Conference Presentation Awards

Source: https://grad.illinois.edu/faculty-staff/toolkits-guides/funding-business-operations/conference-presentation-awards Parent: https://grad.illinois.edu/faculty-staff/toolkits-guides/funding-business-operations/fellowship-competitions

Graduate College Faculty & Staff Toolkits and Guides Funding and Business Operations Conference Presentation Awards

Conference Presentation Awards

The Graduate College's Conference Presentation Award program offers funds to assist graduate students giving a presentation at a professional conference (either in-person or online).

• For in-person conferences, awards will help cover travel expenses.
• For online conferences, awards will help cover registration fees.
• Awards are available only to those students who are making a presentation at the conference.
• Students attending a conference without giving a presentation are not eligible.

How it works

The Conference Presentation Award program provides a department with funds, in increments of $250 depending on size of enrollment. Within the department's allocation, there are no limits on the dollar amount awarded to a particular student for eligible expenses, nor are there limits on the number of students a department may elect to support with its allocation.

Awards may be offered as reimbursement for recently-completed conference participation or for upcoming participation (see “Eligible Periods” below).

Application is by department nomination only. Students do not apply directly to the Graduate College. Instead, students submit materials to their department, then the department selects applications for submission to the Graduate College using the online application system below.  Read the "How-To Guide" for details on how to use the online application system.

Though not required by the Graduate College, departments may wish to have applicants complete this Student Application Form or a similar form as part of the department’s internal review process. Students interested in applying should contact their Director of Graduate Study to inquire about the department’s internal selection process.

Deadlines

Fall 2025 Application Period:

• October 30 - Application period opens.
• November 25 -Deadline for departments to submit applications to the Graduate College.
• December 19 - Anticipated date that funds will become available to departments.

Spring 2026 Application Period:

• March 10 - Application period opens.
• March 31 at 5:00 p.m. -Deadline for departments to submit applications to the Graduate College.
• April 29 - Anticipated date that funds will become available to departments.

Eligibility

• Conference Presentation Awards are available only to students who will be presenting a paper, poster, or creative work at a professional conference they attend.
• Applicant must be registered and in good academic standing during both the term the application is submitted AND the term during which the conference takes place (exceptions to this are made for summer).
• Applicant may receive only one Conference Presentation Award per academic year.
• Students in non-degree, online, cost-recovery, and self-supporting programs are ineligible.
• Student must be registered for at least six hours (Credit Range I or II) at the time of nomination.
• Awards are supported by Students for Equal Access to Learning (SEAL) fees, which are part of the Student Initiated Fees. Therefore, applicants must have been assessed and have paid the Student Initiated Fees in the semester during which they apply and before their nomination for a Conference Presentation Award.  Note that assessment of this fee is generated by enrollment of at least six hours (see previous bullet).  Students enrolled less than six hours are not assessed the fee and therefore are not eligible.

Eligible Travel Periods

• For fall term awards, the conference must take place anytime from the beginning of the previous summer to the end of the following summer.
• For spring term awards, the conference must take place anytime from the beginning of the spring term to the end of the following fall term.

Nomination Instructions for Departments

• Nominations must be submitted by the department to the Graduate College using the online Conference Presentation Award application system. Note that the application must be completed by a Director of Graduate Study, a Graduate Contact, or other official acting on behalf of the department.  The application may not be submitted by a student. For instructions on how to use the application system, read the "How-To Guide."

Submit an application - The amount of funding a department may request is based on 10th day enrollment numbers as reported by DMI (report #1). See the table below to determine your department's funding level. (Note: Because students in online programs are not assessed the Student Initiated Fees, they are not counted toward the department’s number of enrolled graduate students, nor are they eligible to receive the award.) - Account codes and disbursement of funds: Funds will be transferred to the State or ICR CFOP that is provided on the department's application form. Gift fund codes may not be used. This allows the department to determine whether the payment to the student should be processed as a reimbursement or as a grant. The determination should be based upon whether or not the University is the primary beneficiary of the student award. If the student participates in the conference on behalf of the University, the payment should be processed as a reimbursement through University Payables. Once the transfers have been processed, the application system will show the status of them.

Departmental Funding Levels 2025-26

Unit allocation levels may fluctuate year to year.  Please see grid below for this year's levels.

Award Amounts Per Student

For students traveling to an in-person conference, award amounts are based on the cost of transportation to/from the conference plus the cost of lodging. For students participating in a virtual conference, award amounts are based on the registration fees required for participation in the conference. No other fees (such as membership fees) or costs (such as printing or meals) are allowable.

Submission of Receipts

Students who are awarded a Conference Presentation Award are required to submit to their department receipts showing all requested expenses.  The Graduate College does not require these receipts; however, the department should keep copies of them for audit purposes.

Questions

Please direct all questions to the Graduate College's Business Office at gradfellowships@illinois.edu.