FAQ: IICAS Research & Travel Grants

Student Travel Grant Q&A

• My dissertation deals with chimpanzee social systems. Am I eligible for a travel grant to Uganda?
• I am a foreign exchange student at UCSD. Am I eligible for the research travel grant?
• I would like to apply for an IICAS student travel grant to attend a conference. Am I eligible?
• I plan to do EAP next year. Can I submit a travel grant proposal to help cover my airfare?
• I will not have advanced to PhD candidacy, my research is "pre-dissertation." Am I still eligible for the travel grant?
• I am overseas, in a location where mail service is unreliable. Can I submit my application via email or fax?
• If my application is postmarked by the deadline, will it be accepted? If not, is there a way to apply for a short extension?
• I plan to conduct research in a country experiencing political/ ethnic/ civil unrest. Will IICAS fund my travel?
• Do I include my letter of recommendation with the proposal package, or does it go in a separate sealed envelope?
• Can I include background / reference materials with my proposal?
• I don't plan to do my research trip until after June 2008. Can I apply for a travel grant in this cycle?
• My friend/colleague is planning to do similar research in the same area. Can we submit a joint student travel grant proposal?
• Will the Travel grant pay for my living expenses, or is it just for airfare and/or other travel costs?
• If I receive a travel grant, when and how do I get the money?

Faculty Research & Conference Grant Q&A

• Am I eligible to submit a proposal for the IICAS faculty research & conference grants?
• If I receive an award, does my home department administer the funds?
• If I receive an award, can IICAS help with planning / logistics?
• What type of funds are available?
• Is there anything I can't use the award for?
• What happens if my travel dates are delayed or extended?
• What do I need to do at the end of my trip? Can I keep any unused travel funds?
• What exactly is required in the final report?

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Q: Am I eligible to submit a proposal for the IICAS faculty research & conference grants?

A: Members of the UCSD Academic Senate and UCSD research personnel who are in titles eligible to submit proposals for extramural support as Principal Investigators (PIs) are eligible for the IICAS Faculty Research & Travel Grants. For details, please refer to PPM 150-10.

Q: My dissertation deals with chimpanzee social systems. Am I eligible for a travel grant to Uganda?

A: We are often asked if IICAS will support research travel for scientific studies of all kinds. The short answer is yes, as long as the research project is interdisciplinary, and has clear implications for human public / social policy or social science on an international scale. It's also not enough that the research is conducted overseas -- the research itself must be international in scope and with clear human policy implications. See examples of previously-funded travel grants for science grads.

Q: I am a foreign exchange student at UCSD. Am I eligible for the research travel grant?

A: Sorry, but IICAS Travel Grants are for UCSD students only (those pursuing degree programs granted by UCSD).

Q: I would like to apply for an IICAS student travel grant to attend a conference. Am I eligible?

A: If you will be conducting research at the conference that is directly related to your dissertation / honors thesis, you may be eligible. This should be clearly explained in your proposal.

Q: I plan to do EAP next year. Can I submit a travel grant proposal to help cover my airfare?

A: Participation in EAP alone is not sufficient in and of itself; you must show evidence of a research plan while abroad that is directly related to the completion of a senior honors thesis.

Q. I will not have advanced to PhD candidacy, my research is "pre-dissertation." Am I still eligible for the travel grant?

A: While you are technically eligible to apply, your application will probably not be as strong as the others who are more advanced in their research, and so your chances of obtaining funding are rather slim, especially if the applicant pool is competitive. We simply don't have the resources to fund all good proposals.

Q: I am overseas, in a location where mail service is unreliable. Can I submit my application via email or fax?

A: We're not entirely heartless or unreasonable. We do occasionally grant permission for applicants to apply via email or fax on a case-by-case basis. The deadline for receipt of all required proposal materials will not change. Contact Martha Salinas at mssalinas@ucsd.edu / 858-822-1131.

Q: If my application is postmarked by the deadline, will it be accepted? If not, is there a way to apply for a short extension?

A: The deadline is a receive-by deadline, not a postmark deadline. If your application arrives in our office after the deadline, it will be marked as "late" and we cannot guarantee that it will be considered for review. We do NOT grant extensions, even if you ask really nicely with sugar on top. Sorry, but that's how it is. So please don't ask and make us feel bad.

Q: I plan to conduct research in a country experiencing political/ ethnic/ civil unrest. Will IICAS fund my travel?

A: In the interest of faculty and student safety, and due to liability concerns, IICAS will not support travel to areas listed on the U.S. State Department's Travel Warning site at the time of application (see: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html).

Q:Do I include my letter of recommendation with the proposal package, or does it go in a separate sealed envelope?

A: Include the letter with the rest of the proposal materials. The letter should NOT be in a sealed envelope but should be included as part of the proposal package and copied along with everything else. We trust you. Besides that, we have an excellent network of contacts who can verify a letter's authenticity of there is any question.

Q: Can I include background / reference materials with my proposal?

A: Yes, but you must include the material as part of your proposal package (four copies of the entire package are required). Please also note well that all materials submitted become the property of IICAS and we assume no responsibility for their return or safekeeping.

Q: I don't plan to do my research trip until after June 2008. Can I apply for a travel grant in this cycle?

A: No. IICAS will not fund proposals for travel beginning later than June of the award cycle. For instance, if you are applying for the 2007-08 cycle, your trip must commence before June 30, 2008. If your trip will begin after June 30 of the current award cycle, you should apply for the next cycle.

Q: My friend/colleague is planning to do similar research in the same area. Can we submit a joint student travel grant proposal?

A: No. IICAS will only consider individual student travel grant proposals.

Q: Will the Travel grant pay for my living expenses, or is it just for airfare and/or other travel costs?

A: You may use your IICAS grant to pay for any (legal) expenses associated with your research trip, including lodging, airfare, bus fare, train tickets, meals, and incidentals. Usually, students claim the per diem rate for their destination which covers all living expenses (lodging, meals, and incidentals). We really don't want to see all those dirty, crinkly receipts, and you don't really want to have to save them, so this is a good thing. For current per diem rates, see: https://secureapp2.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/perdiemrates.html

Q: If I receive a travel grant, when and how do I get the money?

A: It's gimme, gimme, gimme, isn't it? We know you need it and you need it now, not later. Grant recipients will be notified via email by late April or May. Upon our receipt of a signed Award Agreement, Liability Waiver, and Personal Data Form, we will consult with you as to how you would prefer to receive your award. There are 2 options: 1) a cash travel advance for trips no longer than 3 months' duration, or 2) reimbursement based on per diem and/or travel receipts, for trips longer than 3 months. If you choose to receive a cash advance, we will process a request for a travel advance check to be sent to you. Travel advances can be issued about one month prior your stated trip start date, not before. NOTE WELL: If you elect to receive a cash advance for a trip which lasts longer than 3 months, the award may be reported to the IRS as income for tax reporting purposes.

Q: If I receive an award, does my home department administer the funds?

A: When you accept an IICAS research or conference grant, our MSO will contact you to determine how you would prefer to have your funds administered. You can have the funds transferred to your home department or unit, or IICAS can administer the funds for you.

Q: If I receive an award, can IICAS help with planning / logistics?

A: Yes, IICAS is happy to help with event and travel planning and logistics related to your project. That's what we're here for.

Q: What type of funds are available?

A: All IICAS grants are in the form of state funds (19900A).

Q: Is there anything I can't use the award for?

A: Your IICAS award is subject to all restrictions governing state funds. For example, no alcohol or flowers are allowed on 19900A, and your award letter may contain specific restrictions on expenses. The department administering the award is ultimately responsible to oversee the proper use of the funds. For more information on allowable and unallowable expenses, please contact the IICAS MSO (Martha Salinas). She can think of all sorts of things you can't spend it on...best to know in advance.

Q: What happens if my travel dates are delayed or extended?

A: Your research travel should occur within the 2006-07 academic year. If you need to change the start or end date of your trip, notify IICAS as soon as possible so that we can make the necessary adjustments to your event approval. In the event of a longer delay, you may elect to defer your award for a period of up to one year. NOTE WELL: If you must delay or extend your trip and have already accepted a cash advance, and your return from the trip will be more than 3 months from the date you received the advance, the award may be reported to the IRS as income for tax reporting purposes. To avoid this, you may instead choose to be reimbursed for your travel expenses at the completion of your trip in lieu of a cash advance.

Q: What do I need to do when I return from my trip? Can I keep any unused travel funds?

A: All travel / cash awards must be reconciled against actual costs within 30 days of the end of the trip by sending original travel receipts for airfare, lodging, etc. and/or a detailed itinerary (for claiming per diem) to the IICAS MSO. Any unused / uncommitted award funds remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 (June 30, 2007) will be returned to the IICAS award pool.

Q: What exactly is required in the final report?

A: The final report should consist of a brief summary of what was accomplished, future plans for expansion of the research project or publishable results, and a one-page statement of expenses showing the remaining balance (if any).