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HOWTO: PyCon US Financial Aid Application

Each year the PyCon Financial Aid committee sets out to make getting to and attending the conference more affordable for those who need assistance. Whether you've got a flight halfway across the world or live down the street and have to pay out of your own pocket, PyCon thrives on the diversity of the attendees and the organizers hope make the conference possible for those who want to come. Applications for financial aid are due by January 2, 2012 January 7, 2012.
New for this year's financial aid application process is an online form rather than the persuasive letter format of past years. As with any application, it starts with your name and contact info. What follows are a series of questions to figure out which conference-related expenses you'll need aid with.

Rationale

Here's where you sell your case for who you are and why you would benefit from assistance. Tell us where you're coming from and what you're up to. If you're unemployed, say so. If you'd spend a month's salary on plane tickets, say so. We're here to help, so let us know your situation so we can serve you best. Be sure to let us know if you were selected to present at the conference.

Conference Registration

Ticket sales recently opened up with early bird rates available until January 10, 2012, so check out the going rates. If tickets are a place you'll need help with, go ahead and ask for it!

Hotel Room

You'll need a place to stay while at the conference, and we can help you out at the conference hotel. All we ask is that you let us know how many days you plan to stay for. Keep in mind there's two days of tutorials, three days of conference talks, and four days of sprints, so plan your hotel stay for whichever parts you're coming for.

Travel Costs

The form starts with the minimum amount of aid you would require in order to make your trip happen. Following that, we ask that you let us know what your travel plans are. Do you need to take a train to get to a plane? Renting a car? Time travel?
You get to choose your method of reimbursement -- keyword being reimbursement. We can send you a check or do a bank transfer, but we require that you make the purchase before we give you the money. Cash is an option, but our ability to handle cash is limited, so please write a note about why cash is your preferred method.

Tutorials

If you're coming in on March 7 and 8 for the awesome tutorials, let us know specifically which ones you plan to attend. Tutorial assistance is limited, but let us know your plans and we'll see what we can do.

Review and Notification

Upon receiving your application for financial aid, the committee will review your submission and evaluate what you've requested. Be sure to keep an eye on your email in case the committee has any questions about your application. After a review of yours and all of the other applicants, you should receive notice on your application's status by January 10, 2012.
Again, be sure to get your applications in by January 2, 2012 January 7, 2012! We want to help as many people as we can, and we hope to see you at the conference!

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