Conference Travel Grants

Eligibility

Students in the freestanding M.A. program are eligible for both GSAS and department travel grants with the approval of a faculty member at the time of application.

Students may apply for a department travel grant only after applying for a GSAS travel grant.

First-year Ph.D. students may apply for a department travel grant with the approval of a faculty member at the time of application. First-year Ph.D. students are not eligible to receive a GSAS travel grant.

Second- and third-year students are eligible for both GSAS and department travel grants with the approval of a faculty member at the time of application.

GSAS limits awards to one per academic year, and a maximum of two during a student's career at Columbia. Students who have reached these limits remain eligible for department travel grants.

Students who have received the M.Phil. are eligible for both GSAS and department travel grants through their seventh year.

GSAS limits awards to one per academic year, and a maximum of two during a student's career at Columbia. Post-M.Phil. students remain eligible for up to $750 in department travel grants each year through the seventh year.

In the year in which Ph.D. students are on the job market, students are eligible for department travel grants to fund up to $1,050 in qualifying expenses for travel to the APSA Annual Meeting. All students, including those not presenting a paper or poster at the APSA Annual Meeting, are eligible for these grants.

The $1,050 allocation for students on the job market includes the regular $750 allocation for that year. A student who receives a grant of $1,050 to attend the APSA Annual Meeting in September, will have no further travel grant eligibility for that year.

Students on the market who wish to attend the APSA Annual Meeting and who are not presenting papers or posters should apply for a job market department travel grant. Only students presenting papers are eligible for GSAS grants.

Coordination of GSAS and department travel grants

Since GSAS will award one grant per year and two over the course of a student's GSAS career, students should consider how to maximize the benefits of both programs, considering the cost of each trip, and the cost of likely trips in the future for which additional funding from GSAS may be helpful.

Examples

I. One conference paper in an academic year

Student presents a paper at the APSA Annual Meeting and incurs expenses of $1,050. A GSAS travel grant matching $300 of the department's contribution is awarded, and the department awards $750.

Total GSAS award: $300
Total department award: $750.

2. More than one conference paper in an academic year

Student presents a paper at the ISA Annual Convention and incurs expenses of $350. A GSAS travel grant matching $175 of the department's contribution is awarded, and the department awards $175.

Total GSAS award: $175
Total department award for this trip: $175.

Later, student presents a different paper at the MPSA Conference and incurs expenses of $575. A department travel grant is awarded; it provides $575 for reimbursement of expenses.

Total department award for this trip: $575
Total department award for academic year: $750

3. One conference paper in an academic year, preserving GSAS grant eligibility

Student presents a paper at the ISA Annual Convention, incurs expenses of $150, and opts to preserve eligibility for a GSAS travel grant for a more expensive trip in the future. A department travel grant of $150 is awarded. 

Total GSAS award: $0
Total department award: $150

Allocation had the student applied for a GSAS travel grant:

Total GSAS award: $75
Total department award: $75

Application procedures

Complete the GSAS Conference Travel Grant application and attach copies of receipts (not the originals themselves) or estimates of expenses, and evidence of participation in the conference in the form of a letter of invitation or a copy of the conference program, for example.

Submit all materials to the Director of Academic Administration and Finance by the following dates:

  • June 25: For conferences occurring between May 20 and August 31*
  • October 25: For conferences occurring between September 1 and December 31
  • February 26: For conferences occurring between January 1 and May 19

* Grants awarded for applications submitted on June 25 are charged to the upcoming academic year's allocation. In other words, summer grants are the first grants awarded in a new academic year.

Department approval of applications for GSAS grants does not imply or guarantee GSAS approval. 

When grants are approved, receipts must be submitted to the Financial Assistant within ten days of return from the completed trip.

All receipts for a given trip must be submitted simultaneously and accompany the same application. 

M.A. and Pre-M.Phil. students

Complete a department travel grant application and attach copies of original receipts (not the originals themselves) or estimates of expenses, and evidence of participation in the conference in the form of a letter of invitation or a copy of the program, for example. Submit all materials to the Graduate Program Coordinator by the following dates:

  • June 25: For conferences occurring between May 20 and August 31*
  • October 25: For conferences occurring between September 1 and December 31
  • February 26: For conferences occurring between January 1 and May 19

Only one department application can be submitted per trip, and all receipts for that trip must be submitted together. 

* Grants awarded for applications submitted on June 25 are charged to the upcoming academic year's allocation. In other words, summer grants are the first grants awarded in a new academic year.

M.Phil. students

Complete a department travel grant application and attach copies of original receipts (not the originals themselves) or estimates of expenses and evidence of participation in the conference in the form of a letter of invitation or copy of the program, for example. Submit all materials to the Director of Academic Administration and Finance by the following dates:

  • June 25: For conferences occurring between May 20 and August 31*
  • October 25: For conferences occurring between September 1 and December 31
  • February 26: For conferences occurring between January 1 and May 19

Only one department application can be submitted per trip, and all receipts for that trip must be submitted together.

*Grants awarded for applications submitted on June 25 are charged to the upcoming academic year's allocation. In other words, summer grants are the first grants awarded in a new academic year.

In the year in which Ph.D. students are on the job market, students are eligible for department travel grants to fund up to $1,050 in qualifying expenses for travel to the APSA Annual Meeting. All students, including those not presenting a paper or poster at the APSA Annual Meeting, are eligible for these grants.

Students on the market who wish to attend the APSA Annual Meeting and who are not presenting papers or posters should apply for a job market department travel grant. Only students presenting papers are eligible for GSAS grants.