Conference Travel Funds - An Overview
What is the purpose of conference travel funds?
GSA Conference Travel Funds are intended to aid in the professional development
of GSA members who seek to attend conferences. Funds are intended only
to be supplemental. Students are first required to exhaust the resources
of their research advisor, their department, and the Graduate Division
(i.e., other funding sources should grant the maximum possible, irrespective
of what GSA "may" award). Students are also urged to seek the
funds of professional societies, government agencies and private foundations.
What defines a conference?
A conference for the purpose of funding is defined as a scientific or professional
meeting where graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, researchers,
professionals and faculty share knowledge through information sessions,
including but not exclusively, talks, roundtables and poster sessions.
A conference also may allow students an opportunity to present information
on research conducted while at UCSF. Funding priority is given to students
who are presenting. Training courses (i.e., events that focus on training
or education) do not meet the definition of a conference for the purpose
of GSA Conference Travel Funds.
Who is eligible?
Please keep in mind that even if applicants meet all of the below criteria
for funding, they are NOT ENTITLED to a GSA conference travel award.
The GSA spreads the conference travel fund budget across all fiscal quarters
to ensure that funds are available throughout the year. However, the
eligibility criteria (below) and award guidelines are intended to enable
the GSA to distribute the available funds in an equitable and timely
manner.
Applicants must be currently registered UCSF students who will pay GSA
membership fees during the quarter in which the conference occurs. Applicants
may not receive more than one award per fiscal year (July 1-June 30), and
are urged to apply as early in the fiscal year as possible.
Important deadlines:
Completed conference travel forms are to be returned to the GSA
office 10 BUSINESS days prior to the first day of travel.