Graduate Student Travel Grants

The Graduate Council Travel Grant Committee awards grants provided by the Graduate School to assist graduate students in traveling to conferences for the purpose of presenting the results of research conducted or original artistic works created during graduate coursework at UMass Amherst. Grants are awarded for presentations rather than just to attend a conference, facilitate a session, or conduct research. Criteria for selection are the merit of the project, prestige of the conference, and financial need of the student. Awards will be made to the individual student rather than for a project (divided among several students). Each graduate student is eligible for one grant per year although the Travel Grant Committee may not be able to award grants to every student whose application is endorsed by the Graduate Program Director. Grant funds apply to registration, transportation, and lodging expenses. Meals, copying, and other incidentals are not reimbursable. Students are strongly encouraged to share travel expenses with others attending the conference.

Graduate Program Directors (GPD) are central to the Travel Grant award process. The Committee relies on the GPD to know the students, their work, the quality of the conference, and their need and to approve only those applications they believe merit the competitive awards. Since grant funds are limited, each program is allocated only a few awards per year based on the fall graduate student enrollment headcount.

• Travel Grant Allotments for FY 2009-2010

More specific information on allowable expenses and allottments can be found in the Student Application and GPD Approval forms. If you have any further questions, please contact Kevin Klement, Philosophy Department (klement@philos.umass.edu) or Josh Kroner at the Graduate School (5-5289 or kroner@grad.umass.edu).

Travel Grant Forms:

• Graduate Student Travel Grant Application
  
  
• GPD Travel Grant Approval Form