Interview Expense Reimbursement Program

The Office of Career Planning will cover student registration fees for organized interview programs where the student has pre-scheduled interviews. If the host organization allows the law school to pre-pay registration expenses for students, it will do so if possible. However, in some circumstances a student may need to pay the registration cost and seek reimbursement. The Office of Career Planning does not cover registration fees for conferences, networking events, or other programs where students do not have organized and pre-scheduled interviews. 

Students are advised to email [email protected] before incurring fees if they are seeking reimbursement for any program not listed above.

The Office of Career Planning will cover student registration fees for any 2L or 3L student attending the Equal Justice Works Career Fair (EJW). We typically arrange for direct school invoicing for the EJW Career Fair - see the EJW Career Fair job posting in Symplicity for our school-specific registration URL - but will reimburse a student if they pay their fee individually.

In order to assist students in securing a post-graduate job immediately following graduation, Michigan Law reimburses eligible 3L students for Reimbursable Travel Expenses incurred during two 3L interview trips, up to $250 per trip. This is in addition to any trips to attend the Equal Justice Works conference.  Eligibility and program details are described below. 

Eligibility

• Expenses must be incurred between September 1st of the student’s 3L year and within six months following graduation. Travel expenses will also be reimbursed for “rising 3Ls” during the summer immediately preceding their 3L year, provided (i) the interview is for a post-graduate position beginning at the latest, in the fall immediately following graduation and, (2) the rising 3L is not working in a summer internship that typically leads to a postgraduate offer (i.e., “Big Law”).      

• Expenses that could be covered by the employer or any other third-party are not eligible for reimbursement.

• Students are ineligible to receive reimbursement for any costs incurred while traveling to any interview if they have previously received an offer of full-time postgraduate legal employment. 

• Students may not be on leave at the time the expenses are incurred and must be in compliance with OCP summer employment reporting requirements at the time of reimbursement is requested. 

• In no event is a student eligible for reimbursement of more than four trips total (i.e., two EJW travel reimbursements; two 3L interview trips). 

Reimbursable Travel Expenses

Eligible expenses are limited to hotel, mileage, rental car fees, and airline, train, subway and bus fare. 

• Students will not be reimbursed for travel expenses paid for by points or rewards.
• Students may not stack or segment trips to increase reimbursement limits (e.g., using both 3L interview reimbursements during one trip; using a 3L interview trip reimbursement in addition to the EJW travel reimbursement, etc.) 
• Reimbursement is not available for one-way travel.
• In no event is a student eligible for reimbursement of more than four trips total (i.e., two EJW travel reimbursements; two 3L interview trips). 

To apply for reimbursement for registration fees or travel expenses, students must complete this form and email supporting receipts to [email protected] within 21 days of travel. This ensures that requests can be processed within the central University’s guidelines. This is not a Law School policy so exceptions cannot be granted. 

The student requesting reimbursement must submit documentation showing the expense for which reimbursement is sought was actually incurred.  Receipts must be in the student’s name who is applying for reimbursement and must show the amount paid and method of payment.Again, this is not a Law School policy so exceptions cannot be granted.