Graduate School Travel Fellowship

Funds from the Graduate School are available for graduate and graduate professional students to present their research at professional conferences (in-person or virtual). These funds are not available to support thesis/dissertation research projects or course work. This funding is only for graduate students pursuing a degree program. Funding is in the form of a fellowship. Students must be enrolled for the semester in which they receive their funding. Requests for funding to travel to international meetings will be considered jointly by the Graduate School and the Office of International Studies and Programs (ISP). Since ISP signs off on the application, you need to submit only one application to the Graduate School for funding to travel to international meetings. Requests are limited to $600 over the course of a student’s graduate student career. IMPORTANT NOTE: A financial contribution from the major professor, department/program unit and/or college is highly encouraged to accompany a travel fellowship application. In the exceptional circumstance that a financial contribution is not possible from any of these sources, a brief statement of explanation from the graduate assistant/associate dean must accompany the application for further consideration. Unlike graduate assistantships, these fellowships do not provide student health insurance or tuition/ fee waivers. 

1. Please complete the travel application (PDF). The form includes a summary of cost sharing with the student’s major professor, department, college, and when appropriate—with International Studies and Programs. Whether or not these units provide funding, an endorsement (signature on form) of the request from the major professor, department and college is still required. Form includes an endorsement from the major professor/advisor stating that the student is making satisfactory progress in their graduate program.
2. Travel requests must be accompanied by a brief letter from the student indicating the following:
   1. Student must be registered in the semester that the funding is awarded.
   2. Name of the conference or professional meeting.
   3. The title of the research to be presented and the list of authors. (The requesting student is to be the first and presenting author.)
   4. The date(s) and the location of the conference.
   5. A break-down of the costs of the trip.
3. If student's travel is international, please work with the student's department to complete a pre-trip travel authorization for the student and register their trip in the International Travelers Abroad Database (https://travelregistry.msu.edu). When that is done, the student will be automatically enrolled for international travel insurance (provided by International SOS) at no cost to the student. Graduate School International Health & Safety Orientation (PDF)
4. For travel to international conferences to present papers (IF APPLICABLE):
   1. Through the Graduate School International Travel Grant, International Studies and Programs (ISP) offers MSU graduate students small travel grants to international professional conferences to present papers. The research presented must have an international focus. Only one request per student will be considered during their degree program.
   2. After securing the major professor/advisor, department and college endorsements, eligible students should send the completed travel funding application to International Studies and Programs (209 International Center or hatche34@msu.edu). ISP will then forward the application on to the Graduate School for funding consideration.
5. Please review Travel During COVID-19 Pandemic for an overview of all domestic and international travel policies/considerations..

A decision on support will be made within three weeks after receiving all of the necessary materials by the The Graduate School. Decision letters will be emailed.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have federal loans or other needs-based loans/aid, the amount of your fellowship award may cause a reduction of your loan(s) or other financial aid. You may still wish to consider the fellowship as this will most likely reduce your total loan debt at graduation. Please seek advice from your Office of Financial Aid Counselor before you turn down a fellowship.