Resources

Graduate Travel

Grad Student Travel Cover Sheet

Deadline: Rolling

Grants are available for graduate students traveling domestically or internationally, in order to present their research, whether serving as discussants, presenting a paper or some other creative work at academic conferences or events.

The maximum allowable grant (or combination of grants) is $500 per fiscal year. These funds may be used to cover airfare or mileage at the university rate ($0.585 per mile), whichever is less, a conference registration fee, and per diem, to include lodging.


applications

Applications must be completed by 5 PM on regularly scheduled deadlines; this includes electronic submission through the Taft Research Center website and departmental review. Weekly deadlines for this program begin in the middle of July and end the second week of June. Funding for travel in the next fiscal year is only available within three months of the close of the current fiscal year, i.e. mid-March. The application process includes electronic submission through the Taft Research Center Web site and a departmental review.  Do note the system only allows applicants to upload a single PDF document prior to departmental approval

In addition to populating the electronic fields, a single pdf document must be uploaded to the system and should contain the following:

  • A complete cover sheet / template to include:
    • Biographical and general project information
    • Budget details (and proof of costs, appended at the end of document). Budget should include:
      • Total travel costs, including actual item costs and GSA rates for the area;
      • Amount of GSA-eligible funding available and how this amount defrays the funding requested of Taft
    • Abstract / Project Description;
    • Statement as to the availability of other travel funds, e.g., GSGA, and their use in relation to this travel, or reason for nonuse.
    • Conference announcement and acceptance notice (appended at the end of document).

** Students are required to maintain compliance with the published University policies on student travel (located here: student travel policies). The University travel policies instituted on 10/1/2012 require travel oversight for students, including pre-travel counseling and the maintenance of emergency contact information. Taft is not responsible this counseling or maintenance, or for lack of student compliance with travel policies, which may result in a refusal by the University's Accounts Payable Department to reimburse travel expenses. If you have questions on this matter, you should consult your program director for advice on compliance with these policies. The University requires travel authorization prior to travel. The Student Travel Authorization Form (STAF) can be found here, above or below. The (STAF) should be submitted with the reimbursement, not the application.

For detailed instructions on submitting your application, please click Application Instructions.

For instructions on how to create a PDF, please click: How to Create a PDF. Note: the system only allows you to upload a single PDF document.

**NOTE Award announcements are generally sent by email from within the electronic awards management system at web.centralATuc.edu. Replies to these emails do not reach Taft.

Once the applicant for graduate travel has submitted their application, an email notifying the graduate program director is automatically generated by the electronic submissions system. The graduate program director should then provide intradepartmental review and upload any supporting documents at that time. If a thesis committee has been constituted, the graduate student should notify his/her committee chair regarding the travel application, and the committee chair should then be in contact with the graduate program director regarding departmental authorization for travel.

reimbursement procedures

The following procedures should be followed in order to insure reimbursement of travel expenses:

  • Per university policies, Grant recipients must submit receipts to departmental admin, for reimbursement through the student account, within 30 calendar days of the conclusion of the trip. 

  • Travel reimbursements are processed through student accounts and refunds are issued through that account. Once Taft enters information on to the student’s account, the bursar’s office is responsible for issuing a refund, based upon the student’s current account status.

  • Registration fees should be separated from any additional Membership/organization fees.
  • All receipts for any expenses pre-paid by the university must be included.
  • Travel by personal vehicle is reimbursed at the university rate ($0.585 per mile). Mileage should be calculated by an internet map system, e.g. Google maps.
  • Any transfer between line items on approved budgets must be approved by the Taft Faculty Chair.