Travel Research Incentive Program (T.R.I.P.)

Travel Research Incentive Program (T.R.I.P.)

Mason believes attending conferences is a vital part of your studies, as it helps you:  

  • Interact with students and professionals conducting research in your field. 

  • Start forming a professional network. 

  • Be inspired by new ideas. 

  • Get some practical advice.  

The Graduate Student Travel Funds (GSTF) was established to assist George Mason graduate students attend and participate in professional conferences pertaining to their field of study. Funding of up to $150 is provided for students presenting in local conferences (DC, Maryland, or Virginia), up to $350 for poster presentations or $450 for oral presentations outside of the local area but within the United States, and up to $1,000 for presentations at international conferences. 

Funds are only distributed to graduate students currently enrolled in a certificate, master’s or doctoral graduate program. GSTF financial support is limited and currently only available for those presenting. If awarded GSTF funds, students are only eligible to receive funding once per fiscal year (between July 1 and June 30). 

Students who are applying for the additional incentive funding through the Travel Research Incentive Program (TRIP) are eligible for up to an additional $500 through the GSTF. This additional funding can either be added to the once per fiscal year GSTF funding mechanism OR used towards a second trip under the same terms within the same fiscal year. Students will need to complete 3 workshops through the Professional Development Workshop Series in the University Libraries.  

As part of the doctoral Research Development Academy (RDA), doctoral students are invited to participate in a dynamic series of workshops, led by the libraries, that are tailored to enhance your research management and data skills. Please visit the RDA website for more information here: https://library.gmu.edu/doctoral-workshops. These sessions will focus on using Zotero for citation management, understanding how to use data in your work, and the process for completing and submitting your dissertation. 

When registering for workshops, students should look for the category Research Development Academy (RDS) flag. Register now for the workshops! On the workshop calendar, eligible workshops will have the category Research Development Academy. For questions about eligibility and funding, contact Graduate Program Assistant Sora Buck at sbuck3@gmu.edu. 

The deadlines for TRIP travel funding will follow the Graduate Division general grad student travel funding deadlines: https://graduate.gmu.edu/financial-support/conference-travel-funding/apply.  

1. GSTF applications must be submitted by the student well in advance of their actual conference dates, 

2. GSTF must then be approved by the student's faculty advisor (and department chair for international conferences). For details on deadlines and how to apply, click on "How to Apply" on the left-hand sidebar. To log in to the application website, click here. 

3. Students should already have a conference/event/plan in place for the semester of travel application to ensure timely application. 

4. Students must indicate in the notes section that this application is a part of the “TRIP” program to receive consideration for special funding through the GSTF.