How to Apply for PDF
IPC provides potential reimbursement of up to $750 annually for students who attend professional development experiences, such as conferences and career fairs, through the Professional Development Fund (PDF). To qualify, you must be a professional student and the experience must have occurred within the dates for eligible events (either autumn or spring cycle). More information regarding student eligibility can be found in the instructions attached to the top of the page. The PDF window opens twice during the year, in October and February.
Fall 2026 Application is now officially closed!
The status of your application will be emailed to you within 60 days.
*NOTE: IF YOU ARE RECEIVING ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT IF YOU DECIDE TO USE THAT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR PDF APPLICATION.
** YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO APPLY FOR IPC FUNDING IF YOU ALREADY HAVE APPLIED AND RECEIVED (OR PLAN TO RECEIVE) REIMBURSEMENT FROM ANOTHER SOURCE OF FUNDING.
Submission Materials
- Completed application
- 250-word minimum explanation statement
- Statement should include description of activity and the benefit provided to your educational experience
- Itemized budget with original receipts
- If original receipts do not show proof of payment, include supplemental documentation (e.g. Itemized credit card statement with your name, cancelled check showing payment, etc…)
- Applications must be submitted in compliance with the Standing Rules of the Professional Development Fund. Failure to comply may result in denial of funding
Applicant Eligibility
- Applicants must be enrolled and in good standing in Professional School at the University during the semester in which the eligible experience occurred, or the experience must have occurred during a summer semester between two academic years in which the applicant is enrolled. The Professional Schools include the College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, College of Law, College of Pharmacy, College of Optometry, and College of Veterinary Medicine only
- The experience must have occurred within the current application window as specified for the current application cycle
- Students may submit 1 application per semester and two applications per academic year
- Students are eligible for a maximum of $750 per academic year, regardless of the student’s number of events
- Students who receive academic credit for an experience are ineligible from receiving a PDF grant to cover any costs from that experience
Eligible Experiences:
- Conferences
- Externships
- Certificates
- Any activity done for academic credit or pay/salary is not eligible for funding
- Externships are defined by the individual professional schools
- Research Presentation Experiences
- Other experiences which demonstrate professional value
Eligible Expenses:
- Travel to and from the eligible experience
- Airplane tickets, rental car fees (not including gas or mileage), train tickets, bus tickets, etc.
- If traveling by personal vehicle, mileage will be reimbursed at the state rate per mile. Please include a print out from Google Maps detailing the route you drove. Please do not turn in gas receipts
- Airport parking fees
- Registration fees are reimbursable. This may include food if a banquet or other meal is inseparable from the registration fee
- Lodging is reimbursable
- Some other costs may be considered reimbursable. These items will be reimbursed at the discretion of the Justices
Non-allowable expenses include:
- Food
- Alcohol
- Entertainment
- Travel for interviews
After turning in application you can expect
-
An email with the reward amount within 60 days after the application deadline
-
Checks will take up to 90 days after notification of funding before becoming available for pickup. You will receive an email when your check is ready.
The Application PDF that is attached to this page is an example of what questions will be asked in the Qualtrics link—if you would like to prepare your application beforehand, you may do so, but when the cycle opens, please copy/paste your answers into the Qualtrics form to complete your application properly.
Questions? Contact Chief Justice, Kyle Pung (pung.6@osu.edu)