Professional Student Travel Grants help cover travel costs for professional students presenting at academic conferences, meetings, case competitions, externships, and internships. Professional development opportunities outside the university are also eligible.

Am I a Professional Student?

You are a Professional Student if you are pursuing one of the following degrees:

• MA or MS followed by additional letters, like MSEd

• DMD, VMD, MES, MSOD, MSN, ML, LLM, MSW, NPL, MPhil

• MD, JD

• MPA, MBA, MFA, MLA

Not a professional student? Check out the Research Student Travel Grant.

Unsure? Email gapsa.professional@gapsa.upenn.edu or gapsa.funds@gapsa.upenn.edu

How much you can get

• Up to $1,250 if you're presenting at a conference.

• This is a maximum, not a guarantee. Funding is limited and applications are competitive, so awards are often less than the amount requested.

Limits per student

• One grant per cycle, and no more than two per academic year.

• $3,000 per year total across all General Fee-funded grants, payments, and fungible items (tickets, merchandise).

How payment works

All funding is reimbursement after the fact. You pay the expenses yourself, then submit itemized receipts to be paid back. Applications are only reviewed once the grant window closes, and no exceptions are made.

Recommendations

A recommendation is required, and it strengthens your application considerably.

• The recommendation form is emailed to your recommender only after you submit your application, so give them a heads-up beforehand.

• Recommendations are due within two weeks of your application.

• Making sure the form gets submitted on time is your responsibility- follow up with your recommender.

Questions

Contact gapsa.funds@gapsa.upenn.edu and gapsa.professional@gapsa.upenn.edu

The Research Student Travel Grant helps cover travel costs for research students presenting their work at academic conferences, workshops, and meetings. It's meant as a last-resort funding source — you're expected to have looked into all other options first.

• Read the Research Council memorandum on Research Student Travel Grants.

• Travel dates must fall inside the application's funding cycle. If your trip spans two cycles, apply in the later one.

Am I a Research Student?

You are a research student if you are pursuing one of the following degrees:

• PhD

• Research masters

  • M.A. or M.S. not followed by additional letters

• MD/PhD or VMD/PhD, for the PhD portion

• DScD, SJD

Not a research student? Check out the Professional Student Travel Grant.

Unsure? Email gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.edu

How much you can get

• Maximum $2,000 for students presenting at a conference.

• In practice, awards are usually smaller — recently capped around $1,300 — because of budget limits, and the figure varies by cycle.

• These are maximums, not guarantees. Funding is limited and the process is competitive, so you may receive less than you requested.

Past applicant and awardee statistics are available online, though funding budgets, evaluation criteria, and the application form have changed over the years.

Limits per student

• One GAPSA individual grant per cycle, and no more than two per academic year.

• $3,000 per year total across all General Fee-funded grants, payments, and fungible items (tickets, merchandise).

How payment works

All funding is reimbursement after the fact. You pay the expenses yourself, then submit itemized receipts to be paid back. Applications are only reviewed once the grant window closes, and no exceptions are made.

Recommendation (required)

Your application isn't complete without one. Name a faculty member on your application, and the recommendation form will be emailed to them automatically once you submit.

• The form only goes out after you submit, so tell your recommender ahead of time.

• Recommendations are due within five days of your application.

• Making sure the form gets submitted on time is your responsibility — follow up with them.

Questions

Contact gapsa.research@gapsa.upenn.edu or gapsa.funds@gapsa.upenn.edu

Summary

The President & Provost International Travel Grants (PPIT Grants) provide grants of up to $2,000 per student to current graduate and professional students presenting in an official capacity at international conferences and meetings.

These grants are made possible through the generous support of the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost.

Please note that PPIT Grants, like all GAPSA grants, are competitive. Limited funds mean we cannot award grants to all who apply. Grants prioritize funding for students who lack access to other institutional funding—whether through grants, their department, or other sources.

Eligibility

You are eligible if you:

1. Are a current graduate or professional student (part-time or full-time, research or professional degree) at the University of Pennsylvania.

2. Will not receive your degree before the travel indicated in your application.

3. Will be presenting independent research or serving in an official capacity (e.g., panelist, facilitator) at a conference or meeting.

4. Are attending a conference or meeting held outside the United States.

5. Have not already received a PPIT grant in the current academic year.

PPIT grants cannot be used to support externships, internships, or other professional development opportunities. They support presenting research at conferences and meetings only.

Award & Eligible Expenses

The maximum award is $2,000 per student; applicants may be awarded a lesser amount based on demand and merit. A student may receive one PPIT grant per academic year.

Eligible expenses: transportation, lodging, conference registration, and membership fees if required for attendance.

Not eligible: food and alcohol.

How to Apply

1. Secure proof of acceptance to the conference. By the application deadline, you must have proof that your abstract/presentation has been accepted, or confirmation of your official role at the conference.

2. Line up your faculty recommender in advance. Tell your recommender before you submit so they know what to expect. When you submit your application, the system automatically emails your recommender a link to an online recommendation form. You'll receive an email once they submit it. It is your responsibility to ensure the recommendation is submitted on time. If your recommender has trouble, email gapsa.evp@gapsa.upenn.edu.

3. Submit your application via Smartsheet before the deadline. [Link available soon]

Your application will not be reviewed if your recommendation is missing or if you have not submitted acceptable proof of acceptance or of your official role.

What Makes a Strong Application

Applications are scored against the criteria below, so address each one clearly:

• Why it matters: a compelling, clearly written case for why attending this conference is important for you.

• Cost-reduction efforts: the steps you've taken to keep costs down (e.g., volunteering at the conference, lower-cost travel, sharing lodging).

• Other funding: how you've sought funding elsewhere, or a clear explanation of why you're ineligible for other sources. Priority is given to students who lack access to other institutional funding.

A successful application is complete (including the recommendation), meets all eligibility criteria, and is submitted on time.

After You Apply

All completed applications are reviewed after the deadline—not before. Applications are reviewed by GAPSA against the criteria above, in coordination with the Research Council and Professional Student Council.

You'll be notified of the decision by email approximately 3–4 weeks after the deadline. Because of the volume of applications, please be patient.

Not selected? If your conference end date still falls within the eligibility window, you may re-apply in the next round, subject to the limit of one PPIT grant per academic year.

If You're Awarded

• Accept or reject within two weeks of notification.

• Save your receipts. They are required for reimbursement.

• Do not submit reimbursement for ineligible expenses such as food.

• The process can change from cycle to cycle, so always follow the instructions in your award letter and on the website before submitting.

The Office of Student Affairs processes all financial transactions for GAPSA-funded individual grants. Additional information is on the Office of Student Affairs Policies and Forms page.

Questions

Please direct any questions about the PPIT program to gapsa.evp@gapsa.upenn.edu or gapsa.funds@gapsa.upenn.edu.