Travel grants
The Graduate Student Travel Grant program provides funds to support students presenting their research or academic work at conferences, summits, etc.
Through this program, the Graduate School will provide financial support of up to $500 for eligible graduate students. The grant can be used to cover conference costs, travel, lodging, etc.—any expenses incurred for participation as a presenter.
- Who is eligible? All degree-seeking students enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs at VCU are eligible to apply for this opportunity. Students receiving funding from this program must be a presenter at the academic event they are attending. Please note that first-professional students (D.D.S., M.D., Pharm.D.) are not eligible to apply.
- What are the restrictions? Awards are made without regard to quotas or distribution among fields and departments. However, no student will be funded for more than two trips in an academic year. Funding is limited, so students applying to the program are not guaranteed support.
- When is the deadline? Students must turn in their application at least one month before their proposed travel dates. Completed applications are processed in the order in which they are received. Funding is limited, so students applying to the program are not guaranteed support.
How to apply
Detailed instructions on applying can be found on the graduate student travel grant below. Interested students should submit their application form and required application materials (a research abstract of 300 words or less, verification of the presentation, and a budget showing how the funds will be used) via the application form. If you have any questions, please contact gradtravel@vcu.edu.
Travel Fund Cycles
The program is divided into cycles to maintain equity. The cycles and their application are:
| Application Cycle | Travel Dates | Application Open Date | Application Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Travel Application I | August 1 - September 30 | July 1 | CLOSED |
| Fall Travel Application II | October 1 - December 31 | September 1 | CLOSED |
| Spring Travel Application I | January 1 - March 1 | December 1 | OPEN |
| Spring Travel Application II | March 2 - May 15 | February 2 | |
| Summer Travel Application | May 16 - July 31 | April 16 |
Applications for each cycle will be announced on this page as they are opened. When a funding cycle has been exhausted, the application will be marked CLOSED. Applications for travel dates outside of the corresponding cycle dates will be deleted.
For more information on University travel guidelines, please visit the Office of Procurement Services.
Frequently asked questions
Students should be familiar with application open dates found on the Graduate School website. The funding for each cycle is limited so your completed application should be submitted as early as possible once the application for that cycle opens. When a funding cycle has been exhausted, the application will be marked CLOSED.
Students may only be awarded two travel grants per academic year. Additionally, students cannot receive more than one travel grant per semester.
Travel cycles are determined by the student’s return date. Therefore, use the return date of your travel to determine which cycle to apply for.
The VCU Graduate School issues travel grants in the form of departmental reimbursements then departments refund the students. Departments can front the cost of students’ travel once they have been awarded; however, this policy is department-dependent so please check in with your department’s fiscal coordinator. The VCU Graduate School issues reimbursements once students and their fiscal coordinators promptly and successfully submit their Chrome River expense reports to the Graduate School.
No, the VCU travel grant can only be utilized by current graduate students who are presenting their work at a conference or exposition.