About the Conference and Travel Grants Program

The Conference and Travel Grants are intended to facilitate attendance and/or participation in conferences and symposia. These grants work on a reimbursement basis and require submission of original receipts. There are three rounds of applications each year (Fall, Spring, Summer).

Eligibility:

1. Applicants must be full-time graduate students in the Engineering or Arts & Sciences schools, registered for the upcoming semester.
2. The applicant's department must have been represented by a designated representative(s) on at least 50% of the GRO meetings during the preceding semester. A list of departmental representation will be available on the GRO web page and updated every semester to reflect attendance during the previous semester.
3. Applicant is in good academic standing.
4. Priority will be given to applicants presenting their own work in conferences over those just attending them.
5. Applicants who have previously received the grant cannot apply for another award during the current academic year.

Application Package:

1. Completed application (Part III must be completed by the advisor. Part III should also be submitted along with the complete application package, whenever possible)
2. Resume
3. Any supporting documents, such as an abstract, conference program listing, confirmation of paper/poster acceptance, etc.

IMPORTANT: You must submit six copies of the full application package to the GRO Office in Levering Hall by the posted deadline to be considered. Applications cannot be submitted via email. All responses and application materials should be typed. Please do NOT staple your application materials together; use paperclips instead. To enable efficient notification of all Conference Grant decisions, be certain to include your preferred physical mailing and email addresses as part of your application.

Amount of Funding:

1. Conference Grants cover up to 75% of an applicant's expenses. The maximum grant per applicant is $500.
2. Amounts spent in excess of a Grant allocation, even if documented with original receipts, cannot be reimbursed. Amounts spent in accordance with a Grant allocation, but for which original receipts are not provided, cannot be reimbursed.

Allowable Expenses:

1. Transportation (by most economical means possible)
2. Lodging
3. Registration fee
4. Expenses related to presenting a paper (poster printing, photocopying, etc.)

Non-allowable Expenses:

1. Restaurant bills, and all other food expenses
2. Costs related to personal advancement, such as copying and distribution of resumes

Selection Process:

1. The Selection Committee is made up of GRO volunteers.
2. GRO volunteers can serve only two consecutive terms. GRO representatives and officers who are applying for an award cannot serve on the Selection Committee.
3. The Selection Committee meets to review all eligible applications. There are several factors taken into consideration including, but not limited to:
a. Amount of money the selection committee can allocate
b. Number of applications
c. Availability of funds to the applicant from other sources
d. Total cost of the trip in relation to the potential maximum amount of money from the grant
e. Preference is given to senior students presenting their work
4. The Selection Committee is expected to reach a consensus on a list of finalists, which is then submitted to the GRO chair and then the Dean for approval. If, however, the committee is unable to reach a consensus, the final decision is made by the GRO chair.
5. Applicants will receive a notification of the decision from the GRO via email. The GRO will post the following information on its website: list of recipients, conference attended, title of paper or poster presented, etc.The amount awarded to a recipient will not be made public.
6. The Conference Grants recipients are required to immediately submit a short (half page to one page) report on all activities undertaken with support from the award. This short report can include describing the panel of which the recipient was a part, other panels attended during the conference, and other professional development activities.
7. Applicants may be asked to write about their trip for The GradNews to share their experiences with the Hopkins graduate student community.

Thank you for your interest in the GRO Conference and Travel Grant program. We look forward to reading your application.