GAPSA Research Council Travel Grant Application

Research Travel Grant Application - Summer 2023

Sponsored by Research Council (for travel between May 1 and August 31, 2023).
Welcome
Greeting Research Students!

The GAPSA Research Student Council provides individual travel grants (Research Travel Grants) to assist research students with qualified travel expenses incurred while attending academic conferences and meetings.

Research Travel Grants are intended to be a terminal funding source to support research students' travel needs for conferences.

Applicants are expected to have exhausted all alternative funding options prior to seeking funding through Research Travel Grants. These grants are designed to be the last resort.

Our aim is to support and encourage graduate students' attendance at conferences to present their research, exchange ideas, and learn about current developments in their fields. We believe that travel grants can help alleviate the financial burden that often comes with attending such events and provide valuable networking opportunities for graduate students.

Introduction

Overview
The application is divided into eight (8) sections and requires your expected finances for conference travel, proof of conference attendance, the abstract of your paper (if applicable), and the contact details of a faculty member who is willing to endorse your application by filling out a recommendation form.

All funding is granted retroactively, meaning that you will need to pay for the expenses first and then submit itemized receipts for reimbursement. Additionally, applications will not be reviewed until after the grant window closes, and no exceptions can be made.

This application must adhere to the guidelines set forth in the GAPSA constitution and GAPSA Bylaws.

Please keep in mind that this is a competitive award, and submitting an application does not guarantee funding. The selection process is rigorous and only the most exceptional candidates will receive funding.

Introduction

Application guidelines
To ensure a successful application process, we strongly recommend that you carefully review and comprehend all guidelines provided on the GAPSA website, including the most recent updates to the application instructions (last updated: May 2017) and memorandum (last updated: July 2022). These documents offer in-depth and comprehensive explanations of both the application and review processes, which are essential to follow for a successful application.
Have you reviewed the guidelines provided on the GAPSA website, including the most recent updates to the application instructions and memorandum?*

YesNo
Please visit the guidelines on the GAPSA website, including the most recent updates to the application instructions and memorandum before applying.

Personal Information

Section 1 of 8
Full Name*

First NameMiddle NameLast Name
Penn Email*
School*
Graduate Group*
Degree you are currently pursuing (enrolled in this semester)*
If you are a dual degree candidate between a research and a professional degree, please make sure that THIS SEMESTER you are enrolled in the RESEARCH degree part of your dual degree program. Check with the Registrar if you are unsure.
Other degree(s) you are pursuing (if applicable)
Are you a full-time student?*

YesNo
Anticipated graduation month*
Have you applied for a GAPSA Research Travel Grant this academic year (since September 2022)?*

YesNo
Have you previously been reimbursed for a GAPSA Research Travel Grant in the current academic year September 2022)?*

YesNo
What was the end date of the conference (for which you received reimbursement through GAPSA Research)*

Alternative Funding

Section 2 of 8
Have you applied for travel funding from any source other than GAPSA?

This is a primary factor in scoring your application. Due to the high demand for our limited funds, we appreciate those who do not rely solely on GAPSA and pursue alternative funding sources. That said, if no such alternatives are available, you will not be penalized, but we ask you to explain the circumstances for this below.

Please be aware the Travel Grants are to serve as a terminal funding source to support research students traveling to their conferences. Applicants are expected to have exhausted all alternative funding options prior to seeking funding through Research Travel Grants.

You are required to disclose all potential alternative funding resources, which may include but are not limited to:
- Any approved, pending, or denied funding applications
- Any potential funds from your advisor(s), department/graduate group, and school
Failure to fully report all potential funding resources may result in disqualification of the application as a whole.

Please contact gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.edu if any of the alternative funding situations has been changed after you have submitted the application.
Alternative Funding*
If you do not have any alternative funding, please explain why.
If any of your sources are pending, please explain. *Include estimated dates that these will be confirmed or denied!*
If any of these statuses change, please alert the Chair for Research Students (gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.edu) immediately!
Is your lab/PI/supervisor/department/school able to provide support? This should be included in the previous alternative funding disclosure.*

YesNoMaybe
If so, how much?*
What are the conditions of such support?*
Please note that we ask this because there have been examples of students asking us to reimburse labs/departments/supervisor who provided support to these students in case a GAPSA travel grant did not materialize: such conditional grants are not uncommon, but failure to report such conditional support to GAPSA is considered withholding relevant information and can result in forfeiture of the award.
Are you applying to the President Gutmann Leadership Award for this conference? (Please see https://www.gapsa.upenn.edu/individual-grants for more information)*

YesNo
Without the GAPSA Research Council Travel Grant, will you still be able to attend this conference?*

YesNo
If you do not receive GAPSA funding, how will you finance this conference? *
I have reported all potential funding resources in this section and understand that failure to do so may result in the disqualification of the application as a whole.*

I agree
I will update Chair for Research Students (gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.edu) if the status of my pending funding resource changes*

I agree

Qualified Expenses

Section 3 of 8
Please be as specific as possible. See guidelines for Research Travel Grant through the Research Council for details on permitted expenses (e.g. GAPSA will not reimburse for meal expenses incurred during conference travel). If you will not incur an expense in one of the categories please mark '0.00'.

Note that all costs listed should be out-of-pocket (e.g. if you are splitting a hotel room, do not list the price of the room, but only how much of the cost you are contributing)
Registration Fees*
U.S. Dollars ($)
Describe efforts to reduce the cost of registration
This is a primary factor in scoring your application.
Lodging & Travel Expenses
Total Lodging Costs*
U.S. Dollars ($)
Daily Lodging Rate*
U.S. Dollars ($)
Days*
Describe efforts to reduce the cost of lodging
This is a primary factor in scoring your application.
Auto-calculated Total Lodging Costs
Warning: The Total Lodging Costs do not match with the information from Daily Lodging Rate and Days. This warning will not prevent you from submitting the form.
Transportation #1*
U.S. Dollars ($)
Transportation Mode*
i.e. Train, Bus, Plane, etc.
Other Transportation?*
Transportation #2*
U.S. Dollars ($)
Transportation Mode*
i.e. Train, Bus, Plane, etc.
Other Transportation?*
Transportation #3*
U.S. Dollars ($)
Transportation Mode*
i.e. Train, Bus, Plane, etc.
Describe efforts to reduce the cost of transportation
This is a primary factor in scoring your application.
Additional Conference Related Expenses
Eligible expenses include transportation, lodging, conference registration, and membership fees if required for attendance. Food, alcohol, and visa application fee are not considered eligible expenses.
Other Conference Related Expenses
U.S. Dollars ($)
What are the "Other Costs" that you are listing (if applicable)?
Summary
Total Cost of Travel (including registration fees & other costs)*
U.S. Dollars ($)
Auto-calculated Cost of Travel
Warning: The Total Cost of Travel does not match Total Lodging Costs, Transportation Costs, and Registration Fee information. This warning will not prevent you from submitting the form.
Describe any additional efforts to reduce cost not discussed above
This is a primary factor in scoring your application.
Research Travel Grant Requested
The total amount requested from Research Travel Grant should be

Sum of total costs - Sum of funds already received/expecting to receive

For students only attending a conference, the grant is capped at 50% of the total cost or $500, whichever is less.

For students presenting at conferences, the cap is $800.

Summer 2023 Cycle only: The cap for those presenting at conferences is $2,000 instead of $800.
Total Amount Requested (i.e. How much funding are you applying for through GAPSA?)*
U.S. Dollars ($)

Conference Information

Section 4 of 8
Conference Title*
Conference Type*

Discipline's Annual MeetingSub-field conferenceResearch SymposiumGraduate ConferenceOther
Are you presenting at this conference?*

YesNo
Conference Start Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
Conference End Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
Conference Location - City*
State*
Country*
File that verifies conference information (e.g. a pdf of conference web page)*

Cancelof
In what ways will you be active at this conference? (e.g. presenting, organizing a panel, interview, etc.)

Personal Statement

Section 5 of 8
The following statement is a primary factor in scoring your application. Please address how this conference contributes to both your academic and professional development. A preferred statement would demonstrate compelling reasons that tailor toward one’s own situation.
Explain how this conference contributes to your academic and professional development. Be as specific as possible. Specify why you feel it is necessary to attend this conference at this point of your career (Maximum 500 words)*
This is a primary factor in scoring your application.

Presentation Information

Section 6 of 8
Presentation Type*

Oral PresentationPosterOther
Proposed Title*
Proposed Abstract*
Acceptance Letter
Please upload the letter from the conference organizers accepting your bid to present your research in a pdf format.

If your abstract has not yet been accepted by the time you submit your online application, submit a file explaining this. Your application will be put on "Conditional" status until you send proof of abstract acceptance to gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.edu. Write in the subject line: "Abstract Acceptance Update: Your First & Last Name". Your abstract acceptance must be submitted by the final deadline for applications.
Letter upload*

Cancelof

Faculty Recommendation

Section 7 of 8
This section will automatically send an email to your chosen recommender with the relevant submission information. This person should be a faculty member. You should contact them in advance to inform them that you intend to ask for their endorsement of your application.

The recommender will have to fill out a form verifying that the conference is relevant to your field of study and valuable to your professional development. They will also rate your merit as a student. If you have any questions, please email gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.upenn.

The recommendation form must be submitted before we can score your application. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT A RECOMMENDATION IS SUBMITTED. Failure to receive a recommendation will disqualify your application from consideration.

An automatic confirmation e-mail should be sent to you when the recommendation is submitted.
Email Address of Faculty Recommender*
Full Name of Faculty Recommender*

First NameLast Name
School Affiliation of Faculty Recommender*
Department Affiliation*
Position*
Relationship to student*
If your recommender is not your research advisor, why not?

Terms of Agreement

Section 8 of 8
I, the applicant, affirm that I have read the guidelines and requirements on the GAPSA website (http://www.gapsa.upenn.edu/individual-grants/) and understand that it is my responsibility to abide by them.*

I agree
I, the applicant, understand that both my application and my letter of recommendation will be reviewed by students who serve on the GAPSA Research Council.*

I agree
I, the applicant, understand that it is my responsibility to communicate with the faculty recommender listed in this application to ensure that the recommendation form is submitted on time.*

I agree
I, the applicant, understand that the final reimbursement is conditional and subject to verification of expenses by original receipts, to international tax agreements, to GAPSA paperwork deadlines, and to final approval by the Office of Student Affairs.*

I agree
I, the applicant, have reported all potential funding resources in the application and understand that failure to do so may result in the disqualification of the application as a whole.*

I agree
I, the applicant, agree to immediately inform the GAPSA Chair for Research Students (gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.edu) if any of the information included in this application changes between now and reimbursement. This includes any updates on the alternative funding situations.*

I agree
I, the applicant, agree that GAPSA may share and use the above information largely within the Penn Community.*

I agree
By typing my name below, I am signifying that I understand and agree to the above statements.
Digital Signature*

First NameLast Name
PennCard Number*
Enter validation text as shown*
Your application is NOT considered complete until the recommendation form is submitted on your behalf.

Please make sure that you have typed your recommender's email address correctly and that they have already been informed of your application to this grant.
Date*

MonthDayYear
Hour MinutesAM/PM Option
Should be Empty:

Research Travel Grant Application - Summer 2023

Welcome

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Personal Information

Alternative Funding

Qualified Expenses

Lodging & Travel Expenses

Additional Conference Related Expenses

Summary

Research Travel Grant Requested

Conference Information

Personal Statement

Presentation Information

Acceptance Letter

Faculty Recommendation

Terms of Agreement

By typing my name below, I am signifying that I understand and agree to the above statements.