One-Time Contingency Fund for Ph.D. International Students
This page outlines the terms and conditions governing the disbursement of the One-Time Contingency Fund provided by the Office of Global Engagement (OGE) to Ph.D. international students of IITM for attending international conferences. By applying for and accepting the fund, the applicant agrees to comply with the following terms.
Introduction
The Office of Global Engagement (OGE) offers a One-Time Contingency Fund to support Ph.D. international students at IITM in presenting their research at reputed international conferences held outside India. This initiative aims to facilitate global academic engagement and showcase IITM's research talent internationally.
Grant Amount Based on Region
The one-time grant amount varies based on the conference location:| Region Basket | Countries | One-time Grant Ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| Basket 1 | America, Australia, New Zealand | ₹1,50,000/- |
| Basket 2 | Europe, Asia (excluding neighbouring), Africa | ₹1,40,000/- |
| Basket 3 | Neighbouring countries (e.g., Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc.) | ₹1,00,000/- |
Item-wise Reimbursement Limits
Funds will be reimbursed based on actual expenditure, subject to the following limits and the overall grant ceiling for the region. An advance of 80% of the estimated cost may be provided.| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Airfare | Cheapest economy airfare (Chennai to venue and back) |
| Registration Fee | Actuals, subject to max of 1000 USD |
| Per Diem (Food & Local Conveyance) | 50 USD/day (conference days + 2 buffer days) |
| Room Rent | 100 USD/day or actuals, whichever is lower (conference days + 2 buffer days) |
| Visa Fees | At actuals |
| Taxi (IITM to Airport & back) | Max ₹500/trip (with bills) |
| Taxi (Airport ↔ Hotel at Venue) | At actuals (with bills) |
| Travel for Visa (if required) | II AC train fare from Chennai to nearest embassy station or actuals, whichever is lower |
| Travel Insurance | At actuals |
| Poster Printing Charges | Max ₹1,500/- (one poster with bill) |
Note: At the time of final settlement of bills, scholars must submit itemized details of expenditure with supporting vouchers/receipts. If the itemized expenditure is below the authorized amount/advance taken, the excess amount must be refunded to OGE. The scholar will bear any expenditure exceeding the limits mentioned above or the overall grant ceiling fixed by the Institute.
General Guidelines
The support is strictly for presenting papers (oral or poster) at reputed international conferences abroad. It cannot be used for attending summer/winter schools, short courses, competitions, or other events.
This financial assistance can be availed only once during the student's entire tenure at IITM.
An advance of up to 80% of the estimated total cost (within the grant ceiling) can be requested.
Settlement of accounts (submission of bills and refund of excess advance, if any) must be completed with the Finance & Accounts Section within 10 days of returning from the conference.
If the travel is cancelled after taking an advance, the full advance amount must be returned to the Institute immediately. Failure to do so will result in appropriate action.
This travel support is not available to scholars who have exceeded the maximum duration of their PhD programme as per institute ordinances (e.g., PhD R16).
Eligibility Criteria (PhD Students)
Must be an international student enrolled in a full-time program at IITM.
Must have completed coursework and comprehensive examination satisfactorily.
Must have official acceptance of the paper/poster/abstract for presentation at the international conference.
Must provide quotations for airfare, registration charges, and visa fees during application.
Application Timing
Scholars can apply for the advance through the designated portal before submitting their thesis.
Applications for advance cannot be made after thesis submission.
Reimbursement (without prior advance) may be possible after thesis submission if the conference date is before the date of the thesis defense, subject to eligibility.
If the conference date is after the date of the thesis defense, the student is not eligible for this fund, and any advance taken must be refunded.
Documents Required for Application (Upload via OGE Portal)
Copy of the official acceptance letter/email for the paper/poster/abstract from the conference organizers.
Copy of the paper/abstract submitted to the conference.
Quotation for the cheapest economy return airfare (Chennai-Venue-Chennai).
Proof of applicable registration charges (e.g., screenshot from conference website, invoice).
Estimate/details of applicable visa fees.
Recommendation/No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the PhD supervisor/guide.
Proof of completion of comprehensive examination.
Documents Required for Final Settlement (Submit to Finance & Accounts)
Original Air Tickets and Boarding Passes.
Original receipt for Registration Fee payment.
Original receipts for Visa Fees.
Original receipts for Accommodation (Hotel Bills).
Original receipts for local taxi fares (Airport-Hotel-Airport at venue, IITM-Airport-IITM).
Original receipt for Travel Insurance (if claimed).
Original bill for Poster Printing (if claimed).
Conference Participation Certificate.
Itemized expenditure statement.
Any other supporting documents as required by the Finance & Accounts section.
Contact Person
Inbound Team
Email: intlstudent_advisor@ge.iitm.ac.in, inbound1@ge.iitm.ac.in
Telephone: +91 44 22574928