Travel Awards and New Poster Printing Reimbursement

Student Travel Awards

OUR offers one-time awards to UI undergraduate researchers who are traveling to a professional conference or professional development event.  

OUR Ambassador at Oregon Research Convention.

Students are able to request up to $500 per application and will not be granted more than $500 total across applications. OUR is unable to offer larger amounts or additional funds and may only be able to offer a portion of the requested amount.  OUR Travel Awards are disbursed via U-Bill. 

To be eligible for a travel award, a student must:

  • Be an enrolled undergraduate student at the time of the award
  • Be presenting or co-presenting a poster/oral paper
  • Exhibiting/performing pieces of creative scholarship
  • Have received no travel award from OUR in the past OR have received less than $500 total in Travel Award funding.
    • No student is eligible to receive more than $500 total in Travel Award funding during their undergraduate tenure. (Exception: the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award)
  • Complete the application form, including:
    • Event information with location and dates
    • A brief description of the project you are involved in and how this opportunity will impact and/or enhance your work (approx. 300 words)
    • An estimated travel budget (airfare/gas, lodging, registration, food, etc.)
    • A letter of mentor support from your mentor (approx. 300 words)

Awardees must be enrolled at the University of Iowa as a full-time student

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis during the academic year. Each semester will have an allotment of funds, once funds are depleted, applications for the semester will close. 

Students should apply at least 4 weeks before travel dates.  If your travel date is less than 4 weeks away from the time that you submit your application, please contact the OUR office to expedite our review.

Travel Award Testimonies!

We encourage students explore other options for travel funding:

The Office of Undergraduate Research is thrilled to open the Poster Printing Award in the Fall of 2025. 

The Poster Printing Award is a one-time award for undergrads to apply for funds to aid in the cost of printing a poster. Students must use either the UI Design Center or UI Print Services, please ask your mentor which print location is most appropriate for you. We heavily encourage you to use the UI design template to create your poster. 

Students must select if they are paying for their poster upfront to be awarded after for the actual amount of the print job, or if their department will be paying upfront for the OUR to reimburse for the actual cost of printing.  OUR will not pay for printing directly, this award will come after the initial payment. Your application may provide an estimate of the total cost to print; however, the OUR will only pay for actual costs up to $120. Details in the application itself. 

We encourage students to use their poster at multiple events, so be sure you have all your acknowledgements on it! If you are funded through OUR for a fellowship or travel award, we do appreciate being listed in the acknowledgements.