Graduate Grants
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The Graduate Grants Office coordinates with programs and organizations across campus to administer individual graduate student grants funded through the General Fee, as well as selected need- and merit-based grants funded through the Office of the Provost.
Learn more about
Student Group Individual Grant Programs
Individual student grants offered by graduate student organizations at Penn and funded through the General Fee. Reimbursement details here.
Provost Office Individual Grant Programs
Individual student grants and awards sponsored by the Office of the Provost and administered through different University offices, including the Graduate Grants Office.
Other Grant and Fellowship Programs
Information about external grants and fellowships offered by private foundations, government agencies, and corporations, as well as selected major internal fellowship competitions.
Information and resources to help you identify funding opportunities and make more informed financial decisions as you pursue your degree.
Student Group and Event Funding
Information about funding for student organizations and events
Several graduate school governments use a portion of their General Fee (student activity fee) allocation to fund grants for individual travel, research, and professional development.
Students should review carefully the complete guidelines and policies on official program websites, as well as the universal guidelines and policies below, before submitting an application or seeking reimbursement for funds awarded through these programs.
Several graduate school governments use a portion of their student activity fee allocation to fund grants for individual travel, research, and professional development. These programs include:
- SASGov grants: Support for SAS Graduate Division research students to pursue research and professional development
- GSESG grants: Support for GSE students for conference travel and research
- GAPSA Conference and Professional Travel Grants
Small grants to reimburse students for costs associated with travel to and participate in academic and professional conferences or meetings. Students may also have access to travel funds through their graduate school government or department.
- GAPSA-Provost Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Innovation
Grants of $6,000 to support original, student-derived initiatives that integrate knowledge across diverse academic disciplines. The fellowship is also meant to help the project-leader(s) develop, pursue and complete their proposed interdisciplinary initiatives.
Grants offered through student organizations are funded through the General Fee, which supports extracurricular student activities and resources across campus. In addition to University purchasing and payment policies, there are a number of additional guidelines and restrictions on the use of General Fee funds.
The following tables include expenses commonly covered by student grant programs and expenses which cannot be covered by these funds. These lists are not exhaustive. If you have questions about whether an expense is covered or about University policies related to purchasing and reimbursements, please contact grad-grants@upenn.edu.
| Covered Expenses |
|---|
|
Grants may be used to reimburse individual expenses directly incurred by current students in association with a range of extra- and co-curricular activities, as defined by the specific grant program and sponsoring organization. Typical covered expenses include travel to professional meetings and conferences, voluntary training and professional workshops, and a limited range of other academic and professional development activities. |
| Ineligible Expenses |
|---|
| Grant funds cannot be used to reimburse or cover the following expenses: |
Penn Purchasing and payment policies further specify the following expenses are NOT eligible for reimbursement:
**For conferences and other activities based in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, only registration fees may be reimbursed. Local travel at other locations is covered only on the first and last day of travel. ***If your grant includes services, such as transcription services, please contact grad-grants@upenn.edu and ask the vendor prepare an estimate or invoice for submission. We will coordinate with the vendor to arrange payment. Do not pay the invoice yourself. |
The following basic eligibility criteria apply to all grants funded through the General Fee, which includes the programs listed above.
Students must be enrolled in a degree bearing graduate or professional degree program at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Students must be actively enrolled and in good academic standing during the period covered by the grant.
- Grants cannot be awarded for expenses occurring in periods following graduation or during academic terms in which a student is not registered in course or research (thesis/dissertation) credits.
- Students enrolled in post-baccalaureate programs are not eligible.
- Student enrolled accelerated/submatriculation degree programs who have not yet received their bachelor's degree are not eligible
Students may not receive more than $3000 total per year in combined grants, payments, and fungible items (tickets, merchandise) funded through the General Fee.
Please note: the following groups of students may have limited eligibility and are encouraged to review all program details carefully before applying.
- Part-time students whose primary University affiliation is staff or faculty
- Visiting students who are not registered or enrolled at Penn with student status (e.g., visiting scholars, etc.)
- Students enrolled in online-only or executive format programs for which the normal General Fee is not required
The Graduate Grants Office maintains two universal application forms for Individual Research Grants and Individual Travel & Professional Grants. Applications generally remain open throughout the academic year, though the form may close periodically between cycles for minor updates or edits. Applications must be submitted during the semester/term in which the expense is incurred. Additional details below.
Applicants should review individual program details carefully before applying. The application form can be accessed from individual program websites, which can be found in above on this page.
When an application is submitted, the Graduate Grants office verifies that student enrollment and contact information is correct and meets University eligibility criteria. After an applicant's general eligibility is confirmed, their application is shared with the organization managing the program to which they applied for review.
Individual program recommender deadlines, application review, and notification dates varying by organization and grant program. Grant processing times and disbursements will vary by person and program.
Application Cycles*
Applications must be submitted during the semester/term in which the expense is incurred. Check application for any deadline extensions or changes.
- Fall Grants
- Deadline: October 15
- Period covered: August 15 - Dec 31
- Spring Grants
- Deadline: March 15
- Period covered: January 1 - May 15
- Summer Grants**
- Deadline: June 15
- Period covered: May 15 - August 14
* expenses for graduating students must be incurred and submitted at least 2 weeks (14 days) prior to the official end of term. Review all term dates here.
** The availability of summer grants varies by program and year. Additional eligibility criteria and restrictions apply. Please review all instructions and program details carefully
Before you apply
While application questions and requirements will vary by grant and expense type, we recommend having the following information available before you start an application:
-
All applicants
- Itemized Budget
- Itemized Budget
- Conference or professional meetings:
- Conference Title
- PDF of Conference acceptance and/or program
- Conference Location (City/State/Province/Country)
- Lodging Information
- Travel Information
- Travel dates
- Lodging location
Application Forms
Spring 2024 Conference & Professional Travel Grant Application
Please note: covered expenses will vary by program and grant. This sample is for illustrative purposes only. GAPSA Research Student Grants should use this itemized budget form.
| Sample Itemized Budget -- Conference | Sample Itemized Budget -- Research Travel |
|---|---|
|
Total Budget: $1,240.5 #1: Expense description: Travel – Airfare #2: Expense description: Lodging Company/Source: Grand Hyatt Hotel (conference site): City, State/Province, Country #3: Expense description: Registration costs - Conference #4: Expense description: Registration costs – |
Total Budget: $1,337.5 Total Requested: $800 #1: Expense description: Travel – Airfare #2: Expense description: Travel – local travel #3: Expense description: Lodging |
**Meals / per diem are not an allowable expense for individual student travel grants
In accordance with University policy, all individual grants funded by the General Fee and awarded by graduate student groups must be coordinated in partnership with Graduate Grants office. This includes individual travel/research grants, service awards, and other forms of compensation or payment from allocated funds or generated by groups receiving such funds.
This coordination includes:
- Defining appropriate purpose(s) for individual grants.
- Developing payment processes for all individual student grants.
- Developing and implementing universal applications, Award Letter text, and Payment processes.
- Changes to agreed-upon items above must be discussed with and approved by the Graduate Grants office.
Please contact grad-grants@upenn.edu with any questions or to schedule a meeting.
Additional policies related to student payments, grants, and awards can be found on the Graduate Student Groups page and the OSA Financial Services Center webpage.
Please review carefully the conditions below and on the relevant grant program page to be sure you understand required documentation, uses, and processes for receiving grant funds.
- Funds must be used for the purpose(s) specified in your award notification and your original application. If travel dates or specific needs have changed due to unforeseen circumstances, please contact the sponsoring organization to discuss whether alternate costs can be covered.
- Reimbursement / payment requests must be submitted within 2 weeks of receiving your award letter (for past expenses) or within 30 days of incurring the covered expenses (future or ongoing expenses).
- Expenses for graduating students must be incurred and submitted at least 2 weeks (14 days) prior to the official end of term. Review all term dates here.
- Expenses for graduating students must be incurred and submitted at least 2 weeks (14 days) prior to the official end of term. Review all term dates here.
- You must provide original, itemized receipts and invoices for covered expenses. All receipt(s) or invoice(s) *must* include the date, purchaser name, and an itemized list of items purchased with cost.
- All University grants and awards to individuals may be considered taxable income by the government.
You are responsible for reporting the grant income and paying any applicable taxes. Depending on your tax status, taxes may be withheld prior to the grant disbursement. Such taxes may be refunded when students file annual taxes with the IRS. The SFS website provides additional information regarding withholding taxes on grants and aid for non-U.S. citizens.
Students who intentionally or knowingly violate any of the terms above may be charged the amount of awarded funds and/or may be subject to disciplinary action through the Center for Community Standards and Accountability.
For grant reimbursements processed through the Graduate Grants office, including GAPSA grants, please follow the reimbursement instructions in the section below.
In accordance with University policy and federal guidelines, the following expenses CANNOT be reimbursed:
- Expenses incurred by someone other than the student, including purchases made by an advisor or PI
- Expenses for costs incurred during periods in which the student is on leave or not actively enrolled and registered in a University program, including post-graduation costs
- Food and alcohol
- Costs associated with payments for individual professional services or research participants. Such payments must be arranged through a purchase order (PO) or invoiced to the University. See Payment policies below for more information.
See "Scope of Funding" section above for a fuller list of expenses covered by student group grants.
Visit the Penn Division of Finance website for more details and policies related to University financial policies and operations.
- Grant funds will be disbursed in a one-time payment.
- Reimbursements should be submitted within 2 weeks of covered activities or receipt of an award letter, whichever is later.
- Reimbursements are processed on a rolling basis in the order that they are received. No funds are processed during periods in which the University is closed.
- Please submit for reimbursement following the steps below:
- Gather all expense documentation, as well as a PDF copy of your complete Award Letter / Award Acceptance Confirmation.
- Submit an Individual Graduate Grant Reimbursement Request Form.
- Gather all expense documentation, as well as a PDF copy of your complete Award Letter / Award Acceptance Confirmation.
- All grant funds are disbursed through the Penn Marketplace. In order to receive your grant, you must be registered as a payee in the Penn Marketplace by an authorized financial administrator.
- If you are already registered in the Penn Marketplace as a payee, no additional steps are required.
However, we strongly encourage you to check that your payment and contact information are correct and up-to-date.
- If you are not yet registered, some additional steps will be needed:
- You will receive an email invitation to register from “The University of Pennsylvania DONOTREPLY@sciquest.com” within approximately 3-6 days after submitting the reimbursement request form. Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder in case the email is misdirected there.
- By selecting the "Register Now" button in the email, you will be routed to a secure website to complete the registration process.
- After logging in, you will have access to a secure portal to enter your personal and payment details. See additional instructions here.
- You must register within three business days (M-F) of receiving the email.
- You will receive an email invitation to register from “The University of Pennsylvania DONOTREPLY@sciquest.com” within approximately 3-6 days after submitting the reimbursement request form. Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder in case the email is misdirected there.
- Set up direct deposit / wire (if possible) to expedite payment.
Step-by-step Marketplace Instructions
- If you are already registered in the Penn Marketplace as a payee, no additional steps are required.
Grant processing times and disbursements will vary by person and program. Please contact Penn Supplier Support with any questions about registering as a payee or the status of your payment.
If you have any questions about the grant disbursement process after reading through the guidelines above, please contact the Graduate Grants team at grad-grants@upenn.edu. If you have questions about the specific grant terms or program details, please contact the sponsoring organization or group.
Click on headings to expand content
Need-based individual grants administered through the Graduate Grants office.
The Office of the Provost sponsors a number of additional, merit-based individual awards and fellowships, administered through different University offices. These include:
Program-Specific Questions
Questions about a specific grant program details and guidelines should be directed to the sponsoring office or organization using through the program contacts and websites listed above.
University policies and procedures
Questions about University policies and procedures related to individual grants can be submitted to the Graduate Grants office by emailing grad-grants@upenn.edu.
