TAs, GRAs, and AIs are considered university employees and must file a travel request if they will be missing any duties for their assignment. Students who are being reimbursed by a faculty member's UT account must also submit a travel request (note that this is different from applying for a student travel award). Written supervisor approval is needed for TA, GRA, and AIs to travel and should be attached to the travel request. If the student will be reimbursed out of a UT account, they will need to obtain the faculty member's approval and attach that to the request.
PROCESS
1) Fill out a Travel Authorization Request (RTA) online and attach any necessary supervisor approvals. See this power point for detailed instructions on submitting a travel authorization request.
Note: For travel during the first or last week of classes and finals periods, prior approval from the Chair is required. This approval can be obtained via email between the traveler and the Chair. Chairs must review travel dates, missed classes, name of faculty member who will oversee missed classes, final exam dates and how exams will be administered, a plan for on time grade submission, and a method of contact for student queries.
2) Submit your request to the KHE Travel Desk, 00055
2) Your RTA will route for the proper approvals. You will receive an automated email once your travel is approved for each request.
3) Book your travel! Once approvals are obtained, you may begin making your travel arrangements. The amounts allowed for food/lodging vary by account. The KHE staff can help you with any questions.
Note: Non employees may not have the ability to create travel authorization requests on their own. Instead, a non-employee travel authorization form needs to be filled out.
Graduate Student Travel Awards
Contact Phillip Salazar for information on applying for a graduate student travel award. This is a separate process than using a faculty member's UT account for reimbursement.
- Note that travel awards are considered taxable income.
International Travel
- All UT Austin employees are required to register their international travel. Guidelines on the international travel process can be found here.
- You should also make sure to follow the Information Security Office's guidelines for international travel and to fill out the ISO International travel declaration form.
- If you are traveling with a UT owned computer, you need to fill out an Export License Exception Certification
Airfare
If you are going to be reimbursed out of a UT account and have supervisor approval, airfare may be direct billed through the UT Travel Agency. Contact the KHE staff for details on the process.
The airline customer service dashboard outlines how each carrier responds to travelers when encountering a delay or cancellation. The dashboard is very useful in breaking down the aspects of how carriers will assist in those events, such as rebooking or offering meal and hotel vouchers.
Mileage
Effective July 1, 2022 the standard mileage rates for the use of a personal vehicle is 65.5 cents per mile. You will need to submit a mapquest map with your reimbursement request that shows the location(s) you traveled to.
Out-of-State Travel in a Personally Owned Vehicle
Reimbursement is limited to the lower of average coach airfare and related expenses or mileage plus allowable meals and lodging. When additional employees are transported, the average coach airfare of each employee should be used in the comparison.
Lodging and Per Diem -
Lodging is reimbursement only and must follow the University's Per Diem and Lodging rules.
- Traveler may only be reimbursed at 75% of Per Diem rate on both local and state accounts for the first and last day of travel.
Hotel receipts must have your name listed on them and show a $0 balance due.
- Reservations from Hotwire.com, for example, will not suffice as a receipt.
If staying at a hotel in Texas, you must submit a Hotel Occupancy Form to have state sales tax waived. State sales tax from Texas is not reimbursable.
Please be cognizant of the amount allowed for lodging on the account that you are using.
Rental Cars -
See Rental Car Reservations for more details.
Free or Discounted Travel
An employee cannot be reimbursed for travel if no expense has been incurred. Receiving free transportation or lodging in exchange for mileage or credit card points does not constitute an expense. An employee can be reimbursed for discounted travel only if money was paid directly to obtain the discount. If money is paid directly to obtain a discount, then reimbursement is limited to the lesser of the cost of obtaining the discount, the amount of the discount, or the maximum reimbursement allowed for that type of travel expense.
Voucher Requirements:
• An original, complete, and unaltered receipt from the seller of the discount must be submitted with the voucher transmittal form.
• The voucher must contain a detailed description of the discount.
REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS
5) After travel, submit your receipts via the Travel Reimbursement Request system and assign to the KHE Travel Desk, 00055. See this power point for instructions on how to submit a travel reimbursement request.
- Receipts should be submitted after travel is complete.
- Receipts for meals are not necessary, simply indicate the days you wish to request per diem in your reimbursement request.
6) The admin will request a signature on the voucher sheet associated with your reimbursement. Please check the reimbursement amounts to confirm everything has been included.
