Research Funding for Doctoral Students
Conference Travel Funding
There are two opportunities for Kellogg PhD students to receive funding for conference travel: Kellogg Conference Travel Grant and The Graduate School’s Conference Travel Grant.
Kellogg Conference Travel Grant
Kellogg PhD students are provided with a budget of $4,000 to cover the following travel costs (1) presenting their research paper at conference, not just attending a conference or (2) interviewing for faculty positions at the annual meeting of their field’s professional association. This is the total funding available while enrolled at Kellogg.
For next steps:
• Students should prepare and send to their DGS a proposed budget and provide the conference invitation referencing that their paper has been accepted. The request should be reviewed and approved by the DGS before travel is booked.
• Students should direct the DGS's approval, conference invitation, and proposed budget by email to: kellogg-phdfunding@kellogg.northwestern.edu. The PhD Office will approve funding from the Kellogg Conference Travel Grant and provide students with their current conference travel budget balance.
• Once approved by the DGS and the PhD Office, students can proceed with their travel arrangements.
Eligible costs include conference registration fees, airfare, ground transportation, hotel, and meals. Students should book flights at the most economical rates. Air travel for Northwestern purposes should be booked through a preferred provider. Students must adhere to Northwestern travel policies and guidelines when submitting expenses for reimbursement. Also, when traveling, students should secure individual receipts for meals and hotel rooms for reimbursement purposes if they share expenses with other students. For questions about travel reimbursement policies/guidelines or booking flights, students should contact their program’s financial coordinator or department manager (DM), who will coordinate reimbursements after the conclusion of the trip with Ligia Amarei in the PhD Program Office.
TGS Conference Travel Grant
Students may also apply for a conference travel grant through The Graduate School (TGS). Currently two trips, up to $800 for each trip, is available. Matching funding from the student’s program may be required. Students must prepare a travel budget for approval before the travel occurs, and all proposed costs must be approved by the student’s DGS. Note: TGS does not require that students present their paper to attend a conference. Students should complete a CTG application using the online form. For more information, please email: gradfund@northwestern.edu.
Please note:
• Northwestern PhD students must adhere to the terms and conditions under Northwestern’s Graduate Student Travel Policies, such as requiring students to register their international travel with the Office of Global Safety and Security (OGSS). Students should also consult Northwestern University's policy on international travel that features health insurance coverage, travel immunizations, and security information resources. International students should confer with Northwestern’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) regarding their student visa status while traveling outside of the United States.
• If students have questions about conference funding available and their eligibility to attend a conference, they should consult with their director of graduate studies (DGS) or Susan Jackman in the Kellogg PhD Office.
Research Funding Application
Kellogg doctoral students may apply for funding to support their dissertation research through an application. Research funding could include the purchase of datasets and software, subject and surveying fees, field research (including travel), and research assistants. Note: This funding is strictly for the student's dissertation research and not for joint research with other faculty.
The application requires the support of their faculty research advisor and a review by the Research Support team at Kellogg. The application includes a description of the research project and a proposed budget requiring the signature of the student's faculty research advisor.
Students must also contact a research consultant from the Kellogg Research Support team who will review the application and provide guidance on next steps. This oversight includes engaging and negotiating with vendors on contracts for data purchases or behavioral research experiments requiring the use of the behavioral lab and subject pools, obtaining subject/surveying fees, or securing IRB approval.
After Research Support and the student's research advisor sign off on the application, the application and proposed budget is then reviewed by the PhD Program's faculty director and the senior associate dean for faculty and research. Funding of up to $3000 is provided by the Dean's Office with requests for additional funding open for consideration. For questions, contact Susan Jackman.
Computer Subsidy
Doctoral students are provided with a one-time only computer subsidy of $2,000 to purchase computer equipment for their PhD studies Funding is provided in September of their first year enrolled in the PhD Program. Students purchase this equipment at their own discretion, and receipts are not required.
