Program Overview

Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship

Overview

The Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship is offered by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards to support undergraduate students from the University of Houston in enhancing their academic development, disseminating their research results, and increasing the visibility of the institution. The fellowship supports undergraduate student travel at regional, national, and international conferences to present the results of their research or creative activities.

Funding Offered

Students may apply for up to $500 to cover travel expenses associated with attending and presenting their research or creative work at a conference. The fellowship may not cover all expected travel expenses, and students are encouraged to seek additional funding through research grants, conference travel award programs, and awards offered by their department or academic college.

• Travel fellowships can only be applied to expenses such as:
  • Registration fees
  • Airfare
  • Transportation
  • Lodging
  • Meals
• Entertainment or miscellaneous expenses will not be covered.
• Funding may only be used toward economical fares.
• Students may not receive more than the state-approved per diem rate for lodging and meals.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship, the applicant must:

• Be an undergraduate student enrolled at the University of Houston main campus
• Have been accepted to present their research or creative work at a regional, national, or international academic conference
• Either be the sole presenter or, in the case of collaborative projects, deliver a significant portion of the presentation
• Have not previously received an Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship in the same academic year

Application Process

• Students can complete the Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship application online.
• In addition to supplying details about their presentation and travel plans, applicants are required to provide:
  • The project abstract submitted to the conference
  • An acceptance letter from the conference confirming they have been selected to present
  • Estimated travel expense amounts and documentation supporting the estimated amounts provided
  • A letter of recommendation sent directly from their UH faculty mentor
• Applications must be received at least 30 days before travel. Applications received less than 30 days before travel will not be reviewed.

Decision Process

A selection committee appointed by the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Research reviews applications on a rolling basis during the academic year. Only completed applications with a letter of recommendation on file will be reviewed. Applications are reviewed based on eligibility criteria and available funding.

Funding Disbursement

Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowships are processed as a scholarship refund to the recipient's UH account. If a travel fellowship is disbursed and the recipient has an outstanding balance on their UH account, the fellowship will be automatically applied to the outstanding balance first.

Recipient Expectations

Students who receive an Undergraduate Research Travel Fellowship are required to submit one of the following after completing their travel:

• One or more photos and a short summary of their experience
• A two-page, double-spaced reflective report detailing their experience and what they gained from presenting their research If the recipient is no longer able to present or does not attend the conference, they must return any disbursed funding to the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards immediately.