Doctoral Student Travel Funds


Travel Funds are available to doctoral students who have successfully completed their General Examination.

General Examination – The General Examination is taken near the end of the course program, but not later than eight months prior to the date of completion of all degree requirements. The student may not take the General Examination before the Plan of Study has been approved by the Executive Committee. (More information on the General Examination can be found in the Graduate Catalog under Standards and Degree Requirements).

When a graduate student has achieved this milestone, funding will be available 30 to 60 days from the date paperwork of their completion has been submitted to the Graduate School.

Doctoral student travel funds will be subject to the same campus-wide travel rules as applied to faculty and staff funds. However, the Doctoral student’s department head and major professor must approve their travel. Funding in these accounts is for travel to national and international meetings. It is recommended that these funds be used only for travel to meetings at which the doctoral student is presenting his/her research.

Important points:

  • A doctoral student will only receive $1,000 once during his/her graduate career but may continue to spend the funds until he/she receives his PhD or until five years from their General Examination date has elapsed, whichever occurs first.
  • The funds in any account can only be used for travel by the doctoral student for whom the account was created.
  • Those doctoral students who have already traveled on Graduate School/Office of the VPRGE funds will have the remainder of the $1,000 placed in their travel accounts. That is, if they have already received $550 for travel, they will have $450 placed in their travel account.
  • There will be a different FRS number assigned to the travel account for each student. Thus the major professor and department head will get updates of funds remaining in the account regularly.
  • The accounts are being created such that charges more than $1,000 will not be honored. However, if this should occur the major professor and/or department will be responsible for excess costs.
  • No additional funds are available from the Graduate School/Office of the VPRGE for travel by graduate students, on prior to becoming eligible for the travel funds. Major professors, departments, centers or graduate programs should try to provide funds for travel if students present their data prior to eligibility.
  • The account will be closed when the doctoral student submits his/her dissertation to the Graduate School. Funds remaining at that time revert to the Graduate School.

The Major advisor of each eligible doctoral student will receive a letter from the Office of the Vice Provost Research and Graduate Education indicating the FRS number and the funds available to them. Department heads are also notified.


Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Graduate Travel Funds

In order for M.F.A. students to qualify for Graduate Travel Funding they must meet the following criteria:

  • Is in residence on the Storrs Campus
  • Is registered as a full time student at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
  • Is in good academic standing and is holding regular graduate status
  • Has 30 credits towards their Masters of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree

If the student meets the required criteria the Qualification for Master of Fine Arts Graduate Travel Funds form, located on our website, must be completed and submitted to Danielle Farrands, Graduate Travel, Unit 1006, Storrs, CT 06269-1006.