Research in Motion Travel Grant

• Students will submit a budget detailing all their needs for funding; however, the actual amount of funding disbursed may be less depending on the number of applicants and available funding.
• Students must have already sought funding from their home department for their travel. They must disclose any outside funding sources on their application. 
• New in 2025-2026: Please note that funding will be capped at $6,000 total per fiscal year to students advised by the same faculty mentor to ensure ample funding is available to students from a variety of departments across campus.

• Research in Motion operates on a rolling basis, accepting applications until all funding is expended for the fiscal year (July 1-June 30). If all funding is expended, this webpage will be updated to note that the application is closed until the next fiscal year. 
• Due to the end of fiscal year, if you apply between May 31st and July 1st and your application is selected for funding, we will not be able to disburse funding to you until after July 1st at the earliest. We will still accept applications and communicate funding decisions between May 31st and July 1st. 
• If you are NOT enrolled in summer courses at W&M and you apply after the last day of spring classes for funding for travel taking place in the fall, the earliest we will be able to disburse your funding to you is the first day of the fall semester. Similarly, if you apply after the last day of fall classes for funding for travel taking place in the spring, the earliest we will be able to disburse your funding to you is the first day of spring classes.
• Applications will be reviewed approximately on a monthly basis.

• Applicants must be undergraduate William & Mary students in good academic standing. Seniors graduating in May may apply by May 31^st for funding for conference travel commencing no later than July 31^st of that year.
• Applicants are eligible to apply if they will attend an academic conference in their field of study/research OR are currently conducting a faculty-mentored research project and will travel in pursuit of this research. To be eligible for consideration, the work being researched or disseminated must be academic research mentored by a faculty member at W&M or another academic or research institution. 
• Students may not apply for funding later than 30 days after returning from their travel. 
• If a student has already received summer funding from the Charles Center (Charles Center Summer Research Grant, Honors Fellowship, Monroe Grant, etc), they may still apply for a Research in Motion Grant to support summer travel. However, they must answer the question on the application requesting information about why more funding is needed. 
• Students may not be awarded Research in Motion funding more than once per fiscal year (June 30-July 1).

• Monroe Scholars who receive Monroe Scholars Conference Funding to present at or attend a conference and are planning to present at a second conference during the same year (July 1-June 30^th) may complete the application again to apply for general Research in Motion funding. 

• Research travel: Domestic (within the United States) travel to libraries, archives, laboratories, etc., in support of research. No proposals for international research travel will be approved.
• Conference travel: The conference must take place within the United States. No proposals for funding for international travel to conferences will be approved. Proposals for funding for virtual conference registration are acceptable. 
• Approval is contingent on current university travel policies. 

• If you are traveling to the same conference or traveling to conduct research with a group of students, you all must submit individual applications.
• On the budget spreadsheet template, please detail expenses individually. For example, if you will share a hotel room with another student and are splitting the cost, please note your portion of the cost on the spreadsheet. 
• Applications are reviewed on an individual basis for funding eligibility. 

• Information about the conference (name, location, travel dates)
• Title and abstract of presentation (at least 100 words)
• Proof of presentation acceptance or proof that you applied to present
• An explanation of how attending this conference will be applicable to your research interests and further your development in your chosen field (250-500 words)
• Completed budget template, plus screenshots of the prices of the hotel, flight, and conference registration you plan to purchase.
• Verification form from faculty mentor confirming that they give approval for you to present research conducted under their mentorship

You will be required to provide the following information on your application:

• Description of project (500 words)
  • State the primary objective(s) of your research or project.
  • Briefly describe the foundational themes that inform your subject and elaborate on how your own research builds on these themes and/or forges new ones.
  • Describe the processes, methods, and materials you will use to conduct your research or project.
  • Outline any anticipated results and their significance.
  • Orient your work within your broader course of scholarship: Will this work comprise part of your thesis or dissertation? Does it build on work you’ve done in the past? Do you intend to develop it in the future?
  • Explain the relevance and implications of your research or project: Why is this work important?
• Explanation of why you are seeking funding and how these funds will benefit your research (500 words).
• Completed budget template, plus screenshots of the prices of the hotel and flight you plan to purchase.
• Verification form from faculty mentor confirming that they support your research travel and that your requested expenses are reasonable
• If applicable, approval from the appropriate Research Ethics Compliance committee (see information below)

• If funded, you will be required to provide the Charles Center with a photo of yourself at the conference or at the research site and a brief statement about the experience's impact on your academic and career trajectory within one month of returning. 

• If your proposal is accepted for partial or full funding, you will receive an award letter you must sign and return to the Charles Center before receiving funding. 
•  If your student account is not paid in full by the time the disbursement occurs, any amount owed to the College may be deducted from your check; you may then request a refund of the balance. To do so, you will need to request a Student Account Refund (see for this webpage for details). To expedite the processing of this refund, please sign up for direct deposit by visiting the Bursar website at Refunds | William & Mary (wm.edu)

• Non-Resident Aliens: Federal regulation mandates that payments made to a Non-Resident Alien be analyzed for tax compliance and this process can take up to an additional 30 days for the award to be eligible for a refund. Non-Resident Alien students will be contacted via email with a login and password information the Sprintax Calculus system. This email may come from noreply@sprintax.com. The Payroll Office performs an analysis of the NRA information provided to identify whether or not the NRA qualifies for a tax treaty benefit.  If you do not receive an email, please contact the Payroll Office directly at 757-221-2848.  
• All other students: Note that this award may be subject to both federal and Virginia state taxes and/or may affect your tax liability. Click here for a letter regarding general treatment of scholarships and fellowships for tax purposes. Contact your tax adviser for possible implications; Charles Center staff members do not give tax advice.