The application process is not cheap, and you should be prepared to spend somewhere between $700-$1000. Here’s what my own expenses looked like (the Interfolio dossier cost is slightly higher for me, because I applied to 87 jobs. You can estimate around $6-$12/delivery for each job you apply to via Interfolio, depending on whether the institution requires e-mail or hard-copy delivery.)
| Application Fees, Mailing Costs & Transcripts | $106 |
| Interfolio Dossier Fees | $230 |
| Conference Membership & Registration | $51 |
| Interview Wardrobe | $300 |
| Convention Hotel | $647 |
| Convention Flight | $279 |
| Convention Airport Shuttle | $58 |
| Convention Incidentals (Meals, taxi) | $100 |
| Total: | $1,771 |
| Minus Departmental Reimbursement | -$700 |
| Grand Total | $1,071 |
Saving/Recouping Money
It is crucial that you determine your department’s policy for reimbursement as early as possible. Many will help defray the cost of convention travel, and some will reimburse you for a portion of dossier costs (many larger departments are beginning to partner with Interfolio to offer students free registration and credit). If no such option exists in your department, visit your professional organization’s site early in the Fall and look for Graduate Student Travel Assistance scholarships/awards and Interfolio registration credits. Keep exhaustive records of all your expenses in a spreadsheet, and make sure to hold onto paper receipts while traveling. And remember that many departments require that you submit reimbursement requests within 30 days of travel; don’t miss the deadline!
