Graduate Studies Conference Assistantship

The Graduate Studies Conference Assistantship (GSCA) is funded through support from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) and the Graduate Studies Endowment Fund (GSEF). University of Waterloo graduate students can apply for a GSCA to help cover their expenses related to attending and presenting their research at an academic conference or workshop. The GSCA application form can be used to reserve funds from a student's supervisor, department/school, faculty and/or GSPA/GSEF.

• Value
• Deadlines
• Application
• Eligibility and selection criteria
• Guidelines
• Reimbursements
• Helpful resources and forms

Value

Students can receive GSPA/GSEF funding for no more than one conference/workshop per fiscal year (May 1 – April 30), up to a maximum of $500. A student’s supervisor, department and/or faculty may choose to provide funding for additional conferences within the same fiscal year. 

If funds are depleted, the program may be suspended without notice until further funds become available.

Deadlines

January 16, 2023: GSPA/GSEF funds are fully depleted; The Graduate Studies Conference Assistantship (GSCA) program is suspended for the remainder of the fiscal year (for conferences up to April 30, 2023). Any new GSCA applications submitted will not be approved for GSPA/GSEF funds. Students who applied and were approved to receive GSPA/GSEF funds prior to this suspension will still have their reserved funds honoured, provided that the claim is submitted within two-months following the conference end-date.

If the application deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted until the following Monday. 

*Applications must be submitted prior to the conference/workshop as per the Eligibility requirements. 

Application

The Graduate Studies Conference Assistantship (GSCA) program has been replaced with the Graduate Student Research Dissemination Award (GSRDA) effective May 1, 2023. Students who are presenting at conferences May 1, 2023 onwards, are encouraged to visit the GSRDA website for full award details including eligibility and application process.

Eligibility and selection criteria

• Applicant must be a graduate student registered full-time or part-time in a degree program at Waterloo at the time of the conference. Students who degree complete prior to the conference date(s) are not eligible. 
• Applicant must be presenting* their research (oral, poster, paper) at an academic conference or workshop, as a first or second author, in connection with a Waterloo research activity. Note that in-person and virtual conferences are acceptable.
• Applications must be submitted prior to the conference/workshop.
• Applicant must incur conference/workshop-related expenses.
• Applicant must not have already received GSPA/GSEF funds for a GSCA within the same fiscal year (May 1 – April 30).
• Applicant should seek additional funding support from at least one of the following: supervisor(s), department/school or faculty and have the application form completed accordingly.

*Applications will also be considered from students who are planning to attend (but not present at) an academic conference occurring until April 30, 2023. Conferences must be related to the applicant’s program or research as verified by their supervisor or department head. Students may also seek support for attendance at workshops. To qualify for the assistantship, the workshop must be of value to the student’s academic program (as verified by their supervisor or department head) and an equivalent workshop must not be available at Waterloo. Typically, support for workshop attendance will be provided in cases where the offering institution is considered a global leader in the workshop theme. Funding will be prioritized for applicants who are presenting their research.

Guidelines

Applicants travelling internationally must adhere to the requirements outlined on the Safety Abroad website prior to departure.

Funds reserved by GSPA may only be used towards the original conference indicated on the application.

Applicants who are presenting their research, must have their supervisor or department head verify that the applicant’s presentation at the conference is of direct benefit to a University of Waterloo research program and that the program conforms with the Income Tax Act definition of research (Research involves a critical or scientific inquiry aimed at the discovery of new facts, or the development of new interpretations or applications. It does not include research carried out for the sake of acquiring the experience or skill of conducting research, as may be the case with research carried out by undergraduate students).

Applicants who are attending (but not presenting at) a conference/workshop must have their supervisor or department head verify that the conference is related to the applicant’s program or research, or if attending a workshop, that it is of value to the applicant’s academic program.

Applications submitted to GSPA should demonstrate that partial financial support will be provided by at least one of the following: supervisor(s), Department/School, or Faculty. If funding from at least one source is not reserved on the form, GSPA may contact the student and/or the Department/School for further explanation before GSPA/GSEF funds will be reserved.

If the estimated travel dates or conference dates cross over two academic terms, the application will be considered for the term in which the student’s expected return travel date or conference end-date occurs. Should the travel/conference dates change, the application will still be considered for the original term for which the funding was reserved.

GSPA/GSEF funds will expire within two months after the anticipated date of return or virtual conference end-date. Funds will automatically expire if GSPA has not received a reimbursement claim within this timeframe. As funds are limited, students are encouraged to notify GSPA if they no longer plan to use their reserved funds, so that other students can be supported.

Applicants are encouraged to purchase cancellation insurance, if possible, or purchase tickets from airlines that offer refundable tickets.

Reimbursements:

• In order to receive GSPA/GSEF funds, the claim must include the following documents:

• Claims must be initiated by the student immediately after the conference. Claims may be submitted either via Concur or by using the Expense Claim Form (GSPA strongly recommends that claims are submitted using Concur). Students should contact their Department Graduate Co-ordinator in order to obtain the appropriate GSPA/GSEF work order to indicate on the reimbursement claim, regardless of the method used to submit it (Concur or Expense Claim Form).
  • Submitting claims using Concur:
    • Departments must obtain the correct work order from SharePoint (staff-only) and provide it to the student. The student (or delegate) will then add the work order to their claim.
  • Submitting claims using the Expense Claim Form:
    • Departments must obtain the correct work order from SharePoint (staff-only) and indicate it on the Expense Claim Form along with the amount required from GSPA.
    • Note: Expense Claim Forms should be submitted to Finance without signature from GSPA (no email approval necessary). GSPA will approve the claim once Finance has routed it through Unit4 workflow.
• Claims may utilize up to the full amount pre-approved by GSPA (maximum $500) provided that reserved funds from other sources on the original application are also contributed from at least one of the following: student’s supervisor, department/school, or faculty. A contribution from another party is still required even if the amount required from GSPA is less than $500. Claims without another source will be returned for correction, thereby delaying reimbursement.
• Students will receive reimbursement via direct deposit, provided their banking information has been added to Quest. To set up direct deposit, visit the Finance website.

Cash Advances

• Any departmental or faculty cash advance requests for travel should be requested and settled through Concur, with the understanding that GSPA will not provide cash or travel advances prior to conference/travel dates.

• If a cash advance was processed by the department or faculty using the Expense Claim Form, the reimbursement claim must be settled by using the Expense Claim Form. In these instances, the Claimant must indicate the cash advance number on the Expense Claim Form when submitting their settlement.

¹ Students are no longer required to submit a presentation abstract and proof of presentation.
² Department to download from GSCA SharePoint (staff-only) website and provide to student.
³ To be supplied by student.

Helpful resources and forms

• Concur Information (Finance website)
• Expense Claim Form (Finance website)
• GSCA library on SharePoint (staff-use only; For dept/faculty to upload new applications, view and download approved/declined applications and obtain the appropriate work order for reimbursements)
• Safety Abroad (Waterloo International website)

Questions about the GSCA can be emailed to the Co-ordinator, Graduate Financial Aid and Awards in Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

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