Student Travel Funding

Program for Funding Student Travel – effective July, 2008

A program for funding student travel is sponsored by the dean’s office and is designed to provide opportunities and support for student presentations of posters/papers, etc. at professional/scientific conferences. Individual departments are encouraged to seek additional sources of travel funds to promote student participation in research presentations (e.g. research funds, Graduate School student travel funds).

General Guidelines and Procedures for Awarding Travel Funds

1. The application process will be instituted and conducted at the school level, coordinated by the Office for Student and Alumni Services.

2. The school Council of Graduate Directors will receive and review applications three times per year, September, January and April. Final decisions about recipients of the awards are the prerogative of this committee.

3. Students making a presentation (poster or oral) at a national or international meeting have priority for funding from this program. However, students either presenting at a state or regional meeting or participating in a group competition at a national meeting are also eligible for funding.

4. Funds for the travel program are allocated on a fiscal year basis (July 1 – June 30). The maximum award will be $600: $300 from the dean’s office matched by $300 from a department or center. There will be an effort to spread the awards across the three application cycles and across the six departments. Only students presenting at national meetings are eligible for the maximum award. Students presenting at state or regional meetings or participating in a group competition are eligible for a maximum of $100 from the dean’s office with a comparable match from a department or center.

5. The award can be applied to any acceptable travel-related expenditure (e.g. airfare, food, lodging, registration fees, etc.).

6. Important: In order for students to receive travel reimbursement, all USC travel requirements must be followed. This includes a travel authorization (TA) form approved by the Arnold School of Public Health business manager prior to any travel. Travel authorizations submitted after travel has commenced will not be approved. A travel reimbursement voucher (TRV) can be submitted either before travel (e.g. to pay airfare or registration) or after travel for reimbursement of appropriately documented expenses.

7. The application must include:
   

   1. Letter from the student identifying the meeting s/he wishes to attend, including justification of attendance
   2. Estimate of total travel expenses and any funding resources already secured;
   3. Accepted abstract of the research to be presented
   4. Endorsement from department chair indicating that matching funds (e.g., department or grant funds) are available.

8. Criteria for determining a successful application:

   1. Student’s academic record
   2. Student’s service to the department and school, etc.;
   3. Stature of meeting at which presentation will be made
   4. Quality/impact of research to be presented.
   5. Priority can be given to students who have not received a previous travel award from the school.
9. Priority can be given to students who have not received a previous travel award from the school.
10. Students are allowed to request dean’s student travel funding after the travel occurs if acceptance for presentation was not available by the last application deadline prior to the meeting. However, a travel authorization must be submitted prior to travel; either the amount of the TA can be increased or an appropriate amount of the expenses transferred to a dean’s office account if the travel award is approved.

Dean’s student travel awards (with the appropriate department match) are acceptable as matching funds for obtaining travel funding from The Graduate School. Information concerning travel grants sponsored by The Graduate School can be located at http://www.gradschool.sc.edu/support/index.html.

Student Travel Program Application Check List (PDF)