PhD Network
Travel Funding
We know that travel funding is important to your professional development, and we encourage you to explore other sources of support, including:
- Professional development funds that may have been offered as part of your admissions package
- Sponsored research grants supporting your PhD research, which may include travel provisions
- College or departmental travel funding available for professional development
- Conference-sponsored travel support, which many professional organizations offer to student presenters
We are actively exploring the possibility of securing additional funding before the start of the next fiscal year (July 1, 2026) and will update this webpage if new funding becomes available.
If you have questions about alternative funding options, your advisor or college administrator can be a great resource.
The PhD Network offers travel funding to enable PhD students to present research in venues that will provide professional development and visibility to enhance careers.
- PhD students are invited to make a request once a year for up to $500 in travel funding from the PhD Network. Students are encouraged to submit funding requests two months prior to the event to allow major expenses to be paid in advance (by the student’s department) if an award is given. Requests for travel funding are reviewed the first week of each month. All requests made by the last day of the previous month will be reviewed with decisions announced within 2 weeks. It is expected that requests for travel funding will be matched with another source and does not exceed 50% of the total cost of the travel. For example, a trip that costs $800 will be awarded a maximum of $400 in PhD Travel Funding (not $500). The student’s advisor, department, or college will be expected to contribute a minimum matching $400. Individual PhD student start-up funding may not be used as the matching source.
Please read the PhD Network Travel Funding Policy before applying. Please direct questions to [email protected].
Complete the form below to request travel funding. In addition to answering the questions below, you will be asked to upload a single document in the form of a pdf file:
- A short proposal describing how you intend to use PhD Network travel funds.
Upload a pdf file consisting of your proposal for the use of the PhD Network travel funds.
Your proposal should include, in this order:
a) Describe the purpose of the travel
b) Describe the visibility to you and your PhD program resulting from the travel
c) Describe the benefit to your dissertation research and to your career
d) A detailed travel budget including transportation, accommodation, up to $60/day for food, registration fee(s), other anticipated expenses, in this format:
| Conference registration fee | $xx |
| Transportation to and from (detailed) | |
| Lodging | |
| Meals – up to $60 per day including travel day(s). Award may not be used to purchase alcoholic beverages. | |
| Other anticipated expenses | |
| Total anticipated cost |
e) Explain the source of matching funds. Individual PhD student start-up funding may not be used as the matching source.
f) Include a description of outcomes if the requestor has received PhD Network travel funds previously
g) Acceptance letter for any presentation (paper or poster), role or relevant invitation applicable to your attendance at the meeting.