The Robotics Department provides limited funding to support Robotics students through academic, professional, community engagement, and outreach activities. Examples include competitions, conferences, student-led community events, outreach programs, and project or educational materials.
Annual funding levels vary, and awards depend on availability. Requests are evaluated by committee and may be submitted only during the Fall and Winter terms (from the first day of Fall classes through the last day of Winter classes).
Emergency funding requests
Students facing unexpected financial hardship due to circumstances such as lost wages or medical or family emergencies can explore emergency funding through:
Funding categories and deadlines
Student organizations: Fall deadline
Registered student organizations have one annual deadline: the first Monday of the second month of the Fall term.
Late requests are considered only for unforeseeable, time-sensitive opportunities and only if funds remain, at the committee’s discretion.
Individuals and teams: Rolling requests
After annual student organization awards are made, remaining funds may be available for rolling requests on a case-by-case basis, including:
- Individuals attending competitions or conferences
- Student teams or project groups not applying as registered student organizations
- Time-sensitive needs, such as registration, required materials, or allowable travel
Rolling requests depend on remaining funds.
Community engagement and outreach
Funding is available to support activities that strengthen the Robotics community or engage external communities. Eligible activities include:
- Outreach events led by Robotics students
- Community-building events for groups within Robotics
- Development of materials or resources that support community engagement and outreach
Two funding cycles are available:
- Requests up to $1,500: Due by the first Monday of the second month of the applicable Fall or Winter term
- Requests up to $500: Accepted on a rolling basis during the Fall and Winter terms, subject to available funds
Apply now
Student organizations, teams, and individual undergraduate and graduate students can use the Robotics Funding Request Form below.
Before submitting, students should first seek applicable College of Engineering funding:
Questions? Email robotics-sso@umich.edu.
Who is eligible
Student organizations
Organizations must:
- Be registered U-M Ann Arbor student organizations in good standing
- Include at least 5% Robotics students
Individuals and student teams
Applicants must:
- Be currently enrolled, U-M Ann Arbor affiliated students
- Be primarily composed of or serve Robotics degree-seeking students
- Demonstrate clear Robotics educational or professional-development value with defined outcomes
Community engagement and outreach applicants
Applicants must be Robotics students, student teams, or student organizations proposing an activity or resource that:
- Supports outreach led by Robotics students
- Builds community among groups within Robotics
- Develops materials or resources for community engagement and outreach
What we fund
Funding may support:
- Competition registration and allowable travel
- Conferences aligned with Robotics education
- Project materials and supplies tied to defined deliverables
- Outreach and educational initiatives engaging students or the broader community
- Community-building events for groups within Robotics
- Materials and resources that support community engagement or outreach
What we do not fund
These funds will not be used for:
- Summer internship stipends or internship travel
- Living costs (housing, rent, meals, general cost of living)
- Expenses that cannot be purchased or reimbursed through approved university processes
- Wages, health insurance, gifts, or personal honoraria unless explicitly approved and compliant with university policy
Request checklist
All requests include:
- Description and alignment: What you propose, why it matters, relevant dates, and how Robotics students will benefit
- Itemized budget: Line items, estimates, and dates using the budget template
- Requested amount: Amount requested from Robotics and costs covered by other sources
- Other funding sources: Applied, confirmed, or pending
- Participants: Names, U-M affiliations, roles, or estimated number of people affected
- Outcome plan: Examples include a demonstration, write-up, presentation, resource, or outreach metrics
- Timing constraints: Relevant deadlines or urgency, especially for rolling requests
Student organizations also include:
- A full-year budget covering Fall and Winter, and Spring or Summer only when requesting support for eligible activities during those terms
- A cost-sharing plan, such as sponsors, fundraising, dues, or College of Engineering support
- Confirmation of registration and good standing
- Confirmation that at least 5% of members are Robotics students
- A summary of efforts to obtain other appropriate funding and the outcomes, if known
Community engagement and outreach requests also include:
- The intended internal or external community
- Expected participation or reach
- A description of how Robotics students will lead or contribute
- The anticipated community or outreach benefit
- A plan for sharing, maintaining, or reusing materials and resources, when applicable
Review, decisions, and award requirements
Requests are reviewed by:
- The Robotics Undergraduate Committee
- The Robotics Graduate Committee
- The appropriate committee responsible for community engagement and outreach requests
Decision criteria include impact and access, alignment with the funding purpose, budget clarity, feasibility, timing, cost sharing, and prior awards in the same academic year.
Notification timing
- Student organization annual cycle: within three weeks after the deadline
- Individual and team rolling requests: reviewed as received; timing depends on urgency and committee availability
- Community engagement and outreach requests up to $1,500: timing depends on the committee’s review schedule following each deadline
- Community engagement and outreach requests up to $500: reviewed on a rolling basis, subject to committee availability
If you receive funding, recipients must:
- Use funds only as approved
- Follow university purchasing and reimbursement procedures
- Obtain prior approval for material changes in scope or purpose
- Submit a year-end expense report to robotics-sso@umich.edu, attention: Student Services Manager
- If appropriate and permission is granted, document the project or event with photos or video and share them with the Robotics Communications Manager
Additional sources of funding
Students should also review:
- Undergraduate or graduate: College of Engineering: Student Organizations & Groups
- Undergraduate only: College of Engineering: Individual Undergraduate Students
- Undergraduate only: Undergraduate Research Funding Student Travel Grant
- Graduate only: Rackham Conference Travel Grant (for students presenting at a conference)
- Graduate only: Rackham Graduate Student Research Grant