The Office of Research and Scholarship, in cooperation with the Dean’s Office, is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for graduate students in the School of Education. The purpose of the Graduate Student Travel Grants is to enable graduate students to travel to off-campus sites, nationally or internationally, to conduct research and scholarship activities that are necessary for degree completion and with advisor approval.
For the arts, “research” for purposes of this grant can include the following:
- Exhibits – Traveling to showcase artwork in galleries, museums, or public spaces
- Residencies-Traveling to participate in a residency program in a specific location
- Commissions – Traveling to create artwork for institutions, public spaces, or private collectors
- Performances-Traveling to give live artistic presentations, including theater, dance, music, and experimental art
Use of the Grants
The Graduate Student Travel Grants may be used to cover expenses associated with travel (air and/or ground), accommodations, meals, and research-related expenses incurred while on or en route to the off-campus site.
These grants will support research at sites more than 90 miles away from Madison and may be used to support visits to multiple sites if each is more than 90 miles away. Grants can be up to $5,000, depending on the location and duration of travel, as well as the nature of the research to be conducted at the site(s).
These grants are not intended for conference travel.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Student Eligibility
Graduate students in Ph.D. or MFA programs in the School of Education will be eligible for funding if they have approved dissertation proposals or have completed their first-year MFA review and have a creative research plan that specifies travel essential to achieve their research program or creative research plans.
Financial Administration
The Graduate Student Travel Grants are paid up-front in flat amounts determined by the selection committee. To award these grants, the School of Education Budget and Finance Office will work with the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) to process these payments through SIS. Some International students who are classified as non-resident aliens will be paid via standard payroll and will receive a supplemental amount equal to 10% of the original award to partially offset associated taxes.
You may only receive one award during your graduate career, and all funds must be used within 12 months after receiving the award.
Application Process
To apply for a School of Education Graduate Student Travel Grant, students must submit an application with the following required items.
- Full Legal Name
- WiscMail address
- Wiscard ID#
- Current CV
- 1-page*, single-spaced synopsis of approved dissertation proposal/MFA final project plan that:
- describes the research topic and methodology/artistic media
- describes the location and duration of travel (with justification: why there, and why for the specified amount of time?)
- describes how the proposed research travel will support the final product (e.g., Ph.D. dissertation chapter, MFA final show exhibition, etc.)
- Itemized travel budget (transportation, housing, meals, research expenses, etc.)
- A completed advisor recommendation, using this template, which answers the following questions:
-
- How prepared is this applicant to research the proposed topic?
- How prepared is this applicant to work in the proposed site(s) (e.g., language skills, local contacts, etc.)?
- How prepared is this applicant to complete the proposed research in the allotted time?
- How would you rate this student’s academic or artistic preparation relative to other graduate students you have taught?
- How would you rate this student’s record of past academic or artistic achievement relative to other graduate students you have taught?
- Please describe the importance of the proposed travel for this applicant’s research (limit= 100 words). Please also rank this applicant in comparison with any other applicants for this grant cycle.
*The entire document should not exceed one page, single-spaced, and no less than 11-point font.
Selection Process
The amount of each grant will be determined by the selection committee based on the applicant’s proposed budget, the committee’s assessment of appropriate/necessary expenses, the overall number of applications, and the available funds.
Deadline
Applications for the School of Education Graduate Student Travel Grants will be accepted from March 1, 2026 through March 27, 2026. Notifications will be sent by April 20, 2026.
Follow-Up Report
Within 90 days of the completion of travel, the awardee must submit a 1-page report on the use of the grant: how the funds were spent, and how the research was completed.
If, for unforeseen reasons, the travel for which a grant was awarded does not take place, the awardee must repay the grant; please consult the School of Education Office of Research and Scholarship for repayment instructions.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for the Graduate School Student Research Grants Competition (SRGC; https://grad.wisc.edu/funding/grants-competition/).
For questions, please contact the Office of Research & Scholarship.