GPSC Travel Grants

The GPSC Travel Grants Program has four rounds per academic year (with deadlines of September 1, November 1, February 1, and April 1). Please review the “Eligibility and Travel Dates” section below to determine which application round to apply to in order to fund your travel.

COVID-19 Note: If you are thinking about applying for a grant but are unsure about your plans in light of the recent COVID-19 national and global response, we still encourage you to apply. If a cancellation occurs, applications can be withdrawn and refundable expenses/unused funds can be returned to the GPSC. We can also accommodate events or projects which become postponed due to the COVID-19 response. If you apply for an in-person event which is subsequently switched to a virtual format, we will cover any registration or other event fees up to a maximum of $750.

Please refer below for our policies, and email gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu if you have any additional questions.

*The award amounts are based on GPSCS's estimates of avaliable funding and are subject to change.

To complete your grant application, you will be directed to Submittable, a third party grant management application. By continuing with this application, you agree to provide your student information to Submittable, and to having Submittable receive and process that student information, in order to complete your application and be considered for a grant award.

NOTE: Please log-in with your UA NETID (email.arizona.edu) account

Online Application

GPSC Travel Grant Evaluation Rubric

GPSC Grants strongly recommend that all applicants save their text on a separate document (Word or Google doc) in case an error occurs to ensure nothing is lost. If an error does occur, please contact the Submittable Technical Support team at support@submittable.com as soon as possible.

Last updated: 05/2022

Range of Support

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The GPSC awards grants for graduate and professional student travel for professional development purposes. Applications for domestic travel may receive up to $1500. Applications for international travel may receive up to $2000. Applicants for Virtual Conferences may receive up to $750. Event types covered by the grant include but are not limited to:

Travel to attend/present at academic or professional conferences
Travel to conduct fieldwork or research
Travel to participate in summer schools or workshops
Travel to participate in practicums, internships, or other types of experiential learning
Travel for a job interview or campus visit
Travel for study abroad or international study

Group Travel Application:

Students who wish to apply to the GPSC Travel Grant Program as a group can submit a single application if all students will be traveling/attending the same event (or other reason for travel). Group travel is limited to 5 students per application and may include one undergraduate student. However, the Primary Applicant must be a graduate or Professional student.

Applications for domestic travel may receive up to $1500 x Number of students applying together. Applications for international travel may receive up to $2000 x Number of students applying together. Applications for virtual events may recieve up to $750 x Number of students applying together. No partial funding will be allowed. One faculty support letter will be allowed and must state the number of students traveling together.

Applicants who apply to the GPSC Travel Grant program as a group will be asked to submit a proposal narrative of no more than 1500 words that should additionally include:

A clear, concise, and jargon-free description of the event (or other reason for travel), including what each individual within the group intends to do there, why the named location is the best venue for the activity, and why the travel is relevant to the applicant’s current program of study.

Within the proposal narrative, each individual needs to include what they will be doing and how it is relevant to their current program of study.

To abide by GPSC’s confidentiality clause, each individual needs to be listed as “person A,B,C etc.” within the proposal narrative.

Other parts of the application and rules remain the same as a Travel Grant Application.

Awards may be used to cover the following:

Airfare
Lodging: Requested daily rates must not exceed those listed in the FSO Meals/Lodging Cost Index.
Meals: Requested daily rates must not exceed those listed in the FSO Meals/Lodging Cost Index. Meal rates are listed in the posted manuals as “M&IE."
Local transportation
Mileage: Requested rates must not exceed those listed in the FSO Transportation policy.
Event registration fees
Workshop fees
Poster printing fees
Membership fees only if membership is required to attend the conference/event

If you have questions regarding the eligibility of an item for funding which is not on the above list, please email gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu.

FAQs

Can I submit one application for two events?

You may submit an application for two events which occur consecutively (i.e. a conference followed by fieldwork, two back-to-back conferences, etc.).

I plan to travel but am not 100% sure yet that I will be going. Can I still apply?

Yes, you are encouraged to apply even if you are not absolutely sure you will be going (i.e., you have not received an acceptance letter for your conference, fieldwork plans are not finalized, etc.). In the event that you do not go but do receive a GPSC grant, you can withdraw your application, decline the award, or return the funds.

Can I apply for a GPSC Travel Grant if I am taking personal time before or after the event?

Yes, but you will be required to submit a justification memo as part of your application explaining that GPSC funds will not be used for personal time.

Is there a limit to the number of days for which I can request lodging and meals?

No. This was restricted in previous years but this restriction has been removed since academic year 2020-2021.

Can the grant cover travel visas, passport fees, or visa mailing fees?

No.

Can I apply for a travel grant individually if I am part of a group travel application?

No.

Eligibility and Travel Dates

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Applicants must be University of Arizona graduate or professional students and enrolled at the time of application and over the duration of the proposed travel.
Applicants may only submit one application per round.
Applicants are eligible to receive a maximum of one Travel Grants per academic year.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the two application rounds before their travel start month and the two application round after or concurrent with their travel start month.
The travel date ranges for each round are as follows:
- September 2021 round: February 1, 2021 – February 1, 2022
- November 2021 round: April 1, 2021 – April 1, 2022
- February 2022 round: September 1, 2021 – September 1, 2022
- April 2022 round: November 1, 2021 – November 1, 2022

FAQs

It is currently August, but I know I will be traveling in March of next year. There are three application rounds before my travel start date (September, November, February). Can I apply for the September round to fund my March travel?

No. You are eligible to apply only for the 2 rounds immediately preceding your travel start month (November and February rounds), and for the two round concurrent with or immediately following your travel start month (April and September round).

I plan to apply in the April round of the current academic year to fund travel occurring in September of the next academic year. If I receive this grant, can I apply for another grant next year to travel again during the next academic year?

Yes. You may receive up to one travel grants per academic year. The academic year begins in August.

I am graduating in May. Can I apply to fund travel which will be taking place after my graduation?

No. You must be a student at the time of travel.

I am an incoming graduate student enrolled in classes for next semester. Can I apply for a travel grant at this time?

No. You will be eligible to apply for a Travel Grant starting in the semester for which you are enrolled.

I am an undergraduate enrolled in a dual or accelerated B.A./M.A. program. Am I eligible?

If you are not technically enrolled as a graduate or professional student (which may be verified by looking at the Student view on UAccess under “My Academics”), you are not yet eligible for a GPSC Travel Grant. Once you are registered as a graduate student, you will be eligible for a Travel Grant.

Application and Faculty Statement of Support Deadlines

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GPSC Travel Grants have the following deadlines for academic year 2021-2022. All required materials must be submitted to the online portal by 11:59 PM Arizona Time on the day of the deadline. No exceptions will be made.

September Round: Application opens August 1st, applications due September 1st

November Round: Application opens October 1st, applications due November 1st

February Round: Application opens January 1st, applications due February 1st

April Round: Application opens March 1st, applications due April 1st

Please do not include your name in the travel narrative or budget to preserve the standards of double-blind reviewing.

An automated submission confirmation email is generated once an online application is submitted. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact the Submittable Technical Support team at support@submittable.com

Faculty statements of support are due at the same day and time as the applications! In your Submittable application, you will find a textbox in which you can enter your faculty supporter's email address. Submitting the application generates an email from Submittable which will provide your faculty supporter with a link to upload their statement of support-- this means that if you don't submit your application until 11:50pm the day before the deadline, your faculty supporter may not see their upload link in time to provide you with a letter. While not having a letter of support does not immediately disqualify you, it may affect your total score. So, please plan to submit your appliciation with time to spare!

Please advise your faculty recommender to submit a brief letter stating (1) the name of the conference, event, or purpose of travel, (2) the date(s) and place(s) of the conference, event, or purpose of travel, and (3) a statement indicating that they support the travel and endorse your application. In order to maintain standards of double-blind reviewing, we ask that they not include your name in the file name or in the letter of support.

FAQs

I do not see the Travel Grant application when I click the “Online Application” button on this website.

The application may not be open yet. Please check the application opening and closing dates listed above. If the application should be open at this time, please email us at gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu.

I am having trouble submitting my application online. Can I submit my application materials via email?

No, we can only accept application materials via the online application. Judges can only view materials submitted through the online system/portal, and as such, we cannot accept materials in an alternate format. If you are experiencing issues with the online application, please contact the Submittable Technical Support team at support@submittable.com.

Before beginning the application, applicants should save their text and responses on a separate document (Word or Google doc) in case an error occurs to ensure nothing is lost. If an error does occur, please contact the Submittable Technical Support team at support@submittable.com as soon as possible.

Selection Criteria

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The number of awards per round is contingent upon the availability of funds and the number of applications received.
Applications are reviewed by graduate students from various disciplines. After the judges submit their evaluation scores, a cutoff score is generated based on the number of applications and the amount of funds available.
For more information regarding the criteria used by the travel grant judges to evaluate the travel grant applications, please refer to the GPSC Travel Grant Evaluation Rubric.
March 2022 Grants information session recording link.

Notification of Awards

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The GPSC Travel Grant program is competitive and is not a guaranteed source of funding. Awardees are not guaranteed to receive funding before their travel begins.
Applications are sent for review once the deadline passes. Evaluation of applications takes approximately 4-6 weeks. Applicants will be notified via email when their application status changes (Accepted, Declined, etc.). You may also check your online application portal for updates on your status. If awarded a travel grant, the amount requested in the application will be distributed through the applicant's Bursar's account as a stipend within two to three weeks after award notification. Stipends are considered taxable income and may affect financial aid status.
Applicants who were not awarded may be eligible to reapply during subsequent rounds if their travel dates are eligible (see the “Eligibility and Travel Dates” section above).

Award Refund and Event Cancellation Policy

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If you are awarded a Travel Grant but are unable to attend or would like to decline your award, please notify the Grants Office at gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu immediately for instructions on how to return unused funds. If taxes were automatically withheld from your award, only the award amount released to you is to be returned to the GPSC.
If your event is cancelled but you have already incurred non-refundable charges, the GPSC will not require you to return that portion of the grant to the GPSC. Please complete your Post-Award Report to document the expenses which could not be refunded.
If less than 90% of awarded GPSC funds are used, then that student will be required to reimburse the University of Arizona for the unspent funds. Please notify us of your unused funds at gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu.

Post-Award Report

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Travel Grant awardees are required to submit a Post-Award Report within ten (10) business days after completing travel or receiving an award announcement (if travel has already been completed). Awardees failing to submit a Post-Award Report will not be eligible to apply for future Travel Grant awards (until the requirement is fulfilled).
The Post-Award Report will be assigned to awardees and completed entirely through the Submittable platform. Once assigned, the form is accessible to awardees via Submittable under the tab labeled "Post-Award Form." Required components include: 1) an experience narrative (500 word limit), 2) proof of attendance, and 3) verification that all other award conditions have been met. Paper submissions/walk-ins will not be accepted.
Travel Grant awardees are required to keep receipts of all expenses incurred during travel, to be submitted if requested by the Grants Office.
Awardees must spend at least 90% of their award. If less than 90% of awarded GPSC funds are used, then that student will be required to reimburse the University of Arizona for the unspent funds. Please notify us of your unused funds at gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu.

Grants Judges

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Each GPSC grant application is reviewed and evaluated by 2-3 volunteer graduate and professional students.
Awardees may be asked to serve as judges for following GPSC grant application rounds. Serving as a judge is a voluntary service and is not a requirement of receiving an award.
Any graduate or professional student may volunteer to serve as a judge. Serving as a GPSC Grants Judge allows would-be applicants to obtain an insider's perspective on the evaluation process. Other reasons to be a judge include:
- Formulating a more competitive application by reviewing actual applications
- Additional service or volunteer experience for the relevant sections of your CV or resume
- Obtaining an insider's perspective on an evaluation process similar to how major granting agencies (NSF/NIH/NEH) award research grants
- Being involved in a central part of student governance
If you are interested in serving as a GPSC Grants Judge, please sign-up to become a judge via https://forms.gle/PX17dTTEdWkym7NQ7 or email gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu. All volunteer judges are signed up to review grant applications (Travel, ReaP, and POD) on an ongoing basis, unless otherwise specified.

PLEASE NOTE: You MAY NOT serve as a Judge for the Travel Grants program in the same round in which you applied. You may, however, be assigned applications for a different program (ReaP or POD). Please notify us if you have submitted an application but would also like to serve as a judge.

Confidentiality Clause

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Confidentiality Requirement for GPSC Applicants and Reviewers-

Purpose:

The Graduate & Professional Student Council (GPSC) at the University of Arizona takes seriously our responsibility to maintain confidentiality throughout the review process. This policy serves to remind GPSC Officials, GPSC Directors, and Peer judges of their responsibility concerning confidentiality in the application review process.

Measures to Ensure Confidentiality:

GPSC Grants & Funding policy directs applicants to not include any personal identifiers in their application documents.
Applicants may need to identify in grant applications information that the applicant considers being trade secrets, information that is commercial or financial, or information that is privileged or confidential.
When such information is included in the application it is with the understanding that the information will be used or disclosed only for the evaluation of the application.
The information contained in applications shall not be used or disclosed except for evaluation purposes unless disclosure is mandated by University Policy or applicable law.
An applicant may not contact student reviewers/ judges or Council members who potentially may be involved in the evaluation of an application. Applicants may request information and clarifications only from the Grants Director or the Funding Administrator.
Student reviewers/ judges and Council members are instructed to direct all such inquiries to the attention of, and notify directly, the GPSC Grants Office.

GPSC is committed to protecting such information, including measures to ensure confidentiality in the review.

1) Before participating in the initial review for grant applications every individual involved in the process must certify a Confidentiality and Non – Disclosure Rules [Click here for Confidential Agreement] before gaining access to information about the applications, proposals, or review. GPSC is not liable for the intentional breach of confidentiality by reviewers.

2) Data Security

GPSC uses a third - party platform Submittable for Grants application, submission, and management.

GPSC not liable for third-party security breach and hacking of our emails, computers, cloud, and servers.

Thank you to our supporters!

Travel grants are made possible by funds provided by the GPSC, the Graduate College, Student Fees, and the College of Engineering. Thank you to all of our partners for their meaningful contributions to graduate and professional student advancement.