2023-2024 Conference Award
*Funding for 23-24 is closed. Applications & deadlines for 24-25 will be posted in early August 2024.
Virtual Conferences are eligible for funding. For more information regarding travel impacted by COVID-19, please see: https://msu.edu/together-we-will/travel/
Award Information:
To help defray the costs of traveling to and from conferences, COGS provides up to $300 in the form of a Conference award. This can be awarded only once during a graduate lifetime. (NOTE: Funds are dispersed as an award via the financial aid office to the student’s stu-info account. Only enrolled graduate/professional students can receive this award.) Please review the Conference Award Funding Guidelines before applying.
NOTE: Conference Awards are only awarded to individuals presenting research at a conference. If you are not presenting, please submit a Professional Development Award application. Please review funding guidelines carefully for reimbursement requirements.
To submit an online application, you will need: (submit with the application – link to application is below…)
- Statement of Justification: In 500 words or less, please describe the conference you will be attending, what original research you will be presenting, and how the experience will enhance your academic and/or professional skills.
- Letter of recommendation: Please have your major professor or advisor write a letter (1) confirming your attendance and planned presentation at the conference (2) explaining how this experience will contribute to your academic career. If you professor wishes to submit the letter directly to our office, it can be emailed to office@cogs.msu.edu PLEASE NOTE: Letter of recommendation is part of the application and must be submitted on or before the application deadline to be considered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure all parts of the application are submitted on time.
Applications will be reviewed at Finance Committee meetings (after the stated deadline(s) have closed, and awarded by approval at the next full council as long as funds are available for the current semester award budget. Finance Committee may adjust deadlines in future semesters and apply lottery for selection (per funding guidelines) if applications exceed available funding. Award letter will contain instructions for receiving the funds. You may also read funding guidelines for those instructions and details. You will need to provide the required documentation within 30 days of last conference date (*or within 30 days of your award notification date if you are awarded for a conference that already took place in the eligible time period.)
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Applications are due by 5pm on the stated due date. Please note: We are unable to consider late applications.
COGS FUNDS ARE LIMITED, SO APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY BY THE EARLIEST POSTED DEADLINE FOR THE SEMESTER THEY ARE ATTENDING THEIR CONFERENCE. ONLY IF funds remain after the first review period, will applications be reviewed for subsequent posted deadline(s) for that semester. Once no more funds remain for a given semester, then no further applications for conferences taking place for that semester will be considered. (You may apply early for the next semester’s conference, but your application won’t be reviewed until the posted review period for that semester.) Website will be updated as to the availability of funds after each initial review period.
Fall 2023 (Events from July 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023) – First deadline is September 28, 2023. Notifications of awards will be sent after the October 18th full council meeting. Depending on funds available, the FINAL FALL SEMESTER deadline is: November 22, 2023. Notifications will go out to applicants after December 6th full council meeting. *FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE for FINAL DEADLINE OF 11/22. Please note that a blind lottery may be needed if more eligible applications are received than can be covered by the remaining funds.
Spring 2024 (Events from January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024) – First deadline is February 1, 2024. Notifications will go out to applicants after Feb. 21st full council meeting.
FINAL DEADLINE: March 28, 2024*. Notifications would then go out to applicants after April 17th full council meeting.
ALL AWARD NOTIFICATIONS will be sent following full council meetings. Check for dates here: https://cogs.msu.edu/governance/
NOTE: Do not apply for events that take place AFTER June 30, 2024 until the FY 24-25 Applications are posted, sometime after July 1, 2024.
*Number of awards approved depends on available funds for the current semester award budget. Once applications pass the initial review process, Finance Committee may apply randomized lottery for selection of final awardees, if eligible applications exceed available funds.
Please check with your department, and The Graduate School if you need additional funding sources for attending a conference: https://grad.msu.edu/travel
Financial Aid Notice: If you have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, then you should be aware that receipt of a fellowship, scholarship, award or assistantship may reduce your eligibility for federal student loans. Please note the following: 1) you must be enrolled for the semester that your fellowship/award is awarded; 2) fellowships & awards are taxable; 3) if you owe MSU any money, your award will be reduced by that amount prior to deposition Please contact the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@msu.edu if you have questions.
Please call the COGS office with any questions: (517) 353-9189 or email: office@cogs.msu.edu
