Travel Support

Conferences and workshops play an important role in your professional development. Starting as early as your first year in graduate school, you should begin looking at both regional and national conferences to attend. Note, there are numerous, regular conferences in the Oklahoma-Texas region. In your latter graduate years, you may find that there are more opportunities for you to attend and to present at conferences and workshops.

Attending an out-of-state conference can be quite a costly endeavor on a graduate student stipend. The list below is a good place to start your search for travel funds.

Keep in mind that the more sources that you apply to, the better your chances are of being fully funded. Look carefully at the eligibility criteria (this can save you time!), and the required supporting documentation in each case. Also, be sure to check deadlines and remember to give yourself (and your letter writers) plenty of time to prepare.

Sources of Travel Funds

1. The conference or workshop organizers may have some funds set aside for graduate student participants. This should be the first place you look for funds.
2. The Graduate College has a good webpage on travel grants, including information about their Robberson grants. Be sure to keep an eye on the Graduate College page for new programs, deadlines, etc. For example, the Robberson deadlines are typically on the 15th of every month (the Fall and Spring semesters).
3. The Graduate Student Senate may have Research and Conference Grants available. You can ask your student senators for more information. Watch the website for deadlines.
4. The Mathematics Department has some matching funds available for students who are attending conferences. Download and fill out these forms
   • Funding request form
   • Pre-travel form
   You should do this before you embark on a trip. Do not be discouraged by the layout of the request form; the Mathematics Department will always try to match funds for students. This form is simply a way of reminding students of the alternate sources from which they should be seeking travel funds.
5. The College of Arts and Sciences has the Student Travel Assistance Program. Note that their deadlines are at least 30 days before travel. Note that they also require letters from your Department Chair, and evidence that you are also submitting requests to the Graduate College and to your Department. So, it is wise to apply to an array of sources all at once and all well in advance of your travel dates.
6. Your Ph.D. Advisor may have some matching funds.
7. Search in funding databases for other possible sources of funding. For example, women can apply for support from the AWM and SIAM has a travel grant for students.