Career Center Professional Development Grant
The Career Center Professional Development Grants enable eligible undergraduate and graduate students to receive amounts up to $2,500 each year to participate in conferences, professional memberships, job fair registration fees, professional networking events and more. Applicants will be evaluated based on need, the experience and how closely the experience aligns with career goals. Applications are reviewed and decisions for awarding grants are made on an ongoing basis during the fall and spring semester application periods. A student may apply once per application period. For graduate and professional student applicants, approval is required from your faculty advisor, principal investigator (PI), or program director. See full Eligibility Guidelines below.
NOTE: Applications will not be accepted to fund summer internships, tuition, education abroad, professional school admission exam preparation, medical bills, or certification/license fees. Professional development experiences occurring after a student graduates will not be eligible. The amount you receive in this grant could potentially impact the amount of your current financial aid. We strongly recommend that you reach out to the Office of Financial Assistance at finaid@villanova.edu to check in with them before accepting any additional grant dollars.
Application Periods*:
Fall Semester 2025 – Open until December 5 (The fall 2025 application period is closed).
Spring Semester 2026 – January 14 through April 8
*This grant opportunity may close earlier than the posted application period dates if available funds have been distributed.
It’s easy as 1, 2, 3!
Step 1 | Identify An Enriching Professional Development Experience
Identify an experience that closely fits with your career goals and meets the described criteria in the Eligibility Guidelines section.
Step 2 | Complete Professional Development Grant Application Materials
See the Required Application Materials section for details.
- Budget
- Resume or CV
- Personal Statement
Step 3 | Upload Application Materials to Blackbaud Award Management (BAM)
- Login to BAM
- Complete the online application questions and upload your materials to BAM before the deadline.
- Preferred file format is .pdf**
Allow approximately three weeks for review and decision about your award.
Villanova Professional Development Grant undergraduate student applicants must meet the following basic criteria.
- Undergraduate first-year, sophomore, junior, and senior students are eligible to apply for funding to support professional development experiences that occur prior to graduation date.
- Fundable experiences include: conference registration fees, conference research presentations, professional memberships, job fair registration fees, professional networking events, interview travel expenses and more.
- Travelers should choose convenient, safe, and reasonably priced accommodations whenever practical. When attending a conference, travelers may stay at the conference hotel and should take advantage of special conference rates whenever possible.
- Many hotels have frequent guest programs that reward travelers with free accommodations in exchange for a specified number of paid room nights at the hotel. The University will not reimburse travelers for the value of free accommodations used for travel.
- Transportation – Airfare, Train or Bus
- Economy/coach class tickets are required
- Rail tickets should be purchased directly from Rail Provider (e.g., Amtrak, SEPTA). The traveler should seek to obtain the lowest rate possible. Amtrak-Acela is considered extravagant and is not allowed.
- Ground transportation from/to airport or train station to hotel is allowable.
- Request does not include expenses related to: tuition, education abroad, professional school admission exam preparation, internship, medical bills, or certification/license fees.
- Amount requested does not exceed $2500 per academic year.
- Submit application at least one month prior to the experience.
- Be able to provide documentation of expense.
- Apply once during a application period.
- Please be aware: The amount you receive in this grant could potentially impact the amount of your current financial aid. We strongly recommend that you reach out to the Office of Financial Assistance at finaid@villanova.edu to check in with them before accepting any additional grant dollars.
- Personal Statement – Prepare a personal statement that is well‐written, thoughtful and focused answers to the prompts provided on the application portal, Blackbaud Award Management (BAM). The statement should clearly support your financial need for the grant and not simply restate the expenses that are included in your budget.
- Resume/CV – If needed, schedule a coaching session with a Career Center Advisor (Register on Handshake) to receive guidance on creating or improving your resume/CV.
- Budget – Include supporting documents as proof of expense such as airfare receipt/confirmation, hotel room invoice, link to conference registration fees, etc. Please use the Sample Budget Worksheet to help you determine the amount of funds you need for your experience. Sample budget Worksheet 2024DOWNLOAD BUDGET WORKSHEET
APPLICATIONS
What is required to submit an application?
An application will be considered completed when all required documents are uploaded to the award management platform (BAM). The application packet must include all of the items listed in the Required Application Materials section.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. You are encouraged to identify your professional development experience well before the deadline. Note: Funding is limited. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline or when all funds have been disbursed, whichever comes first.
When will applications be reviewed and decisions made?
Application review and decisions are made on a rolling basis. You should receive and email informing you of your award or decline within three weeks.
GRANT AWARDS
If I receive an award, how much funding can I expect?
The maximum grant award is $2,500. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, it is likely that you will receive a percentage of your request.
How will receiving this grant impact my financial aid?
The amount you receive in this grant could potentially impact the amount of your current financial aid. We strongly recommend that you reach out to the Office of Financial Assistance at finaid@villanova.edu to check in with them before accepting any additional grant dollars.
Can I apply for a professional development grant award to support a fall and spring semester experience?
You may apply separately for a professional development grant during the fall and again in the spring semesters. You will not be eligible to apply if you have already reached the maximum grant amount of $2,500. One application will be accepted during a semester. Preference will be given to qualified applicants who have never received a professional development grant.
When will I be notified if I am chosen for the award?
You will be notified approximately three weeks after your completed application submission.
If I am awarded funding, when will I receive payment?
If you are awarded funding and submit the required forms as requested, you will receive the award via direct deposit approximately three to four weeks after your submission.
If I am awarded funding, how will the funds be disbursed?
If your application is approved, the funds will be transferred to your Bursar’s Office tuition account, pending that you do not have any financial holds on your account. Once the funds are there, you can apply for an e-refund via www.bursar.villanova.edu to receive them.
What if I do not have direct deposit?
You may setup Direct Deposit refunds by enrolling through MyNova. If you do not want Electronic Refunds, go to MyNova to request the refund as a check refund.
Are there additional steps I should take if my experience is international?
If you are awarded a Professional Development Grant and your experience is outside of the United States requiring international travel, you must register your trip with Villanova University. The registration process includes additional requirements that must be submitted to the University’s Office of Insurance and Risk Management prior to departure.
Who should I contact if I am an international student with an opportunity outside of the United States?
Contact the Office of International Students and Scholars for additional information.
Additional Questions? Email studentfunding@villanova.edu.
It’s easy as 1, 2, 3!
Step 1 | Identify An Enriching Professional Development Experience
Identify an experience that closely fits with your career goals and meets the described criteria in the Eligibility Guidelines section.
Step 2 | Complete Professional Development Grant Application Materials
See the Required Application Materials section for details.
- Budget
- Resume or CV
- Personal Statement
- Department Approval Letter
Step 3 | Upload Application Materials to Blackbaud Award Management (BAM)
- Login to BAM
- Allow approximately three weeks for review and decision about your award.
- Preferred file format is .pdf**
Allow approximately three weeks for review and decision about your award. The Graduate Professional Development Grant is a reimbursement based program. If your application is approved, you will be required to submit receipts related to your expenses at the conclusion of your experience, which will trigger reimbursement for all previously approved expenses. Funds that are disbursed for approved grants will be limited to actual expenses with receipts.
Villanova Professional Development Grant graduate student applicants must meet the following basic criteria.
- Be an enrolled graduate student seeking funding to support professional development experiences that occur prior to graduation.
- Fundable experiences include: conference attendance and research presentations (registration, transportation to conference location including air and train transport, and accommodations), professional memberships, job fair registration fees, professional networking events, interview travel expenses and more.
- Travelers should choose convenient, safe, and reasonably priced accommodations whenever practical. When attending a conference, travelers may stay at the conference hotel and should take advantage of special conference rates whenever possible.
- TransportationAirfare, Train or Bus
- Economy/coach class tickets are required.
- Rail tickets should be purchased directly from Rail Provider (e.g., Amtrak, SEPTA). The traveler should seek to obtain the lowest rate possible. Amtrak-Acela is considered extravagant and is not allowed.
- Request does not include expenses related to: tuition, education abroad, professional school admission exam preparation, internship, medical bills, or certification/license fees. Meals and ground transport at conferences will not be covered.
- Amount requested does not exceed $2500 per academic year.
- Submit application at least one month prior to the experience.
- Be able to provide documentation of the expense.
- Apply once during a application period.
- Please be aware: The amount you receive in this grant could potentially impact the amount of your current financial aid. We strongly recommend that you reach out to the Office of Financial Assistance at finaid@villanova.edu to check in with them before accepting any additional grant dollars.
- Personal Statement – Prepare a personal statement that is well‐written, thoughtful and provides focused answers to the prompts on the application portal, Blackbaud Award Management (BAM). The statement should clearly support your financial need for the grant and not simply restate the expenses that are included in your budget.
- Resume/CV – If needed, schedule a coaching session with a Career Management Coach to receive guidance on creating or improving your resume/CV.
- Budget – Include supporting documents as proof of expense such as airfare receipt/confirmation, hotel room invoice, link to conference registration fees, etc. Please use the Sample Budget Worksheet to help you determine the amount of funds you need for your experience. If your application is approved, you will be required to submit receipts related to your expenses at the conclusion of your experience, which will trigger reimbursement for all previously approved expenses. Funds that are disbursed for approved grants will be limited to actual expenses with receipts. Sample budget Worksheet 2024DOWNLOAD BUDGET WORKSHEET
- Approval Letter – A letter from your faculty advisor, principal investigator (PI), or program director stating their approval that your professional experience aligns with your area of study and will advance your career. A pdf copy of an email from your approver with their endorsement will be accepted.
APPLICATIONS
What is required to submit an application?
An application will be considered completed when all required documents are uploaded to the award management platform (BAM). The application packet must include all of the items listed in the Required Application Materials section.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. You are encouraged to identify your professional development experience well before the deadline. Note: Funding is limited. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline or when all funds have been disbursed, whichever comes first.
When will applications be reviewed and decisions made?
Application review and decisions are made on a rolling basis. You should receive and email informing you of your award or decline within three weeks.
GRANT AWARDS
If I receive an award, how much funding can I expect?
The maximum grant award is $2,500. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, it is likely that you will receive a percentage of your request.
How will receiving this grant impact my financial aid?
The amount you receive in this grant could potentially impact the amount of your current financial aid. We strongly recommend that you reach out to the Office of Financial Assistance at finaid@villanova.edu to check in with them before accepting any additional grant dollars.
Can I apply for a professional development grant award to support a fall and spring semester experience?
You may apply separately for a professional development grant during the fall and again in the spring semesters. You will not be eligible to apply if you have already reached the maximum grant amount of $2,500. One application will be accepted during a semester. Preference will be given to qualified applicants who have never received a professional development grant.
When will I be notified if I am chosen for the award?
You will be notified approximately three weeks after your completed application submission.
If I am awarded funding, when will I receive payment?
If you are awarded funding and submit the required forms and documentation as requested, you will receive reimbursement for your expenses after your experience is completed.
If I am awarded funding, how will the funds be disbursed?
If your application is approved and you are awarded a Professional Development Grant, the funds will be reimbursed after you have completed your experience.
To be reimbursed by Villanova University, you must complete the following requirements:
- VERY IMPORTANT: Please check your current address via myNOVA > NOVASIS > Additional Personal Information. If your address has changed, you must submit a Change of Address Form through the Office of the Registrar in order for your Banner record to be updated.
- DIRECT DEPOSIT: We highly recommend that you take advantage of direct deposit for reimbursement (E-Refund).
- If you have not signed up for E-Refund, you may do so via myNOVA > NOVASIS > Student & Financial Aid > Student Account Information > E-Refund Signup.
- If you have already signed up for E-Refund for reimbursements in a previous fiscal year, you do not need to do anything else.
- REQUIRED FORM: Complete the attached form titled “Student and Non-Employee Payment Request Support 2025.” If you are requesting the check to be mailed to a postal mailing address, please be sure the postal address matches exactly as it appears in Banner. When filling in the Total Amount Requested on the Payment Request Support Form, remember that if your travel expenses exceed the total amount of your travel award, you will be paid the amount that was awarded to you. If your travel expenses are less than the total award amount, you will be reimbursed for the lower amount.
- EXPENSE SPREADSHEET: Create an excel spreadsheet (in pdf format) listing all expenses to be sure the total amount of reimbursement matches what was entered on the Payment Request Support Form.
- SUBMIT DOCUMENTS: In one “stacked” PDF formatted file, include: 1) ALL receipts, 2) Completed Student and Non-Employee Payment Request Support Form and 3) pdf of expense spreadsheet for electronic submission.
- Email the one “stacked’’ PDF formatted file to: Liz Brunton at studentfunding@villanova.edu with Subject“Grad PD Grant – Payment Request”. This file must be submitted to Ms. Brunton AFTER completing your approved experience.
- Note: jpeg, Word document and excel spreadsheet files will not import into the CONCUR software.
All reimbursement requests must be submitted and processed within fiscal year they are awarded, which ends May 31. Your award will be forfeited if you do not adhere to this policy.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- You must complete assigned financial wellness modules before the end of your experience. Get more information here: https://villanova.igrad.com/landing/student-experience-funding.
- Take a photo while participating in your experience (i.e. in front of a conference welcome sign, next to your research poster, selfie with the stage in the background, etc.)
- After you complete your experience, write a Thank You note that we may share with our donors (one page or less). Your letter should briefly describe the experience, how the grant helped you to participate, and how participating in the experience will impact your career.
- Send your Thank You note and photo to studentfunding@villanova.edu, with Subject “Grad PD Grant – Thank You”, before the end of the semester.
Are there additional steps I should take if my experience is international?
If you are awarded a Professional Development Grant and your experience is outside of the United States requiring international travel, you must register your trip with Villanova University. The registration process includes additional requirements that must be submitted to the University’s Office of Insurance and Risk Management prior to departure.
Who should I contact if I am an international student with an opportunity outside of the United States?
Contact the Office of International Students and Scholars for additional information.
Additional Questions? Email studentfunding@villanova.edu.
