L&S Honors Conference Travel Grant
Overview
The L&S Honors Conference Travel Grants aim to support L&S Honors students in presenting their research at, or attending, professional conferences. Funding is generously provided by donors to the L&S Honors Program. Two grants are funded by Joyce & Daniel Bromley.
Students presenting at a conference are eligible to receive up to $500.
Students attending a conference are eligible to receive up to $250.
On this page
Grants are awarded through two cycles each academic year based on the date of the conference you plan to attend. Please review the details of each cycle below. Students may apply for the grant before or after attending the conference.
Fall Cycle
- For conferences occurring July 1 through December 31, 2026
- Application opens: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
- Deadline: Sunday, November 29, 2026, at 11:59 PM
Spring Cycle
- For conferences occurring January 1 through June 30, 2027
- Application opens: Friday, January 1, 2027
- Deadline: Sunday, April 11, 2027, at 11:59 PM
Who Can Apply
- Must be enrolled as an undergraduate when the conference takes place; summer conferences are allowed if the student will be enrolled the following fall, but students who graduate before the conference are not eligible.
- Must be a declared student in the L&S Honors Program pursuing Honors in the Liberal Arts, Honors in the Major, or the Comprehensive Honors track
- Must have a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA at the time of application
- A student can only receive this grant once
Students must be attending and/or presenting at an academic conference. See FAQs for what is considered an academic conference.
A student may only receive one Honors grant or scholarship per funding term.
The application includes the following components:
- Questions about the conference you plan to attend/attended
- Personal statement (no more than 500 words) about your anticipated experience, your goals, and how your experiences with the Honors Program may support your participation or attendance. Click here to download an overview of the personal statement prompt.
- An unofficial UW–Madison transcript. For instructions on how to access your unofficial transcript, go to Request Unofficial Transcript.
- Completion of a Faculty Questionnaire in WiSH. You will be prompted to select a UW faculty member to complete a brief questionnaire about your background and the selected conference.
- For conference presentation: submission of documentation of the accepted abstract from the organizing body, and a copy of the conference agenda summary
- For conference attendance: submission of a copy of the conference agenda summary
- An estimated, itemized budget that includes all outside funding sources
The L&S Honors Conference Travel Grant application is available in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH). You can access WiSH through your MyUW or by logging in at wisc.academicworks.com.
As soon as you begin drafting your application in WiSH, enter your mentor’s name and email address. This action will notify your mentor that completion of a Faculty Questionnaire is required for your application to be considered.
Applications for this grant are reviewed by the L&S Honors Program staff. Applications are evaluated using the following criteria:
- Level of participation at conference (presenting or attending)
- Strength of personal statement
- Strength of faculty questionnaire responses
- Academic record (including GPA)
- Progress towards completing your Honors track(s)
All recipients will need to:
- Provide documentation of their conference attendance (e.g., registration confirmation, travel arrangements)
- Submit a thank-you letter
- Permit the L&S Honors Program to share their name, photo, and/or thank you letter with donors and for use in L&S Honors Program outreach, website, and publications
Frequently Asked Questions
An academic conference is a formal gathering of scholars, researchers, and professionals who share and discuss work related to a specific field of study. These events are designed to advance knowledge and foster collaboration within an academic field or set of fields.
To be considered an academic conference for grant eligibility, the event should meet most or all of the following criteria:
- Organized by a university, scholarly society, or professional association (e.g., American Psychological Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Modern Language Association)
- Focused on academic research or scholarly topics: Presentations should be based on original research, theoretical work, or critical analysis.
- Includes peer-reviewed, invited, or juried presentations: Abstracts or papers are typically submitted and reviewed before acceptance.
- Features formal sessions such as:
- Paper presentations
- Poster sessions
- Panel discussions
- Keynote lectures by experts
If you are unsure whether your intended conference meets the expectations outlined above, please email Associate Director Pete Keys before completing your application to receive confirmation about whether or not the event would be eligible.
No. You are eligible to receive the award only once, regardless of your form of participation.
Grant funds may be used to help cover reasonable travel-related or participation expenses, such as:
- Transportation, such as airfare, train fare, etc.
- Hotel accommodations and meals during the conference
- Registration fees, including virtual conference registration fees
- Local transit to and from the conference venue
- Presentation costs, such as poster printing (if applicable)
Yes. As long as you meet all other eligibility requirements. Please see the timeline information above.
If attendance or presentation at a virtual conference includes expenses, then yes, you may apply. Please note that L&S Honors grants are competitive and that the selection committee will prioritize applications submitted by individuals planning to present at or attend in-person conferences.
This grant is currently processed as a scholarship to your Student Account. Students receiving scholarships may have financial aid package adjustments. If you have questions about your financial aid and/or the potential impact of receiving this scholarship, you are encouraged to consult with the Office of Financial Aid. If you have further questions, please contact L&S Honors Program Administrator Kendra Ramthun at honorsprogram@honors.ls.wisc.edu.
Please reach out to Associate Director of Admissions and Engagement, Pete Keys, at pkeys@wisc.edu.
Additional Resources
Attend an upcoming information session to learn more about Conference Travel Grants and other Honors funding opportunities.