Benefits & Requirements

Before submitting their application portfolio, applicants should carefully consider the conditions they will be required to meet should they be granted an award:

Applicants for the Lumos Award must:

• Be at least 20 years of age but no older than 26 at time of application.
• Be an undergraduate student enrolled in good standing at Belmont University.
• Demonstrate respect for legal requirements and educational expectations through an admirable academic and disciplinary history at Belmont University and a record free of criminal offenses. 
• Be physically and emotionally fit to travel and able to successfully complete the project proposed—a letter from a physician may be required. 

Lumos Travelers are required to:

• Maintain a project-related blog on the Lumos Award website during the course of the project and post at minimum two times a month to include photos and details of the experience.
• Conduct a public presentation on campus at the end of the project.
• Submit a final report on the project (In accepting a Lumos Award, recipients agree to allow Lumos to publish their reports on the their website and publications, in whole or part, and will be required to sign a release to this effect.)
• Provide an assessment of the sponsoring organization.

Contact, Insurance, and Waiver Requirements:  Recipients are required to submit a digital photograph, provide and maintain contact information, obtain appropriate health insurance and inoculations, sign authorizations, and become part of the Lumos Alumni network.

Award Disbursement:  Award recipients will receive 80 percent of the amount awarded before travel commences. Payments will be made to the sponsoring organization or directly to the recipient upon production of receipts for travel, fees or expenses. The remaining 20 percent of the award amount will be paid upon satisfactory completion of the requirements.

It is recommended that award recipients either keep receipts for additional costs or a log of expenses as documentation for the final payment. Failure to fulfill any of the requirements above may result in Lumos not paying the remaining amount awarded.

Award Reduction or Revocation:  Any significant changes to the length or nature of the project as approved by Lumos may result in a reduction or revocation of the award amount. Lumos Travelers contemplating such changes must notify and receive approval from the Lumos Coordinator.

Lumos, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to withdraw an award, in whole or part, from any award recipient it deems to present a safety risk to him/herself or others. Furthermore, Lumos must be reimbursed for the FULL amount awarded upon the occurrence of any of the following:

• Failure to use the award as outlined in the award letter
• Dismissal from or abandonment of the approved travel/project
• Dismissal from or probation at student’s home academic institution for academic or disciplinary reasons
• Violation of the laws of the host country or the United States during the course of the project or in the period leading up to the start of the project
• Substance abuse
• Arrest or deportation