Provided that you collect sufficient documentation, and you comply with the Student Organization Travel Policy the University will reimburse for RSO-related travel expenses. This can include both students traveling or invited guests/speakers traveling. Please note the University cannot pay for family members who travel with an individual on the University business.
Required Travel Approval
RSO travel must be registered and approved in advance, in accordance with the Student Organization Travel Policy. Expenses from trips that are not pre-registered will be ineligible for reimbursement regardless of funding available to the RSO..
A Note on All Travel Expenses
The traveler will be required to complete a travel memo outlining the nature and details of the trip to be reimbursed. This is an IRS requirement.
The memo must include:
- Name of traveler(s):
- Dates of travel (MM/DD/YY-MM/DD/YY):
- Destination city (City, State):
- Purpose of travel:
- Amount to be reimbursed: $AMOUNT
- Will any other source reimburse you for these expenses?
The travel memo can be submitted along with the travel documents and reciepts as attatchments on Purchase Request submissions to avoid processing delays. An email from the traveler with responses to the travel questions is sufficient.
Below you can find out what documentation is required to reimburse different travel expenses.
Airline Reimbursements
The Process: Pay for and complete travel.
What to submit: You will need to submit the names of all travelers, dates of travel, the destination of travel, the purpose of travel, and one of the following options:
- If the traveler paid: Airline receipt/Itinerary showing flight details and proof of payment.
- If someone other than the traveler paid: Airline receipt/itinerary in the traveler's name showing flight details and proof of payment and a credit card statement that shows the purchaser’s name and the charge.
If you do not have all the documentation to support one of these options, you may not be able to be reimbursed.
Hotel Reimbursements
The Process: Pay for and complete travel.
What to submit: You will need to submit the names of all persons staying in the rooms, dates of stay, the destination of stay, the purpose of travel, and one of the following options:
- If the traveler paid: Original itemized bill from the hotel with a -0- balance.
- If someone other than the traveler paid: Original itemized bill from the hotel with a -0- balance and your credit card/bank statement.
- Original hotel bill that does not reflect payment and a credit card statement to verify payment.
Expenses for food, telephone, or other services listed on the hotel bill cannot be reimbursed unless they are explicitly approved by your Advisor.
Rental Vehicles
The Process: Pay for and complete travel.
Rental Car Important Information:
- Do not pay for the additional insurance coverage on the rental car, it will not be reimbursed. Please refer to the Vehicle Policy for information on how to get drivers approved by the University and covered under University Insurance.
- Students must be 21 years of age to rent a car for their organization.
- RSOs cannot rent 15 Passenger Vans.
What to submit: You will need to submit the names of all persons traveling, dates of travel, a destination of travel, the purpose of travel, and a copy of the rental car contract. If the contract does not reflect payment a credit card/bank statement must also be attached.
Gas Expenses
Drivers for your organization must be approved according to the Vehicle Policy.
What to submit: You will need to submit the names of all persons traveling, dates of travel, destination of travel, purpose of travel and, depending on the vehicle used, one of the following:
University Owned Vehicle: Submit gas receipts.
Rental Car: Submit gas receipts along with rental car contract (even if you are not seeking reimbursement for the contract itself. Proof of the rental is required for a gas reimbursement).
Personal Car: Gas for a personal vehicle is not reimbursed by cost. Travel in a personal vehicle is reimbursed by mileage. Submit a route map from a trip planner like Yahoo or MapQuest that shows your route and the mileage. The mileage will be used with the mileage rate applicable for the date of travel to calculate your reimbursement.
[The mileage rate is reviewed frequently and is updated as appropriate. The current mileage rate can be found here.)
Insurance: You may be eligible to be covered by the University's insurance policies at no cost when traveling in a rental vehicle. Find out more information on the Vehicle Policy page.
Gas Documentation
Mileage Documentation
The University does not reimburse for gas on personal vehicles. Instead, you are reimbursed for mileage.
Please submit a mileage map that shows the distance you traveled in your personal vehicle when requesting a reimbursement.
The mileage rate is reviewed frequently and is updated as appropriate. The current mileage rate can be found here.
If you are the sole traveler for a mileage reimbursement over $100, you will need to submit an airline quote to prove it was cheaper to drive or a memo explaining your need to drive.
Notes on avoiding Travel Expense pitfalls
- Travel Expenses should be submitted separately from other expenses.
- Food expenses incurred during a trip count as travel expenses.
- All credit card statements to verify travel must show the individual’s name.
- Do not pay for insurance on rental cars, compliance with the Vehicle Policy will provide coverage.
- Gas receipts should not be submitted for personal car trips, you must submit your mileage.
- After your Purchase Request has been submitted via Blueprint, you will be emailed to complete a travel memo. Your check cannot be requested until you have submitted this memo, so please make sure to check your email.