Support for Classics Graduate Students Participating in Conferences or Giving a Paper at the APA

There are several sources of support for graduate students who have had a paper accepted for delivery at the annual convention of the APA or at a conference or other academic convention. None of these will supply total support, so you should plan to use your own resources. In general, you should seek funding from afar first and then move closer to home if that is not available.

FIRST, if you are accepted to participate in a conference, determine whether the conference organizers are going to pay any of your expenses, and get their commitment in writing.

SECOND, the APA has recently begun giving some subsidy to graduate students who have a paper on the program. If you have a paper accepted, you should also apply for such funds, if they are available.

THIRD, the Graduate Division provides modest support for students advanced to candidacy who are on the job market or near being on the job market. The application requires lead time and should be attended to promptly once you know you have had a paper accepted.

FOURTH, if the conference or your topic is related to epigraphy or papyrology, then you should apply to the Director of the Aleshire Center for the Study of Greek Epigraphy or the Director of the Center for the Tebtunis Papyri, since those Centers support graduate student research and travel in those areas.

FIFTH, the Heller Committee awards grants for travel to conferences. There is a separate policy statement that gives the general rules and priorities.

SIXTH, and last resort, the Chair of Classics has a certain amount of discretionary funds and will entertain applications (from Classics students only) for travel support from those who have exhausted, are ineligible for, or failed to receive all of the above. The Chair may also appeal to chair-holders for student support whenever appropriate. To request this funding, direct a letter to the Chair including: (a) name, venue and date of conference; (b) title of the paper you will deliver and copy of letter of acceptance or program listing it; (c) amount requested (this normally will not exceed a cheap roundtrip airfare); (d) explanation why it has been impossible to obtain funding from other sources.

Revised December 5, 2006.