Travel grant program

The College of Engineering Dean's Office awards travel stipends. These stipends are available to support a variety of abroad opportunities, at all times of year, to meet the needs of our students. Experiences can take place during the academic year or over the summer and can be short-term or span a semester or full academic year.

College of Engineering funds can be used for a variety of educational purposes including tuition and fees, course-related expenses such as required fees, books, supplies, and equipment, and other expenses related to the overseas experience. Work, volunteer, research, and special projects abroad will be considered for scholarships in addition to traditional experiences.

Awards are based on the following criteria:

• Quality of abroad project and complete nature of proposal
• Intention to make meaningful connections to the host country
• Strength of the recommendation letter

Students who want to be considered for both the College of Engineering Travel Grant, as well as the university-wide Tartan's Abroad fund need to submit separate applications for each award. Students may use the same recommendation letter and personal statement for both applications. Tartan's Abroad funding is not available during academic semesters. See the Office of International Education website for more information on Tartan's Abroad and other funding options.

Applications must include the following:

• A detailed description of your intended experience abroad (including program specifics, anticipated courses, projects, work or research, and dates of experience)
• A description of how you will share your experience with the CMU community
• A detailed budget proposal including all costs and anticipated funding sources
• One sealed and signed recommendation letter from an academic advisor, faculty member, department head, or college dean; the letter should be turned in with all other application materials

All students/groups receiving funding are required to share their experience with the greater College of Engineering community. There are several ways this can be done. The best option for groups is to write a one- to two-page report and present their experience to an audience. Students can also share their abroad experience as it unfolds using Twitter, a blog, video clips, etc. This method requires multiple updates while abroad and will be posted on the College of Engineering website.

• Winter break/Spring semester: November 1st
• Spring break: February 1st
• Summer: April 1st
• Fall semester: April 1st

All completed applications should be turned in to TreciBonime in the College of Engineering Undergraduate Studies Office in Scaife Hall 120. Letters of recommendation can be emailed to Treci Bonime at tbonime@cmu.edu.

• The College of Engineering will not fund travel to locations currently on the U.S. Department of State's watch list. Please check the watch list before submitting your application for funding.
• The College of Engineering Travel Grant is available to current undergraduate students only. Students who plan to travel after their graduation date will not be funded. Graduate students should check with their departments to inquire about funding for travel or contact the Graduate Education Office. 
  
• For College of Engineering faculty-led trips, please check with the professor leading the experience to see if a lump sum of funding has already been provided to the group by the College of Engineering Dean's Office. If this is the case, then no further funding will be available via the College of Engineering Travel Grant.
• Faculty members wishing to seek funding from the College of Engineering Dean's Office should submit a short request through Treci Bonime. Requests should include the size of the group traveling, which departments will be included, a budget breakdown, and an overview of the goals or learning outcomes of the experience.

University resources

• Fellowships and Scholarships Office: International Fellowships
• Office of International Education: Funding Sources
• GSA/Provost Conference Funding
• GSA/Provost Small Research Grant Funding

Outside resources

• American-Scandinavian Foundation
• Diversity Abroad
• Institute of International Education: Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship
• Boren Awards for International Study