Newman Exploration Travel Fund

Applications for the 2026 NEXT Award are open and due by 6:00 pm on Sunday, February 1, 2026. Continue reading for details about NEXT 2026.

The Newman Exploration Travel Fund (NEXT) aims to support students, faculty, and staff on the Danforth, North, and West Campuses who wish to explore this vast universe.

At WashU, we view travel as a valued means of exploring the world so that we may return to our communities with an expanded awareness that inspires growth, excellence, and innovation.

Traveling into the unknown represents a unique opportunity to achieve myriad goals, whether cultural, intellectual, philosophical, or academic, or to realize a lifelong dream, to serve others, or to broaden our horizons and sense of place in the world.

Any eligible student or member of the Danforth, North, and West Campus faculty and staff with an open mind and a sense of adventure is invited to apply for the Newman Exploration Travel Fund. See the Frequently Asked Questions for details on eligibility.

Program Details

• Two Newman Exploration Travel Scholarships will be given to full-time students (graduate and undergraduate) in good academic and conduct standing.
• One Newman Exploration Travel Grant will be given to a full-time and benefits-eligible faculty member in good standing as an employee of WashU on the Danforth, North, or West Campus.
• One Newman Exploration Travel Grant will be given to a full-time and benefits-eligible staff member in good standing as an employee of WashU on the Danforth, North, or West Campus.
• The prize amount is up to $10,000 per award. Awards are granted to one individual per proposal. Travel must be completed by the end of the calendar year in which the award was granted.
• Recipients are required to deliver an in-person presentation and participate in a poster session the following spring.

Travel Criteria

Travel for the fund should be for:

• Intellectual, cultural, and/or scholarly development
• Personal growth and expanded awareness
• Conducting research toward academic or personal learning goals
• Service or contribution to the greater good

All applicants must be in good standing with the university, including academic and professional standing and conduct.

Eligible Travel

• Minimum two weeks travel; however, exceptions to this minimum are eligible for consideration.
• The minimum time requirement will allow for a meaningful and/or transformative experience.
• Faculty and staff selected to participate must comply with University Human Resources policies and procedures regarding using vacation and/or unpaid leave.

How to Apply

All applications must include all of the elements outlined below to be considered.

Faculty and staff applications should include written approval from their supervisor acknowledging the anticipated travel duration.

Complete and submit an application via the 2026 NEXT Award Application online portal by 6:00 pm on Sunday, February 1, 2026.

Share a travel budget using the Travel Budget Template (Excel file), including estimated costs for airfare, lodging, food, ground transportation, activity fees, passport or visa fees, and/or incidental costs, plus Geo Blue Students international health insurance (estimated cost $250, for students only).

Include a written proposal (3-5 pages, about 750-1,500 words) with a footnote regarding the current State Department travel advisory level for your proposed travel countries.

Additional Requirements

Recipients must submit a post-travel report with airfare, lodging, and transportation receipts and lead an in-person presentation in the spring of 2027 about their travel to the Newman Exploration Center. The presentations should include the impacts of the travel, any surprises, and lessons learned. Recipients must also present photos or videos to share for future promotional activities.

Notification

After judging is complete, all entrants will be notified.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline?
The 2026 NEXT Award deadline is February 1, 2026, at 6 pm.

Can the Newman Exploration Travel Fund support multiple small individual trips instead of one large trip?
No. The funding is for one trip, but the trip can have multiple locations.

Is there a specific format for the proposal for the application?
The structure for the proposal is open; there is no set format.

What do applications need to include?
Applications must include a proposed budget (Excel files only) using the travel budget template, a 3-5 page written proposal, and submission of the online 2026 NEXT Award application. Faculty and staff applications should include written approval from a supervisor acknowledging the anticipated travel duration.

Can senior-level students apply?
No, this is a year-long program, so students graduating in 2026 are not eligible. This restriction also applies to graduate students.

Are students who are planning to study abroad in the spring of 2027 eligible for this award?
No, this is a one-year program, and recipients are required to lead an in-person presentation and participate in a poster session in the spring of 2027.

Can WashU Medical Campus students, faculty, and staff apply?
No. The Newman Exploration Travel Fund is only open to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in programs on the Danforth Campus, as well as to faculty and staff on the Danforth, North, and West Campuses.

I have applied to or been admitted to WashU but have not yet enrolled. Can I apply for the travel fund?
No. You must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at WashU.

If I have already received some funding for a trip I am planning, can I still apply for the Newman Exploration Travel Fund?
Yes. You will be required to state whether you already have additional funding for your proposal, and you may be asked to submit information regarding the amount of that funding.

Would I be eligible to apply for the fund after my travel has already started?
No, travel must occur between the date the scholarship/grant was awarded and the end of the calendar year.

Are monies paid to me by the Newman Exploration Travel Fund taxable?
The award amount is classified as a fellowship grant for US tax purposes and is considered taxable income to the recipient.

What if I do not use the entire award?
Any unused portion of the award in excess of $200 should be returned to the Newman Exploration Travel Fund. Alternatively, recipients may request an amendment to their proposal to utilize the remaining funds, although approval of such requests is not guaranteed.