GPSG provides funding for graduate and professional students traveling for research or educational conferences through Individual and Group Travel Awards. Students interested in receiving a Travel Award must apply well in advance of their intended travel date(s). All applications are reviewed by the Travel Awards Committee, a standing committee of the GPSG Senate, and approved by the full Senate. This is a very competitive process, and we receive many applications each cycle.

Like all other GPSG revenue, Travel Awards are funded by student fees. Travel Awards are processed as reimbursements; we cannot disburse funds until after your travel has been completed.

Before applying, you must review the Travel Awards Process below. Please also read the FAQs (Coming soon) and review the grading rubric.

Please note: receiving a travel award may have implications for your financial aid eligibility. In addition, travel award funds may be considered as taxable income. Because every student’s financial situation is different, please email the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid at aidinfo@unc.edu or call their office at (919) 962-8396 to inquire further about how receiving this award may impact you.

Applicants for Travel Awards must meet the following base criteria:

• Currently enrolled graduate or professional student at UNC Chapel Hill in good academic standing. Students cannot apply for an award for traveling taking place after they are scheduled to graduate.
  
• Enrolled during the semester corresponding to the travel
• Has NOT received GPSG Travel Award in the past two (2) years

An applicant may combine TAs with other funds, but all other funds must be declared and GPSG funds may only be used once all other funds are exhausted. Non-declaration of funds is an honor code violation.

To learn more about the eligibility and grading criteria, please review the Travel Awards Regulations.

GPSG accepts Travel Award applications year-round for travel occurring during the academic year (September 1st to August 31st), but you must apply for an award based on your travel dates. This means you can apply for a Travel Award well in advance if receiving an award is critical to your travel plans.

Applications shall be due no later than the 1^st of the month prior to which the travel occurs, with the exception of May travel, which will be due on the 15^th of March to give the committee enough time to evaluate applications. (i.e. for travel any time in January, applications are due Dec 1^st). See table below for full details.

Application

Refer to the “Application Timeline Guide” above!

*July and August cycle review will be conducted by summer governance

After the application deadline, the Travel Awards Committee will review the applications and make a recommendation to the GPSG Senate. Pending Senate approval, the Travel Awards Committee Chair will notify applicants if they have received an award. Following travel, applicants must follow the appropriate procedure (outlined below) to receive reimbursement.

Per University policy, students traveling internationally must complete additional steps ahead of their travel.

Anyone traveling internationally in affiliation with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill must register the trip in the university’s Global Travel Policies(GTP).  The GTP is UNC’s central reporting and communication system for affiliates traveling abroad.  The GTP informs university officials of any UNC affiliates who may be traveling in a particular world area at any given time.  The information travelers provide is restricted to authorized departmental and university administrators and is used only to facilitate communication with travelers who may be in a global crisis situation.  Some students on approved programs offered through the Office of Study Abroad or through a professional school administrator may be pre-registered and, in such instances, would not need to register independently.  For more information, please contact Andrew Hunt with UNC Global at 919.962.6022 or andrew.hunt@unc.edu.

Insurance Coverage Abroad 

Anyone traveling abroad in affiliation with the university must also enroll in the international health, evacuation, and repatriation insurance program established by the UNC System Office and administered by GeoBlue, which can be found under International Health and Evacuation Insurance section in Global Travel Policies(GTP). To enroll, please contact Janet Hoernke in Risk Management Services at 919.962.6681 or janet_hoernke@unc.edu. Some students on approved programs offered through the Office of Study Abroad or through a professional school administrator may be pre-enrolled and, in such instances, would not need to enroll independently. For other travel not affiliated with UNC, we encourage you to review your insurance coverage before traveling and, if necessary, consider purchasing a supplemental policy to cover you while abroad.

Travel Warnings and Alerts

The university monitors State Department Travel Advisories, CDC Travel Health Notices, and daily world news briefings and security alerts.  In accordance with this and other available information, the university assigns an appropriate travel risk level for each world country. Travel to countries with elevated risk levels carries certain implications for university-related travel. Click here for a list of countries with elevated travel risks as well as information on additional requirements for traveling to these nations. For additional travel information, resources, and tips visit Global Travel Policies(GTP).

Students who have already received a GPSG Travel Award should follow the instructions below for reimbursement. This is NOT an application for a Travel Award.

Requests for payment cannot be submitted until after your travel has concluded (unless an exception is granted by the Travel Awards Chair) but must be submitted within 15 days of its conclusion.

You will be asked to submit several pieces of documentation in this form, including:

• Direct Deposit Form (if not already on payroll)
• A copy of the conference schedule or a letter of acceptance
• A signed letter from your research advisor or supervisor confirming the details of your travel
• A report (300-400 words) on your conference or research experience

Please collect this documentation in advance, as you must have all of it in order to submit the form. If you have any questions regarding this form or the reimbursement process more generally, please contact the GPSG VP for Finance.

Form for reimbursement.