Travel Grants & Career Enrichment Grants

Travel Grants

 

To help subsidize the costs of participating to and attending conferences, the Graduate Student Government offers travel grants. You can apply at any time for conferences that fall within the current GSG session (May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but you are encouraged to apply in the semester that coincides with your conference.

GSG offers two types of travel grants: up to five hundred dollars ($500) to help with the cost of presenting at a domestic conference, up to seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750) to help with the cost of presenting at an international conference, or one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) to help you attend a conference. Please note that given the current circumstances, this offer holds for both face-to-face and online conferences.

Am I eligible?

There are a few requirements you have to meet in order to be eligible for a travel grant:

  • You should be enrolled for at least one credit in the semester of the conference.
  • The conference must take place between May 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024 (both dates included).
  • You must not have full funding for the conference from another source.
  • Your adviser must respond to an eligibility verification email (They will be contacted separately by the GSG).
  • At least one GSG representative from your department must be in good standing. Your department representative(s) should be able to tell you if they are in good standing.
Is there a deadline?

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis from May 16, 2023 – April 30, 2024 for conferences that fall within the GSG session (May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024). Funds shall be equitably allocated to ensure a fair disbursement of grants throughout the GSG session. Applications received in advance of the conference dates and within the semester the conference takes place will be given priority and others will be waitlisted. You are only allowed to receive one travel grant between May 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024

A Travel Expense Voucher with original receipts must be submitted to the GSG Office to request reimbursement of incurred travel expenses, not later than 30 days from the date of the conference.

Disclosure – A limited number of travel grants are awarded each session, hence, applying does not guarantee an award. Notifications will be sent out upon receipt of adviser approval, but there will be no individual reminders if your application is not complete.

How does reimbursement work?

Students must submit forms for reimbursement no later than 30 days after the end of the session in which the award was granted. Specifically, students must submit a Travel Expense Voucher with original receipts to request reimbursement of incurred travel expenses. Refer to Accounting Services’ website for the Michigan Tech travel policy in its entirety.

Students receiving funding from their departments should use one expense voucher with the account number and amount to be charged from the dept. Please submit all information to GSG at The Graduate Commons, East Street 207, or via email (gsg-treasurer@mtu.edu).

GSG has made available a guide to help you fill out the Travel Vouchers that you can view here. To speed up the reimbursement process, you could set up Non Payroll Direct Deposit. If you don’t know how to do that, click here for more information.

Other questions?

If you have more questions about travel grants and/or funding opportunities with the GSG, feel free to contact the GSG Treasurer, Ali Moazzam (gsg-treasurer@mtu.edu).


Career Enrichment Grants

 

In addition to offering travel grants, during the 2023-2024 session GSG will be offering Career Enrichment Grants for enrolled students. This grant can be used to either:

  1. Career Enrichment Grant: Cover the cost of online training, certifications, or memberships (Up to $150)

Eligibility

Eligible Online Training/Certifications:

  • Students are eligible for one Grant during the current GSG session (May 1st 2023 – April 30th 2024), regardless of how much of the maximum amount ($250) is spent. 
    • Example: A student receives $30 for an online certification, they are not eligible to apply for an additional $100 to attend a conference.
  • Training or certification must be approved by the student’s academic advisor and the GSG treasurer (and/or the Ways and Means Committee).
    • Memberships and subscriptions are eligible for the Enrichment Grant. 
    • Students will be reimbursed for certification after submitting verification of completion to the GSG treasurer.
  • Students must be enrolled in at least one credit.
  • Students must not have available funding from another source.
  • Department must be in good standing with GSG.
  • Using the Career Enrichment Grant will exclude a student from receiving a Travel Grant in the same GSG Session (May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024), regardless of the amount of the Career Enrichment Grant.