*The Spring 2018 award cycle deadline has passed. Please check this page for updated
application and online application process after July 1, 2018 for Fall 2018 travel
Funded by: Graduate Student Association
Travel Award Guidelines
*Funding is disbursed as travel reimbursement following the trip.
The WCU Graduate Student Association will provide up to $6,400.00 in funding for each
semester during the 2017-2018 academic year to graduate students who will represent
Western Carolina University at regional and national conferences. Travel awards are
for a maximum of $500.00 for an individual. The Executive Board officers of the Graduate
Student Association reserve the right to approve the request in part or in full. A
committee including at least two Executive Board officers of the Graduate Student
Association will approve applications. All approvals or denials will have a brief
description provided by the Executive Board officers.
General Focus: GSA travel funds support WCU graduate students' scholarly/artistic development by
assisting with costs related to travel to regional and national events.
Eligibility:
Although GSA supports experiential activities, some experiential activities include
travel which is not eligible for the GSA Travel Award. For example, travel expenses
related to Study Abroad courses, Practicums, Clinicals, Internships, etc., are not
eligible for GSA reimbursement.
To be eligible for consideration, the student must be enrolled at WCU as a graduate
student in good academic standing at the time of the application and travel. Good
academic standing is defined as a cumulative 3.0 GPA. Students are only eligible for one travel award per academic year (Apply in Fall for
travel between June 1 and December; Apply in Spring for travel between November and
May 31).
Application Process:
Students must complete the Graduate Student Travel Award Application (Excel). Each
student requesting funding must complete an application. (No group applications)
Email completed application and materials to: gsatravel@wcu.edu. Documentation must be included with the travel award application and must be legible.
*If you have already submitted a hard copy application and materials for spring 2018,
please do not send a second application. We will review from the hard copy we have.
Students must include:
- Proof of acceptance or invitation from the sponsoring organization
- Conference/event information (The first page of the website announcing the conference
will provide the conference information below.)
- Name
- Location
- Date
- Registration fee
- Hotel cost information
- Reservation confirmations or receipts
Documentation must be included with the travel award request.
Applications missing any of the above documentation will be considered incomplete.
Students will be notified that the submitted application is incomplete and will not
be considered for funding.
Use this checklist to help you prepare your application.
Award Deadlines:
Receipts and application must be submitted before the application deadline. All materials
should be submitted in full before the application deadlines for each semester. Review
and approval of applications will happen at the first Executive Committee meeting
following the deadline.
Fall 2017 – Friday, October 13, 2017
Spring 2018 – Friday, February 16, 2018
If a student would like to fill out a travel grant request for an event after the
Fall semester deadline, they can submit a request before the Spring semester deadline
under the condition that the conference or event did not occur before the deadline
date of tbd. (e.g. A conference which happens in late November can have a travel grant
request filled out before February tbd.)
Award Conditions:
Funding is determined based on the priority system and date of which the complete
grant application is received. Travel grants may cover travel, lodging, and/or conference
costs. The priority system is as follows for graduate students who are:
- Presenting scholarly or creative work at a conference, juried exhibition, etc.
- Accepting an award from a professional organization or academic institution.
- Competing in an academic competition at a regional or national level.
- Participating in a seminar, workshop, training program or another form of professional development
not previously listed above which provides hands-on experience not available at Western
Carolina University (WCU) that is directly related to one's major. Applicant must
explain the benefit of expertise gained.
- Attending a regional or national conference associated with one’s program.
Proposals for the following will not be considered: Professional development to address
skills required by your current position or equipment/books required by your current
position/major.
Funding may only be used to cover the following costs. To be reimbursed, the following
are required:
• Transportation to and from the conference (airfare – receipt required; mileage)
• Lodging (receipt required; traveler's name must be on the receipt for reimbursement
to be disbursed)
• Conference registration fees (receipt required)
Documentations for conference registration, travel, and lodging must be submitted
with the initial travel award request. Requests for funding for mileage must include
the location of the event with corresponding mileage to be traveled—mileage will be
verified by reviewing committee officers.
Notification of Award Request:
Applicants will be notified of the GSA Executive Board’s decision via email approximately
one (1) month following the deadline. If the request is approved, funding will be
disbursed as travel reimbursement following the trip. If the request is denied, the
reason for the denial will be included in the notification email. Requests denied
due to lack of information may not be resubmitted.
The GSA Executive Board will also create a ranked waitlist of requests in the event
that additional funds become available.
Cancellation:
If a student is funded to attend a conference and chooses later not to attend, the
student must notify Roxane Stiles (gsatravel@wcu.edu) to cancel their travel request award for that conference no later than two (2) weeks
after the conference. Students who do not notify Roxane Stiles (gsatravel@wcu.edu) within two (2) weeks after the conference that they did not attend will not qualify
for re-application to another conference within the same academic year. Funds awarded for travel to one conference cannot be transferred to a different
conference later in the year.
If you are approved for funding and your plans change and you cannot attend, please
inform Roxane Stiles as soon as possible so that we can fund a student on the waitlist.
For more information, please contact:
Roxane Stiles (828-227-7398)
Graduate School and Research
110 Cordelia Camp Building
Cullowhee, NC 28723
Email: gsatravel@wcu.edu
