GAPSA Professional Travel Grants
ATTENTION:GAPSA is not accepting any additional applications for the summer. Updated dates and deadlines will be posted on our website at the beginning of August.
Statement of Purpose:
GAPSA Professional Travel Grants are intended to help support academic travel for current graduate and professional students of the University of Minnesota -Twin Cities and Duluth campuses. Eligible travel expenses include airfare, ground transportation, lodging, and conference/meeting registration fees. Ground transportation and lodging within the Twin Cities Metro area and alcohol are not eligible expenses.
Professional Travel Grants will reimburse a student up to $200 for travel, and can only be received once in your academic career.
Confused about which grant you should apply for? Refer to this handy flowchart.
Eligibility:
GAPSA Professional Travel Grants are only available to those who fulfill the following requirements:
- Must be a current University of Minnesota graduate or professional student at either the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities or Duluth campuses.
- Must be a fee-paying member of GAPSA at the time of application and travel.
- Travel must be occurring after the GAPSA General Assembly meeting where your application will be considered. GAPSA Grants Deadlines may be found here.
How to Apply
- Submit the following three items:
- A completed GAPSA
Professional Travel Grant Application Form (DOC). The strength of the essay portion of the application will be evaluated on the following points:
- Why the applicant needs to attend a particular conference.
- How attending this conference will benefit the applicant.
- How the applicant attending the conference will help other GAPSA members.
- Short-term and long-term benefits of attending the conference.
- In the applicant's opinion, what does professional development mean and how this conference will help with professional development?
- How will they acknowledge GAPSA award?
- How attending the conference enhances the overall academic experience at the University of Minnesota.
- Your professional resume.
- Proof of payment of the GAPSA fee. This must be proven by submitting a copy of your student account detailing charges and credits for the semester in which you are applying. In most cases, ALL tuition and fees need to be paid in full in order for us to consider your GAPSA fee as paid. If you are paying in installments, you will need to submit additional proof that your entire balance has been paid when you turn in your post-travel evaluation form.
- Applications for grants must be submitted ELECTRONICALLY to gapsaga@umn.edu using the GAPSA Travel Grant Application form before 5 pm on the day of the grant deadline. Only complete applications will be considered.
- Optional supporting documentation (conference flier, program, letters of support, itinerary, airline ticket, etc.) may also be submitted at the applicant's discretion. These documents must be sent with the required application materials (detailed above).
- Applicants may be required to appear before the grants committee to present their requests for funding. You will receive an email notification as to the time and location for your short presentation if it is necessary. If you do not attend that meeting, your request will not be considered.
- Recommendations to award funds will be made by the GAPSA Grants committee. The committee recommendations are not finalized until ratified by the GAPSA General Assembly.
- The GAPSA Travel Grant Evaluation Form, including proof of conference attendance and copies of receipts (no less than the total grant amount) must be submitted within 30 days following the travel.
Fine Print
- Grants will be awarded to graduate and professional students without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
- Grants will only be awarded to current graduate or professional students of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Duluth campuses who pay the GAPSA fee. Any graduate or professional student who is not charged the GAPSA fee directly by the administration may choose to take advantage of GAPSA services by paying the fee within 15 business days from the start of the semester.
- Grants will not be awarded to support full funding for travel. The applicant must demonstrate efforts to secure funding beyond this grant program in their application. GAPSA is not able to give advances for travel. Awards will be given in full after the travel expenses have occurred and the grantee submits appropriate receipts and documentation as requested in the final evaluation form.
- A graduate or professional student may receive one professional travel grant in their academic career for up to $200. Students requesting support for summer travel may do so during the Spring grant period.
- Travel grants are subject to funds availability. Due to the overwhelming demand, travel grants funds usually become exhausted before the end of the Spring semester.
- GAPSA will not fund travel retroactively. Your travel should take place after the GAPSA General Assembly meeting that occurs after your application deadline. Please check the GAPSA Grants Deadlines page for more information.
- Applicants may be required to appear before the grants committee to present their requests for funding. If necessary, you will receive an email notification as to the time and location for your short presentation. If you do not attend that meeting, your request will not be considered.
- The final decision for GAPSA Scholarly Travel Grants rests with the GAPSA Grants Committee. Appeals for this process can be made to the GAPSA Assembly.