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INFORMATION FOR

Travel and Research Information, Applications, & Reimbursement Guidelines

This page provides practical information about travel and research funding opportunities, the associated applications, and the formal reimbursement guidelines.

The Lowe Endowment Fund and The Lewis Levy, MD, Research Fund

Limited funds from the Lowe Endowment and Levy Fund are available to Yale MD students. Yale MD-PhD students are not eligible for funding through the Office of Student Research and should contact Kevin Hawes at the MD-PhD Program directly. Students are invited to submit an application for funding that can be used towards research costs/equipment. Preference will be given to faculty/student pairs who do not have research grants or other funds available to cover these expenses. Funds will not be given if the faculty mentor holds a grant or has other funds. Medical students are eligible to apply for up to $1,000 in research funding per academic year, which runs from July 1st – June 30th.

Please note: Students will only receive reimbursements for expenses for which they submitted an application, and received an award letter, from OSR. Students will not be reimbursed for any expenses incurred prior to this approval. Therefore, students should not incur any expenses before the application has been reviewed, and an award letter has been received.

Important note for students seeking funding for study participant remuneration/incentives:

For any student seeking funding for study participant remuneration/incentives, students must contact the OSR prior to applying for funding for more information, and guidance, as Yale University has strict guidelines which must be adhered to.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Please use the following naming convention when sending your application: LastnameFirstname_LoweLevy_2025-2026 and combine all supporting documents in a single file. Please submit your completed application, and all supporting documents, via this Yale SharePoint link.

Application to the Lowe and Levy Endowment Research Fund

Travel Funding & Application for 2025–2026 Academic Year

YSM students enrolled in the MD program may be reimbursed for approved out of pocket travel expenses to present their research at one scientific conference per academic year. The maximum reimbursement amounts are $1,000 (domestic) and $1,700 (international). Students are responsible for any costs beyond the approved reimbursement amount. Many students choose to seek additional funding from mentors, conference-specific travel awards, or other sources.. Please note that MD-PhD students are not eligible for travel funding through the Office of Student Research and should contact Kevin Hawes at the MD-PhD Program directly.

Details about the reimbursement guidelines:

  • We expect students to plan their travel as far in advance as possible to get the best rate for airfare. Students are expected to select air travel within the basic least expensive cabin class offered. Connecting flights are less expensive than direct flights. Ticket upgrades will not be covered.
  • We will cover hotel expenses for a maximum of three days. However, the expectation is that students will select reasonably priced lodging.
  • Students must review the University Guidelines for Medical Student Reimbursement for the full list of reimbursement guidelines.

For students applying for travel support through the Office of Student Research, please complete the following two-step process.

Application Instructions

Step One : Before you Travel

Students must apply for funding at least thirty days before travel by submitting a completed application with all associated documentation.

Step Two: Within Ten Days of your Return

Students must submit their expenses within ten business days following their return from travel. The reimbursement process will be delayed for any expenses submitted more than 10 days after travel.

  • Students must submit a completed Travel Reimbursement Request Form along with all required documentation, which includes PDF copies of the following:
    1. A signed, PDF copy of the Travel Expense Report Form.
    2. A PDF of the conference schedule/agenda. A single page with “at a glance” details is acceptable.
    3. If the student is receiving partial funds from the mentor or department in which the research was performed, then a statement of support with an administrator’s name, and email address, should be uploaded with the following naming convention: LNAME_Fname_MeetingAcronym_DeptSupport.
    4. You must use the following naming convention for all files. Files uploaded without this naming convention will delay the reimbursement process.
      • LNAME_Firstname_ExpenseReport
      • LNAME_Firstname_Receipts
      • LNAME_Firstname_AcronymAgenda (ie. SMITH_Robert_SIDAgenda)

Travel Forms and Guidelines