SPHTM SGA Conference & Travel Reimbursement Info & Instructions

Each academic year the SGA allocates funds to support SPHTM graduate students’ attendance to approved public health related conferences (please note: due to the limitation on funds, workshops and classes are not covered; email the SPHTM SGA treasurer, sgatreas@tulane.edu with any questions).  Reimbursement requests will be reviewed by the SGA Executive Board and subject to approval of the SGA Advisor.

Graduate students may apply for one reimbursement request per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) and funds will be considered throughout the year until the budgeted funds are allocated. Students are encouraged to apply for conference funds as early as possible to ensure that funds remain in the SGA conference reimbursement budget. Attendance to the conference must occur within the fiscal year and must be completed prior to a student’s graduation. 

Graduate students who attend approved public health related conferences are eligible to receive at maximum $250.00 in reimbursements towards only the following three expenses: conference registration fee, hotel stay, and airfare (boarding passes required).  Students who have been selected to present at the approved public health conference are eligible to receive up to an additional $100.00 to help with the costs that comes with presenting (poster printing, etc.- receipts required).  Your invite letter/notification-to-present should be emailed to sgatreas@tulane.edu when doing the pre-travel application.  Presenters are eligible for a maximum of $350.00 in reimbursements.  

Before Attending or Traveling (Pre-Conference):
Please fill out the SPHTM SGA Pre-Travel Application at least two weeks prior to attending. With respect to this conference, be sure to detail all other conference funds that you have applied for reimbursement (GSSA, your department, as well as any outside funding options; SGA is last to reimburse and must show what has already been reimbursed). Once you submit your application, you’ll receive an email confirmation within 48 hours. Deadlines must be adhered to (see below).

Air Travel
If you travel by air, SAVE YOUR BOARDING PASSES.  Boarding passes are required documents for reimbursement as proof of flight; you’ll need to submit your boarding passes along with proof of payment for the flight.

While Attending: 
While attending the conference, you must collect necessary documentation for eventual submission of post-conference forms. This documentation must include:   

If virtual conference:

  • 3 photos of yourself on the Zoom conference at 3 DIFFERENT sessions

If in-person conference:

  • 2 photos of yourself attending the conference 
  • Photo of conference badge

After Attending & Traveling (Post-Conference):
Fill out the Request for Travel Reimbursement form, as well as the Travel Expense Itemization Sheet, within 30 days of conference attended, attaching proof of conference attendance (badge, pictures, etc.), all receipts (conference registration fee, hotel, airfare{requires boarding passes}) and documentation for any other sources of funding received.  Submit all post-conference documentation electronically in one pdf here.

DEADLINES:

Pre-Conference: The SPHTM SGA Pre-Travel Application with any required documentation is due at least two weeks before the conference you are attending.

Post-Conference: The Request for Travel Expense Reimbursement form and the Travel Expense Itemization Sheet form are due within 30 days after the conference you are attending, along with all receipts and documentation needed, in one pdf.

PLEASE NOTE: All forms need to be submitted with required documentation by the deadlines. Forms will not be honored if special arrangements have not been made prior to the deadlines. Contact the SPHTM SGA Treasurer at sgatreas@tulane.edu to make those arrangements and for any further questions not addressed here.  

Checklist:

  • Before Attending and Traveling: Fill out the SPHTM SGA Pre-Travel Application at least 2 weeks before conference.
  • If the Pre-Travel Application is approved, proceed to the next section.
  • After Attending and Traveling:  Fill out the Request for Travel Reimbursement form and the Travel Expense Itemization Sheet form within 30 days after the conference you are attending. Be sure to attach conference registration receipt, proof of conference attendance (badge, pictures, etc.), hotel receipt, and airfare receipt with boarding passes.  Also, presenters, remember to include required receipts, up to $100, for presenter costs. Submit all post-conference documentation electronically in one pdf.