ASGD Graduate Student Travel Award

The Associated Students of the Graduate Division (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 two ASGD travel awards as a degree candidate. Please note that this award opportunity is different from the Graduate Division Travel Award; for more information regarding their application, please refer to the Graduate Division website.

DISCLAIMER: The application deadlines as indicated below will begin for the start of the 2024-2025 academic year (September 28, 2024). The application period for the 2023-2024 academic year (until end of September 11, 2024) has closed as we have reached our funding capacity.  

Application Deadlines

Applications will be available for 2-3 weeks at the beginning of each quarter and you must apply for the travel award in the quarter you will be traveling. Because funds are limited, a set number of awards are allocated quarterly and students will be chosen based on the type of presentation given (e.g. presenting an oral talk or poster) and/or if you are a first time applicant. 2nd time applicants are also welcome to apply, but please note that priority will go to first time applicants if there are not enough funds remaining for that quarterly application period. Any awards not used will be carried over into the next quarter as surplus.

The travel award applications will be open only during the following periods for the 2024-2025 academic year:

  • Fall quarter (September 12 – October 3, 2024)
  • Winter quarter (January 2 – Jan 17, 2025) 
  • Spring quarter (March 31 – April 18, 2025) 
  • Summer quarter (June 17 – July 1, 2025)

NOTE: Applications submitted outside of these timeframes will be automatically rejected. The only exception is if your conference falls during the application period (first 2 weeks of a quarter); we request that you contact us to expedite the review process so we can provide you an answer before submitting your application. 

Parameters

  • Retroactive requests for funding are not allowed.
  • Funds may only be used for transportation (airfare, taxi, shuttle, ground transport, public transportation), registration fees, hotel accommodations (basic room), and meals (less than $75/day excluding alcohol).
  • Other expenses (such as 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 (and 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.

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.
  • 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 Procedure

1) First submit the pre-screen ASGD Graduate Student Conference Travel Award Application survey form that will be reviewed within 1 week of the quarterly application period.

2) If your ASGD Conference Travel Award Application was approved, please then complete the reimbursement form and upload all additional documents. 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 ASGD Conference Travel Award Application form - Do not complete and submit the reimbursement form until this application is approved.
  • 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). 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. 

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.

 

If you have any questions, please  CONTACT us at [email protected].