Funding Guidelines

• Students who submit an application to STF MUST be a currently enrolled, full-time graduate student at RSMAS.
• Applications MUST be submitted to the committee a MINIMUM of 1 month PRIOR to your departure.
• Students may receive funding a maximum of ONE TIME per fiscal year, which runs from June 1^st to May 31^st.
• To be considered for funding, students MUST EARN 2 POINTS PER FUNDING, as defined by the point system (see below).
• If your application is accepted, you will receive an award letter in your department mailbox. This award letter MUST be signed by Graduate Studies WITHIN ONE WEEK of your RETURN from your trip.
• Monies not claimed within 30 days of your return will be returned to STF and re-allocated to other students.
• The Student Travel Fund Committee reserves the rights to accept or deny any funding requests.

Visiting Students:

• Visiting Students may be eligible for Type I funding on a case by case basis as determined by the Student Travel Fund Committee.
• Visiting students must be conducting their research full-time at RSMAS for a minimum of 1 year, and may not apply for funding during their first year of residence at RSMAS. Faculty affidavit of visiting terms is required in addition to standard application materials.
• Visiting students must participate in the point system as defined below.
• Visiting students are eligible for ONE FUNDING per fiscal year for each year after the first year they are in residence at RSMAS.

In addition to the above rules and regulations, the following apply to specific application types:

Type I: Travel to a Scientific Meeting

• Applicant MUST be a current, enrolled RSMAS student.
• Presentations must be from research conducted at RSMAS (e.g. If you earned your M.S. at another institution, then come to RSMAS for your Ph.D., you will NOT be funded for a presentation on your master’s research).
• Applicant MUST be the first author on the poster or oral presentation and they MUST be the presenter. NO EXCEPTIONS.
• Only MPS students can apply for Type 1 funding to travel to a conference without having an accepted presentation.

Type II: Travel to a MAF or MPS Master’s Internship

• Applicant MUST be a current, enrolled RSMAS student in the division of Marine Affairs or in the Masters of Professional Science.
• The internship for which travel has been requested must be REQUIRED for completion of the UM Master’s degree.

Type III: Necessary Degree Related Travel

• Applicant MUST be a current, enrolled RSMAS student.
• The travel requested must be mandated by the applicant’s advisor/committee and/or be ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to the completion of the degree.
• In addition to the application material provided, applicants must submit a “Statement of Purpose” and “Statement of Endorsement” as well as a detailed budget to STF.
• Starting Spring 2009, all students may only receive Type III funding ONCE PER DEGREE.