PhD stories: travel grants

Last time, we talked about financing your studies - but you can also finance your travels!

It's that time of the year... time to apply for travel grants! 

Every year, universities will offer travel grants for PhD students to attend conferences, panels or for research opportunities abroad. It is a great way to help you pay for part of these travels, even though it doesn't always cover the whole price of the trip. But it allows you to go to conferences regarding your topic, so who's complaining?

A travel grant application is a bit shorter, and easier, than a research grant application. You still need to know what to expect, and that's what this article is all about!

How to go about asking for a travel grant?

Your university will most likely have an online platform, with a form to fill out. 

First, find a conference you want to attend and look up their website. Save it in your bookmarks, as the form will most likely ask you to provide it. If the conference fits your PhD studies and profile, note the necessary information: where, and when. Then, consult the online form from your university, and fill in the details. 

Second, you will be asked why you want to attend said conference. Be honest! What will this conference bring to you? Do you want to present, or just attend? What will you gain, or contribute? You can find tips and "templates" to answer this question, but try to be as genuine as possible - the person who reads your application will be able to tell. 

Third, your university will need to know how much it would cost to send you to this conference. Look up flights, trains and buses to see what the best way to get there is, and put together a total of travel cost. Do the same with accommodation and food. You might have to give a grand total, or split the costs into these different categories, so write down the numbers and be truthful about how much you are going to need. 

Important! Anticipate the costs if the conference happens to be during high tourist season, or if the grant will be given to you long enough to get a good deal. You might need to ask for a little more if the prices tend to fluctuate. 

That's it, you're done! Now to wait for the approval... 

All images are from Unsplash.