Student Travel Grant

Call for Applications

Thanks to generous support from the National Science Foundation, we will provide a maximum of 15 scholarship awards to selected U.S.-based students attending the Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society (FLAIRS) conference in Marco Island FL, May 17-20, 2026; see www.FLAIRS‑39.info. The scholarships will include financial support of $2500 for registration, travel, and lodging.

Expectations

Awardees must register for the conference and will have to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation. Awardees must attend the conference in person, participate in pre- and post-surveys, participate daily in conference sessions, and attend a specially organized event for awardees only.

Eligibility

The objective of this award is to increase exposure to artificial intelligence activities and research for students who would otherwise not have this opportunity. Applicants must be full-time students (undergraduate or graduate) at a U.S.-based academic institution. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate a financial need that cannot be covered by their advisor or institution.  The selection will be made based on the following criteria:

• Computer Science (or related discipline) major,

• Junior, Senior, or first-year Graduate student,

• Demonstrated financial need, and

• Application materials (see below)

Application Procedure

To apply for a grant, the student must submit the necessary materials through the website (https://tinyurl.com/FLAIRS-NSF-Award-2026) no later than January 26th, 2026 (11:59 pm PST). Applications arriving after the deadline will not be considered. Applicants will be notified by February 20, 2026. Please submit the following materials with your application:

• Full name and email address.

• Name and address of university/college.

• Advisor’s letter of recommendation (submitted as a PDF).

• Student’s 1-2 page CV/Resume (submitted as a PDF).

• Student’s response to the following question: Why are you interested in attending FLAIRS? Student should consider discussing: research interests and scholarly accomplishments to date, the impact of participation on the student’s research and professional development, and a statement of financial need.

• Optional demographic data for reporting purposes (will not be used for selection): 

  • • Gender

    • Ethnic background

Important Dates

• Application submission: January 26, 2026 (11:59 pm PST)

• Application notification: February 20, 2026

We are looking forward to receiving your applications!

Questions: You may send your questions regarding the travel award application process to Bill Eberle (weberle@tntech.edu) or Doug Talbert (dtalbert@tntech.edu).