Prizes and Incentives for Survey and Focus Group Participation

Did you participate in a survey or focus group? Are you trying to figure out how to claim your prize or incentive? Then you are in the right place!

Student Life often runs surveys and focus groups that make students eligible for one of two kinds of compensation:

  • Pre-paid Visa debit cards
  • Campus Cash

In order to receive the prize for which you are eligible, be prepared to be asked to submit any of the following forms to claim your prize:

  1. Fill out and sign the appropriate tax form (, )
  2. Fill out and sign a prize receipt form (required for all international students, required for domestic students if the prize is over a $100 amount)
  3. Upload the signed forms to the secure box link that was emailed to you

Email assessment@buffalo.edu with any questions or issues you encounter with this process. If you would like to speak to someone in person, the Assessment and Research Offices can be found in Student Union 322, 323, and 362.

More information about the Â鶹´«Ã½o Gifts, Prizes, and Awards policy

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this a scam?
 A: Good question! This is not a scam – it is university practice to reward students for their time and energy with us with a chance to win a prize, or in some cases, an incentive just for showing up and participating.

Q: Why do I have to fill out tax forms?
 A: IRS guidelines state that cash awards totaling over $600 in a calendar year for U.S Citizens and any payments to Non-Resident Aliens (NRA) are taxable. These forms are collected by the university for IRS reporting purposes.

Q: Do I have to give you my social security number?
 A: We need either an SSN or an ITIN (if you don’t have an SSN), otherwise the tax paperwork is incomplete. This information is put by you into a secure UB Box folder that only the Student Life Finance team can access, so the information is safe and secure.

Q: How can I learn about more opportunities to receive this kind of incentive?
 A: