MS and OD/MS students should initially apply for travel funds through the conference organizers (e.g., the AAO student travel fellowship) if they are available. The student may apply to SCCO for additional funding if necessary. In no instance will the total travel reimbursement (i.e., money received from SCCO and all outside sources) be more than the student’s cost. If the student receives travel money from an outside source, this will be deducted from the student’s total travel expenses. This amount will then be the maximum the student can be reimbursed from SCCO.

Students may receive financial reimbursement from SCCO for attendance at one approved meeting per academic year (e.g., AAO, ARVO, COVD, etc.). The student must be presenting their research as a poster or paper at the meeting. The student must get pre-approval from the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and provide evidence that their presentation has been accepted at the meeting. Any travel funds received from the conference organizers (or any other source) should be reported to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies. The student can receive from SCCO up to a maximum of $500 if they are the first author and up to a maximum of $250 if they are the second author of a presentation. Lower-level authorship (i.e., third author or lower) will not be reimbursed.

Within 30 days of returning from the meeting, the student will need to submit all receipts for reimbursement. Acceptable receipts are for travel, hotel, meeting registration, and food (food maximum $30/day). No reimbursement will be given without original receipts. An MRF will need to be filled out. All paperwork needs to be submitted to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies.