PhD Network Travel Funding Policy
1) Travel Funding provided by the PhD Network
PhD students are invited to make a request once per academic year for up to $500 in travel funding from the PhD Network (July 1-June 30). Award amounts are contingent on the availability of funds.
It is expected that travel funds requested from the PhD Network will be matched in amount by at least the value of the request through sources such as PhD advisors, PhD program, and / or department / college. Individual PhD student start-up funding may not be used as the matching source. For example, a $500 request is to be matched with at least $500 matching funds.
Travel funding requests may not exceed more than 50% of the total anticipated or actual cost of travel. For example, if the total anticipated cost of travel is $800, the maximum allowable PhD Network travel award request is $400 (not $500).
Requests for multiple trips in one academic year are possible and must be made simultaneously in one application. That is, one application per year, up to a total award of $500.
PhD Network travel funding will not exceed 50% of the authenticated expenses – see below for details on authenticated expenses. For example, if a Network Travel Award of $400 is made, based on an expected total cost of $800, but the actual total cost of the travel is $750, the PhD Network Travel Award is reduced to $375.
2) Eligibility for Funding
Current full-time students enrolled in a PhD program in one of the following six colleges on the Boston Campus are eligible for funding: Khoury College of Computer Sciences, College of Engineering, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, College of Science, College of Social Sciences & Humanities, College of Art, Media & Design.
Students enrolled in the College for Professional Studies or Law School are not eligible for funding.
Students must be enrolled in a PhD program at the time of the travel event. Conferences post-graduation are not eligible.
3) Funding Application
Students are encouraged to make funding requests two months prior to the event to allow departments to fund the travel in advance if an award is made.
Applicants must complete a funding application online. See PhD Network website:
All required documentation must be submitted with the online application. The student’s travel proposal and matching funding support letter must include all required elements.
4) Permitted Expenses
The following are permitted travel related expenses and are eligible for reimbursement:
- Transportation to/from the conference location
- Airfare (including baggage fees)
- Bus
- Train
- Rental car (including tolls)
- Gas
- Conference registration
- Lodging
- Meals – up to $60/day reimbursed. Alcohol purchases not reimbursed.
5) Funding Approval
Funding decisions are made by the PhD Network.
All funding applications will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:
- Application accurately completed including all required documentation
- Receipt of prior funding
- Applicant presenting and/or facilitating a group in a professional conference
- Matching funding provided by the applicants’ advisor, academic department, or college. Individual PhD student start-up funding may not be used as the matching source.
Applications that do not meet the above criteria will be handled on a case-by-case basis, pending availability of funding.
6) Award Notification
The PhD Network will endeavor to communicate funding decisions within two weeks of the last day of the month in which a complete application was received.