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Graduate Student Conference Travel Award Guidelines

The Graduate Student Research Travel Award provides financial support to graduate students in thesis-based programs who are attending and presenting research at academic or professional conferences.

Research presentations supported by this fund will include presentations at professional conferences of findings from projects conducted by Ontario Tech University graduate students. Graduate students must be recommended by their supervisor and graduate program director to receive such awards. Projects must have been conducted under the mentorship of an Ontario Tech faculty member.

  • Value of awards

    The committee will award up to $500 per student, with most awards in the $300 range, even though the cost of attending the conference may exceed that amount.

    There are limited funds available to award each cycle. Awards are contingent upon the availability of funds and the number of applications.

    As this award serves as supplemental funding for the proposed conference, applicants are expected to seek out additional funding from other sources and clearly indicate these sources on their application form.

  • Eligibility

    In order to apply for travel support, a graduate student must:

    • Be actively presenting their research (relevant to their current degree program) at an academic conference that occurs within the appropriate cycle's timeframe.
    • Be enrolled as a thesis-based master's or doctoral student at the time of the conference.

    Due to the limited number of awards available, eligibility does not guarantee receipt of financial support.

  • Application deadline

    Applications will be accepted any time prior to the application deadlines noted below.

    • October 31, 2024 for conferences scheduled to take place between October 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025
  • How to apply

    Students may submit their application before or after the conference has taken place, but must submit in the appropriate application window as noted.

    The application form must be signed by the student's supervisor and graduate program director. In addition to a completed application, the student must also submit a copy of the conference presentation abstract and confirmation of conference acceptance.

    Travel Award Application

  • Selection criteria

    Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

    • Applicant is in good academic standing and has strong supervisor/graduate program director support.
    • Proposed academic conference is appropriate at the current stage of the applicant's program.
    • Conference is sponsored by a scholarly association/society, university or institution.
    • The student must be the presenting author for at least one presentation or poster.
    • Preference will be given to full-time graduate students.
    • Preference is given to students who have not previously received a Graduate Student Research Travel Award.
  • Next steps

    Award recipients will be notified within one month of the application deadline.

    Payment of the award will be made to the student's tuition account, normally within one week from the notification of award.

    The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies reserves the right to perform random audits of award recipients and you may be asked to provide proof of attendance.

    Proof documentation may include:

    • Proof of conference attendance and active participation (for example: conference brochure, agenda or screenshot of website listing applicant as presenter).
    • Receipt or proof of registration issued by conference organizer showing amount paid.