Friends Travel Support

Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of The University of Illinois Department of Communication, this program provides support for graduate student travel. Students may receive support to travel to professional conferences as author or co-author of a paper accepted for presentation, panel chair/respondent and/or support to attend other academic events that involve a competitive selection process but might not involve presentation of original research (e.g., NCA Doctoral Honors Conference, RSA Institute, non-presenting authors of a paper selected for a traditional conference). All students who qualify receive awards. Students can receive up to $1000 towards travel each academic year (August 16-August 15). Awards come as reimbursements for direct, allowable expenses associated with attending a conference or other qualifying event. These funds cannot be rolled over to subsequent years.

All applicants must be graduate students in Communication, currently registered, and in residence. Students can use their $1000 for a single conference or multiple eligible events. There is no cap on the number of events that can be supported as long as the student does not exceed the $1000 cap.

Program Details

This program is unrelated to the Graduate College student conference travel grants. Therefore, one might apply for and receive both a Friends Travel Support and a Graduate College Grant for the same conference (but students cannot be reimbursed for travel expenses being paid by another entity).

Applying for Friends Travel Support

  1. The application form, which can be found on the forms page of the department web page, must be filled out completely and must be accompanied by evidence that the paper has been accepted for presentation or that the student has been selected to attend an academic event (typically a letter of acceptance from the program chair and/or a copy of the meeting program).

  2. Students must apply for support a minimum of two weeks in advance of travel to the conference. Students will receive notification of the award before they travel.

Receiving Friends Travel Support

  1. Travel supported by Friends awards is subject to all university rules and regulations for travel. For example, students cannot be reimbursed for travel expenses that are being paid by another entity (e.g., if a conference provides a student travel grant, Friends can only be used for expenses not paid for by the conference grant).
  2. Awards will be disbursed only after conference travel and based on the amount of allowable conference travel expenses that can be substantiated with receipts. All student conference travel will be processed through Chrome River, a web-based system for submitting and approving requests. To receive awards, make sure you are set up in Chrome River through the main office and submit all receipts for allowable travel expenses to Michelle Malloch promptly on your return from the conference. If the university does not receive these within 60 days of the completion of the conference, the entire amount will be considered taxable income and you will only receive the awarded amount minus taxes.
  3. All receipts must be original, itemized and show date, amount and method of payment. For receipts not showing this information, additional documentation may be required (e.g., copy of a credit card statement). If expenses are shared with others, the university requires proof the portion claimed was paid by the student claiming it.
  4. Shared expenses: when expenses are shared, only those who paid the vendor directly can claim their portion of the expense. The university requires a bill showing payment information and clear itemization of charges. If one person paid a shared expense, only that person can claim their portion.
  5. Allowable travel expenses include the following:
    • Hotel bills (not including incidental charges for telephone calls, minibars, in-room movies, and the like). Provide a detailed bill showing a zero balance. If the room is shared, request separate bills showing each individual's portion and payment information.
    • Conference registration fees - Receipt required. (Note: Membership is not considered a travel expense and cannot be included among expenses claimed.)
    • Airline, train, or bus - Receipt required. For conference travel interrupted for personal time, request only the rate for uninterrupted travel by the most direct route. The University requires a sample itinerary/cost of the trip without the personal time printed at the same time as the ticket was booked. For tickets showing more than one traveler, additional documentation is required to show the portion claimed was paid by the student claiming it.
    • Taxi service - receipt required.
    • Parking - receipt required.
    • Mileage - charges at the university rate per mile can be claimed only by those who drive their own cars to conferences. University limits apply. Fuel receipts not required.
    • Per Diem - A daily allowance for meal expenses while in conference travel status may be received. Amount is calculated by the start/stop time of conference travel and reduced for any meals provided. Receipts are not required

Graduate College Conference Presentation Awards

This program provides support for graduate students to present papers at professional conferences. Calls for applications are sent out each fall and spring semester and the department submits nominations to The Graduate College. The application form must be accompanied by evidence that the paper has been accepted for presentation. Conference Presentation Awards are available only to students who will be presenting a paper, poster, or creative work at a professional conference they attend. Students attending a conference without giving a presentation are ineligible. The amount of support awarded varies depending on the number of nominations and funding offered by The Graduate College. 

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President's Research in Diversity Travel Assistance Program

This competitive award program has been established for the purpose of promoting diversity and the understanding of diversity within the University. Recipients are provided a certificate and funding, not to exceed $600, to travel to a professional conference. Awards will be presented to up to ten (10) University of Illinois students in each biannual awards cycle. The reimbursement of travel expenses through these conference travel awards is intended to support student candidates who will be presenting papers, posters, or creative work at conferences related to issues of diversity or identity, such as those involving race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and national origin, in service to the University's interest in a diverse learning community.

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