Conference Student Travel Grant

The RO-MAN 2025 conference is committed to supporting students in our community and increasing diversity within the field of Social Robotics and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). All undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who have an accepted paper at RO-MAN 2025 are welcome to apply for this grant.

Studying or working in one of the countries listed in Category H or Category I (see below) is the primary eligibility requirement to receive this travel grant. Among the students who meet this criterion, priority will be given to members of underrepresented groups, including but not limited to racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, first-generation students, students with disabilities, and students who have experienced financial hardship.

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the budget is exhausted or until June 30, 2025, whichever comes first.

Award Details

The selected recipients will receive:

  • A travel award of up to €1500, provided as reimbursement.

How to Apply

Applicants will be asked to complete a brief survey and upload the following materials:

  • Proof of student or postdoctoral status:
    Documentation confirming that the applicant is currently enrolled or employed at a university as an undergraduate student, graduate student, or postdoctoral researcher. The document must clearly state the name of the university and the country of affiliation.

  • Proof of acceptance to present at RO-MAN 2025:
    This must display the applicant's name. A print-to-PDF copy of the acceptance notification email is acceptable and preferred.

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

  • One-page letter of self-nomination:
    The letter should include the applicant’s research interests, how they contribute to diversity within RO-MAN 2025 and the broader field of HRI (e.g., lived experiences), and how they would benefit from receiving the award.

  • Budget:
    A brief summary of anticipated travel costs, which may include airfare, bus, subway, mileage, accommodation, and registration. If your total travel budget exceeds €1500, please submit the full expected expenses and clearly indicate which items would be covered by the RO-MAN travel grant. Be prepared to note any other travel funding received or expected.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome via email in mid-July.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must:

  1. Have an accepted paper at RO-MAN 2025.

  2. Be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program, or employed as a postdoctoral researcher, in a field related to HRI, and affiliated with a university in a country listed in Category H or Category I.

  3. Not have previously received this grant.

Note: Travel grants do not cover the registration fee for the conference. All travel arrangements must be made by the applicant. The grant will reimburse actual costs after the conference, upon submission of a reimbursement form and all relevant receipts.

Country Categories

Category H

Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belize, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Libya, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Namibia, Palau, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Serbia, South Africa, St. Vincent, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Venezuela

Category I

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Federated States of Micronesia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Category C

All countries not listed in Category H or I.