Travel Grants for Conferences

URC-SCIENCES TRAVEL GRANT DESCRIPTION

The URC-Sciences Travel Grant supports UCLA undergraduates who have had their life science, physical science, or engineering research abstract accepted for an oral or poster presentation at a regional, national, or international conference. The research being presented does not need to have taken place at UCLA, but all applicants must be UCLA undergraduates at the time they conducted the research being presented and at the time of conference attendance. This grant is paid as a reimbursement after conference attendance. Applicants may be approved for up to $300 per academic year (July 1 – June 30). Students should only apply for this grant after their project has been accepted for presentation and after successfully registering for the conference.

Our application is now open for the 2024-2025 academic year. Applications are due four weeks before the conference start date. Funding is limited; students are encouraged to apply as far in advance as possible.

Approved applicants must submit all itemized receipts being claimed for reimbursement after the end of the conference. All expenses must be paid directly by the student to qualify for reimbursement. Expenses paid by a third party cannot be reimbursed. Eligible expenses include conference registration fees, economy-class airfare, hotel/lodging, ground transportation (including ride-share apps), mileage (distance traveled in personal vehicle only) and parking fees.

TRAVEL GRANT APPLICATION

Our travel grant application is open for conferences beginning Fall 2024.

Please complete the following DocuSign application. The application will require you to attach the following documents:

1. Faculty Research Mentor/Principal Investigator Evaluation Form
2. Accepted abstract/paper with your name in the author line
3. Official confirmation that your abstract/paper has been accepted by the conference for presentation
4. Completed conference registration materials & receipt
5. Unofficial transcript

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

• Applications must be submitted four weeks prior to the conference start date.
• Applicants must be UCLA undergraduates at the time they conducted the research being presented and during conference attendance.
• Applicants are responsible for booking their own travel and payment.
• This grant is paid as a reimbursement after conference attendance. A maximum of $300 may be awarded per student per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
• If approved, awardees must submit required documents within five business days after the conference end date.

REIMBURSEMENT GUIDELINES

• The following expenses are eligible for reimbursement: conference registration fees, economy-class airfare, hotel/lodging, ground transportation (including rideshare apps), mileage (distance traveled in a personal vehicle) and parking fees.
• The following expenses are not eligible for reimbursement: membership fees, gasoline (gas costs are computed into the mileage reimbursement rate), prepaid packaged trips (combined airfare and hotel packages), meals and food purchases, poster printing, and any other expenses not eligible for reimbursement.
• Student employees will be reimbursed using the same method that they receive payroll. Students not employed by UCLA will be reimbursed via Zelle.
• Reimbursements will only be processed after the conference end date and after submission of required documents.
• If costs are shared with additional travelers, travel grant awardees must obtain a separate bill for their own individual expenses.
• Third-party reimbursements are not permitted – all expenses must be paid by the student directly. Expenses paid by a third-party (anyone other than the awardee) will not be reimbursed.

SUBMISSION OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The following documentation must be submitted within five business days after the conference end date. Instructions on how to submit this documentation will be provided if your application is approved.

1. Photo of registration badge or other proof of conference attendance
2. Itemized receipts for all allowable expenses being claimed for reimbursement must include:
   1. Date of purchase
   2. Traveler’s Name – if debit/credit card is used for payment
   3. Description of what was purchased
   4. Total cost of purchase
   5. Method of Payment
3. A photocopy of the credit/debit cards used for payment or bank statements.

OTHER TRAVEL GRANTS

Biology Division of the Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR) Biology Travel Awards

UCLA USAC Academic Affairs Commission: Travel Grant Mini Fund