# One-Time Contingency Fund for Ph.D. International Students

**Source**: https://ge.iitm.ac.in/oge-contingency-fund
**Parent**: https://ge.iitm.ac.in/programs/student-inbound

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This page outlines the terms and conditions governing the disbursement of the One-Time Contingency Fund provided by the Office of Global Engagement (OGE) to Ph.D. international students of IITM for attending international conferences. By applying for and accepting the fund, the applicant agrees to comply with the following terms.

## Introduction

The Office of Global Engagement (OGE) offers a One-Time Contingency Fund to
support Ph.D. international students at IITM in presenting their research at
reputed international conferences held outside India. This initiative aims
to facilitate global academic engagement and showcase IITM's research talent
internationally.

## Grant Amount Based on Region

The one-time grant amount varies based on the conference location:

| Region Basket | Countries | One-time Grant Ceiling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basket 1 | America, Australia, New Zealand | ₹1,50,000/- |
| Basket 2 | Europe, Asia (excluding neighbouring), Africa | ₹1,40,000/- |
| Basket 3 | Neighbouring countries (e.g., Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc.) | ₹1,00,000/- |

## Item-wise Reimbursement Limits

Funds will be reimbursed based on actual expenditure, subject to the
following limits and the overall grant ceiling for the region. An advance of
80% of the estimated cost may be provided.

| Item | Limit |
| --- | --- |
| Airfare | Cheapest economy airfare (Chennai to venue and back) |
| Registration Fee | Actuals, subject to max of 1000 USD |
| Per Diem (Food & Local Conveyance) | 50 USD/day (conference days + 2 buffer days) |
| Room Rent | 100 USD/day or actuals, whichever is lower (conference days + 2 buffer days) |
| Visa Fees | At actuals |
| Taxi (IITM to Airport & back) | Max ₹500/trip (with bills) |
| Taxi (Airport ↔ Hotel at Venue) | At actuals (with bills) |
| Travel for Visa (if required) | II AC train fare from Chennai to nearest embassy station or actuals, whichever is lower |
| Travel Insurance | At actuals |
| Poster Printing Charges | Max ₹1,500/- (one poster with bill) |

\

**Note:** At the time of final settlement of bills, scholars
must submit itemized details of expenditure with supporting
vouchers/receipts. If the itemized expenditure is below the authorized
amount/advance taken, the excess amount must be refunded to OGE. The scholar
will bear any expenditure exceeding the limits mentioned above or the
overall grant ceiling fixed by the Institute.

## General Guidelines

1. The support is strictly for presenting papers (oral or poster) at reputed
   international conferences abroad. It cannot be used for attending
   summer/winter schools, short courses, competitions, or other events.
2. This financial assistance can be availed only **once** during the
   student's entire tenure at IITM.
3. An advance of up to 80% of the estimated total cost (within the grant
   ceiling) can be requested.
4. Settlement of accounts (submission of bills and refund of excess advance,
   if any) must be completed with the Finance & Accounts Section within 10
   days of returning from the conference.
5. If the travel is cancelled after taking an advance, the full advance
   amount must be returned to the Institute immediately. Failure to do so
   will result in appropriate action.
6. This travel support is not available to scholars who have exceeded the
   maximum duration of their PhD programme as per institute ordinances (e.g.,
   PhD R16).

## Eligibility Criteria (PhD Students)

- Must be an international student enrolled in a full-time program at IITM.
- Must have completed coursework and comprehensive examination
  satisfactorily.
- Must have official acceptance of the paper/poster/abstract for
  presentation at the international conference.
- Must provide quotations for airfare, registration charges, and visa fees
  during application.

## Application Timing

- Scholars can apply for the advance through the designated portal
  **before** submitting their thesis.
- Applications for advance **cannot** be made after thesis submission.
- Reimbursement (without prior advance) may be possible after thesis
  submission if the conference date is **before** the date of the thesis
  defense, subject to eligibility.
- If the conference date is **after** the date of the thesis defense, the
  student is **not eligible** for this fund, and any advance taken must be
  refunded.

## Documents Required for Application (Upload via OGE Portal)

- Copy of the official acceptance letter/email for the paper/poster/abstract
  from the conference organizers.
- Copy of the paper/abstract submitted to the conference.
- Quotation for the cheapest economy return airfare (Chennai-Venue-Chennai).
- Proof of applicable registration charges (e.g., screenshot from conference
  website, invoice).
- Estimate/details of applicable visa fees.
- Recommendation/No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the PhD
  supervisor/guide.
- Proof of completion of comprehensive examination.

**Note:** Specific requirements might be updated on the application portal.
Always refer to the portal for the final list.

## Documents Required for Final Settlement (Submit to Finance & Accounts)

- Original Air Tickets and Boarding Passes.
- Original receipt for Registration Fee payment.
- Original receipts for Visa Fees.
- Original receipts for Accommodation (Hotel Bills).
- Original receipts for local taxi fares (Airport-Hotel-Airport at venue,
  IITM-Airport-IITM).
- Original receipt for Travel Insurance (if claimed).
- Original bill for Poster Printing (if claimed).
- Conference Participation Certificate.
- Itemized expenditure statement.
- Any other supporting documents as required by the Finance & Accounts
  section.

### Contact Person

Inbound Team

Email: intlstudent\_advisor@ge.iitm.ac.in, inbound1@ge.iitm.ac.in

Telephone: +91 44 22574928