Travel Grant Policy

The following criteria will be used to determine the funding awarded to SCA Conservation Interns for travel to and from the sites where they work. Please note that internships don't begin until an intern arrives at the site and end as soon as an intern leaves the site to return home. Interns are expected to pay for their own travel to their work site. SCA reimburses them for their travel expenses, provided their paperwork is complete, at or near the beginning of their internships. Reimbursement is deposited into an e-funds card and is immediately available for their use.

Travel Request Form for Interns

There are three categories of Travel Grant reimbursement:

1. Short-term (RA) interns at positions where no car is required are reimbursed either at a rate of 19¢ per mile for the distance from their home to the site or for airfare, whichever is less. They can calculate mileage using MapQuest or a similar website, and determine airfare and book flights on the SCA website.
2. Interns at all car required positions (i.e. interns who need to drive their own vehicles to their sites) are reimbursed at a rate of 19¢ per mile, plus $60 per night for lodging (maximum of four nights).
3. Long-term (CA) interns have the choice of driving or flying to their sites; SCA will reimburse them for the method of travel they choose. If they drive, SCA will reimburse them for mileage and lodging (at the rates described in #2 above), or for airfare (according to the SCA website) if they fly.

All interns traveling to sites in Alaska and Hawaii will fly, and should contact the CI Program Representative for information.

Interns from overseas and Central and South America must provide their own round-trip transportation from home to their internships in the United States and back. SCA will provide a grant of up to $500 (more for Alaska and Hawaii) for foreign interns to use toward round-trip travel. Travel Grants for interns from Canada and Mexico are determined in the same manner as for U.S. citizens. If you select or are interested in a foreign applicant, SCA can help arrange Visa requirements for entering the United States as an intern.

Interns who leave their positions before completing their scheduled term of service are liable to forfeit their return travel grant and may be required to return travel funds already received.