College of Social Sciences (CoSS)

Spring 2026 Student RSCA Awards Program

Supporting Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (RSCA)

Application Form: Applications due by 5 PM Pacific, February 13, 2026

The College of Social Sciences (CoSS) is pleased to announce a program to support and advance student research, scholarship, and creative activities (RSCA) to complement university-wide Student Funding Opportunities.  Additional guidance is available at this link.

The total number of awards are subject to funding availability, with a maximum of $500 per award recipient.

Awards can be used to support expenses such as: student conference registration fees; student travel. 

Students who have accepted abstracts at academic/scholarly/professional conferences will receive priority. For "group projects" that receive an award in which there are multiple student co-authors on a presentation, one presenting author will be funded. 

Please note that the funding cannot be used to: support salaries or any project-related expenses; pay student assistants; support group projects.

Who is eligible?

• Currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students

• Not currently supported by a university or other student RSCA award

Additional Requirements

• Funds allocated must be spent and processed by May 22, 2026 for the intended purpose.

• Students receiving awards must commit to making a presentation (poster or powerpoint) with narration in Spring 2026 in a student research colloquium

Application Process

• Please use this application form. You must include a PDF of the email confirming the acceptance of your abstract to the conference or a screenshot of the program where you are listed as a speaker/presenter. If you have not yet received confirmation of the acceptance of your paper or poster, please submit the form and provide as much information as possible.

• Applications are due by 5 PM Pacific, February 13, 2026. No late applications will be accepted.

Travel Authorization and Reimbursement Guide

HOW TO REQUEST STUDENT RSCA FUNDS FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION 

• Complete the Request for Approval of Travel with account # 55-1600-0017

• Use DocuSign and attach a copy of the student RSCA award email and route the Request for Approval of Travel form to your Supervisor/Department Chair and Lois Takahashi, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Success (account signer), for approval. In the DocuSign, add your department analyst and matthew.snyder@sjsu.edu as recipients to receive a copy of the DocuSign

• Email the fully approved DocuSign to ricky.yoneda@sjsu.edu for travel authorization approval.  Include your department analyst, Matthew Snyder in the email

HOW TO REQUEST STUDENT RSCA FUNDS FOR TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

• Complete the Research Foundation Travel Expense Claim Form with Program # 55-1600-0017 and submit within 15 days of completing travel.

• Complete all applicable fields and amount

• Use DocuSign and attach all receipts, the travel expense claim form, a copy of the student RSCA award email, and the Student Business Travel Certification form, and route to Lois Takahashi, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Success, for approval of both the travel expense claim form and the student business travel certification form. In the DocuSign, add your department analyst and matthew.snyder@sjsu.edu as recipients to receive a copy of the DocuSign

• Email the fully approved DocuSign to ricky.yoneda@sjsu.edu for travel reimbursement.  Include your department analyst and Matthew Snyder in the email