Student Leadership
student Travel Fund
Expand your learning beyond the classroom.
The Student Travel Fund supports PFW/IUFW students pursuing educational, professional, leadership, research and competitive opportunities outside of Allen County.
Whether you are presenting at a conference, participating in a competition, attending a professional development, conducting research, or representing the university at a regional or national program, the Student Travel Fund may help offset eligible travel expenses.
To apply, review our funding guidelines, deadlines, and application requirements.
Important Information:
- Funding is limited and awards are not guaranteed
- Funding requests are reviewed throughout the academic year from September through April
- The Student Travel Fund Committee meets once per month and has a limited number of presentation slots available at each meeting.
- Funding is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis while funds remain available
- Due to the timing of committee reviews and university processing procedures, approved funding may not be disbursed before a trip's departure date. Students may still be eligible to receive reimbursement after travel
The Student Travel Fund Committee is currently meeting for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Quick Info
Quick Info
- A per diem (funds to cover meals for the duration of the trip) will not be funded for any trip.
- Trips that are awarded travel funds can be prepaid using the Student Leadership credit card or reimbursed afterward.
- Requests must be submitted electronically no later than 30 days prior to the trip's departure date.
- The Student Travel Fund Committee will only review one funding request per conference, event or travel opportunity. If multiple groups or individuals submit requests to attend the same conference or event, only the first eligible request received will be considered.
- Individual students may receive up to $1,500 per academic year with a lifetime maximum of $9,000.
- Student organizations may receive up to $6,000 per academic year for group travel.
For complete information, read through the Student Travel Fund Guidelines and the Student Activity Fee Manual.
Funding Guidelines
These are the basic policies. For the complete list and explanation of all policies, procedures, and processes, refer to the Student Travel Fund Guidelines. Please read these guidelines carefully before submitting your request.
Who Can Submit
Only requests submitted by recognized PFW/IUFW student organizations, individuals affiliated with a student organization or academic department, or a group of students affiliated with an academic department shall be considered.
What to Include
Requests shall include a detailed line-item breakdown of expenses, the logistics and itinerary of the trip, attendees, the purpose for traveling, the reason why Purdue Fort Wayne should be a financial partner in the trip, and any other information that enhances the understanding of the trip.
What Funds Can Be Used for
Funding may be used for airfare, ground transportation, lodging, and registration or admission fees for permissible activities taking place outside Allen County, Indiana. Food per diem will not be awarded.
Deadline for Submission
Requests must be submitted electronically 30 days prior to the trip's departure date.
Presentation Requirement
Student requestors are required to give a presentation to the Student Travel Fund Committee. Student requestors are entitled up to five minutes of presentation time followed immediately by five minutes of time in which the committee members may ask questions of the presenters. Trip requests will be assessed on a rubric based on the baccalaureate framework. PowerPoint or a slideshow presentation is required. Presenters may use this presentation template as a guide. A copy of the completed presentation must be submitted to the [email protected] no later than 48 hours prior to the scheduled presentation date.
How to Pay
Pre-Trip: Travel expenses may be paid in advance using the Student Leadership credit card (by appointment only) or reimbursed after travel.
Post-Trip: To receive reimbursement, the student traveler(s) must provide detailed, itemized receipts for all approved expenses and meet with the Student Travel Fund Committee Chair no later than 5:00 p.m. on the reconciliation deadline listed in their award letter. Failure to meet this deadline may result in the forfeit of reimbursement eligibility.
Post-trip Requirements
Visual summaries and Student Travel Fund Evaluation Form are required for every approved trip.
Useful Tips
What you need to know.
Wondering how to submit a funding request with the best chance of approval? We've got you covered. Below you'll find helpful tips and answers to frequently asked questions to guide you through the process and help you prepare a strong Student Travel Fund request.
The Student Travel Fund Committee meets once per month and has a limited number of presentation slots available at each meeting. To maximize your chances of being scheduled before your trip, we encourage you to submit your request as early as possible.
- Please refer to the Student Travel Fund Guidelines before submitting a request to familiarize yourself with policies, processes, and expectations.
- Submit your request on time.
- While exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, meetings, presentations, and request reviews with the Student Travel Fund Committee are not guaranteed if requests are not submitted on time.
- Have someone review your request before submission to check for spelling errors, missing information, clarity issues, etc.
- Complete the request fully, with as much information and as many details as possible.
- Include a detailed expense budget.
- When planning a trip, economic efficiency is critical. Try to find modest accommodations that are reasonably priced (e.g., look for connecting flights instead of direct flights, take a bus or trolley instead of a taxi).
- Be mindful that your funding may not cover the complete cost of the trip.
- The five-minute presentation is your opportunity to make an impression.
- Be punctual and dress accordingly (business casual is strongly encouraged).
A Student Travel Fund representative will be in touch soon to discuss your request. If your application meets all requirements, you will be asked to complete the Student Travel Funding Checklist. This checklist is a required step in the process and must be completed before your request can be scheduled for review by the Student Travel Fund Committee.
The purpose of the checklist is to help students identify and pursue other available funding sources before requesting Student Travel Fund support. Because Student Travel Fund resources are limited, the committee values applicants who have made a reasonable effort to seek assistance from their student organization, academic department, scholarships/grants or other available funding sources. The checklist also helps ensure that your application is complete and that the committee has the information needed to make an informed funding decision.
The Student Travel Fund is intended to support educational and professional development opportunities that benefit both the student body and the PFW/IUFW community. Requiring applicants to be affiliated with a recognized student organization or academic department helps demonstrate that the travel has a clear educational, professional, research, leadership, or campus impact component. It also ensures that the applicants have support and guidance from a university-affiliated group that can verify the value of the travel opportunity and help share the knowledge and experiences gained within the broader campus community.
If you are unable to attend your scheduled presentation, you should contact [email protected] as soon as possible. Depending on availability, we may be able to move your presentation to another time slot: however, alternative presentation times are not guaranteed.
Another student affiliated with your student organization or academic department who is knowledgeable about the trip and funding request may present on your behalf. The presenter should be prepared to answer questions from the committee regarding the purpose of the trip, the budget, and the anticipated impact of the experience.
The Student Travel Fund Committee is comprised of Purdue Fort Wayne students, faculty, and staff who work together to review funding requests and allocate the Student Travel Fund resources. The committee consists of 5 students, 2 faculty members, and 3 staff members, ensuring that a variety of campus perspectives are represented in the funding decision-making process.
Interested in serving on the committee? We welcome your interest! Contact us at [email protected] to learn more about membership opportunities.
Funding decisions are based on a standardized rubric used by all committee members during the review process. Applications and presentations are evaluated in several key areas, including:
- University Benefit & Impact
- Budget Clarity
- Professional / Educational Development
- Bringing it Back to Campus
- Overall Presentation
Committee members score each request independently, and funding recommendations are based on the overall average of rubric scores and the availability of funds.
For a better understanding of how applicants are evaluated, please review our funding rubric.
Just stop in the office (Walb Union, Room 210) or contact us at [email protected]. We are happy to help in any way that we can.
Meeting Dates
Know where you need to be—and when.
All requests will be presented on a first-come, first served basis.
The Student Travel Fund Committee meets monthly during the academic year, from September through April. Committee meetings are held in Walb Union, room 222-226, and presentation time slots are scheduled between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on meeting days. Applicants will be assigned a specific presentation time after their request has been approved for committee review.
2026–27 Meeting Dates
September 4
October 9
November 6
December 4
January 15
February 5
March 5
April 2