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Travel Grants

Travel Allocations

Travel Allocations are available to fund individual graduate and professional students who are traveling to an academic or professional conference that relates to their area of study and will enhance their professional development. Typically the funds have paid for conference registration fees, meals, transportation or hotel costs. Travel allocations are up to $250 per student. A student may only receive one travel grant during their graduate career at UW. If awarded, the funds will be transferred to a budget number provided by the travel coordinator in your department. You will make all travel arrangements and reimbursements through your department travel coordinator.

Who Can Apply For Travel Allocations?

Travel funds are available to any graduate or professional student at the University of Washington Seattle campus.

Where Can You Get An Application?

Download the Travel Allocations Application Form or pick up a hard copy from the GPSS Office (HUB 300).

When Can Travel Take Place?

Applications will be accepted and reviewed every three months by GPSS according to application deadlines. Your date of travel must fall within the specified date range for each respective deadline. The application deadlines for 2010 are by 5pm on:

  • Monday, February 1, 2010, for travel between February 15, 2010, and April 14, 2010.
  • Thursday, April 1, 2010, for travel between April 15, 2010, and June 14, 2010.
  • Tuesday, June 1, 2010, for travel between June 15, 2010, and August 14, 2010.
  • Monday, August 2, 2010, for travel between August 15, 2010, and October 14, 2010.
  • Friday, October 1, 2010, for travel between October 15, 2010, and December 14, 2010.
  • Wednesday, December 1, 2010, for travel between December 15, 2010, and February 14, 2011.

Application Process

  • Review GPSS funding policies outlined below as well as the University of Washington travel guidelines.
  • Download the Travel Allocations Application Form and fill it out.
  • Have your departmental travel coordinator fill out the travel coordinator section of the application.  This will most likely be the administrator in your department.
  • Have a faculty member familiar with your work submit a letter of recommendation of 400 words or less either in a sealed envelope signed across the seal or emailed directly to the GPSS Treasurer.
  • Attach a printout of the conference homepage or a conference brochure to your application.
  • Submit the completed application form along with all supplemental materials to the GPSS office (HUB 300, Box 352238) by 5pm on any of the deadline dates listed above.  Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

If GPSS Funds Your Request

  • If funded, the GPSS Treasurer will notify you and your departmental travel coordinator by email and funds will be transferred to your department.  UW departments receiving GPSS travel support will be expected to coordinate with the SAUF Accounting Office to complete the funding process.  Depending on when the student's travel occurs and the type of budget to be credited (e.g., discretionary, grant, state, local, etc.), the recipient department may be required to include a GPSS budget number in the student's Travel Expense Voucher, prepare a portion of a Request to Transfer Expenditures, or provide information for SAUF Accounting staff to prepare a crediting journal voucher.  A member of SAUF Accounting's staff will contact the recipient department soon after the travel grant is approved by GPSS to make arrangements.
  • You will need to work with your departmental travel coordinator to make travel purchases and get reimbursement before June 30 (even if your travel dates are later in the summer).

Funding Policies

The GPSS in consultation with the University of Washington has created several funding policies to govern the use of state funds in the Travel Allocations process.
  • All travel funds must meet the University of Washington travel guidelines.
  • Allocations approved by the GPSS F&B Committee must be transferable to a University of Washington budget other than those controlled by GPSS.  Your Department Travel Coordinator will assist you with this requirement.
  • All requests must be submitted by 5pm on the day of the submission deadlines listed above.
  • GPSS will fund requests only from graduate and professional students at the University of Washington Seattle campus.
  • Travel Allocations Requests of more than $250 will not be accepted.
Prohibited Use of Funds
  • Gifts or loans of any type
  • Lobbying activity to influence legislation
  • Activity that includes endorsements of any political candidate or initiative
  • Travel to conduct research
  • Travel for a study-abroad program
Notice of Revocation
  • Failure to follow any of the above guidelines may result in the denial of funding or the revocation of funding after approval.
  • If the applicant does not travel for any reason, all funds must be returned to GPSS.