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Academic Senate Travel Scholarship

Undergraduate Research Travel Scholarships funded by The UC Merced Academic Senate

The Undergraduate Research Travel Scholarship is available to help any UC Merced undergraduate student researcher present at a conference. The funding provided by the UC Merced Academic Senate will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis (for students that provide all necessary information and complete the application). Students are eligible for up to $750.00 (stipend disbursement) to cover conference registration, transportation costs, and hotel/lodging fees  (an exception to cover other costs such as meals and incidentals will be considered on a case by case basis). 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must be an enrolled UC Merced Undergraduate Student Researcher (open to all disciplines)
  • Confirmation that your abstract/project that was accepted to present at a conference

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

  • Name of paper, poster, presentation, or creative project
  • Link to conference website
  • Screenshot of conference agenda/schedule
  • Confirmation of Abstract Presentation/Invitation to present
  • Screenshot of registration costs
  • Screenshot of quote for transportation costs (tickets for plane, bus, or train only), if applicable.
  • Screenshot of quote for cost of hotel/lodging, if applicable.

APPLICATION & DECISION PROCESS:

Use this link to apply for the Academic Senate Travel Scholarship.

  • Fill out the entire form. We will not process incomplete forms.
  • After submission of your application, an email will be sent to your PI/faculty mentor notifying them that you will be considered for a travel scholarship to present your research.
  • Once you have submitted your application, please allow one week for the application to be processed. If your application is accepted you will receive an award letter outlining your scholarship amount and the date of disbursement.

You may apply for this funding before or after your conference date. You, the applicant, are responsible for making any purchases using the stipend. UROC will not be responsible for confirming your spot as a presenter, reserving hotel/lodging, or purchasing transportation tickets.

The scholarships are applied directly to your UC Merced student billing account, so if there are any unpaid balances on your account, these fees will be paid before you receive the payout of this scholarship. Please visit the financial aid page to learn more about financial aid disbursement or visit this link to set up a meeting with financial aid. 
 

APPLICATION IS CLOSED - All funding has been awarded for  FALL 2023 - SPRING 2024

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Do I need to be a UROC scholar to apply for this travel scholarship?
    • No. Any UC Merced undergraduate students who have been accepted to present at a conference are eligible for funding.
  2. What if I am a UROC scholar?
    • If you are a UROC scholar you have the opportunity to apply for this travel scholarship as well as usual UROC support which can be found here.
  3. Do I need to be presenting to receive funding?
    • Yes. However, if your research/project is part of a group, then you must be one of the presenting authors to receive funding.
  4. I want to present at a conference. Where can I find conferences to apply to?
    • Check out this link to find conferences!
    • Remember, to apply for this scholarship you must have already been accepted to present.
  5. What materials do I need to apply?
    • To apply you will need to provide the following:
      • Confirmation of Abstract Presentation/Invitation to present
      • Conference agenda/schedule
      • Budget/Screenshot of registration costs
      • Screenshot of quote for transportation costs (tickets for plane, bus, or train only), if applicable.
      • Screenshot of quote for cost of hotel/lodging, if applicable.
  6. I got the scholarship. How do I get paid?
    • The scholarships are applied directly to your UC Merced student billing account, so if there are any unpaid balances on your account, these fees will be paid before you receive the payout of this scholarship.
    • Scholarships will be disbursed through your financial aid account on the last Thursday of each month, starting on February 23rd. It will take about one week to be approved for a scholarship and once approved, you will receive your scholarship at the next disbursement date - unless otherwise noted.
    • It may take 2-5 days for the funding to reach your bank account through direct deposit. If you do not have direct deposit set up, you will receive a check in the mail.
    • If you apply for the scholarship with less than one week from a disbursement date (the third Thursday of the month), and you get awarded, you will most likely receive your scholarship in the following month's disbursement.
  7. My conference was awesome! Can I share my experience/research with others?
    • Yes! We would love to hear about your conference experience! Feel free to email uroc@ucmerced.edu or DM @merceduroc on instagram a description of your experience as well as photos of yourself at the conference. We love to highlight our UC Merced students and show the world how amazing you all are, so let us know if you are comfortable having us share this info on social media!