Awards Index:
Application deadlines are through midnight (23:59:59 or 11:59:59 PM) Central Time (GMT-6) for the date listed
All students attending the meeting in person are eligible to apply for this award.
The Maize Genetics Meeting (MGM) strives to make meeting attendance accessible for students. Each year, the MGC Steering Committee raises funds to help offset student lodging costs.
Double-occupancy hotel rooms for qualified students will be free of charge if shared by two students. Sharing the room with postdocs does not qualify for this support
How to qualify:
Present research (a poster, lightning talk, or short talk) at the meeting
Apply for hotel support using the provided application link
Reserve a double-occupancy room under both occupants’ names in the official hotel block (one room per two Student Hotel support awardees). Additional guest names beyond the primary guest should be added in the comments section during booking.
Register for the meeting and pay the student registration fee by December 19th.
Notes:
Hotel support will not be provided if the student stays at a hotel other than the designated one.
Students who live locally and choose to stay at home are not required to reserve a hotel room.
Additional Financial Aid:
Students eligible for other financial aid awards listed on this page are strongly encouraged to apply for those opportunities to help cover additional costs.
Applications accepted until
December 19
Grow your future 🌱 with a ROOT & SHOOT Travel Award!
The 2026 ROOT & SHOOT Travel Awards support student–mentor pairs (undergrads, grads, or recent grads with a mentor) to attend one of four premier plant-science meetings around the world.
Up to $3,000 for U.S. conferences
Up to $4,000 for international conferences
Open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates
Designed to build an inclusive, connected plant-science community
Submitting an abstract to present a research poster or talk is encouraged, but not required.
Apply today and let your ideas take root!
Applications accepted until
December 5
First-time conference attendees are encouraged to apply.
The Expanding Institutional Access (EIA) program aims to recruit and retain scientists from diverse institutions—including community colleges and primarily undergraduate or master’s-granting institutions—into the maize research community.
Awardees will have the opportunity to:
Learn about maize genetics and current research
Connect with scientists in the maize genetics community
Explore potential collaborations
Build professional and career connections
Eligible applicants include:
Undergraduate students
Graduate students and faculty from non-R1 institutions
Applications accepted until
November 21
Applicants must be first-time conference attendees.
The MaGNET (Maize Genetics Network Enhancement via Travel) program aims to recruit and retain scientists from unique expertise, experiences, and perspectives into the maize research community by supporting their attendance at the Annual Maize Genetics Meeting.
Awardees will have the opportunity to:
Attend the meeting with travel and registration support
Be paired with mentors to help navigate the conference and build professional networks
Interact with invited speakers, peers, and the broader maize-genetics community
Explore potential collaborations and develop career contacts
Eligible applicants include:
Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Postdoctoral researchers
Early-career scientists and faculty from underrepresented groups
Applications accepted until
November 21
First-time conference attendees are encouraged to apply.
The Disciplinary Breadth (DB) program aims to recruit and retain scientists—including advanced graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career faculty—from plant-related disciplines into the maize research community by encouraging their attendance at the annual Maize Genetics Meeting.
Awardees will have the opportunity to:
Learn about maize genetics and related research
Connect with scientists in the maize genetics community
Explore potential collaborations
Build professional and career connections
Eligible applicants include:
Researchers (graduate students, post-docs, and early-career faculty) from a plant-related discipline
Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-docs from historically underrepresented groups, regardless of discipline
Applications accepted until
November 21
Researchers from countries that are historically underrepresented at the Maize Genetics Meeting and/or who may face financial challenges in paying registration fees are encouraged to apply. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate financial need.
International students attending the meeting in person are also eligible to apply for Student Hotel Support (see above).
The Broadening International Participation (BIP) Award promotes global participation in the Maize Genetics Meeting by providing free digital access to all recorded presentations—including short talks, invited speakers, and other sessions—for eligible researchers.
Program Overview:
This program supports researchers from countries that are historically underrepresented at the Maize Genetics Meeting and/or those who may face financial challenges in paying registration fees due to exchange rates or other economic factors.
Awardees will receive complimentary online access to all recorded talks from the in-person conference.
Eligible applicants include:
Researchers from countries historically underrepresented at the Maize Genetics Meeting
Researchers who face financial barriers to registration or attendance
Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate financial need.