CECH Conference Travel Funding Process
CECH Graduate Students often travel to academic conferences to present research or connect with other experts in their respective field. The CECH Graduate Student Association (GSA), CECH, and the Schools are proud to support this professional development opportunity for graduate students and has funding set aside for this purpose.
General Guidelines
The Graduate Student Government (GSG) conference award is provided to financially assist graduate students in presenting their research at an academic conference, and/or attending a research conference to develop their professional skills. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, GSG funding is not guaranteed for any graduate student regardless of whether students are presenting or not. For the 2024-2025 academic year, 58.8% of all graduate students will be granted GSG funding based on the number of students who were funded in the 2023-2024 academic year.
You must have completed 12 credit hours in order to apply for the GSG conference travel award, and you must be a member of the CECH Graduate Student Association (GSA) and UC’s GSG. If you are not a member, please join the student organization on GetInvolvedUC. Additionally, the conference must have been completed before you apply for any conference travel award funding.
For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, GSG conference travel awards will be allocated equally amongst 11 months and awardees will be chosen by a lottery system. GSG will accept applications up to 14 days prior to conference travel. Awardees will be notified via email at the end of the month. The reimbursement will be processed one month after the award is granted. Per GSG regulations, there is no official way to know if you are accepted for this award prior to attending a conference.
If awarded funds by CECH or your school, covered costs included in UC Travel Policy could be reimbursed by CECH or school funds.
Within the GSG Conference Travel Award site, you will learn about requirements for “Before Travel” and “After Travel”.
PLEASE NOTE: Your department may have additional procedures before or after this process to distribute any department funding for students. Please refer to School Guidelines and Contacts at the bottom of this page for more information.
School Guidelines and Contacts
Students are able to request additional funding when traveling to a conference. Please refer to your school below and follow the guidelines in place. Reach out to the school contact for any further questions.
Before you travel: In order to receive this award, you must fill out a Student Travel Authorization Form before leaving on your trip. This form MUST be signed by the student's advisor or supervisor prior to travel. We have created a School of Education TA Form in Docusign for your convenience.
If you have already filled out the form for GSG or have a paper copy of the TA form filled out and signed, that will work just fine. Per UC Policy, all students who plan to travel must fill out a TA form before they leave.
After you travel: Before you submit for reimbursement from School of Education/CECH, we encourage you to apply for reimbursement from GSG. Then, after you have heard back from them, you can fill out our form: School of Education Graduate Student Travel Award Application FY25 for any expenses not already reimbursed by GSG.
IMPORTANT: You may NOT receive reimbursement for presentation travel from GSG and School of Education/CECH for the same expenses (for example: both cannot pay for the same hotel bill). You must apply separately for the funding from each organization. It is fraudulent and grounds for possible expulsion if you apply and receive reimbursement twice for the same expenses. You must be a currently enrolled student during the semester for which you are requesting funding.
Award Limits
Presenter Awards
- Up to $600 from GSG
- Up to $800 from School of Education
- Up to $800 from CECH Dean's Office
Non-Presenter Awards
- Up to $300 from GSG
- Up to $300 from CECH Dean's Office
School Contact
Students that qualify for a conference travel award will receive an email from a school administrator.
When submitting the TA form for approval prior to travel, students should include a copy of the conference program showing their name and presentation date/title (or a copy of their conference registration if not presenting).
Award Limits
Presenter Awards
- Up to $600 from GSG
- Up to $800 from School of Criminal Justice
- Up to $800 from CECH Dean's Office
Non-Presenter Awards (first year PhD students)
- Up to $300 from GSG
- Up to $500 from School of Criminal Justice
- Up to $500 from CECH Dean's Office
Non-Presenter Awards (all other PhD students)
- Up to $300 from GSG
- Up to $400 from School of Criminal Justice
- Up to $400 from CECH Dean's Office
School Contact
Students that qualify for a conference travel award will receive an email from a school administrator.
Award Limits
Presenter Awards (Doctoral students)
- Up to $600 from GSG
- Up to $800 from School of Human Services
- Up to $800 from CECH Dean's Office
Non-Presenter Awards
- Up to $300 from GSG
- Up to $300 from CECH Dean's Office
School Contact
Students that qualify for a conference travel award will receive an email from a school administrator.
Award Limits
Presenter Awards
- Up to $600 from GSG
- Up to $800 from School of Information Technology
- Up to $800 from CECH Dean's Office
Non-Presenter Awards
- Up to $300 from GSG
- School of Information Technology does not provide funding for non-presenters
- Up to $300 from CECH Dean's Office
School Contact