Academic Conference Funding

This funding applies to conference attendance that requires presentation of your scholarship (poster, powerpoint, etc.).

Travel Grants available:

  1. Student Executive Council (SEC) travel grant
  2. Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG ) travel grant w/ or w/o SEC travel grant
  3. Longitudinal Research Project (LRP) travel award

SEC Conference Funding/SEC Travel Grant

  • Deadline: submit to SORC refund request form within 25 days of receipt/payment
  • Award amount: Max. $500/student for the 2023-2024 academic term (June 2023 – May 2024).

*We reserve the right to alter this cap as funding projections change in the new year. Per academic term, this cap varies based on funding available and may be a different amount the following term

  • Eligibility: Any student can apply for this funding so long as they are presenting at the conference (poster or e-presentation). Evidence of presenting must be submitted to SECF@pitt.edu (i.e., e-mail confirming acceptance of your abstract, confirmation of presentation, your name on the conference program/abstract book).
  • Coverage: Travel, hotel, meals (no alcohol), registration, poster printing, membership fee
  • Methods:
    1. Refund request:
    2. Purchase directly with SORC P/T Card
      • 2021-updated Instructions for direct purchase with P/T Card
    3. Submit an invoice for disbursement

GPSG Travel Grants

The Graduate and Professional Student Government is the governing body for all graduate and professional schools at Pitt. The GPSG provides one travel grant per year to each student awarded, who presents in academic conferences.

If you wish to apply for a travel grant, you must visit their website and follow the instructions provided there. If you apply for a travel grant, the refund request process is a little different than if you just want funds from the SEC, outlined in Methods, below.

  • Deadline: submit to GPSG within the first 10 days of the month AFTER your conference.
    • First, apply for the GPSG Award, and even if they give you nothing (they only give 10 per month), attach the award letter of $0 to the SEC conference funding request. This allows us to exempt the 30-day requirement for receipts because the GPSG wants it ten days after the conference.
  • Award amount: Variable, up to the full amount requested, we recommend submitting all of your expenses and then covering what is not granted by GPSG using SEC funding. (up to 10 students per month are awarded) for the 2021-2022 academic term (June 2021 – May 2022). The amount varies based on need and merit outlined in the application.

*We reserve the right to alter this cap as funding projections change in the new year. Per academic term, this cap varies based on funding available and may be a different amount the following term

  • Eligibility: Any student can apply for this funding so long as they are presenting at the conference (poster or e-presentation).
  • Coverage: Travel, hotel, meals (no alcohol), registration, poster printing, membership fee
  • Methods: you can use your remaining conference balance from SEC along with your GSPG grant, the processes are slightly different for how you would submit your refund request.
    • Without SEC funds
      1. Attend conference
      2. Read GPSG Travel grant instructions
      3. Submit required docs and application (download link) to gpsg@pitt.edu within first 10 days of the month following the conference.
      4. Await your award letter from GPSG
      5. Upon receipt of award letter, submit refund request immediately using the SORC Reimbursement form; use these instructions to complete the form correctly as a medical student: 2022-updated Instructions for Reimbursement
      6. Documents Required:
        • updated W-9
        • receipts for registration
        • GPSG award letter
        • proof of presenting at the conference
        • bank or credit card statements showing corresponding expenditures you are being reimbursed for
    • With SEC funds
      • The only change to the above instructions is in how you fill out the SORC Reimbursement form; use the same reimbursement process: 2022-updated Instructions for Reimbursement
      • And instead, for the total put the GPSG Award amount + whatever they didn’t cover up to your SEC allowance (Currently $300). And specify the allocation in the Total (How much GPSG and how much SEC).

GPSG travel grant tips:

  • When you fill in your application form, disclose any additional funds you expect to receive from other sources — this includes the SEC.
  • If you are awarded the grant, the GPSG will contact the SEC to approve the amount you disclosed in your application — the SEC will happily do so!
  • You will receive an email saying you were awarded funds and instructing you to complete refund request paperwork.

LRP Travel Award

The Longitudinal Research Program (LRP) offers travel awards to provide financial assistance and recognition to medical students (non-PSTP/CSTP/OMF/MSTP) presenting their Longitudinal Research Project at a conference. The award can be used for lodging, transportation and conference-specific expenses for up to $500, and it is only given once during a student’s enrollment at the UPSOM. The LRP Advisory Deans will grant travel awards on a competitive basis after review. Students will be notified of the status of their application within 2 weeks of submission. The catch: recipients are required to present at the next DSRP Poster Symposium

For more information on eligibility, deadlines, and the application process, please visit the LRP travel award website