Graduate Student Council Travel Awards is sponsored by University of Florida Graduate Student Council. Offers travel grants to help graduate students attend conferences and present their research.

Graduate Student Council | Student Government MEETINGS START AT 5:00 PM Wednesday, February 4, 2026 All meetings start at 5:00 PM and are open to the public. Meetings will be held via Zoom. Each GBM this semester will take place during the first Wednesday of each month.

Attendance is open to all graduate and professional degree-seeking students. If you are a department representative, you must attend GBMs in order for your department to be eligible for travel grants. Missing two will result in your department becoming illegible for those awards.

We look forward to meeting and working with you all! GSC strives to serve the Graduate Student Body with transparency and care. All historical GSC GBM Meeting Minutes and Summaries can be accessed HERE.

For the most recent minutes, please navigate through academic year, term, and month of the relevant meeting. Minutes may take up to two weeks after the meeting to populate in the shared drive. View the Department Eligibility List Here .

Department eligibility for GSC Travel Grants is determined by attendance and participation of Department Representatives to GSC GBMs. Graduate Student Council was founded with a vision of creating a network for UF graduate students to share resources, build relationships, and enjoy their graduate school experience at UF.

GSC serves as a liaison between University of Florida graduate students, the UF administration and UF Student Government. Funded by UF Student Government, GSC is a voice for graduate student needs, concerns and ideas, and provides a number of services to graduate students. Graduate Student Council Constitution Graduate Student Council Bylaws International Affairs Chair New Student Orientation Chair Welcome to the University of Florida!

We hope the Graduate Student Council can help smooth your transition into graduate school. Here, you can find information pertinent to new students.

New Graduate Student Resources Organization for Graduate Student Advancement and Professional Development (OGAP) Travel Grants Information U Matter We Care (Student mental health & wellness) Student Health Care Center (SHCC) Library Resources Subject Matter Specialists Ombudsman (Official Conflict Resolution) Student Record Access (Where to check record holds) Residency Reclassification Regional Transit System (RTS, city-wide busses) GoRTS Off Campus Access (UF VPN) Field and Fork UF Pantry/Foodbank Career Guide for People with Disabilities Graduate Student Handbook The GSC offers grants to graduate and professional students traveling domestically* and internationally for conferences and professional development.

All graduate and professional students in eligible departments may apply for the grants. The application can be found on Gator Connect . All questions about grants should be directed to gscgrants@gmail.

com . *Domestic is defined as any travel to one of the 50 United States. All other locations are considered international, including Puerto Rico.

Timely updates regarding GSC Travel Grant policy changes will populate here. There are no updates at this time. Applications are now open for Domestic Travel Start Dates May 15 - June 14, and International Travel Start Dates June 1 - July 30.

Eligibility is strictly enforced according to the following policies: Missing two GSC General Body Meetings in the same academic year results in a department becoming ineligible. Attendance resets at the start of the fiscal year (July 1 st ). If a department misses one meeting during 2024-2025, they are reset to zero absences for 2025-2026).

Ineligibility does NOT reset between fiscal years. Once ineligible, a department must go through the formal process to regain eligibility. If a new department or program wants to become eligible for travel grants, they can go through the formal eligibility process.

To gain or reinstate eligibility, please contact the GSC Vice-President, Nanyangwe Siuluta . With questions regarding the identification of your current departmental representative, please contact the GSC Secretary . Grant Submission Timeline Submit your application during the date window defined in the table below.

Late and early applications will be denied without review. All application periods last 1 calendar month, and will cover domestic* travel starting 45 days after the application deadline. International travel must be submitted AT LEAST 60 days in advance, but submissions are accepted at any point in a 2 month period, and will be reviewed at the beginning of each month.

Please submit only 1 application for international travel per month. *Domestic is defined as any virtual experience or travel to one of the 50 United States. All other locations are considered international, including Puerto Rico.

Not sure if you've been accepted to present at your conference yet? You are allowed to apply before you or your abstract are accepted to a conference. If you are awarded a travel grant but your abstract is later declined by the conference, please let us know by emailing GSCGrants@gmail.

com . All of the Travel Dates Below (Columns 2 and 3) Refer to the Conference Start Date. Domestic Travel Start Dates International Travel Start Dates Awarded Grants Instructions Only submit a TAR if your GSC application is awarded.

After receiving approval of your grant application from GSC, you must submit a valid SG TAR via the instructions below. TARs must be submitted within 7 days of notification of award. The TAR we need you to submit is done through Docutraq and is not the same as a TAR in UFGO.

The TAR in Docutraq is how you request to use GSC Funds. Once you submit your TAR, you can check its status on Docutraq. If you have any difficulties with the TAR submission process, please contact the GSC Treasurer.

Please read all instructions before completing individual steps. Failure to follow these instructions carefully will most likely result in your TAR submission being denied. Please be advised that grants may be denied or cancelled after being submitted as a TAR for many reasons.

This does NOT mean that you are no longer eligible for the grant from GSC. It simply means that the TAR must be corrected and resubmitted for the next step of approval to occur. However, if your TAR submission is denied, we cannot guarantee that there will be time to fix it, so it is crucial that you follow instructions exactly as shown.

Please see the bottom of this page for instructions on resubmitting a denied TAR. All Grants are currently reimbursed up to a maximum of $400 for domestic or $500 for international travel for eligible expenses (lodging, travel, and conference registration) and for trips NOT FUNDED BY another Student Government-funded organization other than GSC. Remember, grants can only cover conference registration, transportation, and lodging.

Please note that all expected purchases are subject to approval by the Student Government (SG) Finance Office. Department support can use PCard for processing students' travel. A department TAR will not be accepted in lieu of a TAR submitted through Docutraq to SG Finance.

It is illegal to “double dip” with receipts between Student Government and any other association (i.e. you can't get reimbursed twice for the same expense). Travel is often audited and, if this is violated, your entire department may be ineligible for travel grants for the next two years.

However, you can receive support from multiple sources, as long as these are not other Student Government-funded organizations and as long as the amount of support does not exceed the total cost of travel. ▸ Prior To Beginning the TAR Have the confirmation email you received after submitting your initial application available. Have this page available at all times, and follow the instructions exactly.

Know your confirmed dates of travel. It is important that the dates submitted here match the dates submitted on your receipts for reimbursement. If the dates have changed from the initial application, but are still for the same conference, it is not necessary to notify GSC as long as your TAR is correct.

Please set aside 30-60 minutes to complete your TAR application in its entirety. If you are idle on the website for longer than 5 minutes, you will automatically be logged out and may have to start over again. *Please set aside 30-60 minutes to complete your TAR application in its entirety.

If you are idle on the website for longer than 5 minutes, you will automatically be logged out and may have to start over again. View detailed Docutraq instructions here. ▸ TAR Approval Process & Next Steps Upon submission, the TAR form will be automatically emailed to the GSC President and Treasurer.

Within 7 days of creating the TAR, the GSC President and Treasurer will review the TAR form online and approve it, as long as the instructions were followed properly. Please be advised that grants may be denied or cancelled after being submitted as a TAR for many reasons. This does NOT mean that you are no longer eligible for the grant from GSC.

It simply means that the TAR must be corrected and resubmitted for the next step in approval to occur. Next, within 7-10 days of approval by GSC President/Treasurer the SG Finance Office will review the TAR form online and again they will process it if the instructions were followed properly.

The status of the TAR during this approval process will automatically be sent to you via a series of emails: Screen for fund availability Business Manager Approval Request submitted to UF Purchasing P. O.

# inputted into SG accounting system Not all applicants have received each email so if you wondering about your status, you can review your TAR status on Docutraq by returning to Docutraq, searching for your TAR, and clicking on your TAR for more details. ▸ After Receiving Final TAR Approval You may begin making purchases only AFTER receiving an email that states: “Current Status: Approved.

” The only exceptions are the purchase of airline tickets, conference registration, or hotel rooms ONLY IF THE EARLY PURCHASE RESULTED IN A DISCOUNTED RATE. Discounted rates are assumed for airfare, but you must show proof of discount rates by showing a table of registration prices by date from the conference, or a printout from the conference or hotel website showing early booking discounts by a certain date for rooms.

You have between the date of the approval and the last date of travel to make purchases. Keep in mind that you will need to keep original itemized receipts that indicate the method of payment (e.g., personal credit card, check, cash). If your receipts do not show the form of payment made, you will need to provide a copy of your credit card statement or check.

Department support can use PCard for processing students' travel. A department TAR will not be accepted in lieu of a TAR submitted through Docutraq to SG Finance. If you have a UF GO Account, SG Finance will create a Travel Request, on your behalf, based on the approved TAR.

You and your supervisor will be notified when it is time for it to be approved. Non-UF Employees do not need a UF GO Profile. ▸ Receipt Guidelines When you return: You will have 30 calendar days from the last date of travel to email proof of conference/itinerary, and your itemized receipt(s) in pdf format (listing your purchased items) and showing proof of purchase (payment method), to sgfdocuments@sg.

ufl. edu with the subject line: "Receipts for TAR #". If you have a UF GO Profile, you have the option to upload your receipts to your profile and then send SG Finance an email ( sgfdocuments@sg.

ufl. edu ) letting them know you are ready for them to process your reimbursement If you are a UF Employee, you must have a UF GO Profile as you will be sent an Expense Report for approval of your reimbursement. Non-UF Employees do not need a UF GO Profile.

PLEASE DO NOT CREATE AN EXPENSE REPORT ON YOUR OWN. This step will be handled by SG Finance. UF GO User Profile instructions are here .

Once your receipts are processed for reimbursement, you will receive an email to approve your Expense Reimbursement amount prior to payment. It is VERY IMPORTANT for you to respond in order to complete the process. For PCard or UF Aircard reimbursements, please have your department’s fiscal administrator contact SG Finance for the chartfield ( sgfdocuments@sg.

ufl. edu ). All reimbursements will be made AFTER the travel has occurred.

▸ If your TAR is Denied You must submit a NEW TAR within 24 hours of your denial, following the directions above for TAR submissions and making the appropriate changes as specified in the denial message of your prior TAR. Previously submitted TARs cannot be edited, and any attempt to make changes will not be recorded. If your second TAR submission is denied, please repeat the process.

Remember, if your TAR is denied we cannot guarantee that second TAR submission/correction will be fully approved in time and therefore you may lose your award. Failure to submit a new TAR will result in the loss of your award, and will count as your allowable GSC award for the fiscal year. ▸ Additional Requirements for International Travel International travel is much more restricted.

You must submit a TAR 60 days in advance of your travel, and registration with the UF International Center is encouraged. ▸ Questions about the TAR Process/Steps? Contact the GSC Treasurer.

▸ Who can apply for a GSC travel grant? All graduate and professional students in eligible departments may apply for the grants. ▸ How do I apply for a Grant?

Complete the application located on Gator Connect. ▸ What type of grants are available? GSC awards 2 types of grants- Conference Presentation and Professional Development.

When completing the application, you must select either Conference or Professional Development under Travel Type. The differences and acceptable uses are: Conference- These grants are intended for students presenting results of research (either as a poster or oral presentation) or scholarly activities (e.g., art portfolios for M. F.

A. students, performances for music and theatre students) at professional conferences or gatherings. They CANNOT be used for publication costs associated with attending a conference.

Professional Development- These grants are intended for any scholarly activity that is NOT a presentation of research or graduate work.

Typical uses include: Attending a professional conference without presenting Study abroad activities DIRECTLY related to the student's program or research Attending other reasonable activities directly related to the student's program that can be shown to have a benefit for the UF community as well as the individual student We can not fund travel for fieldwork or coursework required by a student’s curriculum, or programs that give the student tuition/course credit.

Additionally, final approval of professional development grants for study abroad trips is provided by SG Finance and the UF Student Body Treasurer. ▸ What can I use the grant for? Can my department/conference/advisor also provide support?

How much can I be awarded? GSC travel grants can be used for 3 things: conference registration, conference-related travel, and lodging. Grants are intended to cover PERSONALLY INCURRED (out-of-pocket to traveler) expenses up to $400 (domestic) or $500 (international) that are not being reimbursed by another funding source.

Students may receive additional support provided by the conference, University, Department, or adviser, and still receive a GSC grant. They CANNOT be used for: food, incidentals (laundry, phone calls, internet, etc.), poster printing, passport/visa fees (for international travel) or any other expenses. They CANNOT cover anything purchased by a UF PCARD, or that you are reimbursed for by other UF funding.

You may use other means of purchasing, such as credit card, cash, and check. Home and Condo Rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) As with all lodging expenses, proper documentation is required. Adequate supporting documentation must contain the address of the location and the dates of the rental.

An invoice (receipt) should also contain the name of the landlord/rental company and the renter. The documentation must also show how the rental was paid (credit card, check, cash, PayPal, Venmo, etc.) A cost comparison is needed to ensure the cost of the rental is more economical than normal available lodging. If the cost is higher, it will not be allowed.

If a contract has to be signed, Procurement Services should be contacted. ▸ Can I apply before I have been accepted to present at the conference? Yes, you are encouraged to apply in the correct application date window, regardless of whether or not your abstract has been accepted by the conference.

If you need to cancel your GSC Grant application or award because your abstract was later declined by the conference, please contact GSCGrants@gmail. com . ▸ How often can I apply?

Students can receive one award per fiscal year. The award date is defined by the travel start date to the conference. If your application was denied then you are still eligible to receive a grant within the same fiscal year and encouraged to apply again as long as your next application is submitted according to the guidelines.

For example, your next application must be submitted in the correct application window and your department must still be eligible. If you are applying to multiple separate conferences in the same application cycle and have not yet received an award for the fiscal year, you may apply for both conferences. However, at most only one award can be granted assuming the travel start dates fall within the same fiscal year.

▸ What should I expect during the grant application process and writing requirements? Allow 30-45 minutes depending on how well prepared you are.

You will need: General information: e.g., college, major professor's email, etc. Conference information, presentation title and author string For conference travel: both a technical and non-technical abstract The technical abstract is what you have submitted to the conference, if you are presenting research results.

The non-technical abstract should be easily understood by an educated person outside your field, similar to what might be found in the Science & Technology section of a major newspaper, such as the USA Today or New York Times. It should include the major components of an abstract: an introduction/motivation, methods, results (or anticipated results), conclusion. Importantly, it should also include a statement on the impact of the work.

The statement of impact, like the rest of the non-technical abstract, should be compelling to a non-expert.

For professional development travel: a professional development essay and a statement of benefit The professional development essay should be a clear, detailed and convincing essay describing the activities you will undertake and their unique benefit to your professional development The statement of benefit essay should be a clear, detailed and convincing essay describing how the activities you will undertake will benefit the broader UF community, beyond you.

For both types of travel: a budget, with other funding sources listed and described. Budget Explanations should be concise, but as detailed as possible (e.g., which dates, methods, company will be used, exact costs wherever possible, where these were found or how they were calculated, how they compare to other rates/methods) After submitting the application, please down the pdf copy of your submission.

You will not receive a confirmation email . NOTE: The email you provide in your application is the only method GSC has for contacting you regarding the status of your application. Ensure it is correct!

Previous successful research descriptions (non-technical abstracts) and professional development essays are available here. Failure to complete every aspect of the abstract and budgetary questions will result in your application being ruled incomplete, and therefore ineligible for funding for that cycle. ▸ Do I have to complete my grant application in 1 session?

Yes, you will need to complete it in one sitting. Please make sure to download the submission PDF as you cannot access the application once submitted. ▸ How long does it take to get an answer?

Grant requests are evaluated by student reviewers within 2 weeks of the application deadline. You will receive an email with the decision on your application as soon as it is reviewed, and will need to submit a SAR within 7 days if you are awarded a grant. If you do not hear from the grant committee within 3 weeks after the deadline for grant submissions, please e-mail us gscgrants@gmail.

com. ▸ How are grants evaluated? Grants are evaluated by at least 2, and typically 3-4 blind student reviewers.

Reviewers are not able to access your name or email, and evaluate grants based on: Criteria similar to those used in awarding professional research grants, i.e., Quality and clarity of the technical abstract Description of research for the non-expert, which should be compelling to a general audience and include: Results (expected or obtained) General (non-technical) discussion and conclusions Potential impacts and applicability of the work for people, community, society, or globe Budget with detailed, clear, and complete explanations Accurate and timely completion of the application Factors unique to graduate students, such as availability of funding from SG, and departmental eligibility Attention to detail, grammar, and completeness Please note that this is a competitive application process.

It is recommended that applicants complete their applications with attention to the points above. ▸ Great, I got a Grant! Now what do I do?

See the Awarded Grants Instructions to submit a TAR. A TAR must be submitted within 7 days of receiving the travel award notification. ▸ I was denied funding, why?

GSC is given limited funding by SG to award travel grants. The best way to increase this level of funding is to make your voice heard: contact your SG representatives for your college, email SG officials, and get involved as an SG senator if you're interested and want to make a difference. You can consult the UF student government website for more details, or email gscgrants@gmail.

com for further information. GSC receives and processes more than 1,200 grant applications per year from over 150 degrees, departments, and specialties. However, we receive funding for fewer than 400 awards.

This means that in any given grants cycle, many quality applications must be denied due to falling below of the top 30% of high-quality applications. Additionally, you may receive a line in your denial email providing additional information, such as "Ineligible department" or "Incorrect travel/application dates".

Please consult the grant overview tab for appropriate travel and application dates, and e-mail us if you feel your department is wrongly listed as ineligible on the ineligible departments page. ▸ Where are the forms I need for international travel? The UF International Center website has all the forms you need.

Topic * What do you wish to discuss? Grants Website Other