Students

Purpose:

The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) is committed to promoting learning opportunities outside the classroom for all its enrolled students. A unique component of master’s and doctoral education is learning through collaboration and presentation at regional, national, and international conferences. The OSA’s Student Conference Travel Fund Program (SCTFP) supports students so that they may take advantage of these opportunities.

Program Guidelines:

1. Students must be enrolled in a degree granting program at the Mailman School of Public Health (MPH, MS, PhD, or DrPH), be in good academic standing and actively registered (not on leave).
2. Students must be a major contributor to an oral or poster presentation being given at a public health conference and must be presenting. 
3. Generally, the material on which the presentation is based must emerge from research done while a registered student at Mailman. 
4. Funds are reimbursed after the conference has concluded. Items that fall within reimbursement guidelines include registration, travel, lodging, poster printing and other expenses not covered by other funding sources. (More detailed information about reimbursement will be included in the award letter).
5. International conferences are typically reimbursed in an amount ranging from $700 to $1100. National and regional conferences are typically reimbursed in an amount ranging from $200 to $700.
6. Please note that funds are limited. A committee with representatives from across the School reviews the applications in order to equitably distribute funds amongst the Mailman School students who apply.
7. Students must affiliate themselves with the Mailman School of Public Health when registering for the conference.  
8. It is expected that if for some reason a student does not access a reimbursement award that he/she informs the committee as soon as possible before the conference dates.
9. All students who are awarded reimbursement funds must participate in the annual Mailman School poster presentation day on the CUMC campus (typically in the spring semester).
10. Students who attend APHA and who are awarded travel reimbursement funds are expected to join other Mailman community members at the exhibit hall booth for two hours.
11. Students are eligible for one conference reimbursement per academic year (September to August).
12. Applications are due at least two months prior to the conference. Submit the application to the Office of Student Affairs, 722 West 168th Street, suite 1014.

Application Process (in chronological order)

1. Download the application form (PDF) from the Mailman School website.
2. Complete the application form and gather the following supplementary materials:
3. An official letter or email from the conference clearly confirming your authorship or contributions to the presentation/poster.
4. A conference announcement, flyer or agenda.
5. A detailed budget proposal including any information you have about other funding sources (confirmed or potential).
6. A copy of your presentation/poster. A copy of an abstract is sufficient.
7. Submit the application and supplementary materials to Carol Huang at in the Office of Student Affairs, suite 1014 of the Rosenfield building, 2 months prior to the conference.

Award and Reimbursement:

1. If awarded, you will receive a confirmation letter with the exact amount that you will be reimbursed (see guidelines above for more information) within two weeks of the application received date.
2. A written confirmation of your intention to use this funding is required. You will be asked to sign a confirmation form when you pick up your reimbursement packet.
3. In the reimbursement packet you will receive detailed information on the reimbursement process. Please keep original receipts for all items you might eventually submit.
4. You must submit all information required (as outlined in the reimbursement packet) within 21 days of the last day of the conference. Submissions received after 21 days will not be funded.

Questions:

Questions about the application process can be submitted to the SCTFP committee members by e-mail to Carol Huang, by phone at 212-342-4550, or in person in the Office of Student Affairs, suite 1014 of the Rosenfield Building at 722 W. 168th Street.