Student Travel Program

Fall 2026 Application Deadline September 18, 2026

Program Overview

The Student Travel Program provides competitive funding to help eligible John Jay students participate in conferences, competitions, trainings, research presentations, and other approved activities that advance their academic or professional development.

Students may also request transportation support for approved John Jay or CUNY study-abroad programs.

Funding is limited. Meeting the eligibility requirements or submitting a complete application does not guarantee an award.

2026–27 Application Calendar

Apply according to the period in which your travel will take place. Complete applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the applicable deadline.

September–December 2026 Travel

Application deadline: September 18, 2026
Notification of decision: October 5–9, 2026

Students traveling in September may not receive a funding decision before their activity. Expenses incurred before written approval are incurred at the student’s own risk and may not be reimbursed.

January–March 2027 Travel

Application deadline: November 9, 2026
Notification of decision: December 7–11, 2026

April–August 2027 Travel

Application deadline: March 29, 2027
Notification of decision: May 3–7, 2027

Award Limits

Student Travel awards are capped at:

Individual application: Up to $1,500
Group application: Up to $5,000 for five or more students

These are maximum award amounts. The amount awarded may be less than the amount requested.

A student may receive only one Student Travel award per academic year. Receiving funding as a member of a group counts as that student’s award. A student who receives funding through a group application cannot also receive an individual award during the same academic year.

Eligible Expenses

Student Travel funding may be used only for approved:

Registration fees
Lodging
Transportation

Food, meals, per diem, and personal expenses are not covered.

For approved study-abroad programs, Student Travel funding is limited to transportation costs.

Group travel involving five or more students requires a chaperone. Student Travel funding does not cover the chaperone’s expenses.

How Awards Are Used

A Student Travel award is not a cash payment or advance issued directly to the student.

Depending on the approved expense, the program may:

Arrange or pay for the expense on the student’s behalf; or
Authorize the student to pay the expense and request reimbursement afterward.

Funding may only be used for the activity and expenses identified in the written approval notice. An unused award balance cannot be transferred to another student or group, applied to a different activity, or saved for future travel.

Do not make non-refundable purchases or travel arrangements unless you have received written approval and instructions from the Student Travel Program.

Eligibility Guidelines

Applicants must be John Jay students in good academic standing. As a general guide:

Undergraduate students typically have a minimum 2.5 GPA and at least 30 completed credits.
Graduate students typically have a minimum 3.0 GPA and at least 12 completed credits.
First-semester transfer students should submit a transcript from their previous institution demonstrating good academic standing.
Students scheduled to graduate before the activity date are generally ineligible unless they provide proof that they will be enrolled in additional coursework when the activity takes place.

Meeting these guidelines does not guarantee funding.

Before You Apply

You will need a Gmail account to submit the application.

Before beginning, gather:

Information about the activity and its dates
A clear explanation of how the activity supports your academic or professional development
Price quotes for each eligible expense for which you are requesting funding
All required supporting documents

Review the Student Travel Procedures for the complete document and formatting requirements.

Applications should be complete, accurate, and submitted by the applicable deadline. Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Writing a Strong Activity Description

The activity description is one of the most important parts of the application. Use the Travel Activity Criteria when preparing your response.

Explain:

What the activity is and why you want to participate
How it connects to your coursework, research, career goals, or professional development
What you expect to learn or accomplish
How the experience will contribute to your development
How your participation may benefit or represent the John Jay community

Use clear and specific examples. Avoid general statements that do not explain the value or expected outcomes of the experience.

After a Decision Is Issued

If approved, you will receive a written notice explaining:

Your award amount
The expenses approved for funding
How each expense will be booked, paid, or reimbursed
The documents and actions required before travel
Any deadlines or conditions attached to the award

Approval of an application does not mean that every requested expense has been approved. Only the expenses identified in the written approval notice are authorized.

If you are authorized to pay an expense and request reimbursement, retain the itemized receipt and proof of payment. Follow the reimbursement instructions and deadlines included with your award.

After You Travel

Submit a travel presentation within two weeks after the activity.

Your presentation must:

Be a PowerPoint presentation with at least 10 slides.
Include captions that explain the images or information presented.
Describe your experience and what you learned.
Identify significant people, professionals, or organizations you encountered.
Highlight important information about the conference, competition, training, event, institution, or destination.
Explain how the experience contributed to your academic or professional development.

Email the presentation to studenttravel@jjay.cuny.edu.

Use your first and last name followed by “Travel Presentation” as the subject line.

Example: Joe Smith Travel Presentation