What are Research Travel Requests?
Research Travel Requests (RTR) support research travel, both domestically and internationally, in preparation for a student’s thesis or dissertation. RTRs do not support travel to present at conferences or professional development opportunities. Please see the linked websites for those requests.
The following endowments generously support RTRs:
- Alexander P. Anderson and Lydia Anderson Fellowship
- Carolyn M. Crosby Fellowship
- Albert Howard Award
- Frieda M. Kunze Fellowship
- Hugh J. and Elizabeth R. Thompson Fellowship Fund
HOW MUCH IS THE AWARD?
Doctoral candidates: up to $3,000
Doctoral pre-candidates: up to $1,500
Master’s students: up to $500
Requests do not provide tuition and/or health insurance benefits.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
- U.S. citizens, permanent residents, graduate students lawfully in the U.S. on a non-temporary basis, MN Dream Act graduate students, and International students
- Applicants must be actively pursuing a research-based graduate degree at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities or Duluth campuses
- Applicants must be enrolled in tuition-bearing credit at the graduate tuition rate during the term in which the funding is disbursed
- Applicants are eligible to receive one award at pre-candidacy level (master’s or doctoral pre-candidate) and one award at candidacy level
- Master's students are ineligible if they have already received a Judd Travel Grant; cannot receive RTR and Judd Grants simultaneously
- Doctoral candidates are ineligible if they have previously received a Graduate School Thesis Research Travel Grant
- Applications for conference travel will not be considered
- Minimum duration of travel is for at least a consecutive 3-days
- Location of travel is outside neighboring counties to county of residence
- Travel dates are occurring between September 1, 2025 - August 31, 2026
HOW DO I APPLY?
Graduate students apply directly through the electronic application form.
WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?
The 2025-26 application cycle will open October 1, 2025. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a monthly basis, October through April. The monthly deadline to be considered for funding is the 15th of every month by 12:00pm (noon) central time.
Requests for research travel that is occurring between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026 will be considered for funding. Requests for research travel outside of those dates will not be considered for funding.
WHAT ARE THE APPLICATION MATERIALS?
The applicant will upload a single PDF of the application materials in the following order:
- Research Proposal, see details below
- Detailed Budget Statement
- Curriculum Vitae (2-page maximum), see details below
- IRB/IACUC Documentation, see details below
- Unofficial UMN graduate transcript
Depending on the nature and location of your proposed research, you may need to submit additional application items. Please see the FAQ below for more details.
Required PDF title format: Last Name, First Name - Name of Graduate Program
WHAT IS THE REVIEW AND LOTTERY SELECTION?
The purpose of this funding is to support graduate students who are proposing travel for data collection to enhance their thesis or dissertation, and the application serves as a professional development activity.
Applications are reviewed within OGFA to check for completeness, quality of application materials, and alignment to the funding purpose. Statements should be well-written and easily understood by a non-specialist audience. Budget statements should provide ample detail and take all eligible expenses into account.
If there are more applications each month than allocated funding then all applications recommended for funding will go into a lottery system, one recommended by UMN OIT, for award selection.
All applicants will be notified within five (5) business days after the monthly deadline of their award status.
APPLICATION MATERIAL DETAILS
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
- Applicants will provide responses to prompts on this template and include in PDF application upload.
- Prompt 1: Describe your research plan and the impact your research will have on your discipline in terms that are accessible to a non-specialist. Avoid jargon. If jargon must be used, please define the language.
- Prompt 2: Explain the importance of the proposed travel and the direct impact it will have on your thesis or dissertation.
- If your research is part of a larger group project, be specific about your role and independent contribution.
- Proposals that do not address the necessity for travel nor the importance of the research in non-specialist terms will not be considered for funding.
CURRICULUM VITAE
- Two-page maximum, single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman type, 1-inch margins
- Focus on publications, presentations, academic accomplishments, and awards
IRB/IACUC DOCUMENTATION
Please consult the IRB and/or IACUC webpages for additional information.
If your research involves Human or Animal Subjects, provide the date of IRB/IACUC approval and documentation of approval (1-2 pages).
If your project involves human or animal subjects but IRB/IACUC told you that approval is not needed then provide the email or letter stating this decision.
If your Advisor has IRB/IACUC approval that covers this research project then provide that approval page (1-2 pages).
If your research does not involve Human or Animal subjects then submit the Human Subjects Statement (requires Advisor signature).
If your IRB/IACUC application is still pending, provide documentation to show the submitted request (1-2 pages). Once received, IRB/IACUC approval can be submitted directly to [email protected]. If selected to receive a Research Travel Grant, funding is contingent upon proof of IRB/IACUC approval and/or decision.
FAQ
Do I need to obtain a language evaluation to conduct my research?
If you are conducting research in another language and you are not a native speaker of the language, you will need to obtain a language evaluation. Please email [email protected] for more information.
If you are a native speaker of the language, please include a signed statement indicating the language which will be used to conduct research and that you are a native speaker of that language. You may sign this statement yourself.
Do I need to obtain a letter of affiliation?
Depending on the nature and location of your proposed research, you may need a letter of affiliation.
A letter of affiliation demonstrates to faculty reviewers that, if selected to receive grant funding, you will be able to successfully carry out your proposed research. Reviewers are hesitant to approve funding if there is any doubt that the research can be successfully conducted.
If you are conducting research in a library archive, museum, or other public space, you can submit an email from an employee that verifies that you will have access to the required materials. If the archive/materials in question are available to the public, you can include a copy of the webpage highlighting the pertinent information.
If you have questions about a letter of affiliation, please email [email protected].
Do I need a letter of affiliation to conduct surveys?
Yes, because you will want to provide proof to reviewers that you will be able to successfully conduct your proposed research. If you are conducting surveys, please provide documentation that demonstrates your ability to connect with the appropriate resources (e.g. community, business, and/or scholarly contacts).
How is the RTR funding disbursed?
Research Travel Requests (RTR) count as estimated financial aid assistance and are disbursed via scholarship upload to a recipient's student account. Once posted to the student account, and if there is no current past due balance, then the funding will disburse into a recipient's bank account via direct deposit, if set up, or a paper check will be mailed to the address on file. If there is a past due balance on the student account, then this funding will first go towards paying that balance.
Duration of Travel / Location of Travel
Eligible travel must take at least three days of consecutive traveling. If the proposed travel is less than a 3-day minimum to email [email protected] with your tentative travel plan so we can discuss eligibility on a case-by-case basis.
Eligible travel locations must be outside of your county or residence, and outside of neighboring counties of residence. For example, if you live in Hennepin county, travel within Hennepin county or travel to neighboring counties like Anoka would not be eligible travel for this grant; however, travel in Goodhue County, MN would be eligible in this example because Goodhue does not neighbor Hennepin county.