The GSS Domestic Travel Award (DTA) is a non-competitive award that supports graduate students to attend or travel inside of the United States and Canadian provinces and territories adjacent to the contiguous U.S. This award offers a flat rate of $300 to attend a domestic conference or up to $300 to attend a virtual event (depending on the event registration fee). This award aims to promote the professional and academic development of the graduate students at Kent State University. The DTA funding is restricted to individuals presenting, performing, or actively participating at professional conferences or similar academic events related to their academic program or field standards. The ITA is offered for Fall, Spring, and Summer travel.  Full- and part-time graduate students whose departments are in good standing with GSS are eligible for the DTA. Graduate students may receive one DTA per semester, although preference will be given to new applicants (i.e., those who have not applied in a previous semester in the same academic year). The DTA covers travel throughout the entire current academic year.

Spring 2026 DTA Award Cycle

• Awards Open: January 19th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• DTA Applications Close: February 9th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Award Notifications: March 1st , 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Award Letters and International Tax Forms (if applicable) Due: March 8th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST

📌 Required Documents for Award Application

In addition to completing the online application form, you are required to upload travel budget using the official template: DTA Budget Template

This document must be uploaded within the online application form.

⚠️ Be sure to review all materials before submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. This includes:

• Non-blinded documents (CV/resume/statements/course schedules/budget/acceptance etc.)

• Applications missing the budget 

• Applications submitted with documents not following the templates provided

Further Information for DTA Recipients 

Awardees: After you are approved for the DTA award, please see the instructions in your award letter for receiving the award amount. Once you have submitted your signed and filled award letter back to the Executive Chair, the Office of the Dean of Students will process the award as a scholarship through your Bursar account, and you should receive the fund within 21 business days. As a recipient of this award, you are also required to complete a Post-Award Survey within 14 days after the return/attendance from the conference.

Please view our Business Manager list for more information and to contact your respective manager.

The Graduate Student Senate Emergency Funding Award is a competitive award that offers a reimbursement of up to $1,500 of approved student-incurred expenses. The funding can be used for costs associated with the active generation or dissemination of the applicant’s primary graduate work. This award is to be used for funding in extenuating circumstances as determined by the Review Committee. This award is offered on a rolling basis, with an application deadline at 11:59 PM on the last Friday of each month unless otherwise specified to correlate with University breaks. Graduate students may receive one Emergency Funding Award per graduate program.

Spring 2026 Award Cycles 

• Awards Open: January 19th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Award Applications Close: February 9th, 2026 at 11:59pm EST
• Award Notifications: March 1st , 2026
• Award Letters and International Tax Forms (if applicable) Due: March 8th, 2026

• Award Open: March 1st, 2026
• Award Application Close: March 31st, 2026 at 11:59pm EST
• Award Notification: April 15th, 2026
• Award Letters and International Tax Forms (if applicable) Due: April 23rd, 2026

• Award Open: April 1st, 2026
• Award Application Close: April 20th, 2026 at 11:59pm EST
• Award Notification: April 26th, 2026
• Award Letters and International Tax Forms (if applicable) Due: May 5th, 2026

📌 Required Documents for Award Application

In addition to completing the online application form, you are required to upload two documents using the official templates:
1. Motivation Statement for Emergency Funding Award
2. Budget Template for Emergency Funding Award

Both documents must be uploaded within the online application form.

⚠️ Be sure to review all materials before submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. This includes:

• Non-blinded documents (CV/resume/statements/course schedules/budget/acceptance etc.). See blinding guidelines. 

• Applications missing the budget or motivation statement

• Applications submitted with documents not following the templates provided

Further Information for Emergency Funding Award Recipients

Awardees: After you are approved for the SCA award, please see the instructions in your award letter for receiving the award amount. Once you have submitted your signed and filled award letter back to the Finance Chair, the Office of the Dean of Students will process the award as a scholarship through your Bursar account, and you should receive the fund within 21 business days. As a recipient of this award, you are also required to complete a Post-Award Survey within 14 days after completing your project.

Please view our Business Manager list for more information and to contact your respective manager.

The GSS International Travel Award (ITA) is a competitive award that offers financial support of $1,500 of approved student-incurred expenses, as determined by the ITA Committee, for travel outside of the contiguous United States and Canadian provinces and territories not adjacent to the contiguous U.S.  The ITA is offered for Fall, Spring, and Summer travel.  Full- and part-time graduate students whose departments are in good standing with GSS are eligible for the ITA. Graduate students may receive one ITA per academic year. The ITA covers travel throughout the entire 2025-2026 academic year.

The purpose of this award is to promote the professional and academic development of Kent State University’s graduate student population, to support diversity by giving students the opportunity to experience foreign cultures, and to extend Kent State University’s recognition on an international level by providing financial assistance for international professional development, conference presentation, or your field’s equivalency. Funding is restricted to individuals presenting, performing, or actively participating at professional conferences, competitions, festivals, performance tours, or workshops related to their academic program or specialized interests.

Spring 2026 ITA Award Cycle 

• Awards Open: January 19th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Applications Close: February 9th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Award Notifications: March 1st , 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Award Letters and International Tax Forms (if applicable) Due: March 8th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST

📌 Required Documents for Award Application

In addition to completing the online application form, you are required to upload two documents using the official templates:
1. Motivation Statement for International Travel Award
2. ITA Budget Template

Both documents must be uploaded within the online application form.

⚠️ Be sure to review all materials before submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. This includes:

• Non-blinded documents (CV/resume/statements/course schedules/budget/acceptance/invitation etc.). See blinding guidelines and exceptional applications.

• Applications missing the budget or motivation statement

• Applications submitted with documents not following the templates provided

• Missing faculty/advisor reference (You are only required to provide your faculty/advisor’s email address in the application form. GSS will contact them directly for the recommendation or verification.)

Further Information for International Travel Award Recipients

Awardees: After you are approved for the ITA, please see the instructions in your award letter for receiving the award amount. Once you have submitted your signed and filled award letter back to the Vice Executive Chair, the Office of the Dean of Students will process the award as a scholarship through your Bursar account, and you should receive the fund within 21 business days. As a recipient of this award, you are also required to complete a Post-Award Survey within 14 days after completing your project.

Please view our Business Manager list for more information and to contact your respective manager.

The Graduate Student Senate Research Award is a competitive award that offers financial support of $2,000 of approved student-incurred expenses, as determined by the RA Committee, to support research or project-related expenses for Kent State University graduate students. Full- and part-time graduate students whose departments are in good standing with GSS are eligible for the RA. Graduate students may receive one Research Award per academic year. The Research Award is only awarded in the Fall and Spring semesters. There is no summer Research Award.

Spring 2026 Research Award Cycle 

• Awards Open: January 19th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Applications Close: February 9th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Award Notifications: March 1st , 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
• Award Letters and International Tax Forms (if applicable) Due: March 8th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST

📌 Required Documents for Award Application

In addition to completing the online application form, you are required to upload two documents using the official templates:
1. Motivation Statement for Research Award
2. Research Award Budget Template

Both documents must be uploaded within the online application form.

⚠️ Be sure to review all materials before submitting your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. This includes:

• Non-blinded documents (CV/resume/statements/course schedules/budget etc.). See blinding guidelines and exceptional applications.

• Applications missing the budget or motivation statement

• Applications submitted with documents not following the templates provided

• Missing faculty/advisor reference (You are only required to provide your faculty/advisor’s email address in the application form. GSS will contact them directly for the recommendation or verification.)
• Misssing IRB approval or IRB Review Determination Form indicating they did not need IRB approval.

Further Information for Research Award Recipients

Awardees: After you are approved for the RA, please see the instructions in your award letter for receiving the award amount. Once you have submitted your signed and filled award letter back to the Advocacy Chair, the Office of the Dean of Students will process the award as a scholarship through your Bursar account, and you should receive the fund within 21 business days. As a recipient of this award, you are also required to complete a Post-Award Survey within 14 days after completing your project.

Please view our Business Manager list for more information and to contact your respective manager.

Graduate Student Senate Organization Funding supports the professional development of and social & speaker events for Kent State University graduate students.

The Organizational Funding Award (OFA) is awarded to registered student organizations serving primarily graduate student populations on a first-come-first-served basis. Those seeking the award must attend a Graduate Student Senate General meeting and present their proposal for event funding to the Senate, at which time the Senate will determine the need and eligibility of your event(s) to be funded. Funds will be disbursed only after a vote of the Senate.

This is NOT an individual award (will not be awarded to one person) – funds will be transferred to your department through your department business manager.

If the request is approved, please submit a completed GSS Organization Funding Form FY2025 along with original receipts and a sign-in sheet of those who attended must be submitted within 14 days of the event.
Please view our Business Manager list for more information and to contact your respective manager.

GSS Organization Funding Form FY2025