Undergraduate Research Travel Grant
This program provides partial support for CAS undergraduates to present or perform their faculty-mentored research or creative activity at an off-campus venue.
This program is funded through donations to the OSU Foundation and available and availability of grants depends on the availability of funds.
Eligibility
Click each section below to review all details about student eligibility and expectations.
- Student Eligibility
- Undergraduates
- Enrolled full-time in CAS degree programs
- If travel occurs in summer, students must be enrolled the following fall semester
- Conducting research or creative activity with a faculty mentor
- In good academic standing
- Priority given to first-time recipients of a CAS Undergraduate Travel Grant
- Travel Eligibility
- Future travel only; no awards for already completed travel
- Students may receive only one grant per academic year.
- Awardees must submit documentation that they have been accepted to present or perform their work at the specified conference or forum.
- Awardees must submit a report after completion of the travel (details below).
- Awardees must agree for their photo and report to be used in media and promotion materials for OSU or the OSU Foundation.
- Applicants can request an exception to this media requirement. Exceptions do not influence award decisions.
- Project Eligibility
- Applicants must have necessary permissions for research requiring OSU approvals (e.g., human subjects, animal use).
- Group projects will be considered; only one grant will be provided for the same project during an academic year.
- Awardees must present at the OSU Undergraduate Research Symposium in the academic year in which the grant is awarded (or following year if awarded after the symposium).
Three application deadlines for the 2023-2024 academic year.
There is one deadline each semester (fall and spring) and one summer deadline (for late-summer and early-fall travel). Applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the travel takes place. Applications are submitted via online form and are due by 11:59 pm on the stated application dates. Click to Apply.
2023-2024 Deadlines: October 13 | February 16 | June 7
Application Details
Explore the required application materials and review process.
Application Materials
- Applications are only accepted via online form.
- Student and mentor information
- Project description or abstract (maximum of 500 words)
- Conference or forum details (i.e. dates, location, link to website)
- Itemized budget for conference and travel-related expenses
- List of additional funding sources to support proposed travel, including funds provided by faculty mentor
Application Review
- Application review is coordinated by the CAS Research Office.
- Reviews are conducted by faculty representatives from the three CAS pillars.
- Decisions on completed applications are typically made within four weeks.
"Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."
Anthropologist and Writer
Travel Grant Details
Review the grant amount and additional details.
Grant Amount
- CAS Undergraduate Research Travel Grants are typically $200 to $500.
- An Undergraduate Research Travel Grant is supplemental funding to support students presenting their research or creative work.
Expectation of Additional Support
- Travel grants are not intended to fully fund a student’s participation in the proposed event.
- Departmental and/or mentor support is expected.
- Students should apply for all possible additional funding sources including professional society or conference travel awards, conference-related opportunities for reducing expenses, Council on Undergraduate Research travel awards (via OSU’s institutional membership), other support through discipline-specific organizations or groups.
- Conference location and distance from OSU are considered when determining award amounts.
Award Processing and Reporting
Review travel grant processing and post-award reporting requirements.
- Who will coordinate awardee travel arrangements?
Faculty mentors will help students contact the correct person to help with travel planning.
Pre-travel authorization paperwork and information is required.
Awardee travel will be coordinated with the financial point of contact in the awardee’s and/or mentor's home department before the trip.
- When should purchases be made for the awardee's travel?
Awardees should not make any purchases related to the CAS Undergraduate Research Travel Grant before communicating with the CAS Research Office.
- How should purchases be made for the awardee's travel?
Conference-related expenses such as registration can sometimes be direct-purchased by OSU; preventing awardees from incurring charges on their personal cards.
Awardees should avoid personal charges for travel expenses because reimbursements cannot be made until AFTER they return from the trip.
- What are the awardee reporting requirements?
Post-award reports include a photo and 1-page reflection. The reflection should focus on the value of the experience to the awardee's degree, professional development, and future career plans.
The high-quality photo should show the recipient presenting/performing, if that is not disruptive to the event.
- How will the awardee photo and report be used?
The photo and reflection may be used in media and promotion materials for OSU or the OSU Foundation. Acceptance of the grant constitutes a media release. If awardees need an exception to this requirement, they can make a request after receiving the award notification.
- When are awardee reports due?
Reports must be submitted within four weeks after the completion of travel.