Travel award program
The Graduate Student Association offers limited financial support to graduate students attending professional conferences. There are several grant award periods per academic year (see below), and a student may only apply to and receive an award during one of these grant award periods per year. The GSA provides limited support for graduate student travel to professional conferences. Grants of up to $500 for domestic travel and $750 for international travel are provided to help students present papers and posters, participate in panel discussions, and attend conferences, lectures, and seminars that contribute to the enhancement of their programs of study. GSA Travel Grants may only be applied to travel expenses, not to conference registration or organizational membership fees.
Please note that you can submit your abstract or other registration information for our travel award application even if you have yet to be formally accepted to attend or present at the conference. You will need the registration confirmation/receipt when filling out the Spend Authorization (Step 2).
The GSA Travel Award Application is now open for travel beginning August 1, 2023 or later. Applications will be reviewed every Monday. Applications must be submitted atleast at least three weeks before the date of departure to be considered for award.
Eligibility
Graduate Students must be currently enrolled in eligible* graduate programs at the time of application submission and during travel dates. Eligible graduate programs are those whose registration fees include fees to the GSA.
Not eligible: Graduate Students enrolled in the following programs are ineligible for the GSA Travel Award. Medical School, Justice Management, and Judicial Studies and online programs. Undergraduate students are also ineligible to apply for the GSA Travel Award; undergraduate students should visit the Undergraduate Research Office for more information.
Allowable expenses
In-person conferences: Students may apply for only one grant per academic year if traveling for an in-person conference. A travel award can only be used for travel and registration fees if the conference is in person. Expenses that are paid with reward points are not allowable reimbursable expenses per the University Administrative Manual Policy 1420.
Award timeline
Please allow up to 10 days from the date your application is submitted for a response.
How to apply for a travel award
Applications will be accepted no later than 5 pm on the day of the deadline. If the deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, applications will be accepted until the following Monday at 9 am. Incomplete applications will not be considered under any circumstances. Award recipients will be notified by email shortly after the application deadline. Recipients must complete steps 2 and 3 outlined below, in order to receive reimbursement. Failure to properly submit these forms within the designated timelines will result in forfeiture of the award.
Your travel award application must contain the following items:
- Lodging paperwork
- Transportation paperwork
- Conference registration or Information on Registration if you have not yet registered or been accepted to the conference/workshop
- A letter from your advisor stating your presence at the conference if you are attending or an abstract of your work if you are presenting.
- You must list the entire costs of your trip, even though The Graduate Student Association will only award up to $500 for domestic travel and $750 for international travel.
(Note: All of these documents must be attached with your online application, otherwise it will be rejected).
- You may of a completed travel award application if needed.
- After you have submitted your award, you will be contacted via email regarding the status of your application, if notified that you have received the award, you will then proceed to fill out the Spend Authorization form in Workday (this is separate from the Travel Award Application).
Fill out the spend authorization in Workday. Additional information on completing the spend authorization is emailed to you along with your award confirmation. The Travel Request Form is a separate form from the Spend Authorization. The online Spend Authorization form in Workday must be completed and routed for approval before travel can be taken.
If you are traveling internationally you must fill out and submit an International Travel Authorization Request Form to the Risk Management Office (located inside the Human Resources building on Artemisia Way). This form must be approved before travel can be taken and must be submitted.
Your spend authorization will need the following information included or attached:
- Lodging confirmation paperwork - Documentation confirming lodging that shows check-in and check-out date. If you are staying with a friend, a memo will suffice.
- Transportation paperwork
- Conference registration - Proof of paid registration registered for the conference.
Once you have taken your travel, you are required to fill out an Expense Report in Workday within 15 days of your return.
Your Expense Report must include or attach the following information:
- Method of Travel invoice - This will either be your plane booking, or car rental booking, if you are riding along with a friend please include a memo that states your are riding as a passenger with someone else.
- Lodging invoice - You must turn in the final invoice received upon check-out from your hotel at the end of travel).
- Conference schedule (This is a schedule that lists the details of your conference).
- A copy of your conference registration form.
To fill in your per diem amounts please visit
- For rates, select the heading "travel"
- Enter your destination location
- Select "Calculate per diem allowances"
- Select your dates
- Select the destination county
Frequently asked questions
Q: I applied for and received a travel award in the Feb 1 cycle deadline. I am traveling to another conference over the summer - can I apply for another travel grant during the May 15 cycle for my summer travel?
A: No. These two travel awards fall within the same academic year and you can only receive one travel award per year.
Q: I received a travel award in the May 1 award cycle for travel in August. I will be attending another conference in October - can I apply again for the Sept 15 deadline?
A: Yes, you can apply for another travel award because September is the beginning of a new academic year.
Q: I was only approved for $400, can I appeal for a higher amount of money?
A: No, appeals are only used for travel awards that are rejected. Funding amounts are not negotiable and are always based on the current level of funding available In the GSA.
Q: May I request a travel advance from the GSA?
A: No, the GSA travel awards only provide reimbursements. Your department or other funding sources might provide travel advances but any funding provided by the GSA will not be available as an advance.
Q: Since being approved for my travel award, I have been invited to attend a different conference, am I allowed to change my travel plans?
A: In most cases, yes, as long as the new conference is within the same academic year; however you must submit the changes on your travel request form and have this approved by the GSA office before your travel is actually taken.
Q: What should I do if the registration for the conference I plan to attend does not open until after the travel award application period closes?
A: Please take a screenshot showing when actual registration will open along with an estimated cost for the registration.