I'm back here looking for sympathy if nothing else. I can't find any money - I've been sending out tonnes of e-mails and no-one's even replying anymore. I worked SO hard for my first that got me my PhD place, I feel like I've earned the right for some money to go to ONE conference (okay, I've been to two free conferences at home) - not more of a right than anyone else, but an EQUAL chance, which I don't feel I'm being given. Any physicists who know where to find money?

Hi Sue, there aren't too many conference/travel grants out there to apply for, are there? I've been looking too :o( Sorry, I'm offering nothing constructive here but you do have my sympathy!

How does conference funding work? Is it different for funded (eg. research council/uni funded PhDs) and self-funded PhDs? Does everyone have a set travel/research expenses fund one allocated to them? Or does it depend on the uni?

In short, IT DOESN'T! It's best to assume you have nothing (you'll be pleasantly surpised if something does come up), and try to avoid finding ads for coferences in exotic locations, you'll just be miserable when you can't go :(

Universities are so cash-strapped nowadays that they don't want anyone to go anywhere - unless someone else is paying for it. Keep a lookout and see if you can submit an abstract to one. If it's accepted, your uni may then pay up something.

Some conferences also have a limited number of student busaries i.e. will pay some of your costs (usually registration at least) if you submit an accepted abstract.