International Institute Conference Travel Grants

The International Institute Conference Travel Grant provides travel funds for University of Michigan graduate students to present a paper or poster related to international studies at an academic conference located within the United States.

Eligibility

• Currently enrolled in a graduate degree program in any school/college on the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus at the time of application.
• The student must be enrolled at U-M through the last day of the conference. Conferences taking place after the student has graduated are not eligible.
• The student must be in good academic standing and be making satisfactory academic progress.
• Students on leave of absence or detached study are not eligible.
• Each graduate student is eligible to receive one grant per fiscal year (fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30).
• Confirmed participation at an academic conference meeting all of the following criteria:
  • Have a paper or poster presentation accepted at an academic conference or workshop. The paper/poster must be selected through a refereed/juried process, and listed on the conference program.
  • The paper/poster must present the student’s own research/work.
  • The paper/poster topic must be related to international studies (studies of the area(s) of the world outside the US, broadly speaking). A comparative study of the US in the context of other countries is acceptable. The fact that the research site is located overseas, the data source is overseas, or that the research has international collaborators are NOT sufficient conditions to meet this requirement.
• The student must be personally traveling to the conference to present the paper/poster. Virtual conferences and conferences taking place in Ann Arbor are not eligible.
• Only domestic conferences (conferences taking place within the fifty states, District of Columbia, and the US territories) are eligible.
• Conferences taking place in US territories (e.g. Puerto Rico) require approval prior to application, and are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deadlines

• Application must be submitted and endorsed by the student’s faculty advisor prior to the first day of the conference. Retroactive applications will not be considered.
• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but reviewed on a monthly basis. Reviews take place at the beginning of each month for applications submitted in the previous month.
• Applications will be accepted until the budget for the fiscal year is expended.

Application Materials

• Use the II Conference Travel Grant application on the II Fellowships and Grants Portal.
• Required materials:
  • Online application form, including conference information and budget
  • Current CV
  • Proof of conference participation
  • Faculty advisor endorsement

Questions?

Contact iifellowships@umich.edu or 734-936-3966.

General Funding Policies

• Each graduate student is eligible to receive one grant per fiscal year (the fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30), based on the start date of the conference.
• The current grant amount is $300.
• Grants are paid through the student financial system. Payment processing takes up to two weeks following award notification.
• Rackham students are required to also apply for the Rackham Conference Travel Grant, if eligible.
• All graduate students are required to also apply to their home department/program, if eligible.
• Conference travel funding from Rakcham and/or home department always takes precedence over International Institute funding.
• Grant funds may be used only for the actual travel expenses of the student. Any unused portion of the grant must be returned to the International Institute.
• Grant funds may only be used to cover travel expenses that are reimbursable under the university travel policy.