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Undergraduate Student Research Funding Opportunities

Research and conference travel awards available to all undergraduate students.

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Associate Librarian and Scholarly Services Librarian

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Yen Tran
She/Her
Contact:
Lemieux Library Second Floor iDesk
Subjects: Education, Social Work

Student presenting a poster

Conference Travel Awards

Conference travel awards support Seattle University undergraduate students who have been accepted to present at professional/scholarly meetings or events (e.g., academic conference, film festival, dance convention, etc.).

Students can receive up to $1,000 for conference travel expenses, including registration, airfare, hotel, ground transportation (ride services or mileage), and meals.

Application deadlines:
Application deadlines for the 2024-2025 academic year are below.

  • October 24, 2024
  • February 3, 2025
  • April 28, 2025

Ready to apply?

Please review the application information, requirements, and application evaluation rubric to ensure that you have a complete and strong application.

Eligibility requirements:

  • General requirements for conference travel awards:
    • Students must be a Seattle University undergraduate in good standing.
    • Students must be enrolled in a degree-granting program while using travel award funding.
    • Students must be an undergraduate while using travel award funding. 
    • Students may not be serving a suspension while using travel award funding.
    • Students may not be on a leave of absence while using travel award funding.
    • There is no GPA requirement, but academic status will be considered. 
  • Additional requirements and policies for conference travel awards
    • Conference travel awards support Seattle University undergraduate students who have been accepted to present at professional/scholarly meetings or events (e.g., academic conference, film festival, dance convention, etc.). The presentation can be oral, poster, exhibit, performance, or other type of presentations accepted for the professional/scholarly convening.
    • Research being presented was conducted under the guidance of a Seattle University faculty research mentor or advisor.
    • Students are eligible to receive only one travel award per academic year. Priority will be given to students who have never received one.
    • Graduating seniors can apply for travel award funding to present at a professional/scholarly meeting or event that takes place within one quarter (including summer) of degree conferral.
    • Travel awards cannot be applied to events that have already occurred.
    • Travel awards need to adhere to the University's travel policies. A student will not need a ProCard, but other information regarding business travel and meals apply. In most cases, registration, airfare, and hotel will be made for the student.

Application timeline for travel awards:

  • Applications need to be submitted by the deadline.
  • Applications are reviewed the following week of the deadline and students are notified.

Applying for a travel award:

  • Preparing your application:
    • Ask your faculty research mentor/advisor for a letter of support. The letter of support should include:
      • Explicit endorsement of the research you are presenting and your attendance.
      • Provide an brief assessment of the scholarly/academic meeting/conference/event/etc. and/or its appropriateness to the research being conducted.
      • Comment on the relevance of the scholarly/academic meeting/conference/etc. on your academic and professional development or formation.
      • Comment on your financial need to attend and present at the scholarly/academic meeting/conference/etc. Please have them disclose if there are other sources of funding available that can support your attendance.
    • Gather:
      • Letter of acceptance to present (a PDF of an email is fine).
      • Information about the professional/scholarly event or meeting (name, date, etc.).
      • The proposal you submitted (title, format, and description).
      • Narrative that includes the following information (review the evaluation rubric below):
        • Purpose of travel and funding needs: Describe the purpose of travel (how you plan on spending your time while at the scholarly event and your presentation) and your need for the funding.
        • Professional formation contributions: Describe how presenting at and attending this scholarly event contributes to your professional formation.
        • Estimated costs up to $1,000 for registration, airfare, hotel, ground transportation (ride services or mileage), and meals. Refer to the University's travel policies for specifics.
          • Please provide a grand total of your request.
          • Please indicate (if any) anything that has already been paid for you on your behalf by your faculty member. We cannot reimburse faculty for any grant or external sources of funding that they have incurred on your behalf.
  • Submitting your application:
    • Complete the application form at least a month prior to the first day of the conference.
    • Have your faculty mentor submit their letter of support within a week of your application submission.
  • Application review and notification:
    • Applications will be reviewed the week following the deadline and students will be notified.

Award acceptance agreement:

Students who receive the research award agree to:

Conference Travel Award Evaluation Rubric

Student Narrative

Category

0 Absent

1 Little

2 Some

3 A lot

Purpose of attendance and travel

Purpose of travel and attendance is not addressed.

Little or no elaboration as to context or significance of planned event is provided.

Event context and/or significance is provided. Applicant’s role is evident. Description is general and/or superficial.

Nature of event and applicant’s role are clearly elaborated. Event may be connected to a specific research goal, activity or collaboration.

Professional formation contributions because of travel

Contributions to professional formation is not addressed.

Contributions to professional formation is vague or brief.

Contributions to professional formation is specific, but still lacking.

Contributions to professional formation is specific and well-defined.

Estimated travel budget

No budget request included.

Some budget request, but without details, or with inappropriate costs.

Detailed budget request, some itemization or breakdown of costs.

 

Itemized budget request with clear, appropriate costs.

Overall quality of application

Application reflects lack of thought, effort, or coherence.

Conveys purpose and contributions of attendance adequately.

Conveys purpose and attendance thoroughly, but does not provide tangible examples.

Conveys clear need, well-defined contributions to formation, and well-detailed planning, with tangible examples.

Faculty Research Mentor Response

Category

0 Absent

1 Little

2 Some

3 A lot
Importance and appropriateness of of the event The event is of no importance in the field of research or is not appropriate for the research being conducted. The event is of little importance in the field of research or is a little appropriate for the research being conducted. The event is of some importance in the field of study or is somewhat appropriate for the research being conducted. The event is of most importance in the field of study and is highly appropriate for the research being conducted.

Importance of student participation

Participation is minimally important to student’s academic and professional development. Assessment lacks desired specificity. Responses fail to address all questions.

Participation is somewhat important to student’s academic and professional development. The event is fairly typical and student contribution is not particularly significant within course of study at SU. Assessment lacks desired specificity. Responses fail to address all questions.

Student’s contribution is characterized as substantial and important. Participation is very important to student’s academic and professional development (important work, rare event, etc.). Conference is considered to be important to the student’s field.

Student’s participation is effectively described as active and substantive. Participation is extremely critical to academic and professional development. Conference is very important in the student’s field.
Financial assistance need Convey no need for financial assistance; there are other channels that can help pay for all of the students' expenses (faculty grants, other awards, etc.). Convey a low need for financial assistance; there are other channels that can pay for most of the students' expenses (faculty grants, other awards, etc.). Convey a middle need for financial assistance; there are other channels that can pay for some of the students' expenses (faculty grants, other awards, etc.). Conveys a high need of financial assistance; there are no other channels that can help pay for the students' expenses.

Personal recommendation

No faculty recommendation included, negative faculty recommendation, or recommendation not provided from appropriate faculty member. Or, faculty does not recommend.

Faculty member recommendation is generic and does not mention conference or importance of attendance.

Faculty member somewhat recommends the conference to the student. Faculty member wants to make sure the student attends the conference.

Faculty member fully recommends the conference for the student. Faculty member wants to make sure the student attends the conference.