Travel Process for Graduate Students

• Make sure all travel documentation is attached.

• Need help? View Instructions for completing the RAT form

• Will you need reimbursed for your travel? Review rules for reimbursement before scheduling your travel.

The University can reimburse only expenses that you personally paid directly to the vendor and can document with a receipt.

What this means -

✅ Reimbursable

• You pay the hotel, airline, conference, etc. directly.
• The receipt shows your payment (for example, your credit card was charged).
• You submit an itemized receipt documenting the expense and payment.

❌ Not reimbursable

• Another traveler pays the full hotel bill and you reimburse them with cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, etc.
• You cannot claim reimbursement for your portion of an expense that was paid entirely by someone else.

Shared hotel room example

If two travelers share a hotel room:

Allowed

• The hotel splits the charges and bills each traveler's credit card separately.
• Each traveler receives documentation showing the amount they personally paid.

Not allowed

• One traveler pays 100% of the room charge.
• The other traveler pays them back afterward and then seeks University reimbursement for their share.

Simple rule

To be reimbursed, the receipt must show that you paid the vendor (hotel, airline, train, uber, etc) directly. Payments made to another traveler are generally not eligible for reimbursement.