Travel Grants FAQ

Questions

Q: Who is eligible for a PyCon US Travel Grant?

A: The travel grant program is open to all contributors, attendees, students, and speakers; and aims to provide assistance to those who otherwise might not be able to attend the conference.

Q: When/how can I apply for a PyCon US Travel Grant?

A. Here are important dates around the financial aid process:

  • December 6, 2022: Travel grant applications open
  • January 21, 2023: Travel grant applications close at 23:59:59 on January 21st
  • January 30, 2023: Travel grants awarded
  • February 10, 2023: Deadline to respond to accept/decline travel grants
  • March 1, 2023: Receipts and secure document portals open
  • April 20 - April 23, 2023: Disbursement sessions at PyCon US

Please ensure you can receive emails from pycon-aid@python.org; the Travel Grant team will send email communications regarding updates and information about awards, receipt uploads, and disbursement sessions from this email address.

Q: Are there limits to how much funding I may receive?

A: PyCon US strives to provide assistance to as many applicants as possible by optimizing the funds we have available for travel grants. Recipients receive support for some or all of their expenses including travel, hotel, and meal per diems. While we wish we could give grants to everyone who applies, our funds are limited.

Please review your travel plans and adjust the amount requested to $2,000 USD or less for international travel and $1,500 or less for US domestic travel. The online-only option to attend PyCon US 2023 will be offered again for folks who cannot attend in person or require more than the travel grant cap. Please let us know if there are extenuating circumstances that may make the trip more expensive.

Possible ways to reduce expenses:

  • Conference Registration Fees should not be included in your requested amount. If you are awarded a travel grant, a complimentary conference ticket will be provided.
  • Adjust travel dates to obtain lower airfare.

If an in-person visit to PyCon US is still out of your financial means, consider attending our virtual PyCon US or a PyCon local to you.

If you have already submitted an initial request, you may adjust it by logging in to the travel grant dashboard. Please make adjustments to your application by January 20, 2023. Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Q: If I request more funds after my grant has been approved, will that affect my current grant?

A: If you cannot attend with your current award, you may request additional funds through your PyCon US dashboard, instead of accepting or declining your grant. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate you because our budget is tightly stretched. Requesting additional funds puts you into the second funding round where we distribute the remaining funds from people who have declined their awards.

You may also consider attending PyCon US virtually.

Please note that if you are requesting more funds and we are unable to allocate more funds, your previous award will no longer be available; this option is only intended for people who would not be able to attend PyCon US on their current grant.

Q: What kind of costs are covered by the PyCon US Travel Grant?

A: The costs covered by the travel grant include:

  • Airfare: economy-class tickets and baggage fees for travel to/from the conference. Flights may be direct or have stopovers of a maximum of 36 hours. Flights with layovers in other cities for 2+ days will not be fully reimbursed.
  • Lodging: hotels, motels, PyCon US room share, hostels, AirBnB, etc. for the days you attend the conference. Reimbursement is limited to the shared cost if the room has more than one occupant.
  • Transit receipts: taxi, Lyft, Uber, bus, train; mileage to/from the airport, bus/train station, lodging, or conference center; and parking at these locations.
    • Salt Lake City has an excellent train system that can provide a great, less expensive alternative to rental cars and ride sharing.
  • Per diem: covers food during the days you attend the conference plus a travel day at the beginning and end of your trip at a fixed rate. Please do not upload food receipts. Per diems are automatically granted to you based on the days that you are attending PyCon US, plus one travel day before and after conference attendance.
  • Poster printing fees for PyCon US poster presenters.
  • Visa fees for non-US nationals who must have a visa to attend the conference.
  • Check cashing fee charged by Bank of America in Salt Lake City

The following costs are not covered in the package:

  • Trip insurance
  • Paid seats on airplanes
  • Business or first-class flights
  • Transportation to/from the visa application center for visa appointments
  • Meals for the days you traveled for visa appointments
  • Airport Lounge Access Fees
  • On-board/Airport/Hotel WiFi Charges
  • Cellular roaming/international charges
  • COVID-19 vaccines, tests, or masks

If you use points or rewards to offset the cash paid for a valid travel cost, the PSF will reimburse you for the cost prior to the points or rewards application. For example, if your airfare costs $500 and you use $200 in points and $300 in cash to pay for the airfare, the PSF will reimburse $500 (up to the travel grant award amount).

Any receipt that is in non-USD currency will be reimbursed at the foreign currency amount converted to USD as of the date of the receipt.

If you are traveling with other people, reimbursements should be adjusted to reflect only your shared cost of the expenses.

If there are any ambiguities, the final discretion lies with the Travel Grant Chair.

Q: What if I need help with a US visitor visa?

A: We can provide you with an “Invitation Letter” upon request, in support of an application for a United States visitor visa. It confirms that as a registered delegate you are invited to attend by the Python Software Foundation (PSF) and the PyCon US 2023 committee. Please contact the PyCon US Registration Committee at pycon-reg@python.org if you require an Invitation Letter.

Q: Can I be reimbursed for food?

A: The Travel Grant Committee automatically adds a per-diem rate for food for each travel grant recipient. Please do not submit meal receipts. For 2023, the US GSA (Governmental Services Administration) set the per-diem rate for Salt Lake City, UT at $64 per day. Per-diems may only cover the days you are attending PyCon US and up to one travel day before and after conference attendance. For conference days, because breakfast and lunches are provided, we only provide 1/2 the per diem ($32 per day). For tutorial and sprint days, because lunches are provided, we provide 3/4 of the per diem ($48 per day).

Q: How do I provide a hotel receipt when I haven’t checked out yet?

A: A reservation confirmation from the hotel may be submitted as a receipt. The reservation confirmation should include the name and address of the hotel/motel/hostel/AirBnB, check-in and check-out dates, number of occupants, and the amount charged per day. Reimbursement is limited to the proportionate, per-person cost if the room has more than one occupant.

Q: Can I be reimbursed for auto expenses or mileage if I am driving to PyCon US?

A: Yes. The IRS mileage rate includes cost coverage for maintenance and wear and tear on the vehicle. The 2023 IRS mileage rate is $.655 per mile (https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates). Please provide a PDF or screenshot of the mileage for your trip. Please do not submit gas receipts.

Q: What if my receipt is larger than my grant amount?

A: You can upload a receipt (airfare, for example) for an amount larger than your grant, but you will only be reimbursed up to the award amount.

Q: Should I register for the conference before I find out if my travel grant application has been approved?

A: No. Applicants do not need to register for fear that the conference will sell out! We set aside tickets for travel grant recipients.

Q: How do I upload my receipts for reimbursement?

A: After your application has been approved, and you have accepted the award, log into your PyCon US dashboard and click on the “Upload Receipt” link on your dashboard.

Receipts must include the following:

  • Your full name
  • Name of the service provider (i.e., hotel name, taxi company, airline name, etc.)
  • The date of the transaction
  • The amount of the transaction

Airfare and transit receipts should include your origin and destination locations

Q: What if I don’t come to PyCon US?

A: If you do not register and attend PyCon US, you will not receive your grant. Please notify the Travel Grant Committee that you cannot attend as soon as possible so we can redistribute your funds.to

Q: How do I receive my travel grant disbursement?

A: Disbursement of funds will be onsite during the conference in Room 254ABC at the convention center during one of the following sessions. You must attend a disbursement session during the conference in order to receive your travel grant. If you need to make special accommodations, please contact us at pycon-aid@python.org.

  • April 20, 2023 9:00 am to 11:00 am
  • April 21, 2023 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
  • April 22, 2023 9:00 am to 11:00 am
  • April 23, 2023 9:00 am to 11:00 am

Please bring a government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, to the disbursement session so that the travel grant team can confirm your identity. The identity check ensures that the name on the payment matches your government ID to prevent delays in receiving the funds.

Q: What documents are considered government IDs for checking in at the Travel Grant disbursement session?

A: All IDs should be current and include a picture.

If you are 18 years of age and over:

  • United States citizens: driver’s license, learner’s permit, or picture ID issued by one of the 50 US states, passport, or a military ID
  • Non-US citizens: a valid passport.

If you are under 18 years of age:

  • PyCon US requires that you are accompanied by a parent, teacher, or guardian 18 years of age or older.
  • The travel grant team will verify the accompanying adult’s valid identity proof (see above rules for an adult).
  • Please bring a valid School Photo ID, driver’s license, learner’s permit, state ID, or a passport for the minor, if available.

Q: What payment options are available?

A: Please visit our Payment Options page for more information.

Q: How long does it take to receive my payment?

A: Once the PSF has received complete receipts and payment details, payment will be issued within 7 business days. The quickest payment methods are Zelle and PayPal. If you select wire or ACH, your bank may take longer to release funds based on their policy. Please check with your bank to ensure your account can receive an ACH or wire transfer if you select one of those payment options.

Q: Do you have any other tips for applying for a travel grant?

A: Yes! A member of the 2023 Travel Grant Committee has written up a great blog post with tips for applying for travel grants from any conference, not just PyCon. Check it out on her website!

Q: Is there a bank near the convention center where I can cash my travel grant check without a fee?

A: The PSF has a banking relationship with Bank of America who will cash PSF checks for travel grants. Please let us know if you intend to cash your check at Bank of America so that we can reimburse you for Bank of America's $15 check-cashing fee.

When you go to the bank to cash your check, please bring a government-issued ID if you live in the United States, or a passport if you live outside of the United States.

Please let the accounting team know if you have issues cashing your check.

  • Branch location: Bank of America Financial Center 280 S. Main St Salt Lake City, UT 84101 USA
  • Branch telephone: (801) 410-7553
  • Branch hours: 9:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday. Closed Saturday-Sunday.
  • Bank website link