Undergraduate Research & Collaborative Scholarships
Guidelines
The Grants and Research Office enthusiastically supports students who wish to present a paper or poster at a scholarly conference.
Terms of the Award
The amount of each Student Travel Grant depends upon need and funds available, but no grant will exceed $500 plus a $250 match. Eligible applicants are awarded an outright grant of up to $500 (level of funding depends upon projected expenses). In addition, applicants whose projected expenses exceed $500 are strongly encouraged to seek additional funding from their departments to support their travel. The Travel Grant Program will match dollar-for-dollar funds that applicants find from their home department up to an amount not to exceed $250.
Example: John receives a travel grant for $500 from the Student Travel Grant Program for a trip that is projected to cost $1,000. He asks his department to help defer his expenses, and his department pledges an additional $250. The Student Travel Grant Program will then match this pledge with an additional grant of $250, making the entire award $750 from the Student Travel Grant Program and $250 from the student's department.
Student Travel Grants typically provide funding for air and ground transportation, lodging, meeting registration, meals, and other expenses directly related to a student's attendance at a conference.
Restrictions
Students may be supported for more than one trip per academic year, but in no case will a student receive more than $750 from the Student Travel Grant Program in one academic year.
The Student Travel Grant will not pay for any alcohol.
Rental of a vehicle is absolutely forbidden unless you receive written permission to do so from the Grants and Research Office prior to your departure. In most cases, rental of a car is not necessary.
The Student Travel Grant is intended to pay for regular meals only. Costs relating to snacks, "grazing," late-night outings, and coffee breaks will not be reimbursed.
When requesting reimbursement for meals, student travel grant recipients will be reimbursed no more than $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch, and $20 for dinner.
Food or drink ordered through room service will not be reimbursed.
The Student Travel Grant will pay for only essential expenses related exclusively to travel.
Student Travel Grants cannot be used to present material that has already been presented at another conference.
Reimbursement
In order to be reimbursed for any expense, student travel grant recipients must provide an original paper receipt confirming both the actual expenditure and the fact that it was paid for.
Please note that itineraries and bills are not valid receipts (hotels and airlines commonly give you a bill indicating the cost of your stay or travel—these do not confirm how much you actually spent. The balance on such receipts must be $0.00).
In all cases, students are asked to be responsible stewards of University resources. The Program reserves the right NOT to reimburse any travel grant recipient for expenses deemed excessive.
Recipients of Student Travel Grants must turn in their receipts and a sheet of paper indicating a) your UST student ID number, b) a telephone number where you can be reached, and c) an address to which you would like your reimbursement check sent within 28 calendar days of their return to the Twin Cities.
Grant recipients who turn in their receipts more than 28 calendar days following their return to the Twin Cities effectively relinquish their grants and will not be reimbursed for their travel.
ATTENTION! Along with your reimbursement materials, you must turn in the Student Travel Grant Follow-Up Form. You will not be reimbursed until our office receives this form.
Deadline(s)
There are no set deadlines for applying for a Student Travel Grant, but you must submit your application and any additional pledges from institutional sources at least 14 calendar days in advance of your planned departure.
Application Instructions
A complete application for a Student Travel Grant will consist of 1) completed Application Form, 2) an abstract of your scholarly presentation, and 3) a copy of a conference program or an acceptance letter confirming yourself as a presenter at a scholarly conference. Send both as hard paper copies to:
David F. Steele, Ph.D.
Director, Undergraduate Research and Collaborative Inquiry Program
AQU 319H
