Types#

• Personal reimbursement: Use when someone paid personally. Receipts need to be itemized and show proof of payment.
• Gifts / research incentives: Use for participant payments, gift cards, t-shirts, and similar items. Non-anonymous recipients need CSC Gift Recipient Form PDFs; anonymous platform studies need a platform activity log or the Anonymous Research Incentive spreadsheet.

For participant incentive records, keep the interview data-protection guidance in mind. Payment records may contain contact or identity information and should stay separate from interview recordings, transcripts, survey responses, and analysis data.

Submission Path#

The usual path is:

1. Fill out the relevant CSC reimbursement form.
2. Attach the required receipts and supporting documents.
3. Submit the request through the process listed on the CSC business office page.
4. Wait for the first admin review.
5. Respond by email if the admin asks for clarification or additional documentation.
6. After department review, the request goes through intermittent approvals.
7. The PI receives an approval request.
8. You receive an email when the university sends the reimbursement.

It is normal for reimbursement requests to involve some back-and-forth. A request usually needs clarification or extra documentation rather than a full rejection. If an expense is unexpectedly rejected, escalate to the PI or project lead before changing participant-payment plans.