What is the Professional Development Funding Request?

Professional Development Funding Requests support graduate students who are traveling to engage in professional development opportunities to enhance their thesis or dissertation. These requests do not support conference presentations.

The following endowments generously support Professional Development Funding Requests:

  • Alexander P. Anderson and Lydia Anderson Fellowship
  • Albert Howard Award
  • Patrick R. and Kathryn J. Lewis Graduate Fellowship Fund

How much is the funding support?

$500 maximum

If travel is taking place within applicant's county of residence or within counties neighboring applicant's county of residence, the maximum amount that applicant will receive is the registration fee amount. Otherwise, the applicant will receive the full amount ($500).

What are the eligibility requirements?

To be considered, applicants must meet all of the following criteria: 

  • Academic Status: Applicants must be a current student to a University of Minnesota research-based graduate degree program in the 2026-27 academic year. Please see this link to determine if your program is a research-based graduate program or a professional program.
  • Academic Progress: Applicants must have completed at least two semesters in their current University of Minnesota program before their travel begins.
  • Program Participation Restriction: Applicants must have received a Graduate School Digital Badge and/or competed in the University of Minnesota 3-Minute Thesis Competition.
  • Activity Restriction: Applicants must be pursuing a professional development opportunity during the request year, September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027.
  • Prior Fellowship History: Applicants must not have previously received this award.

Note: Applicants meeting all of the above eligibility requirements can apply regardless of citizenship status.

How do I apply?

Graduate students apply directly via Google Form.

What is the deadline?

The 2026-27 application cycle will open September 1, 2026. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a monthly basis, September through April. The monthly deadline to be considered for funding is the 15th of every month by 8:00 am central time.

The final deadline to apply for this award is April 15, 2027.

Requests for a professional development opportunity that is occurring between September 1, 2026 and August 31, 2027 will be considered for funding. Retroactive requests are considered, as long as the dates of the professional development opportunity fall within the eligible request window. Requests for professional development opportunities outside of those dates will not be considered for funding.

What are the application materials?

APPLICATION MATERIALS

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APPLICATION MATERIALS

Statement of Purpose

Documentation of your Attendance to the Professional Development Opportunity

Invitation or confirmation emails would be sufficient documentation.

Documentation of Registration Fee*

  • This application material is only needed if travel is within the applicant's county of residence or neighboring counties (to applicant's county of residence).
  • If the applicant's travel is outside of their county of residence or outside of counties neighboring their county of residence, then this application material is not required.

 

Documentation of completed Graduate School Digital Badge and/or participation in the University’s 3 Minute Thesis competition

Unofficial UMN graduate transcript

Unofficial UMN transcripts can be found by going to MyU >>> Academics >>> Degree Progress >>> Unofficial Transcript (Bottom of Page).

FAQ

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FAQ

What is the maximum amount that I can request in funding?

  • Graduate students can request up to $500 in a professional development  funding request if the opportunity is outside of their neighboring county of residence.
  • If the professional development opportunity is taking place in the student’s county or neighboring county of residence then the maximum request amount is equal to the registration fee.
  • For example, if you live in Hennepin county and you are attending a workshop located within Hennepin county or a neighboring county, such as Anoka county, then the maximum amount you can request is equal to the cost of the workshop registration fee.

What are examples of a Professional Development Opportunity?

  • Examples could include, but are not limited to: traveling somewhere to learn about a new technique in the discipline, attending a workshop, attending a conference
  • If you are only attending a conference then you are eligible to apply for a Professional Development Funding Request. If you are presenting then it is recommended that you apply for a Conference Presentation Funding Request. Students cannot receive both Professional Development and Conference Presentation Funds during the same request year.
  • Course tuition within the University of Minnesota system or at another institute of higher education is not an approved Professional Development opportunity for a funding request.

How is the funding request disbursed?

Professional Development  Funding Requests 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.

What is the review and decision-making process for these requests?

  • The purpose of this funding is to support outstanding graduate students who are traveling to seek out professional development opportunities that enhance their thesis or dissertation, and this 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.