Graduate Student Travel Award
The Graduate College sponsors the Graduate Student Travel Awards to support research-related travel expenses by reimbursing eligible students with a maximum award of $500 to help defray the costs associated with presenting at a conference.
Graduate students may begin the process of applying for the Graduate Student Travel Award by completing and submitting the application and required supporting materials.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Graduate student must be enrolled in a UTRGV degree-seeking graduate program for 6 or more credit hours and must be in good academic standing (have a cumulative 3.0 GPA). If a student drops courses after being awarded and no longer meets the credit hour criteria, he/she will be ineligible for future scholarships in this category.
- Graduate students are not eligible for the award if the event dates occur after graduation.
- Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
- Research or creative/scholarly work being presented must have been completed while a graduate student at UTRGV.
- Graduate students are limited to one Graduate Student Travel Award per academic year (September 1st, 2021 – August 31st, 2022).
- The conference or event must be relevant to the student’s graduate program or discipline.
- Travel Awards will be considered for:
- Research Paper or Project Presentation
- Presenting a Work of Art or Design
- Musical Recital
- Poster Presentation
- Three Minute Thesis Competition outside of UTRGV, at the state or national level
How to Apply:
Graduate students must submit a completed 1) Graduate Student Travel Award application and 2) support documentation.
Travel Award Application:
Select the application term that corresponds with the date(s) of your conference/event (i.e., if conference is July 6, 2022, the application term is Summer 2022).
Fall 2023 Travel Award Application
Spring 2024 Travel Award Application
Attach the following supporting materials:
- A copy of the abstract of the paper, project or presentation.
- A statement (500 to 1,000 words) on the importance of the conference/event to your professional development.
- A letter of acceptance, a formal invitation, or a program agenda or schedule as evidence of acceptance.
- A letter of recommendation from the graduate program coordinator or graduate faculty member in your graduate program indicating how the experience will contribute to your professional development.
- An unofficial copy of your transcript via ASSIST or copy of class schedule.
Travel Award Application:
| Event date starts in: | Application Deadline is: | Awards announced by: |
| September 2023 | October 30, 2023 | November 16, 2023 |
| October 2023 | October 30, 2023 | November 16, 2023 |
| November 2023 | October 30, 2023 | November 16, 2023 |
| December 2023 | October 30, 2023 | November 16, 2023 |
| January 2024 | March 1, 2024 | March 15, 2024 |
| February 2024 | March 1, 2024 | March 15, 2024 |
| March 2024 | March 1, 2024 | March 15, 2024 |
| April 2024 | March 1, 2024 | March 15, 2024 |
| May 2024 | March 1, 2024 | March 15, 2024 |
| June 2024 | May 1, 2024 | May 15, 2024 |
| July 2024 | May 1, 2024 | May 15, 2024 |
| August 2024 | May 1, 2024 | May 15, 2024 |
| September 2024 | October 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 |
| October 2024 | October 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 |
| November 2024 | October 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 |
| December 2024 | October 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 |
What Happens Next:
- The Graduate College will review the application and grant the award based on an internal review.
- Students will be notified of the decision via their UTRGV email.
- If approved, travel award payments will be transferred to their respective college office. For Business and Engineering programs, funds will be transferred to the respective departments.
- Travel Awards are disbursed to the academic college as part of a reimbursement process. Please keep receipts for all costs incurred such as rental vehicle, gas, airfare, lodging, registration fees, and meals.
Direct Questions To:
Kayla Garza, Program Specialist at kayla.garza03@utrgv.edu