How to Fill Out and Submit the UAB Event Approval Form

UAB’s event approval form is actually two separate submissions, and most organizers need both. The main one is the event registration at uab.edu/eventsapproval, which clears your date, location, and logistics with the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration’s office. The second is the Event Approval Form from Financial Affairs at uab.edu/financialaffairs/forms/event-approval-form, required anytime UAB funds will be spent on or for the event.¹ Student organizations follow a different route entirely, registering through the Engage platform. Filing the wrong form, or filing the right one too late, will stop your event cold regardless of how far along the planning is.

Which Form You Need

UAB defines “event” broadly: celebrations, dances, lectures, performances, rallies, concerts, speaker presentations, conferences, fundraisers, races, festivals, and parades all qualify, and nearly all events on and off campus require written approval.² External groups cannot register on their own; they must have a UAB-sponsoring internal organization that serves as the primary point of contact.

Match your situation to the correct submission:

Any UAB department or sponsored external group reserving space or holding an event uses the central registration at uab.edu/eventsapproval.
Any event where UAB money is being spent also needs the Financial Affairs Event Approval Form. The form is not required for official UAB events oriented toward students or trainees, endowment-funded lectureships, or ticketed events.¹
Student organizations register through Engage instead of the central site.²
Events expecting more than 250 attendees need an added layer of approval from the appropriate Senior Vice President or Vice President.²

When to Submit

Deadlines are the first thing to pin down because events submitted late will not be approved, no matter how much your group has already invested.³

General campus events using buildings or facilities: at least 30 days before the event.²
Outdoor areas or facilities: at least 7 days in advance.¹
Student organization events through Engage: at least 15 days before the event per the central site; the Student Involvement office separately describes a 5-to-10 business day window depending on the event’s risk level.²³
Virtual student events: at least 2 business days before.⁴
Security requests: at least 10 business days in advance per the handbook; the UAB Police Department’s own form requires 14 business days.⁴⁵
Catering exemption at the Hill Student Center: at least 7 days before the event.⁶

Build in extra time if your event involves outside vendors, catering exemptions, alcohol, or security. Each of those has its own paperwork and its own review cycle.

Submitting the Central Event Registration

Go to uab.edu/eventsapproval and complete the registration form. It collects the logistical details the university needs to prevent conflicts with normal educational, research, and service activities, coordinate competing requests for the same venue, and flag any health or safety concerns.¹ After submission, a representative from the VP for Finance and Administration’s office notifies other units that need to weigh in, such as Parking and Transportation and the UAB Police Department.

Two conditions apply to whoever signs the form. First, that person must be physically present throughout the event and able to produce personal identification and a copy of the approved reservation form if asked. Second, you cannot transfer control of a reserved facility to another group or individual. The applicant is responsible for the entire event.¹

Submitting the Financial Affairs Event Approval Form

If UAB funds are paying for any part of the event, the central registration alone is not enough. Download and complete the Event Approval Form at uab.edu/financialaffairs/forms/event-approval-form and route it through Financial Affairs in addition to the central registration.¹ Skipping this piece is one of the most common reasons funded events stall at the last minute. The three exceptions worth confirming before you decide you don’t need it: official UAB events oriented toward students or trainees, endowment-funded lectureships, and ticketed events.

If alcohol is part of the picture, know that UAB cannot use institutional funds to purchase alcoholic beverages. The State Examiners and the State Attorney General’s Office have consistently ruled this out for state-funded institutions, and the prohibition extends to corkage fees, taxes on alcohol, tips to bartenders, and the portion of a percentage-based meal tip attributable to alcohol.⁷ None of those costs can be paid or reimbursed by the university.

Submitting a Student Organization Event on Engage

Student organizations register all events, including those using academic space, through Engage.³ Only members with officer access can submit. If your name isn’t listed as an officer in the system, contact the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership to be added before you try to file.

To start a submission, hover over your organization’s logo on the Engage main page, click “Manage Home,” navigate to Manage Events, and click “Create Event.”³ The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership reviews every request and will approve or deny it within 10 business days. Submitting the form does not guarantee approval.

If your event is in Student Housing and Residence Life space, upload three extras with your submission: an event flyer, a statement explaining the event’s purpose, and a description of the intended audience. Once review is complete, confirmation of the space reservation, along with any relevant policies and special instructions, appears in the Discussion section of your event registration on Engage. Watch your university email for status updates or requests for clarification.

What to Have Ready Before You Start

The forms move faster when you have the following in hand before you open them:

Event name, purpose, and expected attendance. If you expect more than 250 people, flag the appropriate Senior Vice President or Vice President for the additional approval layer.
Preferred date, start and end times, setup and breakdown time, and the specific location.
Name and contact information of the responsible applicant, who must be present at the event.
For student org events open to the public, with alcohol, with more than 75 expected attendees, or with potential health and safety hazards: plans for an advisor and security, both of which may be required.⁴
For funded events: the account to be charged and the budget breakdown Financial Affairs will need.
For external sponsors: the name of the UAB internal organization serving as the primary point of contact.

Add-On Forms You May Also Need

Catering Exemption

All catering in the Hill Student Center must go through UAB Campus Restaurants, and outside food or beverages are not permitted by default.⁸ Student organizations and UAB-wide student programs can request an exception for evening or weekend events with fewer than 75 attendees, but the reservation stays tentative until the exception is approved.

The Catering Exemption Form goes to three reviewers: the Campus Restaurants General Manager, the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, and the Director of Hill Student Center Operations. Submit it at least 7 days before the event with a $75 refundable deposit check (no cash, though internal requisitions are accepted for UAB student programs), a copy of the outside food provider’s food license, and proof of liability insurance. Without those documents, the request will not be considered.⁶ If approved, display the catering permit at the site of food service during the event. The permit can be revoked for noncompliance, and you are responsible for cleanup by the end of your reservation period.

Event Security

Events with large crowds, public access, alcohol, potential traffic congestion, or health and safety hazards may need UAB Police Department security. Submit the Event Security Request Form at least 14 business days ahead.⁵ There is a 4-hour minimum charge for all special-detail services, billed after the event. Cancel at least 24 hours in advance or your department or organization will be billed for the 4-hour minimum regardless.

Alcohol Disclosure

Disclose any alcohol service in the event registration itself so the reviewing office can flag it early. The Student Organization Handbook lists alcohol as a factor that may trigger a requirement for both an advisor and security.⁴ Not disclosing it risks denial or a last-minute cancellation.

Why Requests Get Denied

Most stalled or denied requests share a short list of causes. Check your submission against each one before you hit send:

Missing the deadline. Late submissions are denied outright, no matter how much money has already been spent.³
Skipping the Financial Affairs Event Approval Form for a funded event. The location registration alone is not enough.
Showing up with outside food at the Hill Student Center without an approved catering exemption, food license, insurance, and deposit check. The catering gets shut down on the spot.
Trying to submit a student org event without officer access on Engage. Only listed officers can file.⁸
Transferring control of the reserved space to another group. This voids the approval.¹
Not carrying the approved reservation form and personal ID during the event. University officials can ask for both at any time.

1
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Registration Steps – UAB Events Approval and Scheduling
2
University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAB Events Approval and Scheduling
3
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Event Registration – Student Involvement
4
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Student Organization Handbook
5
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Event Security Request Form
6
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Exception to Catering Request Form
7
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Entertainment General Expenditure Guidelines
8
University of Alabama at Birmingham. Hill Student Center – FAQs