SGS Conference Grant

Award Overview

• Award Category: Doctoral Awards, Financial Assistance, In-Course Awards, International Awards, Master's Awards, Travel & Conference Awards
• Student Deadline : Online application opens: January 2023, Online application closes for both students & supervisors: March 31 2023, 4:30pm
• Application Dates : Fall / Winter / Summer
• Value & Duration : Variable (based on registration fee and location of event)
• Level of Study : Doctoral, Master’s
• Required Legal Status : Domestic / International
• Results : Late-December / Late-April / Late-August

Student Deadline

Value & Duration

The value of the SGS Conference Grant varies as it is based on the applicant’s minimum registration fee for the proposed conference. Location based top-ups may be available for in-person presentations requiring travel, depending on the availability of funds in any given application cycle. The SGS Conference Grant value is not impacted by other sources of support reported by the student on the application. Please note that the original letter of offer indicates the maximum value of the grant; any changes to destination or registration fee may result in a reassessment.

SGS Conference Grants are calculated using the following information from the completed online application:

• Applicant’s minimum registration fee for the conference;
• Location of conference (funds permitting); and
• Number of eligible applicants per cycle.

The grant is not intended to provide dollar-for-dollar reimbursement for conference expenses. As such, transportation, accommodations, and other related expenses are not taken into consideration when determining grant values. Applicants are expected and encouraged to seek support from various other sources to supplement their travel and other related expenses.

NOTE: Grant recipients are responsible for adhering to the payment requirements of any other funding sources related to the same conference/travel (e.g., their Faculty, a supervisor’s grant, an external award agency). This includes retaining and submitting the same or potentially different documentation/receipts to other administrative offices.

Purpose

Eligibility

Application Process

Results

All applicants will receive an email with their result via their U of T email address.
Successful applicants will receive information regarding the offer value and the terms and conditions of the grant. Details regarding a change request or deferral are available in the Changing Conference section below.

NOTE: Once results have been distributed, the value of an offer cannot be increased.

Additional Info

1. What is an “academic conference”?

For the purposes of this grant, an “academic conference” means that the:

• Abstract/poster submissions are peer reviewed before acceptance is granted;
• Conference is sponsored by a scholarly association/society, university or institution.

Due to the high number of applicants, a limited amount of funds to allocate within each application cycle, and to better manage expectations, only academic conferences are eligible for the SGS Conference Grant.

2. What does “active participation” require?

Successful applicants must actively present their research (relevant to their current degree program) as a poster presenter or speaker/member of a panel/roundtable.

3. Can I present at a conference virtually (online/remotely)?

Yes!  Virtual presentations will be eligible for the registration fee portion only.

4. Can I apply for more than one conference?

Eligible students may submit one application in support of one conference within each cycle.

5. When is the right time to apply?

SGS Conference Grant application cycles will now be available three times throughout the year (see Application Dates above).

6. Why are Safety Abroad procedures mandatory for in-person conferences?

U of T Safety Abroad supports students and the University community by:

• Offering students support in understanding risks associated with the location of their international activity and working with students to develop measures to mitigate those risks;
• Monitoring situations abroad and advising students on any emerging issues;
• Providing emergency support when regional or personal emergencies arise.

Safety Abroad procedures are mandatory for all U of T students travelling outside of Canada, including to the U.S.A., and must be completed before the travel occurs, regardless of receiving SGS Conference Grant support (see Safety Abroad above).

7. What if I don’t complete Safety Abroad procedures before my travel?

Travel that is conducted for in-person conferences without prior completion of all Safety Abroad requirements would render students ineligible. Email conferencegrant@utoronto.ca to explain your situation.

8. If I am eligible, am I guaranteed the grant?

Due to the high number of applicants and limited amount of funds to allocate within each application cycle, and to better manage expectations, preference will be given to students who are in the early stages of their program. SGS Conference Grants are typically not awarded to students who are beyond the program length required for their degree (see Eligibility above).

9. Can I receive more than one SGS Conference Grant?

Eligible students may receive one in-person SGS Conference Grant per graduate degree program and two virtual conference grants per degree program (master’s-doctoral)  “Fast-track” and direct-entry doctoral students may receive 2 in-person grants max) (see Eligibility above).

10. What if I am attending multiple conferences this year?

Eligible students may submit one application in support of one conference within each cycle.

After receiving the result of their application, successful applicants may request to apply their grant to a different conference from the one they initially proposed (see Changing Conference below).

11. What if the registration fee for my conference is not available yet?

Since the amount of the conference’s registration fee is needed in order to calculate successful applicants’ offers, applicants should try to obtain the previous year’s registration fee as an estimated amount to state in their application.

In order to collect the payment, successful applicants will need to provide a receipt showing the paid registration fee amount, along with the other required documentation (see Payment Activation below).

12. Can I collect the payment before I attend the conference?

The payment may be collected in advance of the conference if successful applicants are able to obtain and submit all of the required documentation before the conference occurs (see Payment Activation below).

13. Can I use other funding to attend my conference?

As this grant provides modest financial support, applicants are expected and encouraged to seek support from various other sources in order to supplement their travel and other related expenses. The SGS Conference Grant value is not impacted by other sources of support (see Value & Duration above).

14. What if I can’t attend the conference I proposed in my application?

After receiving the result of their application, successful applicants may request to apply their grant to a different conference from the one they initially proposed (see Changing Conference below).

Applicants may also choose to decline their current offer and apply again in the next SGS Conference Grant application cycle, provided they will still meet the eligibility and payment collection requirements (see Eligibility and Safety Abroad above, Payment Activation below).

15. What if I don’t know my UTORid and password?

UTORids are located on students’ TCards. Students can activate their UTORid and/or reset their password through the Information Commons Help Desk.

Award Holder Information

Payment Activation

Grant recipients must request payment of their grant funds within 30 days of the conference presentation taking place or date of the SGS Conference Grant Offer letter, if the conference has already occurred upon notification of the results. Failure to submit a completed Payment Activation Form by the deadline will result in cancellation of the grant offer. Please note that the original letter of offer indicates the maximum value of the grant based on the original information provided in the application. Any changes to the reported conference registration fee or location may result in a reassessment and subsequent reduction of the grant if the change is significant.

To receive payment, grant recipients must complete an SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant Payment Activation Form via the SGS Forms Tool, confirm they registered with Safety Abroad (if travelled outside of Canada), and upload the following required three (3) documents:

1. Proof of conference presentation – must include the student’s name, their presentation (abstract/poster) title, conference name, and location. Acceptable proof include:
   • PDF printout of the specific page of the program or agenda from the conference organizer’s website (“Print to PDF” using internet browser); or
   • Official certificate of participation as a presenter (not just an attendee) from conference organizer displaying all required information.

2. Registration fee invoice showing the amount paid – must include the student’s name, registration amount, conference name, and location. Acceptable proof include:
   • E-receipt issued by the conference organizer; or
   • PDF printout of organization’s website displaying registration fee amount and email confirmation of registration from conference organizer.

   If the invoice is in a currency other than Canadian dollars (CAD), the applicant must provide a conversion showing the foreign currency amount and its equivalent amount in Canadian dollars (CAD). A PDF print out of the conversion from the Bank of Canada Currency Converter webpage is recommended.

   Documents not considered acceptable as proof include: email from organizer accepting a poster submission, photo of student at a conference, their poster, or their attendance badge, text on a blank page.

3. Proof of online U of T Safety Abroad Workshop completion (for in-person presentations outside of Canada only, including to the U.S.A.). This includes:
   • PDF printout of the Module Completion Status page showing the recipient’s UTORid and completion of all four modules.

Please allow two to three weeks for payment through ACORN, upon submission of a completed SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant Payment Activation Form and all required documents.

NOTE: Grant recipients are responsible for adhering to the payment requirements of any other grants or funding sources related to the same conference/travel (e.g., their Faculty, a supervisor’s grant, an external award agency). This includes retaining and submitting the same or potentially different documentation/receipts to other administrative offices.

Access to the online SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant Payment Activation Form

Changing Conference

If details about a grant recipient’s conference presentation change from what was reported in their approved application, the grant recipient may request to apply their grant to a different conference presentation, provided their supervisor/advisor approves and the conference occurs within the appropriate cycle’s timeframe (see Application Dates above).

The applicant may upload and submit the Conference/Research Travel Grant Change Request Form, along with any supporting documentation, with their online SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant Payment Activation Form.

If the request is approved, the value of the grant may be adjusted if there is a significant difference between the new and previous location and/or registration fee. The value of the offer cannot be increased.

Payment Activation Instructions

Students awarded an SGS Conference Grant must complete and submit the online SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant Payment Activation Form in order to accept and activate their payment. Supporting documentation must be uploaded to the form before it is submitted. Once submitted, the form and documentation will be reviewed within two to three weeks. If further documentation is required, the recipient will be contacted through their U of T email address. Once all required documentation has been submitted to SGS, the payment will be processed through the recipient’s ACORN account. Any arrears (unpaid balance from the previous academic year) must be fully cleared in order for the grant payment to be processed.

Step 1. Access the SGS Forms Tool website

 SGS Forms Tool website

Click “Proceed to Login”, Select “Log in with UTORid / JOINid” button. Recipients must log on using their UTORid and password.

Step 2. Start a New Form

Select “New Forms” from the left hand menu if not already there, which should bring up a page of available forms. Select “SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant – Payment Activation” by clicking on the “Start Form+” button.

Step 3. Complete Form

The top portion of the “Award Holder Information” section will be pre-populated with your information from ACORN. If the information is blank, you may not be currently registered. Upload the necessary documentation.

Note:

• The system will time out after 2 hours
• Click “Save” and you can return to at a later date through the “My Forms” link on the left-hand side menu

Step 4. Review

 The completed version of the form and uploaded documents will be visible for a final review before submission.

Note: At this point, the online form has not yet been submitted to SGS.

If a change needs to be made, click the “Previous” link at the bottom of the page.

If no changes need to be made, click the “Submit” button on the bottom of the page.

Step 5. Confirmation of Submission

After clicking “Submit,” a “Submission Confirmation” page will appear with a confirmation number.  Note this confirmation number for your records.

An email confirmation will be sent to your U of T email address from vpp.noreply@utoronto.ca, titled “Submitted: SGS Conference / Research Travel Grant Payment Activation Form.” Note: the confirmation number will not be specified in the email.

The submitted payment activation form can still be reviewed online by selecting the “My Forms” homepage on the left-hand side menu. A form with the Progress of “Submitted” and a Status of “Received by GAO” indicates that the form has been successfully submitted to SGS for processing.

Step 6. Processing and Payment

Please allow two to three weeks for processing and payment distribution.

If the appropriate types of required documentation were not all uploaded to the submitted form, the recipient will be contacted via their U of T email address. This will result in a processing delay.

For payment distribution, students are strongly encouraged to set up direct deposit on ACORN to ensure that their payment is received quickly and avoid the risk of the cheque being lost in the mail. Cheques can take an additional 2 to 3 weeks to arrive.

To set up direct deposit:

1. 1. • http://help.acorn.utoronto.ca/how-to/
      • Go to section “Finances/Direct Deposit”
      • Follow the instructions listed

To “add new” mailing address:

1. 1. • http://help.acorn.utoronto.ca/how-to/
      • Go to section “Update address and contact information”
      • Follow the instructions listed

Note:

• The form cannot be modified after it has been submitted
• If an error is discovered after submission:
  • Email conferencegrant@utoronto.ca to “unsubmit” or return the form to you
  • Edit the information, make a final review, and then click “Submit”

Contacts & Resources