Q: What can I use my GPSA travel funds for?

A: GPSA Travel funds can only be used for Airfare, Hotel Accomodations (up to either the maximum per diem rate or the published single-occupancy hotel rate from your conference), Registration Fees, and taxi or shuttle transportation from the airport to the conference location. GPSA does not fund per diem meals or other ancillary expenses.

Q: I have seen that you only fund August to May, but I have been accepted for a June conference, may I still apply to GPSA for travel funds.

A: No, we do not fund June or July conference travel. There are no exceptions to this policy. This policy is a based upon the timing of the annual renewal of the GPSA budget.

Q: I plan to go to a conference to present my work at the end of this month, and I submitted my travel funding application the 20th of this month. I want to know whether my application is too late to be considered.

A: Yes, your application was turned in too late to be considered for this month. We do not fund travel in the same month as the application is due. The deadline for travel grants is the 15th of each month, or the next business day if the 15th is on a weekend or holiday. For instance, if your trip is in September, you must turn in the application no later than August 15th to be considered for funding. Notification of awards is usually delivered on the 30th of the month and your travel must be approved prior to travel to be eligible for GPSA award.

A: These are two separate programs and have very different processes for application. The Graduate College (GC) offers a "matching funds" grant for airfare up to $350. Application forms for GC are submitted through your department and receive a departmental ranking. GPSA travel grants are submitted by the applicant directly to GPSA and do not require matching funds. GPSA does not limit funding to airfare costs but may also be used for conference registratioin and lodging (no meals). If awarded, GPSA funds may serve as the required matching funds for the GC application.

Graduate College and GPSA funding application deadlines are different, therefore it is best to go ahead and apply to both granting agencies. When needed, GC and GPSA staff communicate regularly to confirm "matching funds" status of eligible applications. As a final note, always apply for travel funds in your department, school or college. GPSA funds are very limited and there is no guarantee of funding.

Q: I was wondering if you could tell me what caused me not to get funded this time?

A: The GPSA has a limited amount of funding available each month; therefore the travel program is a competitive process. We consider many factors in our decision such as completeness of application. Often, we receive incomplete, illegible or handwritten applications, which make it very difficult for us to review. Frequently, budgets are not complete, signatures are missing or the date of travel is in the same month as the request. A number of complete applications are not awarded. The high volume of applications per funding cycle prevents GPSA from funding all of the eligible applications - this is the primary reason preventing all applicants from funding. Students with exceptional service to the graduate student community and those who have not been previously funded by the GPSA have priority.

A: The GPSA conference travel grants are only for currently enrolled graduate students at Arizona State University.

A. First, your application must be eligible for additional funding cycles. Applications are currently automatically renewed for the next funding cycle, if eligible. Applications will be resubmitted "as is" without any alteration. If your original application has errors preventing proper consideration, you will not be automatically notified. It is the responsibility of the applicant to insure that the application is complete. You may submit a new and revised application for each funding cycle if you wish.

If there is no change in your funding status from another granting agency (i.e., GC, department or college), there is no need to renew your Travel Authorization (TA) form. However, if there is a change in your funding status, GPSA needs to be informed of the change and it will be noted in your application. Each traveler maintains a single TA form for each trip - even when multiple funding agencies sponsor the same trip. It is very important that we stay informed of your status during the application review process.

A: Your primary funding source (department or school) will be responsible for the travel authorization form. Each applicant provides one Travel Authorization (TA) form per trip - even when applying to multiple funding agencies. When applying to more than once ASU agency, GPSA requires a photocopy of the original TA form submitted with the application for the review process.

An email notification of award status will be sent to the applicant by the 30th of the month. If awarded, the applicant will be asked to bring the original TA form to the GPSA Business office so that we can add our agency/org and amount awarded to the TA form. It may take a little time for us to acquire the appropriate authorizing signatures, so the student can either return at a later date or leave a number where we can contact him when the signature has been acquired and the TA can be picked up. He will then give the TA back to his department for filing with the travel office after the trip has been completed. If he is planning on traveling in September, the application for funding needs to be received in this office no later than August 15.