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Student & Trainee Travel Grant

The MUSC Center for Global Health offers annual opportunities for international travel grants in low and middle-income countries of up to $2,000 each to MUSC students and resident trainees. The goal of the awards is to assist recipients in furthering global health research or training projects in low- or middle-income countries. Travel awards cannot be used to support conference attendance.

2024-25 Award Cycle Dates & Deadlines

*Funds must be used within 12 months of the award date.

Fall Application Cycle

Read our article announcing the fall cycle recipients.

Spring Application Cycle

Read our article announcing the spring cycle recipients.

Important Note Regarding Travel Grant Applications

  • Priority will be given to applicants traveling for academic credit and for those with a longer duration of stay.
  • The award of a travel grant does not constitute approval of the proposed trip.
  • Before funding is released, awardees will need to comply with MUSC international travel policies and provide documentation of approval from the International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC).
  • Request review and approval by initiating the process in the Student and Resident Travel Registry.

Award Information

  • Proposals must be for a future project. Funding for retroactive projects and travel are not considered.
  • The amount of awards is determined by the amount of funding available at the time the selection process occurs and based on the volume of strong applications.
  • Projects can be research, service-learning, or educational in nature, but must outline well-defined goals and objectives.
  • Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
  • Applicants must secure a letter of recommendation by a MUSC faculty member who will assume the role of mentor and assume all responsibility for assisting the applicant with preparation for travel, activities to be performed at the site, mentoring, and safety of the applicant.
    • *For residents and postdoctoral trainees: Faculty mentor must agree to work with his/her department business manager to ensure funds can be distributed from the Center for Global Health to the departments to manage the recipient’s award.
    • *For students: Awarded funds will be distributed to the respective College Division or Dean’s office to manage.
  • Funds may not be used to support salaries for trainees or post-doctoral fellows.
  • Proposals are reviewed by a review committee made up of MUSC faculty and leadership and prior trainee awardees.

This grant is for individuals.

Student groups are not eligible for this individual award.

Student applicants must be registered MUSC full-time students and be in good academic standing at the time of travel.

Applicants may not be eligible for the grant if they receive funding for the same project from another MUSC internal source. Please contact the Center for Global Health for questions.

Priority will be given to those who have not previously received funding through the Global Health Trainee Grant.

All required documents (including items 1-6) must be combined into one single PDF and submitted via email to global-health@musc.edu. Applications or letters submitted to our office via any other fashion will be considered invalid. Letters of support must be included as part of the single PDF application submission.

1. Application Cover Page. Download Global Travel Application (PDF)

2. Proposal. Provide a two-page proposal (Arial font size 11, at least 0.5” margins) which includes the following information and use the following headings:

  • Activity description. For clinically focused programs, be sure to provide anticipated patient-care responsibilities and the plan for on-site clinical supervision.

  • Specific academic learning objectives of applicant (Applicants are encouraged to work with faculty advisor to clarify learning objectives for project). Learning objectives should be built around the skills the applicant will acquire from the experience.

  • Description of host institution/partner and on-site supervision.

  • Background and experience that demonstrate applicant’s ability to carry out the project

  • Timeline

3. Personal Essay. (one-page, single space) Applicants must write a letter in first person, about their motivation for this global program and specific site, and how that fits into their career development.

4. Program Budget. Itemize expenses (i.e., pre-travel immunizations, visa/passport fees, airfare, program fees, and room and board) related to your global health experience. If budget exceeds amount of grant, include how additional sources of funds will be secured.

5. Letters of Support

  • Host site letter: This reference must be the in-country on-site preceptor, supervising physician, researcher or hosting mentor overseeing your daily involvement for the duration of the program. This letter should address your suitability for the elective, that you have permission to participate for your stated length of time, your daily role, and supervision.

  • MUSC faculty advisor letter: This letter of support should come from a MUSC faculty member who can speak to your candidacy for the scholarship, and discuss your potential and preparedness to undertake the proposed project. The faculty advisor should explicitly describe the support he/she will provide and the responsibilities for the applicant to whom he/she is committing.

  • MUSC business manager letter (only required for residents/postdoctoral trainees): This letter should come from the faculty advisor’s department business manager, confirming that they will assumes responsibility for any awarded funds and for ensuring awardee has proper documentation for reimbursement of expenses. Download Business Manager Letter Template (PDF)

6. Current CV/Resume

A review committee will evaluate the applications based upon the following criteria:

  • Overall significance of the project to global health.
  • Overall strength of applicant’s individual learning objectives.
  • The preparedness of the applicant to undertake the project as proposed.
  • Commitment level of the faculty member to act as mentor.
  • Commitment of the partnering institution.

Funds will not be released until awardees participate in an MUSC Center for Global Health pre-departure preparation orientation and adhere to the MUSC requirements for international travel.

Award is contingent upon each applicant’s satisfactory participation in MUSC’s required pre-departure preparation and evaluation process. Failure to actively participate in and complete the pre-departure preparation process can result in revocation of the award.

  • Upon return, recipients of the award are expected to:

  • If requested, complete a survey through the Center for Global Health post-return.

  • Present a poster on your experience during the center's Global Health Week (Friday, April 11, 2025)

  • Submit a personal reflection statement and a minimum of 5 quality photos no later than 1 month after returning to MUSC, and agree to allow the Center the rights to use for publicity and educational purposes. Please assure that human subjects in photos give permission for their image to be captured and disseminated.

  • Agree to reference the support of the Center for Global Health in any subsequent papers, publicity, etc.

Human Subjects Research – projects engaged in human subjects research (interaction with a living person or obtaining private information from existing data, documents, records or diagnostic specimens) must have their projects approved by the MUSC IRB and documentation of approval before receiving funds.

Please direct inquiries related to this funding announcement to:

Kathleen Ellis, Executive Director
MUSC Center for Global Health
ellisk@musc.edu