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Student Travel Fund Rules

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers travel support to offset some expenses for students attending professional conferences, thanks to the generosity of alumni donors, including Dr. Barbara Lerner Kurman, a 1978 alumna of our audiology program and president of Northeastern Technologies Group, an audiological equipment sales company.

Eligibility and Award Amounts:

1. Undergraduate CSD majors:

   • Undergraduate CSD majors are eligible for one travel award during their program, only if they are presenting as a co-author.

   • They may receive up to $800 only if they are presenting as co-authors at the conference.

2. Graduate Students (MS and AuD):

   • Students are eligible for a one-time travel award during their program.

   • If not presenting, students may receive up to $300.

   • If presenting as a co-author, students may receive up to $800.

     • If a student initially receives $300 for attending a conference without presenting, they may apply for an additional $500 if they present at a second conference.

3. PhD Students:

   • PhD students may receive travel support of up to $800 per conference, but only if they are presenting.

   • They are eligible to receive travel support up to two times during their PhD program.

   • If an AuD/PhD student received $300 before being admitted to the PhD program, they are eligible for $500 for the first presentation travel and $800 for the second. If $800 was already received, they may receive $800 for one additional presentation at a conference.

Application Process:

1. Students may apply for travel funds using the form in the above blue link at any time during the academic year.

2. If funding amounts are limited, priority is given to applicants who are presenting as authors or co-authors.

3. Applications must include details about the conference and the nature of the student's involvement (presenting or attending), title of presentation (if applicable) and faculty co-author.

4. Applications must also itemize the expected costs and indicate whether other funding sources have been applied for and/or received for the same travel/event.

Reimbursement Requirements:

1. Receipts:

   • Itemized receipts must be submitted for all expenses within 10 days after travel. Only the approved student's expenses will be reimbursed.

   • If less than the approved amount was spent, you will only receive the amount for the total of receipts. The maximum approved amount will not be exceeded.

   • For group expenses, individual receipts or clear identification of each student's portion on the receipt are required.

2. Additional Funding Sources:

   • We recognize that these funds will likely not cover all expenses for out-of-state travel, and students may receive funds from other sources to cover expenses outside the approved amount. However, students can’t receive funds that exceed actual travel costs and/or be reimbursed for an expense that was covered using other funds.

   • Students who will be using other funding sources for the same travel/conference, from Graduate Student Organization (GSO), Neuroscience funds, or any other research or organization funds must disclose the amount applied for and received from these sources for the proposed travel.

   • Reimbursement requests must not include expenses already covered by other funding sources, and students cannot receive reimbursement for the same expense twice.

   • If students are found to have accepted more funding across sources than their receipt totals justify, the travel stipend will be canceled or must be repaid to the university, with the amount charged to the student's account.

3. Reimbursement Limits:

   • Eligible expenses: Reasonable travel costs per university policy. You will not receive reimbursement for optional charges such as seat upgrades, travel insurance, meal costs already included in conference registration, or other non-essential fees.

   • Transportation and lodging expenses should be submitted first.

   • If the total of those costs is still less than the award amount meals that are not provided by the conference may be included up to a limit of no more than $40 per meal. Alcohol may not be included and will not be reimbursed.

4. Thank You Letter Requirement:

   • Students must write a thank you letter to Dr. Kurman, including a brief description of how the funds supported their travel and professional growth.

   • The letter must be submitted to the department with the receipts before reimbursement will be processed.

5. Allow 30-45 days for reimbursement processing.

These guidelines ensure that funds are used responsibly and that donors are appropriately acknowledged for supporting student professional development.