Financial Support for Student Travel to Conferences

Richmond Law recognizes the value of students participating in conferences and other programs that occur outside of the Richmond area. Participation in these events provides opportunities for not only the students who attend, but to the whole law school when these students return and share the knowledge they have gained. The School of Law has therefore created a Student Travel Fund to help support students who would like to participate in these opportunities. Grants from the Student Travel Fund are not intended to fully reimburse travel to these opportunities, only to defray a portion of the expenses incurred.

Eligible Travel

The Student Travel Fund will accept applications for support for travel to the following types of student-initiated activities:

  • Travel by individual students to present a paper at an academic conference
  • Travel on behalf of student organizations to attend conferences (including academic, legal association, or public interest conferences)
  • Travel by individual students to serve on the board of a national student organization
  • Other travel that will provide benefit to the school as a whole and not just to the individual student

Funding Guidelines

Types of expenses that will be considered for support include:

  • Conference registration fees
  • Hotel or other lodging
  • Transportation costs (e.g., airfare, taxi, parking, rental car)

Multiple students participating in the same trip or conference will be expected to share hotel rooms where gender balance and other considerations permit. They will also be expected to share rental cars where the destination does not require air travel.

The Committee will consider requests to fund other travel-related expenses, including meals, only in exceptional circumstances. For domestic travel, the maximum reimbursement will ordinarily not exceed $350 per person. The reimbursement is for actual expenses incurred and students will be required to submit receipts.

Ineligible Travel

The Student Travel Fund is intended to support travel to conferences and related activities. It does NOT cover:

  • Clinic-related travel
  • Travel for Moot Court, TAB, or other competitions
  • Travel to interviews
  • Travel to internships
  • Journal-related travel

Application Process

Students must apply for funding and are encouraged to submit their request in advance of the actual travel, but requests for reimbursement of expenses that have already been incurred will be considered. Regardless of whether the application is submitted before or after travel, reimbursements will be dispersed only after the travel has been completed. Applications will be reviewed by the Director of Student Affairs. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.

To apply for financial support from the Student Travel Fund, please complete the Application Form below.

Funding Support for Student Conference Travel

Are you presenting a paper at the conference? *
If not, do you have any other role in the conference? *
Are you receiving financial support from the conference or any other sources? *