Postdoc Travel Awards

The Postdoc Travel Award supports current Queen鈥檚 postdocs who present their scholarly research at national and international conferences and those who attend relevant professional development events. All postdocs currently with an affiliation at Queen鈥檚 and who will maintain their affiliation throughout the Travel Award process are eligible to apply. This means that they must be postdocs at Queen鈥檚 when submitting receipts and other necessary documentation following attendance at the conference or professional development event. Receipts of the award may be announced on the SGSPA鈥檚 website.

Deadlines

Deadlines for applications are in April and November.

If travel takes place between November 1 and March 31, please submit your application for the November 1 deadline. If travel occurs between April 1 and October 31, please submit for the April 1 deadline. All applications should be submitted by 5:00 p.m. ET

Typical Award Values*

  • Short driving distance within Canada: $1000 CAD
  • Longer driving distance within Canada & US: $1250 CAD
  • Travel to Western Canada & US: $1750
  • Overseas travel (award max): $2250

*Award amounts may vary depending on applicants' individual circumstances, the total number of applications received, and the program budget. Each award will not exceed $2250 CAD and, depending on the conference or professional development event location, will not exceed the amounts listed above.

Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria

  • Applicants may only receive Travel Award funding once per every three competitions
  • Applicants must be presenting significant scholarly work conducted while a PDF at Queen鈥檚
  • One application per competition is allowed (PDF may not apply for funds to multiple conferences or professional development events)
  • Awards may be used toward partial support for travel, accommodation, meals (excluding alcohol) and registration fees
  • Annual membership fees are NOT an eligible expense
  • Awards will only be approved on the condition that a copy of the invitation or acceptance to participate will be forwarded to the Coordinator, Postdoctoral Affairs BEFORE funds are released
  • Applications to fund an event that has already been attended will not be accepted
  • Awards may only be used towards the event listed in the initial application

Applicants will be informed of the adjudication results no more than 15 working days after the deadline. Recipients of the award will be reimbursed up to the offered amount after returning from their travels and following the procedure as outlined. Queen's policies on eligible travel expenses can be found here. Please review them carefully.

Evaluation Criteria

Economic need The event鈥檚 significance for the PDF鈥檚 professional development The PDF鈥檚 role in the event (e.g. session organizer or chair, presenting multiple papers)

Instructions

  • Review the eligibility criteria and guidelines above before applying
  • Notify your supervisor that you are applying for this award and ask whether they can provide supplementary funding to support your conference or professional development event attendance.
  • Use the online portal (only open during the month prior to the next deadline) to submit your application. Login with your Queen鈥檚 NetID.
  • The portal should be intuitive. Input information as applicable. Attach confirmation of your acceptance/participation or paste the confirmation email directly in the appropriate field. If you do not have this yet, leave the field blank and submit the documentation as soon as possible to postdoc@queensu.ca.
  • Information can be saved so that you can return at a later date to complete the form. Please ensure that you submit well before the deadline in order to allow your supervisor to add their letter of support in time.
  • Input your supervisor鈥檚 email address so that the system can automatically send them instructions on submitting their letter of support. This letter must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. (ET) on April 1 or November 1. It is recommended that you communicate this timeline well in advance.

Questions? Email postdoc@queensu.ca. This page is current as of January 2025. Please check back as the site is updated regularly.