Student Conference Support

Grants and fee waivers

The Society offers a limited number of supplemental travel grants (airfare/lodging) and conference registration fee waivers to SPIE Student Members – including Student Authors, Student Chapter Members, and Student Attendees – who are planning to present or attend an SPIE meeting.

View conferences offering support

Student Members enjoying a photo moment at an SPIE conference



Thanks to our sponsor

Travel support to attend SPIE Photonics West and SPIE Optics + Photonics is sponsored by MKS Instruments, Inc. SPIE thanks MKS for their generous support of the program.

SPIE conferences offering student support


Conference Application Dates
Advanced Lithography + Patterning 2024

Deadline: 21 November 2023

Apply

Photonics West 2024 and AR|VR|MR 2024

Deadline: 17 November 2023

Apply

Medical Imaging 2024

Deadline 1 December 2023

Apply

Smart Structures + Nondestructive Evaluation 2024

Opens 4 December 2023

Optical Systems Design 2024

Opens January 2024

Photonics Europe 2024

Opens January 2024

Defense + Commercial Sensing 2024

Opens January 2024

Future Sensing Technologies 2024

Opens February 2024

Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2024

Opens February 2024

Sensors + Imaging 2023

Closed 7 July 2023

Optics + Photonics 2023

Closed 20 June 2023

Optics + Optoelectronics 2023

Closed 10 February 2023

Optical Metrology 2023

Closed 21 April 2023

Digital Optical Technologies 2023

Closed 28 April 2023

Optifab 2023

Closed

 

For more information on conferences offering support, contact SPIE Member Support

Frequently asked questions


  • Up to $700 for domestic airfare/lodging; up to $1000 for international airfare/lodging*
  • One non-transferable conference registration fee waiver

* It is strongly recommended when purchasing your airfare, to carefully review their cancellation policy. SPIE will only reimburse for airfare/lodging if students are able to attend.

All Applicants

  • Must be a current Student Member of SPIE with an active membership through the dates of the conference you are presenting at or attending
  • Must be a full-time student in a high school, undergraduate, or graduate program

Student Authors

  • Must have an accepted paper
  • Must submit your manuscript to be published in the Proceedings of SPIE
  • Must be available to present at an SPIE meeting

Important Notes

  • This is a competitive process, and priority will be given to student authors
  • Student Members are eligible to receive one conference support award every two years; multiple support per year will not be considered
  • Grant recipients must secure visa to travel
  • Students are not eligible if they have completed their PhD, ScD, or MD program

  • All applicants will be notified approximately 1-2 weeks after the application deadline
  • If awarded, travel funding will be reimbursed after the conference via bank transfer. Receipts for airfare and/or lodging will be required.
  • Incomplete or late applications will not be considered

  • Not all SPIE meetings offer student conference support; see list above to see which meetings have open applications
  • If you are eligible to apply, locate the corresponding meeting below, click on the application link, and complete your application before the deadline

Further questions? Contact SPIE Member Support

 

SPIE is incorporated in the state of California, USA, and abides by US laws that may restrict cash awards to residents of some countries. To qualify for an award, students and institutions must be eligible to receive funds under US federal guidelines.