Faculty Travel Grants

Ladder Faculty Travel Grants

For eligible ladder faculty in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the FAS Dean's Office will provide travel funds to professional meetings in accordance with the following conditions and restrictions.  

  • For tenured faculty, the maximum amount of reimbursement is $1,000 per academic year.
  • For non-tenured faculty, the maximum amount of reimbursement is $1,500 each academic year.
  • Eligible faculty include: all those appointed to the ranks of Lecturer Convertible, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, as well as persons holding part-time appointments in the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Persons who hold visiting or part-time adjunct appointments are not eligible.
  • The faculty member must be employed by the University at the time of the trip. For faculty living away from Yale for an extended period of time while on a paid leave of absence, reimbursement will be based on a round trip to the meeting from that place of residence. Faculty who are on unpaid leaves are not eligible.
  • To qualify for a travel grant, the faculty member must actively participate in the meeting by reading a paper, chairing a panel, serving as an officer of a professional association, contributing as a stated participant in a formal discussion, or participating in a significant way. Speaking or delivering a paper as a lecturer or visitor at another university does not qualify for use of these funds, unless the event is a meeting that includes faculty from other universities. A department Chair or Dean who believes that some activity not listed above qualifies as formal participation should consult the FAS Dean's Office in advance of the trip.
  • For travel either abroad or in the United States, the University will authorize, up to the maximum, a grant equal to the lowest available roundtrip coach airfare from New Haven, New York, Bridgeport, or Hartford to the airport closest to the meeting. The grant thus calculated may then be used as reimbursement for whatever mode of travel the recipient finds most convenient.
  • Reimbursement will be based upon actual travel costs incurred from New Haven directly to the city of the meeting, subject to the maximum set forth in the travel grant. If the traveler chooses to use their personal automobile, reimbursement will be at the University’s current rate of mileage, but not to exceed the cost of the lowest available airfare. Within the maximum of the grant, the faculty member will be reimbursed for conference registration fees, accommodations, and meals at the University’s set per diem rate. Mileage and per diem rates are changed on a yearly basis, and these rates can be obtained from the Controller’s Office or from your academic unit operations manager.
  • Within the annual maximum ($1000 for tenured faculty and $1500 for non-tenured), the funds may be spent on one or more qualifying trips. The reimbursement form can be accessed online.

Instructional (Non-Ladder) Faculty Conference Travel Grants

Conference travel grants of up to $1500 are available on a limited basis to benefits-eligible multiyear instructional (non-ladder) teaching faculty in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Language lectors are eligible but should first apply for travel assistance through the Center for Language Study.

Eligibility and Guidelines

Faculty first become eligible to apply for a conference travel grant in the first year of a benefits-eligible multi-year appointment in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Applicants must continue to hold a benefits-eligible multi-year appointment that extends through the period of travel. Faculty may receive multiple grants per academic year, within the annual maximum of $1500.

Instructional faculty may apply for a travel grant if they are planning to participate in a conference or meeting by reading a paper, chairing a panel, serving as an officer of a professional association, contributing as a stated participant in a formal discussion or participating in some other significant way. Presented work, panel participation, or professional service must correlate directly with the applicant’s teaching or related pedagogical research or development. Grants may be used to cover the costs of registration, travel, lodging, and meals in accordance with these travel expense guidelines:

  • Reimbursement will be based upon actual travel costs incurred from New Haven directly to the city of the meeting, up to the annual maximum of $1500. If travelers choose to use their personal automobile, reimbursement will be at the University’s current rate of mileage, but will not exceed the cost of the lowest available airfare. Within the maximum amount of the grant, the faculty member will be reimbursed for conference registration fees, accommodations, and meals at the University’s set per diem rate. Mileage and per diem rates are changed on a yearly basis, and these rates can be obtained from the Controller’s Office or from your academic unit operations manager.
  • For travel either abroad or in the United States, the University will authorize, up to the annual maximum of $1500, a grant equal to the lowest available roundtrip coach airfare from a regional airport to the airport closest to the conference.
  • Within the annual maximum of $1500, the funds may be spent on one or more qualifying trips, through each proposed trip will require a separate application process.
  • Instructional faculty who are on unpaid leaves are not eligible to apply.

Application process

Applications for travel grants will be reviewed by the Teaching Resource Advisory Committee (TRAC). Applications will be judged on the basis of quality and on the extent to which the proposed conference experience would enhance faculty members’ teaching and advance their overall professional development.

Applications for travel grants will be accepted and considered on a rolling basis but must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the faculty member’s date of departure. No funding will be awarded after the fact.

Applications should be submitted to fas.dean@yale.edu with the subject line “Instructional Faculty Travel Grant Application” and should include:

  • A current CV
  • A short description (limit: 250 words) of the event, including an explanation of its relevance to the applicant’s teaching
  • Copies of an abstract for the proposed presentation and an acceptance letter from the host organization
  • Explanation of efforts made to obtain funding from other sources and the amount of any awarded funds (copies of any correspondence pertinent to requests for departmental/program/council funding should be attached)
  • An itemized budget

Reimbursement

Instructional faculty should work with academic unit staff to process receipts for the purpose of reimbursement.

Contact Jason Zentz, Associate Dean, with any questions.