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GSS Travel Grant: Overview and Policy

Introduction and Purpose 

The Graduate Student Senate Travel Grant provides supplemental funding to support graduate and professional students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in traveling to present, perform, compete, or otherwise represent UT in their academic or professional field. 

The program serves two primary purposes: offsetting the financial burden of scholarly and professional travel, and providing students with practical experience writing a competitive funding proposal — a skill applicable throughout many academic and professional careers. 

The GSS Travel Grant, one of the largest in the SEC, is funded and administered through the Graduate School at UT. All funding decisions are made by the GSS Travel Grant Committee using a standardized scoring rubric, weighing individual financial need alongside the strength of the application materials. Each application is evaluated through an anonymous peer review process conducted by fellow graduate and professional students. 

Student Eligibility 

To apply, students must be actively enrolled graduate or professional students in good academic standing at UT Knoxville. 

Additional eligibility conditions: 

  • Students may receive one grant per fiscal year. 
  • Grants are non-transferable and may not be reassigned to another student or applied to a different trip. 
  • Travel must occur at least 60 days before the applicant’s graduation date. 
  • Online, part-time, and professional-track students are eligible provided all other criteria are met. 

Eligible Activities 

Presenter applications receive priority consideration. Non-presenters may also be eligible when the travel involves meaningful participation that supports scholarship, creative work, professional development, or representation of the university. Attendance alone is generally not competitive and may not qualify. 

Commonly funded activities include: 
  • Presentations (talks, posters, and similar contributed work) 
  • Competitions 
  • Performances 
  • Invited or juried panels 
  • Other qualifying opportunities to represent UT in a discipline 
The following activities are not eligible on their own: 
  • Leadership or professional development opportunities 
  • Pursuit of certifications 
  • Publication-related activities 

Applications involving travel that does not fit neatly into a listed category should clearly describe the nature and purpose of participation. The committee evaluates work according to the norms of the applicant’s field rather than a single disciplinary standard. We encourage you to contact us at [email protected] if you are unsure about the eligibility of your intended travel/activity.  

Grant Criteria 

The committee evaluates each application against a consistent set of criteria: 

  • 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. 

Grant Structure and Amounts 

Grants typically range from $500 to $1,000. Funding decisions and grant amounts are based on individual financial need and the strength of the application materials. International travel is reviewed under a higher-cost, need-based tier that accounts for its additional expense. 

The grant is competitive and not guaranteed, even for strong applications, as demand regularly exceeds available funds. The grant is intended as supplemental support, designed to complement funding from the applicant’s advisor, department, and college rather than serve as a primary source. 

Eligible and Ineligible Expenses 

Applicants may request funding for the following categories: 

  • Conference or event registration 
  • Airfare or other long-distance transportation 
  • Local transportation or mileage 
  • Lodging 
  • Parking 
  • Meals / per diem 
  • Professional membership fees, only when directly tied to conference registration 
  • Other, for reasonable travel-related costs not listed above 

Generally ineligible costs include:

  • Personal side trips or leisure activities 
  • Costs associated with companions, family members, or non-UT travelers 
  • Membership fees not tied to conference or performance registration 
  • Expenses already covered in full by another funding source 

Travel Periods and Application Deadlines

The GSS Travel Grant operates on four quarterly funding cycles. Deadlines fall on the 15th of the applicable month, with decisions issued approximately one month later. No extensions or priority deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to begin planning well in advance of the deadline to allow adequate time for materials preparation and approval routing. 

FY27 Travel Grant Deadlines 

Quarter  Travel Dates  Application Deadline  Grant Notification 
Q1  July 1 — September 30  September 15  October 15 
Q2  October 1 — December 31  September 15  October 15 
Q3  January 1 — March 31  November 15  December 15 
Q4  April 1 — June 30  February 15  March 15 

Applicants must submit during the cycle corresponding to their travel dates. If travel spans more than one quarter, the application should be submitted during the cycle in which the primary activity — such as a presentation or competition — takes place. Following funded travel, recipients are responsible for submitting reimbursement documentation and required post-travel materials within 30 days of travel completion, typically in coordination with their advisor and/or departmental business manager. 

Review Process 

Submitted applications are routed through a sequential approval process before reaching the committee. 

Advisor, department head, and college dean approvals are collected first. These sign-offs confirm departmental awareness and document any funding the program is contributing. Each signatory is contacted sequentially in this stepwise process, receiving an automated notification when their review is required. Applicants bear responsibility for communicating with these parties and monitoring the approval process; this ensures each sign-off is completed in order and on time. Delays at any stage can affect processing timelines and, if a grant is made, reimbursement. 

Following college-level approval, the Graduate School conducts an administrative review to verify that submitted information is complete, consistent, and compliant with program requirements. If materials are missing or require clarification, the applicant may be contacted. Applications that do not satisfy eligibility criteria or submission requirements may be administratively rejected prior to committee consideration. Rejected applications are not eligible for resubmission. 

Applications that complete Graduate School review are forwarded to the GSS Travel Grant Committee for anonymous peer review. Committee members evaluate the abstract, project description, and impact statements using a shared scoring rubric designed to ensure consistent, equitable evaluation across disciplines. Because the program is highly competitive, not every qualified application will be funded in a given cycle. 

Grant Conditions 

Funded applicants agree to the following: 

  • Complete the travel as described in the application. 
  • Submit a Post-Travel Survey with required media to the GSS Travel Grant Committee within 30 days of completing the trip. 
  • Work with your advisor and/or departmental business manager to submit UT’s Travel Expense Report. 
  • Meet all reimbursement documentation and deadline requirements per university policy. 

Failure to complete acceptance requirements will affect eligibility for future GSS Travel Grant funding. 

Processing and Reimbursement Overview 

The following outlines the full process from application through reimbursement: 

  1. Confirm eligibility and identify the applicable quarter. If travel spans more than one quarter, apply in the cycle in which the primary activity — such as a presentation or competition — takes place. 
  2. Prepare materials: abstract or project description, impact statements, itemized budget, and proof of acceptance or participation. 
  3. Submit by the deadline through the online application. Late submissions are not considered. 
  4. Approvals route sequentially to the advisor, department head, college dean, and Graduate School. 
  5. The committee conducts an anonymous committee review of applications using a shared scoring rubric. 
  6. Decisions are issued on or around the notification date for the applicable quarter. Grant notices include the amount, any applicable conditions, and next steps. 
  7. Complete travel as proposed. 
  8. Submit a Post-Travel Survey with required media to the GSS Travel Grant Committee within 30 days of returning. 
  9. Submit UT’s Travel Expense Report (through DASH) in coordination with your advisor and/or departmental business manager. 
  10. Reimbursement is processed through the appropriate university office(s). 

For questions about program policies or requirements, contact the GSS Travel Grant Committee at [email protected]. Response times may take several business days, particularly near application deadlines; early outreach is strongly recommended. 

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