Award Amounts

The maximum award will be $300 from the Dean’s office, to be matched by at least $300 from a department, center, or research grant; if the matching funds are less than $300, the student travel award is reduced accordingly. Only students presenting at international or national meetings are eligible for the maximum award. Students presenting at state or regional meetings or participating in a group competition are eligible for a maximum of $100 from the Dean’s office with a comparable match from a department or center. Student travel awards may be used to cover registration fees, but not for membership fees. All student travel support is based upon the availability of funds.  

Award Cycles

Funds for the travel program are allocated on a fiscal year basis (July 1 - June 30). Applications for Dean’s student travel are accepted three cycles per year. Priority can be given to students who have not received a previous travel award from the School. If the deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it will be observed on the following  weekday.

Submission Deadlines	Decision by
CYCLE 1: September 20	October 1
CYCLE 2: January 20	February 1
CYCLE 3: April 20	May 1

Eligibility

• Arnold School of Public Health undergraduate (junior and senior academic standing), master’s, and doctoral students must be currently enrolled when they apply and when they travel.
• Undergraduate and graduate students applying for travel support must have a grade point average of 3.00/4.00 or higher
• Students must be presenting a paper/poster/creative work at a professional/scientific conference (non-USC event). Travel awards cannot be used to support working conferences, training courses, retreats, workshops or attendance at a professional meeting
• Students have two options if their acceptance for a presentation is not available before the last application cycle deadline prior to the meeting:
  1. The student can submit the application with everything except documentation of acceptance; any award is conditional on that acceptance.
  2. The student is allowed to request student travel funding after the travel occurs; however, a travel authorization (TA) must be submitted prior to travel. 
• Applications must have verification of matching funds from the student's department, center, or research grant.
• Qualified undergraduate and master's students may receive a maximum of one student travel award and doctoral students may receive a maximum of two student travel awards during their tenure at the Arnold School of Public Health. Students who complete both their undergraduate and master's degree at the Arnold School of Public Health are eligible for a maximum of two awards and students that complete both a master’s and doctoral degree are eligible for a maximum of three awards.
• Doctoral students may receive no more than one student travel award in any academic year (July 1 - June 30).

Application Process

The application must include:

• Completed Student Travel Application Check List [pdf]
• Accepted abstract of the research to be presented and proof of acceptance
• Letter from the student identifying the meeting s/he wishes to attend, including justification of attendance
• Estimate of total travel expenses and any funding resources already secured
• Unofficial transcript reflecting GPA
• Endorsement from department chair, center director, or research grant Principal Investigator verifying that matching funds are available; Undergraduate public health students must contact Barbara Cuevas, Director of Undergraduate Student Services (cuevas@mailbox.sc.edu or 803-777-1263) regarding matching funds.

   

Completed applications for all student travel (undergraduate and graduate level) should be submitted to Katie Annan in the Office of Graduate Student Services (PHRC 108) or by email (mooreka7@mailbox.sc.edu).

Criteria for determining a successful application:

• Student’s academic record.
• Student’s service to the school, department, center, or research grant.
• Stature of meeting at which presentation will occur.
• Quality/impact of research presented.

Award Recipients

• Once students receive their award notification letter from the Arnold School of Public Health, they should complete the Travel Authorization (TA) form with the assistance of their department, center, or research grant Business Manager. The total TA amount should include a separate line for the award from the Arnold School of Public Health plus all matching funds provided by the student’s department or supervisor. The Business Manager can obtain the Arnold School of Public Health account information by contacting Katie Annan at mooreka7@mailbox.sc.edu.
• When the TA is completed and signed, the department, center, or research grant will send it to Ms. Sandy Besley, budget director, in the Arnold School of Public Health's Office of the Dean for her to sign and forward to the Travel Office.
• Within 30 days following completion of travel, students must submit a Travel Reimbursement Voucher (TRV) request and include all required documentation to the department, center, or research grant Business Manager for submission to USC’s Travel Office.
• Important: In order for students to receive travel reimbursement, all USC travel requirements must be followed. This includes a TA form approved by the Arnold School of Public Health budget director prior to any travel. Travel authorizations submitted after travel has commenced will not be approved. A travel reimbursement voucher (TRV) can be submitted either before travel (e.g. to pay airfare or registration) or after travel for reimbursement of appropriately documented expenses.
• Graduate students: Dean’s student travel awards (with the appropriate department match) are acceptable as matching funds for obtaining travel funding from The Graduate School.