Professional Advancement Grants (PAGs)
FOR ALL YOUR PAG QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL gpsspag@iastate.edu
IMP: PAG Funding Applications for Fall 2012 PAG are closed now. All available funding for Fall 2012 has been awarded.
Summary of Purpose
Funds for Professional Advancement Grants (PAGs) are provided to graduate and professional students by the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) to help defray travel expenses related to professional meetings or conferences.
Travel PAGs
Travel PAGs may be granted to students who attend a professional meeting, defined as a gathering of an organized society of professionals for the purpose of presenting research. Travel PAGs may also be approved for attending professional workshops that provide hands-on experiences not available at Iowa State University (ISU). Travel PAGs will not provide funding for required academic activities as defined in GPSS Bill 93-06, including workshops, classes, or other events required for fulfillment of a student's degree requirements or program of study. Travel PAGs are divided into two categories depending on the student's involvement at the meeting: Presenters and Non-Presenters (attending only). To qualify for a Presenting Travel PAG, the student must present results of research performed at ISU at the professional meeting. These categories are described in detail in GPSS Bill S07-01.
Eligibility
Any ISU graduate or professional student who is currently enrolled as a full-time student and paying fees, who is not classified under "continuous registration" as defined in GSS Bill 95-05, may apply for a Travel PAG. Travel PAGs will not be awarded until the student has registered for classes in the semester they are traveling. Each ISU graduate and professional student is eligible to receive one Travel PAG per fiscal year. The fiscal year extends from July 1 until June 30. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Travel PAG Financial Support and Funding Availability
GPSS contributes money to Travel PAGs each semester.The GPSS awards $200 to students who are presenting and $120 to students who are attending, but not presenting. Veterinary Medicine students who are not concurrently enrolled as graduate students are eligible for funding from GPSS.
As of July 1, 2009:
Timeline for Travel PAGs
Travel PAG funds will be divided accordingly to the following strategy: $30,000 Spring, $30,000 Fall, and $15,000 Summer. Requests for Travel PAGs can sometimes exceed available funds, so students should apply as early as possible, preferably 8-10 weeks prior to departure. Applications must be submitted to the Graduate College no later than 2 weeks prior to departure. Without exception, those applications submitted late will not be considered for funding. In no case will applications received after the departure date of a conference be approved.
Incomplete applications will be denied. No appeals will be accepted.
Note: If you have already received a grant for the current fiscal year, you may still apply during that year for travel that will occur during the following fiscal year.
Reimbursement and Receipts
The Graduate College maintains the account for Travel PAGs. After the student returns from a conference or meeting, he/she should contact their department for information on how to get reimbursed. Dispersal of funds will conform to ISU policies as outlined in the Office Procedure Guide. Reimbursements must be completed within 1 months from the last date of travel. Reimbursements received after the deadline will be denied. Reimbursements will only be approved for actual expenses incurred. Prepayments for travel are not allowed. It is the awardee's responsibility to approve their travel reimbursement through AccessPlus by the 1-month deadline.
All lodging receipts and all receipts for items $75.00 or greater must be retained in the traveler's academic department. The Graduate College will not be responsible for the retention of traveler's receipts. Due to the volume of reimbursement requests, it is our expectation that all receipts will be reviewed and approved by the academic department funding coordinator prior to submission to the Graduate College.
Cancellation
If a student is funded to attend a conference and chooses later not to attend, the student must notify the Graduate College in writing to cancel their Travel PAG for that conference no later than 2 weeks after the conference. Students who do not notify the Graduate College within 2 weeks after the conference that they did not attend will not qualify for re-application to another conference within the same fiscal year. Funds awarded for travel to one conference cannot be transferred to a different conference later in the year.
**PLEASE NOTE: PAG AWARDEES WHO DO NOT USE ALL OR PART OF THEIR PAG AWARD MUST CONTACT THE GRADUATE COLLEGE SO THAT THE FUNDS CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANOTHER APPLICANT. IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY THE GRADUATE COLLEGE IMMEDIATELY IF HE/SHE DOES NOT ATTEND A CONFERENCE FOR WHICH PAG TRAVEL MONEY WAS APPROVED.
PAG 101 Hints, Tips, and Reminders
Applying for a PAG
PAG Application: pdf - Word
Note to Departments: If all funds awarded are not going to be used, please use Graduate College funding preferentially over GPSS funds (see application for correct fund account numbers).
Last Updated 26-April-2013
