Graduate Student Travel Award Guidelines

The Graduate Student Association of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has budgeted funds for supplementing student travel to scientific meetings and/or field work. The principal aim of travel awards is to enable students to participate in events otherwise inaccessible due to shortfalls in laboratory or departmental funding. In addition to financial need, applicants must justify the academic merit of their travels, in terms of presentations (poster or talk) at meetings, thesis-related field work, or a thesis-related course. Priority will be given to students who have not previously received a GSA travel award.

Additional guidelines established for travel awards:

• Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Current budget allocations allow the GSA to fund four travel awards per quarter. Be advised that funding can be highly competitive. The dates for application reviews are: Aug. 1^st, Nov. 1^st, Feb. 1^st, and April 1^st.
• Award applicants are ranked based on year of study, academic merit, and
  financial need. Preference goes to senior students presenting their thesis work, who have not previously attended a meeting, and have pursued other funding mechanisms.
• Students are strongly encouraged to provide information about alternate funding resources, particularly volunteer work to waive registration fees.
• A maximum limit of $300 applies to each award.
• No student shall receive more than $500 during the tenure of their graduate training.
• Applications must be submitted before the meeting/event.
• Award recipients shall agree to compensate the GSA by assisting at upcoming
  GSA-sponsored events (e.g., set-up or clean-up). One hour of service is required for each $100 of funding.
• Award recipients must submit an article summarizing their experiences at the meeting to the next GSA Newsletter.
• A travel report or travel receipts must be submitted for reimbursement to 2-107, 1830 Bldg. Please submit receipts within two weeks of your return. Late travel receipts will not be accepted.

Making a travel award request

• In order to apply for a travel award, please complete the Application for Student Travel Awards.
• A complete application form is essential for processing your request.
• Especially important is the signed letter from your advisor justifying your attendance at the meeting as well as your need for GSA funding.
• The application is available for downloading from the GSA web page, from the Office of Graduate Student Affairs, or from a member of the GSA Finance Committee.
• Completed applications should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Student Affairs (1830 Bldg, Room 2-107, 614-3385) or emailed either to the GSA Treasurer or Finance Committee chairperson.

approved: October 14, 1997
revised: June, 16th, 2003