Every DREU student participant is eligible to apply for Research Experience Travel Funding, whether it be during or after their mentorship (if it is after their mentorship, the travel must be in direct relation to the student’s research experience). The DREU program will generally limit awards to $1000 for students to attend a conference where they are a co-author on a paper and $750 to attend a conference where they are not a co-author on a paper.

* Note that this travel support is NOT for relocation to/from the mentor’s institution at the beginning/end of the experience. Also note that this travel support will be paid by reimbursement only, that is, if approved.

Requirements for Research Experience Travel Approval and Funding

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To apply for Research Experience Travel Funding, a student must apply using the web-based application that is available after logging into the DREU Program Site. The web-based application asks the student to provide information about the travel and to input the items listed below.

• • • • A Planned Activities Statement that gives a day by day description of what the student plans to attend, participate in, etc. during the travel.
      • A itemized budget describing the estimated cost of the student’s trip. This needs to broken down into categories including such as registration (if any), travel, lodging (number of days and cost per day), food, etc.
      • IMPORTANT:  Only domestic travel and tickets on US carriers can be reimbursed.

After the student completes this part, the system will send an email message to the student’s mentor asking them to provide a statement regarding the student’s travel request, e.g., commenting on the relevance and importance to the student’s DREU experience, etc. After the student and mentor complete their portion of the application, the DREU program chairs will review the request and determine what level of funding, the DREU program can provide. Sometimes additional details will be sought before a decision is reached. The student and the mentor will be notified by email if the travel support request is approved, and for what level of funding.

Requirements for Travel Reimbursement

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To apply for travel reimbursement, a student have first submitted a request for funding as outlined above and been notified that the request was approved by the DREU Admin. After your request for reimbursement has been approved and after travel has taken place, please submit the items outlined below using the web-based submission form that is available after logging into the DREU Program Site.

After these items are approved by the DREU program chairs, you will be given instructions to submit ALL original receipts and boarding passes to CRA for your reimbursement.

• • • • A copy of the student’s conference registration receipt (if applicable).
      • A copy of the student’s hotel bill (see 2 below).
      • A copy of the student’s airline ticket (or mileage report if you travel by car).
      • A copy of other expenses as previously requested and approved.
      • A Summary of Activities Report by the student (see 4 below).

Note the following:

1. 1. 1. If a student’s expenses are less than the approved funding level, then the award will be adjusted accordingly.
      2. If a student shares a hotel room with someone else, they must make sure they get an individual receipt for their part of the room.
      3. Please note that we can only reimburse your own expenses. If you split a meal with others, please indicate only the amount of your meal in the request for reimbursement. Others (even if also in the DREU program) must put in their own requests for reimbursement.
      4. A student’s Summary of Activities Report could be an update of the Planned Activities Statement they submitted for travel approval. It should detail the activities in which the student actually participated, along with possible summaries of what the student learned from a few of the talks, presentations, etc. Note that these summaries may be made available to the funding agencies, the CRA, and the CRA-W.

To request reimbursement for this type of travel, students should follow the following guidelines:

• • • • Read the CRA Reimbursement Guidelines for reimbursement.
      • Save all original receipts as described in the CRA Reimbursement Guidelines
      • Complete an itemized CRA Expense Reimbursement Form. You should describe your travel details (from/to location, dates, etc.) and include the full address where your reimbursement payment should be sent.

NOTE: students who are driving their personal vehicle should claim mileage for each mile traveled. If you have any questions please email erik@cra.org