Conference Grant

Complete the GSA Conference Grant Application Form. The application ought to be submitted at least one month before the conference. Your request must be submitted by the submission deadline of the GFAC meeting in which you want your application to be considered for funding. The applicant will be notified of the decision via email within three business days after the GFAC meeting. Applications are open year round until funds are depleted.

All current graduate students in good standing are eligible to apply. 
 

All academic and professional conferences relevant to the student's field of study in which they are not presenting.
 

The purpose of the GSA Conference Grant is to help students attend conferences at which they are NOT presenting. The Graduate College Travel Grant is intended for students who ARE presenting. However, a student who is presenting can still apply for and receive a GSA Conference Grant if 1.) they applied for the Graduate College Travel Grant and were denied OR 2.) they were awarded the Travel Grant, but the amount awarded will not cover the total costs associated with the conference (in this instance, the travel grant must be applied to costs first, and the GSA Conference Grant will be used to cover remaining costs) OR 3.) the Travel Grant application window has already closed for the semester. Please contact the GSA Vice President at @email if any of these instances are true for you to discuss your options. 

The grant covers up to $1,000 in registration, accommodation, transportation expenses and meals. If these expenses total less than $1,000, GSA will only reimburse the expenses paid by the student. 

Please apply for only one grant per month. You can apply multiple times throughout the year, however once you have been approved for a grant any subsequent applications will be denied. 

Students are eligible to receive one GSA grant  (either Certification, Conference or Data Collection) over the course of their graduate program. Students who complete multiple degrees here at WMU (perhaps obtaining two masters, or a masters and a PhD) are eligible to receive one grant for each degree program.

Please contact the GSA Vice President at @email so that the award can be voided. Once the award is voided, you will be eligible to apply for another grant. 

No, GSA grants cannot be used for purchases that occurred before the grant application was approved. Wait until after application approval before you pay for registration fees, accommodation or transportation.

GSA can pay for things like registration fees and airfare for you. After your grant application is approved, you will receive information explaining how to request these purchases. You are also welcome to make purchases yourself and be reimbursed. 

You have 30 days after the last day of the conference to submit receipts for reimbursement. 

The conference must occur and receipts must be submitted before you graduate to receive reimbursement. 
 

These applications will be considered on an individual basis, however, priority will be given to conferences that benefit the student academically or professionally.  
 

Applications will be reviewed by GFAC. Applications which meet the criteria above will be awarded the grant. In the event that we receive more eligible applications than the budget allows, GFAC will consider the relevance of the conference to the student's field of study, as well as the date of application.

During the week between the application deadline and the review meeting, the GSA Vice President will review your application to make sure it is complete and to recommend changes if the application is unlikely to be approved. 

The daily standard per diem rate is $52. However, if meals are provided by the conference, that will be subtracted from your per diem. For more information, consult WMU Travel.