Participation in professional conferences, meetings, and creative competitions is a wonderful opportunity for students’ professional development. JMU Student Awards, Initiatives, and Research in the office of Research, Economic Development, and Innovation offers a competitive and selective travel grant program that provides support for undergraduate and graduate students across the disciplines to share their scholarly and creative work with their academic and professional communities.

Eligibility (must meet all requirements)
  • The student must be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student, or ABD doctoral candidate currently enrolled and in good standing at James Madison University.  
  • The student must be one of the identified authors/presenters who contributed to the work.  
  • The presentation must have been accepted for consideration for an award. 
  • Travel must occur during the academic year in which the student applies (July 1-June 30th). 
  • Students may apply more than once if their initial grant application is unsuccessful. However, students may only receive one travel grant in a given academic year.
Types of Travel Grants

Graduate students: 

  • Regional Grant: $200  
  • National Grant: $500  
  • International Grant (graduate students only): $700  

Undergraduate students: 

  • Regional Grant: $150 
  • National/International Grant: $400 

The Undergraduate Travel Grant Award is designed to supplement travel support provided by the applicants’ home department and other sources. 

  

Evaluation Criteria
  • Quality of described work
  • Significance of project
  • Impact on professional development
  • Quality of overall application
Description of Grants

Type of Award

Description

Amount

Regional Travel

Students traveling to a conference in the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and southern Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh & Philadelphia)

$200 (grad)

$150 (undergrad)

National Travel

Students traveling within the United States (not including Hawaii and Alaska) to states that are not listed in the regional travel guidelines.

$500 (grad)

$400 (undergrad)

 

International Travel
(graduate students only)

Travel outside of the United States, and to Hawaii and Alaska.

$700 (grad)

$400 (undergrad)


Travel reimbursement is limited to permitted expenses as defined by university policy, requires prior authorization, and will require proper documentation of expenses. Students receiving grants should discuss and arrange in advance their travel plans with the staff member in their academic department who assists with travel reimbursements. Award payments will be processed from the current year's funds and expenses must be submitted by June 15 of each year. Upon completion of travel, the Office of Research, Economic Development, and Scholarship (REDI) will transfer funds to the academic department to permit the reimbursement of expenses.  

All reimbursements are handled through the student’s academic department. It is the student’s responsibility to complete all university required authorization and reimbursement forms in their academic department by the deadline. Travel must occur within the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded (i.e., between July 1 and June 30th). 

Applications and Deadlines

Graduate Students

Undergraduate Students

  • September 29 (fall)
  • February 9 (spring)
  • May 10 (summer)
  • December 1 (fall)
  • March 1 (spring)

Competition for the 2023-2024 Graduate Travel Grant Award is now open.

Graduate Students:

Undergraduate students:

For more information, contact studentresearch@jmu.edu

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JMU's Graduate Travel Grant Award is a program of the Office of Student Awards, Initiatives and Research (STAIR) sponsored by the Graduate School at JMU. 

 
JMU's Undergraduate Travel Grant Award is a program of the Office of Student Awards, Initiatives and Research (STAIR) supported by the Office of Research, Economic Development, and Innovation (REDI). 

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