Eligibility

• Doctoral students with PhD, DEnv, and DMA degree objectives are eligible. Students enrolled in the Medicine MD, Dentistry DDS, and Law JD programs are not eligible. Students in self-supporting programs (e.g., EdD, MBA) are not eligible. Doctoral students who seek a classification change to a Master program are not eligible for this award once the classification change has been approved.
• US citizens, permanent residents, international or registered California AB540 students. For international students, funding is subject to eligibility in regard to visa type. For those under AB540, funding will be provided only if AB131 is still in effect for the duration of the award.
• Doctoral students may or may not be advanced to candidacy at the time of travel.
• Students must engage in the activity and seek reimbursement within seven years of entering the doctoral program. This time period includes those terms when students were engaged in master’s-degree study during the course of their doctoral program.  Students in their eighth doctoral year and beyond are not eligible for this funding.
• Student must not have any unresolved incompletes (I grades) on record at the time the travel took place.
• Student must have been registered/enrolled in a minimum of 12 units during the academic term in which the research/travel/professional activity took place and for which reimbursement is being requested. For summer travel, the student must have met this requirement in the previous Spring quarter and register/enroll in the subsequent Fall. In absentia registration is acceptable. Students are eligible to request funding that occurs in the last week of the term prior to filing their dissertation, if they have registered and enrolled for the term.

Amount

• $1,000 ($100 minimum for each reimbursement request)
• Funds are reimbursed in the form of a financial support award. For international students, this means that appropriate taxes will be withheld
• Each eligible new and continuing UCLA doctoral student will be provided up to $1,000 total reimbursement that can be used, in whole or in part, at any time through the student’s seventh year in the doctoral program, as long as the student and the activities meet the eligibility requirements
• Past recipients of the Dissertation Year Award (DYA) are no longer eligible for this program.

Allowable Expenses

Expenses may include:

• Airfare
• Transportation
• Lodging (at a commercial venue; no stays at someone’s home)
• Meals
• Conference/Workshop registration and fees (which may include meals for participants)

Expenses may not include:

• Computer or other electronics or equipment (e.g., MP3 player, camera)
• Alcoholic beverages
• Groceries
• Transcription services
• Dissertation editing
• Tuition and/or fees for credit-bearing courses
• Recreation/social events
• Incidentals during trip
• Supplies, materials & other costs associated with the research or professional development activity (e.g., software, flash drive, etc.)
• Payment to participants or research study subjects

Deadlines

Funds must be requested within a reasonable amount of time, no earlier than 30 days prior to travel and not to exceed 30 days after travel has been completed. Please allow up to two weeks for processing.

Student Procedures

By participating, students understand that they are giving their consent to disclose application information to University officials and to relevant funding committees.

• Click on the link for the DocuSign form.
• Enter Full Name – Department in the name field. Please note that a copy of the completed form will be sent to the email address.
• Do not edit or delete the askgrad@grad.ucla.edu Sending the form to askgrad email is required for processing.
• Select all types of activity that are applicable – Conference Travel, Professional Development, Field Research.
• Students can submit multiple forms if they have more than ten items.
• Provide details about the expenses in the additional information field, such as the name of the professional organization, conference or other information about the expenses.
• Students who are presenting at a conference must attach proof of invitation or proof of attendance.
• A form cannot be edited once it is submitted. Students can submit a new form to correct a mistake. Be sure to include a note about the new form in the additional information section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request for the Doctoral Travel Grant in advance, before my trip occurs?

Yes.

Can travel for eligible activities through the Doctoral Travel Grant originate from anywhere in the world to my selected destination or must travel originate from Los Angeles?

We place no restrictions upon where travel starts.

I am applying for the Doctoral Travel Grant. My travel may include a stop to visit family or friends or for other personal purposes. Given this, which portion of my travel would be covered?

Only the portion(s) that directly pertain to conference, research and/or professional development activities.

I have $500.00 left in my Doctoral Travel Grant fund and no future need to use these remaining funds. Can I transfer my balance to another UCLA doctoral student?

No, funds are exclusive to the student and are non-transferable.

I’ve learned that I’m ineligible to participate in the Doctoral Travel Grant program. How can I appeal for funding?

There are no avenues for appeal. We encourage you to reach out to your home academic department for resources.

How do I ask for funding beyond the $1,000 maximum under the Doctoral Travel Grant program?

The maximum a student may receive from the DTG funding is $1,000. If you need additional  funding, please contact your home academic department.

I have expenses for multiple trips. How do I submit these requests for the Doctoral Travel Grant?

You can submit one docusign and notate under the “Additional Information” section where you are going and the types of activity that will be done during your trips.  The minimum request must be at least $100.00.

Will I need to provide documentation of the conference or receipts/invoices for the trip?

No. The form will allow you to list your expenses. No receipts, invoices, or documentation will be needed.

Is there a minimum amount of reimbursement necessary to apply for the Doctoral Travel Grant?

The minimum award amount must be $100.

What constitutes off-campus professional development reimbursable under the Doctoral Travel Grant?

Workshops or summer research institutes designed to promote research knowledge, skills, mentorship and networking opportunities that are short-term and non-credit-granting/non-grade-based.  Academic-based courses are not eligible.

Example:

Eligible: www.nursing.upenn.edu/live/news/529-penn-nursing-hosts-the-15th-annual-summer-research 

Not Eligible: www.mbl.edu/education/courses/neurobiology/

Do conferences, professional development and/or research activities conducted on campus qualify under the Doctoral Travel Grant program?

Yes. However, you are encouraged to participate in activities that are external to UCLA.

Will conferences, professional development and/or research activities conducted off-site but administered via UCLA qualify for the Doctoral Travel Grant program?

Yes. However, you are encouraged to participate in activities that are not affiliated with UCLA.

Can I request for funds through the Doctoral Travel Grant for attending a conference?

Yes, if you meet all eligibility criteria.

May a UCLA doctoral student be reimbursed through the Doctoral Travel Grant for registration costs of workshops or seminars offered by the conference?

Yes.

May a UCLA doctoral student who is on a Leave of Absence or who withdrew during the quarter they attended the conference receive funds from the Doctoral Travel Grant?

No, a student must be registered or enrolled in a minimum of 12 units or be in-absentia when they travel.

If a UCLA doctoral student is registration in-absentia during the quarter they attended the conference, research or professional development, will a Doctoral Travel Grant request be permitted?

Yes, the student may apply for reimbursement.

A UCLA doctoral student attended a conference in the summer and is not registering for the following fall term. The student has filed or is on leave of absence. Can this student receive the Doctoral Travel Grant?

No.

Does the UCLA doctoral student have to be considered a domestic student in the United States to qualify for the Doctoral Travel Grant?

No, both international and domestic students who are registered and enrolled in the quarter they travel are qualified for reimbursement.

Does the Division of Graduate Education reimburse the student directly for approved Doctoral Travel Grants?

Yes.

I’m a dual degree candidate at UCLA. Am I eligible for Doctoral Travel Grant funding?

You are eligible only if you were under a qualified doctoral degree track while undertaking conference, research and/or professional development activity. This applies to students with PhD, DEnv, DrPH and DMA degree objectives at UCLA. If you happen to be under a degree track such as MD at the time you engaged in conference, research and/or professional development activity, you would not qualify for funding.