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GSS Travel Grant: Allowable Expenses and Funding Rules

The GSS Travel Grant is designed to offset a portion of the costs associated with academic travel. This page outlines eligible expenses, how grant amounts are determined, and the financial disclosures required of all applicants. Reviewing this information before submitting helps ensure that budget estimates are accurate and expectations are appropriately set. 

Allowable Expenses 

The grant may cover reasonable, documented costs directly tied to the academic purpose of the trip. Eligible expenses generally include: 

  • Registration. Conference, competition, or event registration fees required to participate. 
  • Airfare or other long-distance transportation. Reasonable travel costs to and from the event. 
  • Local transportation or mileage. Ground transportation and mileage incurred during travel. 
  • Lodging. Overnight accommodation for the duration of the event, at a reasonable rate. 
  • Parking. Parking fees directly associated with event travel. 
  • Meals or per diem. Meal costs incurred during travel, subject to university reimbursement guidelines. 
  • Professional membership fees. Only when the membership is directly tied to conference registration. 
  • Other approved travel-related costs. Additional necessary expenses directly connected to participation, where policy permits. 

All listed expenses should correspond clearly to the event and the applicant’s role in it. 

Ineligible Expenses 

Expenses that are personal, optional, or unrelated to the academic purpose of the trip fall outside the program’s scope. Final determinations follow university policy. Examples of generally ineligible costs include: 

  • Personal travel or leisure activity unrelated to the event 
  • Costs for companions, family members, or non-UT travelers 
  • Membership fees not directly tied to conference registration 
  • Expenses already covered in full by another funding source 
  • Receipts with large tips (tips capped at 15% per university policy) 

Costs that do not connect directly to event participation should be excluded from the requested budget. 

Grant Criteria and Competitiveness 

The GSS Travel Grant is highly competitive. Funding decisions and grant amounts are based on individual financial need and the strength of the application materials. Available funding may not meet total demand in any given cycle, and grants may cover only a portion of an applicant’s travel costs. Applicants are encouraged to identify supplemental funding sources and budget with partial support in mind. 

Reviewers consider each application across these primary dimensions: 

  • Scholarly or professional merit of the opportunity and proposed work. Reviewers assess the significance of the event or opportunity, the quality of the work being presented or showcased, the applicant’s role, and the relevance of the travel to the applicant’s field and professional trajectory. 
  • Quality, clarity, and accessibility of the abstract or project description. Because these materials carry substantial weight in committee scoring, reviewers look for clear, well-organized writing, a well-defined contribution, and an explanation that is accessible even to readers outside the applicant’s specialty. 
  • Impact on the applicant, their scholarship, and the broader field. Competitive applications clearly demonstrate how the travel will advance the applicant’s research, training, or professional development, contribute meaningfully to their discipline, and, where relevant, enhance institutional visibility. 
  • Financial need and budget reasonableness. Reviewers consider whether the applicant demonstrates genuine financial need, whether projected costs are realistic and appropriately itemized, and how those costs compare with other funding the applicant expects or has pursued from advisors, departments, colleges, or external sources. 
  • Alignment with institutional and committee priorities. Applications may also be evaluated on how well they support broader institutional goals, including meaningful representation across disciplines and equitable consideration of opportunities in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and professional fields. 

Together, these factors determine how an application is ranked within a given cycle. 

Independent Evaluation 

Committee members review each application independently, based on its own merits. Students from the same research group, program, or event may receive different grant amounts — or no grant at all — based on their individual financial need and the quality of their submitted materials. Group or program affiliation does not factor into funding decisions. 

Disclosure of Other Funding 

Applicants must disclose any financial support received from an advisor, department, or college toward the same travel. If additional funding is secured after an application has been submitted, that support must also be disclosed to the committee as soon as possible. Reviewers factor all outside funding into the assessment of financial need. Complete and accurate disclosure is required; incomplete or outdated figures may raise concerns during review. 

Reimbursement 

Reimbursement is processed after travel in accordance with university procedures. Recipients are responsible for retaining all required documentation and submitting required post-travel materials by the applicable deadline, typically in coordination with their advisor and/or departmental business manager. 

At a Glance 

Financial Element  What to Expect 
Coverage scope  Partial support toward eligible travel costs 
Full funding  Not guaranteed; grants are competitive 
Grant amount  Based on individual need and strength of materials 
Other funding  Must be disclosed; factored into need assessment 
Reimbursement  Processed after travel per university policy; receipts required 

Contact 

For questions about program rules, eligibility, or allowable expenses, contact the GSS Travel Grant Committee at [email protected]. For reimbursement processing or documentation routing, applicants should coordinate with their advisor and/or departmental business manager. Response times may take several business days, particularly near application deadlines, so early outreach is recommended. 

Last updated on August 26, 2026, at 5:01 pm.