Conference Grant


Overview

The GSC Conference Grant is designed to support conference-related expenses of MIT graduate students in all Schools throughout the Institute. Specifically, this fund is allocated to conference expenses (including registration, travel and lodging) that are not currently funded by the student’s advisor or other MIT-related funding. To be eligible for the GSC Conference Grant, the student must present original research or serve as a panelist at a conference. For other purposes, students may apply for the GSC Professional Development Exploration Grant.

Reimbursement Instructions

Requirements

The Conference Grant is provided for virtual, domestic or international conference-related expenses for the following purposes:

  • Attend an academic or industry-related conference where the grantee will present a poster or paper.
  • Attend an academic or industry-related conference where the grantee will participate or is invited as a panelist or discussant.
  • Up to one grant will be awarded per graduate student per fiscal year (eg. July 1st – June 30th) with a ceiling of $1000 for in-person or $300 for virtual conferences.
  • Attending summer school or competitions is not supported by the GSC Conference Grant.

A recommendation letter is mandatory for the application. It should be submitted by a staff member (and ideally a faculty) from MIT or other universities/institutes. By submitting the Conference Grant application, you are waiving your right to view the recommendation letter.

If you are a recipient of a Conference Grant, you will receive an email asking you to sign the conference grant contract, together with reimbursement instructions. Conference Grants can only be used to reimburse conference registration, travel, and lodging. We do not reimburse meal expenses. Advances will not be granted. Original receipts and a copy of the conference proceeding must be submitted. If you are unsure if certain expenses can be reimbursed, please contact the conference grant team at gsc-conference@mit.edu in advance.

  • The extent to which the research or conference attendance is currently unfunded or unsupported by the applicant’s advisor, department, or the larger Institute.
  • The degree to which the activity will enhance the academic experience of the MIT graduate student and/or expand his/her networks of linkages with other leading scholars or institutions.
  • The academic and professional merit of the candidate.

Cycle Deadlines

Conference grant proposals are evaluated in four cycles each year. Applications for a cycle open 3 months before the cycle deadline. Please apply to the correct cycle according to the start date of your intended conference attendance.

Grant PeriodApplication DeadlineNotificationConference Period Covered
SummerMay 15June 1July 1 – September 30
FallAugust 15September 1October 1 – December 31
WinterNovember 15December 1January 1 – March 31
SpringFebruary 15March 1April 1 – June 30

The deadline for the recommendation letter is the same as the application deadline. The deadline for signing the acceptance contract is 7 days (5 business days) after being notified of your award, unless a prior arrangement has been made with the Conference Grant Committee. The deadline for submitting a reimbursement request is 7 days (5 business days) after the end of your conference or June 15th, whichever comes first, unless a prior arrangement has been made with the Conference Grant Committee. The only noted exception: a life crisis or dire emergency, in which case it needs to be verified by the OGE Grad Support.

We do not accept out-of-cycle applications, thus if the application deadline for the conference you intended to attend has passed, you can no longer receive a Conference Grant for that conference.


Common Questions

Which cycle should I apply to if the dates of my conference span across two cycles?

You should apply to the cycle which the start date of your conference attendance falls into.

How are the conference grant applications evaluated?

Proposals are evaluated by several graders, who were themselves previous conference grant recipients, on the basis of the following criteria:

  • Professional Gains: the degree to which the activity will enhance the academic experience of the MIT graduate student and/or expand their networks with other leading scholars and institutions
  • Financial Need: the extent to which the conference attendance is currently unfunded by the applicant’s advisor, department, or institute at-wide
  • Merit: the academic or professional merit of the candidate, as indicated by the applicant’s resume and letter of reference

The allocation is based on funding availability in the priority of high-to-low score. Many applications are partially funded, or not funded.

Bonus points are also awarded in the following areas:

  • GSC Involvement: Bonus points equal to 10% of the points available are awarded to applicants who are active on a GSC Committee as confirmed by the Committee Chair(s) of the applicable committee.
  • GSC Leadership: Additional bonus points equal to 15% of the points available, are awarded to applicants who hold GSC leadership positions either as an Officer, Committee Chair, or Subcommittee Chair. Applicants who hold any of these positions will receive a total of 25% of the points available as bonus points.

How will I know when my application is complete?

You will receive a confirmation email informing you when your reference letter writer has submitted their recommendation. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure their recommender submits their letter by the application deadline.

Should I still apply even if I will not know if I have been accepted to a conference before the Conference Grant application deadline?

Yes, you should apply before the applicable cycle deadline even if you do not know if you have been accepted to a conference as we do not accept out-of-cycle applications.

Can I cancel my allocation after I have signed the acceptance contract?

Yes, you may cancel your allocation and forfeit your Conference Grant allocation at any time by emailing gsc-conference@mit.edu, including after you have signed the acceptance contract.

Will I receive the full amount of financial support I requested?

The conference grant award depends on the number and score of each application during each cycle. Many applications receive only partial or no support.

Do submitted conference grant applications receive feedback?

The conference grant receives many more applications than can be awarded, and due to the size and volume of applications, we are unable to comment on individual applications.

My conference dates fall outside of the current application cycle. Can I still apply?

No, We do not accept out-of-cycle applications. The only noted exception: a life crisis or dire emergency which prevents you from being able to submit an application by the deadline, in which case it needs to be verified by the OGE Grad Support.

How many times can I apply for a conference grant?

Graduate students may apply for a conference grant during multiple application cycles but can only receive one conference grant per fiscal year (July 1st – June 30th).

Can I use my grant for multiple conferences?

No, Conference grant funds one conference per student per fiscal year. The grant is awarded for a specific conference and cannot be rolled over.

Can I use a GSC conference grant to present work done with external collaborators?

Yes, MIT graduate students may apply for a conference grant to present work done with external collaborators. Preference is given to work done while the student is enrolled at MIT.

My reference letter writer is not available to write a recommendation until after the application deadline. Can I receive an extension?

No, all application materials must be received by the application deadline or your application will not be considered. The only noted exception: a life crisis or dire emergency, in which case it needs to be verified by the OGE Grad Support.

Does my recommendation letter writer have to be from MIT?

No, the recommendation letter can come from an external collaborator. However, it should come from a staff member (or ideally a faculty).

What happens if I receive an external travel allowance after I receive the GSC conference grant?

If you receive an external conference allowance after receiving a conference grant, you must inform the Conference Grant Committee (gsc-conference@mit.edu). If the total amount of support does not exceed conference-related costs, you may still use the GSC Conference Grant.

Can I still apply for a conference grant if my graduation date is before the conference date?

No, you must be a student enrolled at MIT in order to receive reimbursement.

What happens if I am awarded a conference grant?

You will be asked to sign a Conference Grant acceptance contract within 7 days (5 business days) of being notified of your award, which stipulates that awardees will grade future conference grant applications, report additional sources of funding acquired since the GSC conference grant application was submitted, report any changes to the conference (especially date changes), submit a brief post-conference report, and submit receipts pertaining to conference attendance by the reimbursement deadline. If you do not sign the acceptance contract within 7 days (5 business days) of being notified of your award, you will forfeit the Conference Grant.

Can I cancel my allocation after I have signed the acceptance contract?

Yes, you may cancel your allocation and forfeit your Conference Grant allocation at any time by emailing gsc-conference@mit.edu, including after you have signed the acceptance contract.

My conference is cancelled, can I use my grant for a different conference?

No, you will need to submit a new application.

Email the Conference Grant Committee, gsc-conference@mit.edu.