The generous support of an endowment from Charles Dunn Hardie allows the College of Education to offer the Conference Participation Support Award to faculty. The College also offers Conference Participation Support Awards to students, using other funding sources. This award supports College of Education research activity by reimbursing conference expenses for faculty and students presenting their work at major research conferences in their field. Deadlines are set throughout the academic year.
Both in-person and virtual conference participation will be considered for Fall 2023 Conference Participation Support Awards.
The generous support of an endowment from Charles Dunn Hardie has allowed the College of Education to offer the Conference Participation Support Award to faculty. The College also offers Conference Participation Support Awards to students, using other funding sources.
Support for in-person conferences will be up to $500 for students and $1,000 for faculty. Virtual conference support will cover registration costs up to $250. If an in-person conference is converted to a virtual format after an award is made, support may be reduced to $250. If an in-person conference is converted to a virtual format after an award is made, support may be reduced to $250.
Priority will be given to applicants attending the major research conferences recognized in their fields.
Specify in your statement how attending this conference will be beneficial to your research and professional development.
The Fall 2023 application submission window is To Be Announced. A Letter of acceptance for conference participation is not required for application, but it is required when submitting for reimbursement.
Fall 2023 Awards must be used for conferences with start dates between August 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024. If you plan to attend a conference after January 31, 2024, please wait until the Spring 2024 competition to apply.
Application Instructions
1. Log into the College of Education Submit/Review to Submit Application, and select “College - 2023 Spring Conference Participation Support”.
2. Select “Add an Application.” If logging back in to complete a saved application, the incomplete application will be listed with options to edit, view or delete.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions for completing your application.
4. The application includes a proposed budget (registration fees), previous conference experience (students only) and written statement of funding need and benefit. Budget preparation help can be obtained by meeting with unit business contacts and/or College business office.
5. Please use APA style citation formatting for entering the title of the presentation.
Awardee Instructions for Reimbursement
1. Awardees must contact a member of the Finance Team (finance@education.illinois.edu) when planning award travel. Failure to consult with a Finance team member prior to award travel may result in loss of the award. A Finance team member can assist with completing all necessary documentation. Please be sure to have a copy of your award letter when working with a member of the Finance team.
2. Awardees requesting reimbursement will need to submit documentation for reimbursement of their awarded amount within 60 days of the travel. Please submit (1) a letter or email of acceptance confirming participation in the conference; (2) your award letter; and (3) if traveling, completed Travel Reimbursement form with all original receipts. Documentation should be submitted to the Finance team in Suite 38.
3. Funds cover actual receipts for travel to in-person conferences, up to the maximum of $500/student and $1,000/faculty members. For virtual conference registration, funds cover up to the maximum amount of $250 for students and faculty members. If the total receipt submitted is less than the awarded amount, you will be reimbursed the lesser amount.
Will I receive a reimbursement check?
Reimbursement funds are processed through the university accounting system and applied to student and faculty accounts. You will not receive a check but a credit to your account.
Can I submit a group application for a co-authored application?
No, only individual applications will be considered.
Can only Ph.D. students apply?
No, all graduate students and faculty in the college of Education are eligible to apply if they are presenting at a major conference in their field.
Can I receive the award before the conference?
No, award recipients will not be provided with a cash advance. Award recipients can submit receipts after the conference. Reimbursable expenses include conference registration fees according to University guidelines.
If I am a part-time student, can I still apply for the award?
Yes, all enrolled students regardless of the number of credits they are enrolled in are eligible to apply if they are presenting at a major conference in their field.
I was accepted to participate in a poster presentation can I apply for the award?
Yes. All faculty and students who submit a proposal and are accepted to present in one of the following are eligible to apply: poster presentation, oral presentation, and/or panel. Students and faculty who are participating in conferences as volunteers, discussants, and/or moderators are not eligible to apply as those roles may not require submission of work product.
Will priority be given to faculty?
No, priority will not be given to either faculty or students. All applications will be reviewed according to same criteria.
What if I am not attending a major conference in my discipline?
Applicants who are not attending a major conference in their respective fields, must provide evidence for needing support to attend an out of field conference.
How many words is the written statement?
The statement should be a maximum of 250 words.
What criteria are going to be used for selecting recipients?
Applications are going to be reviewed for the need and expected benefit from participating in the conference, the impact level of conference, and nature of participation opportunity.
What if I submit an application after the suggested appropriate deadline date?
Do not delay submitting your application. If you anticipate presenting at a conference, apply during the appropriate term to receive full consideration.
Do I need to receive the Conference Support Participation Award before registering for the conference?
No, the award is a reimbursement for conference expenses and would not provide you with funds in advance of registration.
When do I need to submit my receipts?
Submit your receipts, letter of conference submission acceptance, and completed Travel Reimbursement form within 60 days of your completed travel date.
Do I need to include my letter of conference submission acceptance with my application?
No, we realize that in meeting our deadlines you may not have received the official notice from the conference organizers. If you have submitted to a conference but not yet received acceptance you are encouraged to apply by the appropriate deadline. The letter of acceptance will need to be included when submitting your receipts for reimbursement.
How will I be notified of the award decision?
Decisions will be sent to University email accounts only. Department heads will also receive notice of award decisions.