Graduate Student Travel Award
The Graduate College sponsors the Graduate Student Travel Awards to support research-related travel expenses by reimbursing eligible students with a maximum award of $500 to help defray the costs associated with presenting at a conference.
Graduate students may begin the process of applying for the Graduate Student Travel Award by completing and submitting the application and required supporting materials.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Graduate student must be enrolled in a UTRGV degree-seeking graduate program for 6 or more credit hours and must be in good academic standing (have a cumulative 3.0 GPA). If a student drops courses after being awarded and no longer meets the credit hour criteria, he/she will be ineligible for future scholarships in this category.
- Graduate students are not eligible for the award if the event dates occur after graduation.
- Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
- Research or creative/scholarly work being presented must have been completed while a graduate student at UTRGV.
- Graduate students are limited to one Graduate Student Travel Award per academic year (September 1st, 2021 – August 31st, 2022).
- The conference or event must be relevant to the student’s graduate program or discipline.
- Travel Awards will be considered for:
- Research Paper or Project Presentation
- Presenting a Work of Art or Design
- Musical Recital
- Poster Presentation
- Three Minute Thesis Competition outside of UTRGV, at the state or national level
How to Apply:
Graduate students must submit a completed 1) Graduate Student Travel Award application and 2) support documentation.
Travel Award Application:
Select the application term that corresponds with the date(s) of your conference/event (i.e., if conference is July 6, 2023, the application term is Summer 2023).
Summer 2025 Travel Award Application
Fall 2025 Travel Award Application
Spring 2026 Travel Award Application
Attach the following supporting materials:
- A copy of the abstract of the paper, project or presentation.
- A statement (500 to 1,000 words) on the importance of the conference/event to your professional development.
- A letter of acceptance, a formal invitation, or a program agenda or schedule as evidence of acceptance.
- A letter of recommendation from the graduate program coordinator or graduate faculty member in your graduate program indicating how the experience will contribute to your professional development.
- An unofficial copy of your transcript via ASSIST or copy of class schedule.
Travel Award Application:
| Event date starts in: | Application Deadline is: | Awards announced by: |
| April 2025 | April 4, 2025 | April 11, 2025 |
| May 2025 | April 4, 2025 | April 11, 2025 |
| June 2025 | May 15, 2025 | May 30, 2025 |
| July 2025 | May 15, 2025 | May 30, 2025 |
| August 2025 | May 15, 2025 | May 30, 2025 |
| September 2025 | October 31, 2025 | November 14, 2025 |
| October 2025 | October 31, 2025 | November 14, 2025 |
| November 2025 | October 31, 2025 | November 14, 2025 |
| December 2025 | October 31, 2025 | November 14, 2025 |
| January 2026 | February 27, 2026 | March 13, 2026 |
| February 2026 | February 27, 2026 | March 13, 2026 |
| March 2026 | February 27, 2026 | March 13, 2026 |
| April 2026 | February 27, 2026 | March 13, 2026 |
| May 2026 | February 27, 2026 | March 13, 2026 |
| June 2026 | April 30, 2026 | May 15, 2026 |
What Happens Next:
- The Graduate College will review the application and grant the award based on an internal review.
- Students will be notified of the decision via their UTRGV email.
- If approved, travel award payments will be transferred to their respective college office. For Business and Engineering programs, funds will be transferred to the respective departments.
- Travel Awards are disbursed to the academic college as part of a reimbursement process. Please keep receipts for all costs incurred such as rental vehicle, gas, airfare, lodging, registration fees, and meals.
Direct Questions To:
Rene Layton, Financial Manager at rene.layton01@utrgv.edu