Conference Travel Grants
The College invites students to apply for funds to support travel to present original research at academic conferences.
Deadlines
Applications are reviewed throughout the academic year. For the 2026–2027 academic year, submissions will be accepted through the following deadlines: November 2, February 1, and April 15. Applications received by each deadline will be considered during the corresponding review cycle, with award decisions announced within two weeks of the deadline.
The application portal for 2026-27 will open shortly.
Please note these application deadlines when planning your conference schedule and travel. If the timing of your planned conference travel means that you require a grant response outside of the 3 regular application cycles listed above, please contact sas-college@sas.upenn.edu.
Eligibility
This award is intended to offset costs not covered by funds available from departments, programs, and labs for student research and travel. You must seek support from those sources before applying for a College Travel Grant.
Your research must be conducted under the mentorship of a Penn-affiliated faculty member or researcher.
You may only apply for conferences that occur before your expected graduation date. Students are eligible for one travel grant during their undergraduate career. Funding is limited and generally does not cover the full cost of conference travel.
Application
To complete your application, you will need to upload the following documents:
- Letter of recommendation from either your Penn-affiliated research mentor or your undergraduate department/program chair, addressing the value of the conference for your educational goals
- Abstract of your research presentation
- Proof of acceptance to the conference (e.g., confirmation email or letter)
- A detailed budget outlining anticipated expenses, including registration fees, lodging, travel (airfare and ground transportation), and any funding already received from their department, program, or lab