Conference Funding
Through a collaborative effort, the Office of Graduate Studies and the GSA provide a limited number of awards to assist selected Arts & Sciences graduate students who are attending or presenting at a research conference.
Conference funding awards are financed jointly by the Office of Graduate Studies and the Graduate student association. However, these awards are solely administered by the GSA. The goal of the Conference Funding program is to supplement other funding sources and to help offset the expenses that graduate students accrue while advancing their scholarship and knowledge. Since conference experience and attendance are critical for the job market, this award is designed to encourage graduate student presence at conferences by addressing some of the limitations of other funding sources.
This fund is intended to assist A&S graduate students at W&M with the expense of attending in-person academic conferences, events, or workshops. You may apply for up to $500 to help cover the cost of registration and travel. Grants can cover registration fees or organization membership fees that are required for conference registration. Please also note that conference funds cannot be awarded to graduate students for conferences they will attend after they graduate. Please feel free to contact the Office of Graduate Studies if you are unsure whether this guideline will apply to you or not.
We recommend you screenshot or print the confirmation webpage you will receive once your application has been submitted. You will not receive a separate email notification that your application has been received.
Funding Guidelines
Before applying online for OGS/GSA Conference Funding, please take a moment to review the general eligibility requirements:
Individuals can receive one award per calendar year (January-December). However, you can apply again if you do not receive funding.
Conference Funding is only awarded to Arts & Sciences graduate students attending or presenting at a research conference.
Students attending International Conferences (i.e.: anywhere outside the 50 U.S. States and D.C.) will need to complete the International Travel Waiver form as well as purchase the required CISI Travel/Medical Insurance prior to your departure. Coverage is provided at a flat rate of $170 per semester, or $65 for the summer. Both the waiver form and a copy of the CISI insurance form must be submitted to your Department/Program prior to your departure. Information concerning the required CISI Comprehensive Medical and Evacuation Insurance can be found on the web. The CISI Insurance is coordinated through the Reves Center.
Students graduating must complete their travel BEFORE their actual graduation date.
Contact your department/program administrator immediately for instructions and guidance on the expenditure/reimbursement policy and procedure. Your administrator will guide you through Commonwealth and institutional regulations. Please follow their instructions carefully. You may be required to submit original receipts. Please note that as of July 23, 2019, the university is no longer able to reimburse for Airbnb, VRBO, or other similar lodging services. Visit the website of the Office of Travel Management for current policies on eligible expenses. Federal regulation mandates that payments made to a Non-Resident Alien be analyzed for tax compliance. This process can take up to an additional 30 days for the award to be eligible for a refund. Please note that if an NRA is found to have a tax liability, that tax amount is deducted from the award total and the student will receive the remaining amount of the award. Non-Resident Alien students will be contacted directly by email from Payroll concerning the Foreign National Information System (FNIS) and how they should proceed. If you do not receive an email at least one week after your award notification, please contact the Payroll Office directly at 757-221-2848.
Review Process
Applicant Selection Criteria
Awards are based upon a subjective review of the application by the GSA. Every effort will be made to preserve the integrity of the confidential, blind-review selection process. Applicants should clearly justify the need and importance of attending the conference. Other criteria that are considered include, but are not limited to, the applicability of the conference to the student’s research, scope and importance of the conference (small regional meeting v. international congress), the distance to the conference, and the cost of the trip. We encourage everyone to apply; however, we give special consideration to conference presenters or those more involved in the conference (such as chairing a panel, organizing sessions, etc.).
Applicant Selection Timeline
The GSA Committee for Conference Funding will meet within two weeks of receiving the applications from the OGS. The students who receive awards will be notified in writing within 30 days following the application deadline.
Committee
The GSA Committee for Conference Funding will consist of several GSA Executive Officers and Departmental Representatives, with Committee members balanced as evenly as possible between the Arts & Sciences. The Committee will judge applications blindly; OGS will redact names and email addresses from applications before forwarding them to Committee members. To avoid a conflict of interest, members of GSA who apply for Conference Funding may not be part of the Committee during that application cycle. Committee members may not vote or otherwise participate in allocation decisions for applications coming from their department.
Applicant Requirements
Award recipients of research grants are strongly suggested to submit an abstract for the Graduate Research Symposium (March 2025).
To receive Conference Funding, your respective Department Representative must be in "Good Standing" with GSA.
Deadlines
Fall Award Cycle
For conferences taking place September 1 through December 31
Deadline: September 13, 2024
Spring Award cycle
For conferences taking place January 1 through May 31
Deadline: January 31, 2025
Summer Award cycle
For conferences taking place June 1 through August 31
Deadline: March 14, 2025
Please do not apply ahead; only apply for the current -- nearest upcoming deadline -- award cycle.
For Awardees
Congratulations on being awarded Conference Funding!
To receive your award, contact your department/program administrator immediately for instructions and guidance on the expenditure/reimbursement policy and procedure. Your administrator will guide you through Commonwealth and institutional regulations. Please follow their instructions carefully. You may be required to submit original receipts.
Individuals can receive one award per calendar year (January-December). However, you can apply again if you do not receive funding.
Students graduating must complete their travel BEFORE their actual graduation date.
Federal regulation mandates that payments made to a Non-Resident Alien be analyzed for tax compliance. This process can take up to an additional 30 days for the award to be eligible for a refund. Please note that if an NRA is found to have a tax liability, that tax amount is deducted from the award total and the student will receive the remaining amount of the award. Non-Resident Alien students will be contacted directly by email from Payroll concerning the Foreign National Information System (FNIS) and how they should proceed. If you do not receive an email at least one week after your award notification, please contact the Payroll Office directly at 757-221-2848. If you are eligible for any additional reimbursements from your department for this travel, you must work directly with your graduate program administrator. Your Department will need copies of your receipts if you’re eligible for additional reimbursements.
Student Leadership Development also provides opportunities for conference and travel assistance. Before applying, we ask that you check with your advisor and/or your Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to learn whether they have existing grant funding or private funds you may use to cover the costs of conference registration. By doing so, you help us ensure we can assist the most students with our limited resources.
Other Funding Opportunities
The Office of Graduate Studies accepts applications for Student Research Grants.
The Reves Center for International Studies offers a variety of funding opportunities to the students and faculty of William & Mary. Depending on the nature of your graduate program and research, you could well be seeking additional funding opportunities. A short reference document has also been compiled here.