Conference Travel Grant

The GSA Conference Travel Grant is intended to help offset the costs of travel or registration fees at professional conferences at which a graduate student is presenting original research. For the 2024-25 academic year, the funds available each quarter will be divided evenly between all eligible applicants. We are expecting $12,250 per quarter for this fund. This means if 49 students apply for this fund, they will each receive $250. This change was voted on and approved in the May 2024 General Assembly.

Please note that you do not receive the grant beforehand, it is only processed after you attend your conference and submit proof of attendance. Examples of proof of attendance are a picture of your conference badge, of you presenting that clearly shows your name, or a letter or email from the conference organizers confirming your attendance. This proof of attendance can be emailed (as JPEG or PNG file type ONLY) during or after you attend the conference to gsa-vpfa@ucsb.edu

You can find additional funding through the Academic Senate.

This grant is open to graduate students at all levels. Advancement to candidacy is not a requirement. Students serving as a commentator/discussant are not eligible for the travel grant. Students on any kind of leave from UCSB and not enrolled in courses are not eligible for the travel grant. For summer conferences, you must be enrolled in the subsequent Fall quarter in order to receive the grant. This is a Graduate Division requirement.

An applicant must be accepted to present original research data and have expenses not covered by other funding sources. Applicants who plan to attend a conference but are not presenting at that conference or who have complete funding for the conference through other sources (department, academic travel grant, etc.) are ineligible. 

Students may only receive one grant per academic year. The academic year includes the summer after the spring quarter. For example, if you get a travel grant during the 2023-2024 academic year, you will not be eligible for funding during the summer of 2024.

Applications are accepted for review at the beginning of the quarter in which the student will attend the conference. Please refer to the application window dates below to confirm when you need to submit your travel grant.

Fall quarter (September 15-December 31) submit application by October 25, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
Winter quarter (January 2- March 30) submit application by February 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM.
Spring quarter (March 31-June 22) submit application by May 2, 2025 at 11:59 PM.
Summer quarter (June 23-September 19) submit application by July 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM.