• GSPDF 2025-2026 INFO

GSPDF applications closed October 15 and will re-open on Tuesday, January 20 with funding for the Spring 2026 semester. Be sure to read all terms and conditions carefully, as students may only submit up to two applications each academic year, regardless of whether they are funded or not. Start working on your application now, and reach out to usm.gspdf@maine.edu with your questions!

About the Graduate Student Professional Development Fund (GSPDF)

The Graduate Student Professional Development Fund (GSPDF) was created to provide financial support for USM graduate students pursuing professional development opportunities beyond the classroom. These are opportunities that broaden intellectual understanding, hone professional practice, facilitate professional connections and allow networking with colleagues and peers. Eligible graduate students may submit up to two applications per academic year (June through May), for a maximum of $1,000 to cover approved professional development-related expenses.

IMPORTANT: We cannot reimburse for purchases that have already been made. Please wait for application approval and specific instructions from the Office of Graduate Studies before spending your own money on expenses for which you are seeking reimbursement.

GSPDF Award Cycle Dates

Applications will only be accepted during certain times of the academic year. The Office of Graduate Studies will close the application if funds are exhausted prior to the stated deadlines. Students must be enrolled during the semester for which funding is used. 

  • Summer applications are open June 15, 2025 – July 15, 2025. All professional development events and pursuits must take place during the window of July 3-August 15. Applications for professional development outside of these dates will not be funded.
  • Fall applications are open September 2, 2025 – October 15, 2025. All professional development must be completed by April 30, 2026. Students may apply in fall for professional development endeavors that occur in spring, as long as the application is submitted within the stated dates (September 2 – October 15) and the student is enrolled in at least 3 credits for the spring semester.
  • Spring applications are open January 20, 2026 – March 1, 2026. All professional development must be completed by April 30, 2026. Only professional development endeavors that occur during the permissible spring semester dates (January 20 – April 30) will be considered during the spring application cycle. 

All funding is contingent upon the GSPDF terms and conditions outlined below.

*Attempting to apply outside the posted dates will result in an error message.

Apply here!*

Graduate Student Professional Development Fund (GSPDF) Terms and Conditions

It is the responsibility of USM graduate students to review and agree to the GSPDF terms and conditions in order to be considered for funding. These terms and conditions were developed in conjunction with a steering committee of graduate students and staff members.

  • Submitting an application does not guarantee support.
  • It is required that all students who apply for funding review all GSPDF terms and conditions. 
  • Retroactive reimbursements: GSPDF cannot fund/reimburse for purchases that were made prior to written award approval. Applicants must wait for documented funding approval and specific instructions from the Office of Graduate Studies before spending their own money on professional development expenses.
  • Number of applications per year: Effective July 1, 2024, graduate students may submit no more than two applications per academic year, regardless of whether or not their application(s) is funded. 
  • Award value: The maximum amount an individual student may be awarded in a single academic year (June-May) is $1,000. Individual awards may be limited, per the discretion of the Office of Graduate Studies office, in order to maximize equitable distribution of funding.
  • Group applications are not accepted. If multiple students would like to attend the same conference, each student must apply individually. Funding is not guaranteed. 
  • Application dates: The GSPDF application will only be open during certain times. Any student interested in GSPDF funds must apply by the deadline each semester. Pending their eligibility, students may submit applications in the fall for spring professional development endeavors. 
  • Transferability: If a student is unable to attend the professional development experience for which they were awarded funding, it is highly unlikely the allocated funds may be transferred to another activity. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and requires prior written approval from Office of Graduate Studies staff. 
  • Cancellations: In the exceptional case that an event is cancelled beyond the control of the student awardee, it may be possible to transfer the fund to another activity, though this is not guaranteed. Award transfer due to vendor cancellation will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and requires prior written approval from Office of Graduate Studies staff. 
  • Funding limitations: Students will be awarded pending availability of funding. Funds may be exhausted at any time and are not guaranteed to remain available through the set deadline each semester. 
  • Airfare: GSPDF awards may be used to fund flights. However, all air travel must be booked through Concur, a software used by the University of Maine System to manage travel and expenses. Air travel booked through third parties (Expedia, KAYAK, etc.) or directly through the airline (JetBlue, Southwest, etc.) is not valid for reimbursement. Per University policy, Basic Economy and Light fares are not allowed in Concur due to their highly restrictive nature, and this should be taken into consideration when students are planning their proposed award budgets. Additionally, GSPDF cannot cover the cost of checked bag and/or carry-on luggage fees.
  • An application submission is required in order to be considered for GSPDF funding. Students may not submit more than two applications per academic year, regardless of whether or not their application(s) is funded. Students must apply for GSPDF funds using the designated webform available on the Office of Graduate Studies website. 
  • Terms & Conditions: It is the responsibility of the student applicant/award recipient to review and adhere to the GSPDF Terms & Conditions. Prior to applying for an award, students must review all policies pertaining to eligibility and qualifications for awards. Incomplete, inaccurate, or ineligible applications will not be funded.
    • Failure to adhere to the stated terms and conditions may impact whether a student’s submission is funded in future GSPDF application cycles. 
  • Application cycle dates: Applications will only be accepted during certain times of the academic year. The Office of Graduate Studies will close the application if funds are exhausted prior to the stated deadlines. Students must be enrolled during the semester(s) for which funding is requested and used. 
    • Summer applications are open June 15, 2025 – July 15, 2025. Professional development events and pursuits must take place during the window of July 3 – August 15. Applications for professional development outside of these dates will not be funded. 
    • Fall applications are open September 2, 2025 – October 15, 2025. All professional development must be completed by April 30. Students may apply in fall for professional development endeavors that occur in spring, as long as the application is submitted within the stated dates (September 2 – October 15) and the student is enrolled in at least 3 credits for the spring semester.
    • Spring applications are open January 20, 2026 – March 1, 2026. All professional development must be completed by April 30. Only professional development endeavors that occur during the permissible spring semester dates (January 20 – April 30) will be considered during the spring application cycle. 
  • Application review timing: Submissions will be reviewed upon receipt, on a rolling basis, during the stated application cycle dates. Students should allow at least two weeks for application review. Notification regarding an application decision will be sent to the student within four weeks of receiving their submission. 
  • Event timing: In order to allow ample time for review, applications must be completed at least 2 weeks prior to the event date, though the Office of Graduate Studies reserves the right to take up to four weeks for application review. Applications will automatically be denied if submitted after an event takes place. 
  • Expense verification: The Office of Graduate Studies will verify the event/course/membership/professional development endeavor that each student is requesting funding for in order to determine its legitimacy and that the amount requested aligns with said activity/event. 
  • Application content: Applications must be complete in order to be considered for funding. Incomplete applications will not be funded, and will be considered one of the two applications a student may submit per academic year. Students are expected to follow the prompts carefully and be thorough in their responses. Most application questions are available in the document linked here. (Questions not included within the document pertain to demographic information about the student, and management of award funds.)
Apply here!*

*Attempting to apply outside of the posted dates will result in an error message.

  • Academic program limitations: Some programs do not pay into the fund as part of their tuition and are therefore not eligible to receive GSPDF awards.
    • Students matriculated in an accelerated online program are not eligible to receive GSPDF awards. 
    • Students matriculated in a certificate of graduate study program are not eligible to receive GSPDF awards. Students matriculated in a certificate of advanced study program are eligible.
    • As of Fall 2024, students matriculated in the Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) program are eligible to receive GSPDF awards.
  • In order for students to be eligible for funding, they must be:
    • Matriculated into a GSPDF-eligible graduate program
    • Enrolled in at least 3 credits per semester
    • In good standing with the university
    • Making satisfactory academic progress. 
  • Students must be enrolled during the semester that funding is requested, and must be enrolled during the semester funding is proposed to be used. 
  • Students may only receive up to $1,000 in GSPDF funding in a single academic year (which, for GSPDF purposes, is June through May). 
  •  If at any time a student’s eligibility for funding changes, the student must forfeit the award or reimburse the GSPDF for funds already used. 
  • Once a student graduates, they are not eligible for funding or reimbursement of any kind.

Allowable Professional Development

  • Conference registration fees 
  • Some travel expenses related to trainings or conferences (transportation, parking, lodging)
  • Professional development trainings (including through USM’s Professional Development Programs Office)
  • Professional organization memberships not required by the student’s academic program
  • Some travel costs associated with USM study abroad courses
  • Honorarium for inviting speakers to campus to present to graduate students 

Prohibited Professional Development

  • Costs associated with any program requirements, including academics, field experience, practicum, research, or clinical requirements. This may include, but is not limited to:
    • background checks
    • CPR certification
    • immunizations
    • textbooks
    • research expenses
  • Board certification fees related to licensure in your field of study (including study materials)
  • Travel upgrades (e.g., business class)
  • Checked bag and/or carry-on luggage fees
  • Food expenses
  • Instances where a student is required to attend a conference as part of a class in which they are enrolled
  • Award notifications: Award notifications (acceptance and denials) will be sent via email in accordance with the stated application review timing. If the application submission is funded, the award notification will contain valuable information and instructions that must be followed in order for the Office of Graduate Studies to process the award. It is the responsibility of the student to read the award notification carefully and follow up as instructed. 
  • Award acceptance: Students who receive funding must acknowledge the award notification within two weeks of the award notification sent date by replying directly to the award notification email and following the instructions within the award notification. If a student fails to accept their award as directed, the student must forfeit the award and the funding.   
  • Accessing funds: Once the Office of Graduate Studies receives the student’s award acceptance acknowledgement, staff will work with the student to access the award funds. Students are expected to communicate promptly and clearly with the Office of Graduate Studies GSPDF representative and provide that person with all the necessary information to move forward.
    • Direct Payment Option: In some instances, the GSPDF may be able to pay fees on behalf of the awardee. This must be coordinated with the Office of Graduate Studies and may require a meeting with a staff member. The Office of Graduate Studies may not be able to make direct purchases.
      • Change in participation: If the GSPDF pays for an expense on behalf of the student and, if for any reason the student does not participate in the event, it is the responsibility of the student to notify the Office of Graduate Studies and reimburse the GSPDF for all unused funds.  
    • Reimbursement Option: 
      • Approval required: Any reimbursement request must be approved before the transaction can be processed. 
      • Reimbursement processing: Reimbursements are only processed after the event/travel takes place. (E.g., if registration for a conference in April opens in February, reimbursements will not be processed until after the conference concludes in April.) Students may be reimbursed within 45 days of the event taking place. 
      • Reimbursement platform: All reimbursements are processed via Concur. Students must work with the Office of Graduate Studies GSPDF staff in order to set-up and/or verify their activated Concur account. Once they have an active Concur account, it is the responsibility of the student to follow the reimbursement instructions provided. Actions for which the student is responsible include but are not limited to:
        • setting up their direct deposit** information; 
        • assigning the designated staff as their expense delegate(s);   
        • providing all the necessary documentation and valid receipts required for processing the reimbursement. 
      • Sales tax limitations: Per University policy, Maine sales tax charges are not reimbursable. The University of Southern Maine is exempt from Maine sales tax, and can therefore avoid such charges if paying directly. However, if a student seeks funds for expenses that include such tax they will not be reimbursed by the University. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies to explore how best to manage sales tax concerns.
      • **Please note that direct deposit for GSPDF reimbursement is not the same direct deposit information used for tuition reimbursement. Direct deposit expedites the receipt of reimbursement funds and eliminates the possibility of mailing delays. 
  • Travel: Any GSPDF awards that involve travel must adhere to the provided Upcoming GSPDF Travel guidance. It is the responsibility of the awardee to read, understand, and adhere to all guidance outlined therein.
    • Note: Effective May 7, 2025, REAL ID-compliant documentation is required for proof of identity in order to board commercial aircraft (read more here). Students are responsible for making sure they have the proper identification that meets TSA REAL ID requirements for air travel. If a GSPDF awardee is unable to board flight(s) due to non-compliance, associated costs (including rebooking fees or missed flights) will not be covered by the GSPDF and the student will be liable for reimbursing the University for the cost of the flight(s) and other related award expenses.
    • Lodging: GSPDF awards may be used to fund lodging. However, due to third party policies and payment processing systems, non-hotel lodging expenses (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) are reimbursement only.
  • Valid receipt dates: Applications for reimbursement will not be approved after an event has already taken place. If award funds are granted and a student’s receipts or documentation reflect a date prior to the send date of their award letter, the student must forfeit the award. 
  • Valid receipt documentation: Reimbursements will be issued only with a valid receipt. A valid receipt is one that shows the vendor’s information (merchant name, location), date of purchase, itemized charges (description, quantity, and total cost of EACH item purchased), and the total amount and method of payment. Documents that are invalid include but are not limited to:
    • Credit card/bank statement
    • Screenshot of a website or membership card
    • Invoice showing a charge only
    • Hotel receipt in someone else’s name
    • Certificate of study
    • Non-itemized expenses
  • Documentation timing: If proper documentation is not submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by the student within 10 business days of the event occurrence, the student must forfeit the award and will not be reimbursed. Students must notify the Office of Graduate Studies when their professional development concludes so a delegate may assist in submitting an expense report.
  • Graduation limitations: Once a student graduates, they are not eligible for funding or reimbursement of any kind. Even if funds have been awarded, if the necessary documentation is not provided to the Office of Graduate Studies by the day the student graduates, the student must forfeit the award.
  • Enrollment requirement: To be eligible for summer funding, students must be enrolled in at least 3 credits at USM during one or both of the summer sessions.
  • Summer graduation: Students graduating in August will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Even if funds have been awarded, if the necessary documentation is not provided to the Office of Graduate Studies by the day the student graduates, the student must forfeit the award.
  • Expenditure dates: All professional development events and pursuits must take place during the window of July 3-August 15. Applications for professional development outside of these dates will not be funded.
  • All other GSPDF terms and conditions are applicable unless otherwise stated within the GSPDF Summer Award Terms & Conditions.