ASGD Graduate Student Travel Award

The ASGD Graduate Student Travel Award provides up to $400 for graduate academic students to present at professional conferences. Award funding is dependent on funds availability. Students may receive only one travel award as a degree candidate. 

 

Parameters

  • Retroactive requests for funding are not allowed.
  • Funds may only be used for transportation (airfare, taxi, shuttle, public transportation) and registration fees (excluding meals and lodging). If the registration fee includes meals, students must contact the conference organizer to get the actual registration fee amount minus the meals. 
  • Other travel expenses, such as lodging, meals, membership dues, car rental, parking, airline seat upgrades, abstract and/or poster development, abstract fees, and office supplies, are not eligible.
  • Participation in the conference should be directly relevant to the applicant's research and beneficial to their future professional career.
  • Students may only apply once per academic year (receive only two travel awards max as a degree candidate). 
  • The total number of travel awards offered each year is based on the first come, first-serve availability of funds.
  • Applications are accepted year-round; however, funds are limited. Students are advised to apply as early as possible!

Eligibility Requirements

  • UCSF registered graduate academic students who pay the Associated Students of the Graduate Division (ASGD) quarterly fee are eligible; you must be registered in the term in which you are attending the conference. 
  • Students who do not pay the quarterly ASGD fee, or students who are on filing fee, are not eligible for this award.
  • Be a UCSF-based student (applies to dual-campus students in eligible degree programs only).
  • In good academic standing with no outstanding fee balance.
  • Presenting an oral talk or poster at an in-person or virtual scientific conference.
  • Students with fellowships providing a research budget or education allowance must expend those funds completely to be eligible for these awards.
  • Students should seek support from research advisors, principal investigators, graduate programs, and schools before applying for the ASGD Graduate Student Travel Award.
  • Students must not have previously received the ASGD Graduate Student Travel Award more than once (2 awards max/student).

Application Deadline

Submit your application within 1 - 3 months of the planned departure date (or, for virtual conferences, the event start date). While applications are accepted throughout the year, funds are limited and allocated quarterly. It is recommended that students apply within the monthly review deadline. If applications are submitted too far in advance (>3 months prior to the conference date), they will be denied.


Example: If your conference occurs in April, you may submit your application by the January, February, or March monthly review deadline!

Application Procedure

1) First submit the pre-screen ASGD Graduate Student Travel Award Application survey form.

2) Complete the reimbursement form and upload all additional documents to the application. Your application may be rejected if any of the required documents are missing, or if ineligible expenses are included. The application must contain all of the following documents:

  • Completed application form.
  • Official conference announcement listing dates, location and fees.
  • Confirmation of participation in the meeting (i.e. acceptance of paper or poster).
  • Proof-of-payment of registration fees (credit card statement in the applicant's name or verification from conference that payment has been received and processed). Fee cannot include meals. See first bullet in Parameters above for additional information.
  • Proof-of-payment of airfare. (Not applicable for virtual conferences.) E-tickets are acceptable as long as they show that the applicant's credit card has been charged. Important: Travel must be conducted in the least expensive and most direct way possible. Travel award does not cover seat upgrade costs.
  • Estimated baggage fees and ground transportation costs. (Not applicable for virtual conferences.)

Award Payments

ASGD Graduate Student Travel Awards are paid as reimbursements of actual expenses incurred by awardees for approved expenses. Awardees are required to submit their reimbursement request using MyExpense via MyAccess. The award notice sent via email will have instructions on how to submit the MyExpense reimbursement and awardees are encouraged to submit the expenses for payment as quickly as possible.

Please note that reimbursement requests must be submitted within 45 days from the end of a trip. Any expense reports submitted after the 45-day deadline may cause the award to be reported as taxable income. After the reimbursement has been approved, it will take one week to process payment. The Controller's Office audits every expense report, so make sure all receipts are attached, and the transaction date(s) and receipt date(s) match. Sign up for non-payroll direct deposit to speed up payment.

Awards not claimed 90 days after the conclusion of the conference, or upon graduation (whichever comes first), will forfeit the travel award.

Note for students receiving financial aid: Travel awards do not appear in the student financial aid offer letter and will not count against the student's financial aid.