Students who plan to give presentations at conferences, participate in professional meetings, attend conferences or training sessions, or visit colleagues at other institutions for professional purposes are eligible to apply for support.
Policy Statement
The Department of Statistics and Data Science (SDS) has set up a fund to support graduate students' professional travel. The aim of the Department is to promote travel activities that enrich the Statistics community at Cornell University.
Important factors to consider prior to requesting your travel award
- The funding is intended to supplement or complete travel funding from other sources. All other available funding sources intended for travel must be exhausted, and documented, prior to applying for this award. See the Travel Funding Opportunities on the grant website.
- Funding decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis by the governing committee (SDS Chair, Field of Statistics Director of Graduate Studies, etc.).
- All policies and decisions are contingent on the availability of funds.
- The Statistics PhD Travel Support Application must be submitted at least three weeks prior to the proposed travel.
- If you are arriving earlier or staying longer than the conference dates, please pull and save a flight comparison when booking tickets.
- Students can claim up to $1800 for travel per calendar year, July 1 through June 30 from SDS (as long as students have applied for funds first from the Graduate School). Only graduate students in the Field of Statistics are eligible to apply for this award.
- Additional advisor funds could be available upon request and based on available funding from your advisor. Please make sure you understand all allowable expenses based on the accounts you use. Not understanding allowable expenses could result in certain expenses not being reimbursed.
- If you would like the Graduate Field Coordinator, Allen Ward, to cover some of your expenses, like hotel costs and registration fees on the department business travel card, please email allenward@cornell.edu. The amount covered on the department business travel card will still be claimed towards your $1800 for travel per academic year. You're still welcome to use your card and submit a reimbursement.
Trips with the following business purpose will be considered for reimbursement
- Professional meeting or conference (e.g., JSM); the participant must be making a professional presentation (typically a research paper).
- Professional visit to a colleague at another institution.
- Specific training purpose (e.g., SAS training, short courses), when such training is unavailable at Cornell.
Travel reimbursement documentation must be submitted within 30 days of returning from travel:
- Familiarize yourself with the policy prior to your trip Cornell travel policy
- All international travel MUST be registered through the Cornell Travel Registry prior to the trip; all international travel to destinations considered to be HIGH RISK must obtain prior approval by the International Travel Advisory and Response Team (ITART) BEFORE the trip begins: Global Cornell Travel
- Within 30 days of your return from travel, complete the Travel Reimbursement form and attach travel receipts for reimbursement.
- Please email or create a shared folder with Allen Ward, aw269@cornell.edu, to help process your travel-related expenses and information.
- Provide all documents to Allen Ward (aw269), 301 Malott Hall, or by email for processing.
- Receipts for accommodations need to be in the payee/traveler’s name for reimbursement. Verbal agreements/re-payments to others are not considered valid and are not reimbursable.
Note the following must be applied to your travel reimbursement request
- State all funding sources acquired (external funding, grants from The Graduate School or other Cornell departments/agencies, etc.).
- State balance requested for travel reimbursement from SDS.
- Provide receipts for all expenses and supporting information.
- There is no need to submit meal receipts. You will be reimbursed using the per diem rates for the location where you are staying.
Updated by Allen Ward, March 14, 2024