The Undergraduate Fund for Academic Conferences (UFAC) accepts applications for in-person conferences hosted nationally and internationally as well as virtual conferences or workshops. Applications may be submitted between late August and late April via the fall and spring award cycles. For university-sponsored international travel, review university guidelines to determine if your travel requires additional approval. Students should wait to buy tickets or make non-refundable deposits on housing until funding is confirmed AND their travel plans have been reviewed and approved in Enroll my Trip.

Undergraduate Fund for Academic Conferences (UFAC)

The Office of Undergraduate Research established the Undergraduate Fund for Academic Conferences in 2012 to enable more undergraduate students to participate in academic conferences and workshops related to their independent work or other research activities. Priority is given to those who seek to present their research or scholarship in the form of a paper, talk, or poster. Awards range betweeb $500-$750.

Why Present at a Conference?

Conferences offer a great many benefits to undergraduates involved in research. These can include:

• Developing a more accessible, conversational voice around your research
• Complicating your understanding of cutting-edge research in your field
• Practicing public speaking skills and answering questions in the moment
• Deepening relationships with mentors and collaborators
• Networking with national and international researchers and professionals
• Learning about varied research pathways and career directions
• Discovering publication and entrepreneurship opportunities

UFAC awardees have described their conference participation as transformative, inspiring, and enriching.

Presentation Resources

• BioRender: A web application where you can create figures, diagrams, and illustrations with scientifically accurate assets for your poster and/or slides.
• Princeton Research Day Presenter Guide: The Princeton Research Day (PRD) webpages have additional resources around 1) campus offices that can assist in developing materials, 2) tips on crafting an engaging presentation and 3) accessibility guidelines.   

Eligibility

This funding application is open to all currently enrolled undergraduates. For seniors, travel must occur prior to graduation.

How to Apply

You can apply for UFAC funding between late July and late April by logging onto the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE) and searching for the Undergraduate Fund for Academic Conferences fall and spring cycles listed under the "Independent Projects" activity type. While applications are reviewed on a rolling basis across the cycles, they must be completed at least one month before the beginning of the conference in order to receive full consideration. An application is considered complete only when all components, including the faculty endorsement, have been submitted. Applications for retroactive funding will not be considered. The online application will require that you provide:

• The name of the faculty adviser who will serve as recommender for this funding application. (Before submitting their name, please confirm that they are agreeable to completing the online form in support of your application and can speak to your academic qualifications as well as how your participation in the conference pertains to your research and/or independent work. We encourage you as well to communicate that the deadline is 30 days prior to the start of your conference travel.) If your research was conducted at another university, you can have your non-Princeton faculty adviser email [email protected] with their recommendation. No project will be funded without a strong faculty endorsement.
• A detailed itemized budget
• An electronic copy of your accepted abstract (if applicable)
• A project statement (<200 words) describing how your participation in the conference will impact your course of study and/or independent work at Princeton. The statement should also include the conference title, website, location (city, state), start and end dates, and your role in the conference (attendee or presenter). Please indicate whether you have applied for and/or secured other sources of funding for this conference.
• Your planned itinerary
• Any special qualifications that have prepared you to participate in the conference

When to Apply

Note: Applications must be complete (including faculty endorsement) at least 30 days before the proposed conference travel begins.  

Fall Cycle

Conference travel takes place October 1, 2024 - February 6, 2025

• Application Opens: September 12, 2024
• Application Closes: December 15, 2024
• Funding Decisions Announced: October 1, 2024 - December 23, 2024

Spring Cycle

Conference travel takes place February 7, 2025 - June 15, 2025

• Application Opens: September 12, 2024
• Application Closes: April 30, 2025
• Funding Decisions Announced: January 13, 2025 - May 9, 2025

Funding for conferences in the summer (late June/July) will be made available contingent on remaining funds from the previous academic year and announced on this page in early May.

Expense Guidelines

Funding may be used only for the following expenses and does not cover the costs of personal items (such as clothing to wear at the conference), entertainment, or social activities:

• Conference registration fees
• Travel to the conference (unless the conference is within 25 miles of your permanent address)
• Lodging and meals (meals are covered through a $35 per diem)

Tax Implications and Award Conditions

UFAC awards are typically paid as a reimbursement once the conference has ended (see Post-Project Requirements section below).

Awards are considered taxable income with varying implications for Domestic and International status. Please consider your award’s potential tax implications and consult with the Office of Finance and Treasury if you have questions.

As with all University-sponsored overnight travel, funding is contingent on safe traveling conditions in the region and on registering your trip information in the Enroll My Trip platform at least one week prior to travel. Please be aware that the award will be revoked if you do not receive approval for your trip in Enroll My Trip before you travel.

In accepting this award, the recipient is expected to recognize the Office of Undergraduate Research as the source of this funding in the acknowledgment section of their poster and/or talk and in any subsequent publications that may result from this project. The student is also expected to fulfill all of the post-project requirements described below as well as requirements listed in the SAFE application's Terms and Conditions section.

Post-Project Requirements

Within a week following the conference, the student must complete their post-project requirements by accessing the "Complete My Project" page in SAFE, linked from the student's "Current Projects" page:

• Upload a summary (< 200 words) of contributions at the conference and explanation of how the experience has impacted the student's course of study and/or independent work at Princeton. Please acknowledge your research mentors and collaborators (if applicable).
• Upload a copy of the accepted conference abstract or presentation (as applicable)
• Complete the itemized list of actual expenses and upload receipts in support of the budget
• Upload a high-quality picture of you at the conference (preferably related to presenting your research or participating in the conference program) or screenshot of you if conference is online. In addition, please submit a caption for the photo (and credit as appropriate) that OUR can use for a post on its social media platform. If you would like to be tagged on OUR's Instagram, you can include your Instagram handle.

Once the post-project requirements are completed, your award will be processed for payment.

Email Inquiries

To contact the Office of Undergraduate Research regarding UFAC, please send your email inquiries to [email protected].