Student Travel Awards

Traveling to academic conferences, research symposiums, and other educational events can significantly enhance a student’s academic and professional development. The Student Travel Awards program is designed to support students in their pursuit of these enriching experiences by providing financial assistance. This guide outlines the eligibility criteria, types of travel that can be funded, general guidelines, and the application procedure to help you successfully secure funding for your educational travels.

Student Travel Funds Eligibility

• Currently enrolled at the time of application.
• Student must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
• Have no record of formal discipline with the University (appeals can be made directly to OSRI Director).
• Not be a faculty/staff member of the University.
• Completes all the requirements listed under “General Guidelines” below.

Apply For Student Travel

What type of travel can be funded?

Requests can be made for anticipated expenses related to registration, transportation, and lodging only. Travel within North America and the Caribbean is eligible for a maximum of $500. Other international travel requests are eligible for a maximum of $750. Any travel outside of the United States must comply with all APSU policies on international travel. Approved funds will be reimbursed following the trip after submission of the completed travel expense claim form and eligible receipts. Failure to follow the guidelines or who do not provide appropriate receipts will not be reimbursed. Please note that OSRI has limited travel funds and makes no guarantees regarding level of travel support. Not all awards will meet the maximum funding eligibility and previous travel support should not be used as an indication of future travel support.

General Guidelines

• Students who are approved to attend a conference/meeting to present research that occurred while enrolled must inform and publish on their work that the research occurred at Austin Peay State University. Students must provide documentation of this notification.
• Student travel funds will not be awarded for travel for classes, programs of study, field trips, job or department travel, job placement or job searches, any type of tuition or payment of class/seminar, personal interest or personal educational, religious or political development, etc. Funds are not available to cover travel which results in academic credit or that is required to complete the requirements for the degree. Funds are for individual student travel, not for student organization travel.
• Eligible Expenses: lodging, transportation, registration and meal/food expenses only.

Student Travel Request Instructions:

1. Faculty or their designee (e.g., Administrative or Academic Assistant) will complete the forms to request travel monies for their student(s).  OSRI will not provide cash advances for student travel.  Also note, each department will be responsible for all the documents related to student travel. OSRI primary task is to fund student travel requests.

2. BEFORE Student Travel - Requests should be made 3 weeks prior to the 1st day of Travel.

3. Prepare a Travel Authorization Form and obtain appropriate signatures. A travel authorization form will have to be completed for each individual student or if it is group student travel you can follow those directions below.

4. Attach all relevant supporting documentation electronically (you will scan and save all documents) to the Travel Authorization for the students' travel, e.g., conference information including the name of conference, location and dates.

5. Prepare the documents that will be submitted to Student Affairs (per Policy 3:008):

Student Travel Form
Off-Campus Travel Waiver & Liability Form

6. Faculty Mentors or their designee (not students) will complete the OSRI Student Travel Request Form, you will be uploading the following documents as electronic copies so complete those first:

a. OSRI Student Travel Spreadsheet
b. Travel Authorization Form with appropriate signatures.
c. Student Travel Form
d. Off-Campus Travel Waiver & Liability Form

7. How will the student travel be paid for initially and who will be reimbursed:

a. Student pays for travel (follow directions in After Student Travel a.).
b. Academic department pays for student travel - OSRI will reimburse the department.
c. External grant pays for student travel - OSRI will reimburse the grant.

8. After student travel:

a. Student(s) paid for their travel expenses and need to be reimbursed.

• • Submit a New Vendor Request to Procurement to link the student to Govs Suite.
    • Go to APSU Information Technology web page.
    • Go to OIT Service Portal in the upper right-hand corner
    • Then select "Submit a Ticket"
    • Then select "Procurement Services"
    • Then select "Vendors"
    • Then select "New Vendor Request"
    • Then select "Request Service"
    • Then you will be prompted to sign in with your SSO Credentials
    • You will then select "Student Award, Travel, or Reimbursement"
      The form requires the following: Name, A number, and Description/Reason for payments.
  • Now prepare a Travel Claim and attach all relevant documentation (receipts).
  • Finally, submit a Student Payment Request via Govs Suite:
    • Click on Procurement > Requisition Forms
      • Attach the Travel Authorization.
      • Attach the Travel Claim with all supporting documentation.

9. Group Travel Authorization (Student Groups):

• • The faculty or the faculty designee responsible for the group must submit a Travel Authorization in their name in Govs Suite. Click here for a video of how to submit a travel authorization in Govs Suite or here for a powerpoint of how to submit a travel authorization in Govs Suite.
    • Include a list of student travelers.
    • Include all projected group expenses.