Quad Undergraduate Research Conference Grant Budget Guidelines

Please review the following instructions carefully when preparing your funding request for the Quad Undergraduate Research Conference Grants.​​​​​​

Airfare
We ask that you choose the least expensive, non-refundable economy round-trip airfare to and from your destination. Google Flights is a great resource for finding this information—but don't forget also to check Southwest, which flies conveniently from Chicago Midway International Airport and is often competitively priced, but is not listed on aggregators like Google Flights. In your budget, please include the dates of your flights, the specific flight numbers you propose, and the cost of the flight at the time of your application. We cannot accommodate requests for flying specific airlines based on your preference for loyalty programs or earning points. 

Trains and Buses
Please choose a reasonable, standard-class fare on a train or bus that will take you as directly as possible to your destination. Include origin and destination, company, and cost information in your budget.

Public Transportation
Public transportation on the Chicago Transit Authority is covered by your UPass during the academic year. Please consider using public transportation when feasible. 

Lodging
If there is a hotel associated with the conference, please plan to stay there for the duration of your trip. These hotels usually have special rates for conference attendees, and you can often book through the conference site using a specific discount link or code. If there is no conference hotel or it is sold out, choose a standard hotel room close to the conference meeting site. If you are proposing to stay in an Airbnb or similar accommodation, please include a note in your proposal about why this is the best option. Include the name of the hotel, dates of stay, and cost per night in your budget.

Conference Fees
Many conferences offer discounts on conference fees for students or for registering before a particular deadline ("early-bird” or early registration discounts). Please check the website of your conference, or with the organizers, to see if this is the case. If so, we ask that you take advantage of these programs and budget for the reduced fee in your funding proposal. 

Ground Transportation
The Dean’s Fund will fund ground transportation from the airport to the conference hotel and back. Consider whether public transportation is available and reasonably convenient, in addition to taxis and rideshare services. We cannot fund additional transportation within the conference city during your trip. Make clear in your budget how you calculated ground transportation costs.

Budget Format
Format your budget as a table or spreadsheet. We strongly encourage the use of our Budget Template. Include the category of each expense, a description providing the required information referenced above, and the amount of each expense. Also include any additional funding requested or anticipated.

Typical Funding Amounts

Example Budget