Am I eligible to apply for a travel grant?

Fellows, residents, trainees, and pharmacists who meet the travel grant eligibility criteria below can apply for a travel grant. Non-doctoral allied health professionals are not eligible for travel grants. Approximately 145 travel grants will be awarded, and approximately 20 additional attendees can attend without travel assistance from AST.

Travel grant application criteria:

1. Must be a fellow, resident, trainee, or pharmacist (PharmD)
2. Must submit a letter of recommendation from their Program Director. Click here to see the requirements for the recommendation letter. 
3. Must be sponsored by an AST member in good standing 
4. Must be attending the AST Fellows Symposium with a travel grant for the first time
5. Must certify that they do not have other funding for travel (e.g. research stipend, award)
6. Must stay Friday and Saturday nights at the meeting hotel and participate in the entire duration of the program.
7. Must submit a current CV (Curriculum Vitae). 

At AST we are excited to offer this opportunity to Fellows.  Each year there is always more interest than there are travel grants available.  We try our best to accommodate as many Fellows as possible while being reflective of the current transplant field.  The planning committee and AST staff will review the applications to ensure diversity among specialties, institutions, and programs.  Priority will be given to Fellows where this is their last year being eligible to attend the AST Fellows Symposium.  If you have attended the virtual Fellows Symposium in 2020 or 2021, you are still eligible for the travel grant award for this year’s in-person meeting, however, priority will be given to those that haven’t attended virtually.    

OK, I am eligible for a travel grant, now how do I apply?

The application process will take about 10 minutes to complete. Please be sure to have the letter of recommendation from your Program Director and a current copy of your CV ready to upload during the application. 

What does the travel grant cover?

The travel grant includes two nights at the conference center and meals during the conference (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, and breaks). The travel grant also covers the cost of roundtrip airfare up to $275. All flights must be booked through the AST preferred travel agent. The travel grant recipient is responsible for any flight amount over $275 and any additional expenses for luggage, hotel, taxi, parking and meals outside of the conference. For those who drive to the meeting, mileage will be reimbursed in lieu of a flight, up to $275.

Non-reimbursable Expenses

Other than the specific items listed above, AST will not reimburse any other expenses including, but not limited to: $100 registration fee, ground transportation at your home airport or in Grapevine (taxi/shuttle), gasoline, meals on own while traveling or during the conference (e.g. room service), long-distance phone calls, flight upgrades/changes or checked bags, entertainment (in hotel or offsite), or tips/gratuities. Special note about rental cars: if you use a rental car to drive to the meeting in lieu of flying, you may submit for reimbursement the cost of the rental itself plus gas and tolls, not mileage. Up to $275 will be covered regardless of your total expense. If you fly to Texas and rent a car while attending the meeting, rental car expense will not be reimbursed.