Global Engagement Travel Awards
The global engagement travel scholarships are intended to support student travel (international or domestic) for immersive activities that expand the student’s cultural and technical competencies related global one health (research, education, service, outreach, capacity building, etc.) that supports their future career goals. The number of travel scholarships and their amount varies depending on the applicant pool and funding available for that particular year.
Global Engagement Program Section Links
Travel Award Information
The global engagement travel funds are awarded twice annually (autumn and spring semesters). Students can apply for trips for research, clinical training (externships), study abroad, or service learning. The travel must have both a veterinary and cultural component. This program is not meant to support conference travel. Longer periods of travel that allow for more immersion in a culture/ community are preferred as are projects that include research. Students should demonstrate that they have sought funding from other sources and have planned their opportunity and on-site mentors well. If you need help in planning an experience, please look at our list of previously funded trips and current opportunities or contact Dr. Rebecca Garabed (garabed.1@osu.edu) to set up a meeting.
Applicants are required to be in good academic standing and must be full-time DVM, MS, or PhD students in the College of Veterinary Medicine or MPH-VPH students. Graduate students based in other colleges with mentors in the College of Veterinary Medicine, interns, and residents will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Travel must be for a minimum of one week and should not conflict with regular academic courses (special cases with instructor approval may be considered).
Successful completion of VET PREV 7760 (Opportunities in Global Veterinary Medicine and Public Health) or a waiver based on successful completion of a similar course is a pre-requisite for receiving the award. Students taking formal global education courses that are already subsidized by the Global Engagement Program are not eligible for additional travel awards for the same trip. If you are not sure if your trip is already subsidized, please reach out to us at cvm-globalengagement@osu.edu. Trips to locations with current US State Department Travel Advisory Level 3 and above are unlikely to be funded and require additional justification.
Awards cover the entire remaining cost of travel once other funding sources have been exhausted. As such, the amount of individual awards will vary but are expected to range from $500 to $5000. Students must show some level of personal financial contribution to make sure they are completely dedicated to and understand the value of the learning experience for their education and career. The College of Veterinary Medicine has different available mechanisms to deliver the award from directly purchasing flights and insurance to awarding the money as a scholarship to the student’s bursar account. Proposed budgets will be evaluated based on cost-effectiveness and thoroughness. International trips must include budget for supplemental travel insurance from OIA. To find the expected costs for lodging and food in different locations please check the US government sites (domestic) (international) as well as local contacts/ hosts. Budgets can include transportation, food, lodging, and travel-related vaccine and medication costs not covered by insurance. They should not include gifts for hosts, course fees, research or clinical materials, or clothing/ equipment used for travel.
Once the application is selected for funding by the committee, the student must sign a letter of award including the following certifications:
- Agreement to use the scholarship for the proposed travel within one year
- Successful completion of the pre-requisite course
- Health insurance for the trip has been obtained
- Relevant ethical compliance has been completed (e.g., IACUC, IRB review), if the trip includes research with animals or human subjects
- Agreement to comply with all relevant University policies during the experience
- Agreement to present details of the experience upon return including an approximately 200-word summary of the experience, at least 2 high-quality photos and a digital video or in-person presentation at a global engagement event on campus.
- Agreement to engage with and provide stewardship to donors, either in person or via videoconference (with the dean and/or advancement team), who provide funding for this program.
- Agreement to acknowledge the program’s support in any presentations or publications based on the experience
Please be aware that this scholarship will be included as part of your total financial aid for the semester and year, which may impact the level of financial aid for which you are eligible.
Deadlines:
- Autumn 2024, 5 p.m. EST – September 13, 2024
- Spring 2025, 5 p.m. EST – March 7, 2025
The Global and Domestic Travel Award application has four parts. Please remember to fill them all out.
- Type of award requested (One question below)
- Summary information (13 or 15 questions)
- Narratives (Five short answer questions)
- Budget (Six or seven blanks to input amounts you are asking for)
If you have any questions, direct them to garabed.1@osu.edu.
Funded Experiences
Each year, the Global Engagement Program is able to fund several travel scholarships. These unique opportunities provide learning experiences for College of Veterinary Medicine Students based on their individual interests.
