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Hao Wen, Master’s candidate

My name is Hao Wen and I am from Guangdong, China. I am pursuing a Master degree in Maritime Systems. I came to the US in the fall 2012 term. I chose Stevens because it is very strong in my major and it is located near New York City. Read More

In order to receive funding for a summer conference, students must be enrolled in the Spring 2013 semester.

GRADUATE CONFERENCE FUND

Graduate Conference Fund (GCF) is financed by the Office of Graduate Student Affairs (OGSA). The goal of the fund is to enable graduate students to make presentations at key conferences/exhibitions in their fields and/or to attend conferences and learn more about their field of study.*

This award is granted on a case-by-case basis and range from $0 to $500 per student. Ph.D. students may only apply for a grant once per academic year, with a maximum of two awards possible during their academic career. Master's students may only apply for a grant once per academic year, with a maximum of one award possible during their academic career. The GCF should be considered a partial source of support and applicants are encouraged to seek funds from all other sources, including the conference they where they will be attending or presenting, their own advisor, their department, and/or their college.

*Students are encouraged to join professional associations at their own expense for their professional development. There are many benefits to associations at a reduced cost for students. Funding for conference registration will not exceed student member rate.

*Terms and Conditions
GCF is meant to defray the following costs: transportation to and from the conference venue, conference registration required in conjunction with presenting or attending the conference, and hotel costs.

GSCF Criteria: (1) You must be a full-time matriculated graduate student paying the graduate student activity fee, (2) your Stevens account must be up-to-date with no outstanding balances, (3) you must have completed one full semester at Stevens with grades posted, (4) you must be in good academic standing with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, and (5) you must be currently enrolled on the date of conference.

How to apply:
1. Complete a Graduate Student Conference Fund Application (link - https://orgsync.com/46021/forms/43716)
2. Provide a letter of support/recommendation from student advisor or department chair
3. Provide a copy of the conference brochure or a link to the conference website
4. If the student is presenting, confirmation in writing from the conference organizer confirming that the student is presenting at the conference

Applications adjudicated on the following: (1) timeliness of submission - deadline for submission is 45 days prior to the start of the conference, (2) completeness of the application, (3) whether or not a student is presenting at the conference, (4) and the location of the conference. Adjudication includes, but is not limited to, these areas.

Support/Recommendation Letter Requirements: A letter from the applicant's academic advisor or department chair is required. The letter should indicate the student's department, year in the program, any alternative options the student has for funding, and any words of support for the student that the evaluating parties may find helpful. Advisors should avoid using a standard recommendation template and should write a unique letter for each student. The advisor's letter may be submitted via email, directly from the advisor's account to the Office of Graduate Student Affairs at graduatelife@stevens.edu.

Selection Process: Applications are reviewed on a bi-weekly basis. A student's application will not be considered complete without an advisor letter. Only conference registration, hotel, and transportation costs will be considered. The turnover on conference funding reimbursement is generally 3-4 weeks after the graduate student has submitted complete documents for reimbursement.

Timeline: As of November 15, 2010, applications for conference funding should be received, in their entirety, no less than 45 days prior to the conference date. Applications received less than 45 days prior to the conference will be subject to grant deductions and no applications will be accepted 14 days prior to the conference. Funds are only granted pro-actively and will not be granted if students apply for funding after the conference has occurred.

Receiving Funding: Funds granted are distributed to students via reimbursement after the conclusion of the conference and once all original, itemized receipts are submitted. Further instructions are given to students who receive conference funding. All receipts and supporting documentation must be submitted for reimbursement no less than one month after the conclusion of the conference.


If you have any questions regarding conference funding, please email graduatelife@stevens.edu. 

Thank you.