Student Activity Funding

Locate funds for professional development and travel, summer research, and more.

A myriad of opportunities will allow you to deepen your scholarly pursuits at Princeton, from engaging career-defining experiences to connecting with global peers. To support student innovation and enrichment, targeted funding is available from the Graduate School, academic departments, and our campus partners. Complete eligibility criteria, application deadlines, timelines, and application instructions are available in the Student Activity Funding Engine, or SAFE, a one-stop resource for supplemental funding. Below are descriptions of several supplemental funding opportunities offered by the Graduate School, as well as summer funding offered by some campus partners. 

Note: Currently, all travel is contingent upon public health guidance as well as federal, state, and local government regulations.

The Dean’s Fund for Scholarly Travel

Scholarly engagement is a vital part of a student’s doctoral education, helping to establish key academic connections while advancing research objectives. This fund supports individual Ph.D. students between their third year of regular enrollment and first year of DCE status who have been invited to present their sole-authored scholarly research paper or work at a conference or meeting. The maximum annual grant amount is $800. Preference is given to students in the humanities and social sciences in higher years of study who are not already covered by a faculty research grant that offers similar support.

Apply: SAFE (applications are reviewed quarterly)

Contact: If you have questions, contact Elaine Willey.

Professional Development (For Groups)

Professional development is an integral part of graduate education at Princeton. This fund supports groups of graduate students interested in initiating or leading a professional development program that will benefit groups of fellow graduate students. Graduate student groups (formal graduate student organizations, or other groups) may propose ideas to the GradFUTURES professional development team for funding consideration. Successful proposals have included professional development symposia, industry networking events, conferences, seminar series, boot camps, alumni panels, or group workshops focused on transferable skill development. Funds are intended to be used for programming and events that fill a professional development need not currently met through the department, the Graduate School, or other campus resources. Preference is given to group program proposals that are interdisciplinary in nature. Group members will complete an application that should include how they will acquire leadership, project management, communication, and collaboration skills by developing and executing their proposed program. The maximum grant is typically $500.

Apply: Groups interested in applying will meet with an assistant dean on the GradFUTURES professional development team to discuss their idea(s) and receive application materials. Proposals are reviewed twice per year. 

Contact: Please email Amanda Peacock to arrange an appointment.

Events & Conferences

Princeton makes funding available to support student-led initiatives that add to the texture of the University community, from scholarly events to cultural and social programs.

Summer Activities in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Supplemental funds available through our interdisciplinary programs support intensive summer work that may require extra support–including language study, dissertation fieldwork, archival research abroad, and other costly academic initiatives.