Travel Procedures

A Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) is required for all business travel whether or not there is a cost to the university.

Your domestic RTA must be submitted at least two weeks prior to departure via the Request Form System. Your international travel RTA should be submitted at least five weeks prior to departure to allow for completion of all related requirements. See International Travel section for more information.

Please assign the online form to the department administrative group (Group 00071) or your research group administrator.

If classes are to be missed, please refer to the Faculty Travel Policy. Any faculty travel (business or personal) that results in a missed class must have an associated RTA. 

A 10-digit account number must be provided on each request. If there is no cost to UT, please select the "No Cost to UT" box.

PI approval must be attached to any student requests, including graduate student employees. For student trips requiring insurance, there is a 45-day lelad time. Please allow enough time for the approval process, and when in doubt, submit an RTA.

A submitted Faculty Travel Grant (FTG) must be on file prior to submission of the online re quest form if FTG funds will be used. It is recommended that the FTG application is submitted as soon as travel plans are arranged, but please allow a minimum of two weeks prior to travel for processing and approval. 

Please document the use of an FTG in request notes, and enter the information provided by the Dean's office in accounts when submitting the travel authorization request.

Faculty making travel reservations should submit a travel request with Anthony Travel.

Student travel not affiliated with a student organization should use Concur for travel arrangements.

Please address any questions or changes to your travel plans with the travel administrator prior to making your arrangements.

All International travel must be registered in the International Travel Registry with Texas Global every time you travel internationally. This is a longstanding UT policy, and is included in full below. Registration must be completed by the traveler prior to requesting travel authorization, and uploaded with your Travel Authorization Request; administrative staff will not complete the registration on your behalf.

International travel policy for faculty and staff is provided in full on the Texas Global website. Please contact ase-support@utexas.edu or your research group administrator with any questions. 

When traveling internationally, the department strongly recommends that you put these emergency contact numbers in your phone:

• Dedicated UT System Phone: +1 978-651-9722 (can call collect from anywhere in the world* via a landline)
  • When dialing internationally, we recommend asking the operator to stay on the line with you until you are connected to On Call.
• Toll-Free From the U.S. or Canada: +1 833-328-1091
• 24/7 Live Chat: www.oncallinternational.com/chat/direct
• Email: mail@oncallinternational.com
• Text Only: +1 844-302-5131

If you are traveling abroad with any equipment owned by UT Austin, you must complete the TMP License Exemption form and carry a copy with you while traveling. Please note: this form does not require approval by UT Austin; it is self-effectuating upon your completion and signature of the document.

All university employees (including graduate student employees) traveling on official university business to a country of concern (China, including Hong Kong and Macau, Russia, Iran, or North Korea) are required to utilize a university provided loaner laptop while on official travel. For additional information please contact the Office of Research Support and Compliance via sas@austin.utexas.edu.

If you have to cancel any travel reservations, including vehicle rental, notify ase-support@utexas.edu or your research group administrator immediately, so penalties are not incurred.

Please notify ase-support@utexas.edu or your research group administrator of any changes to itinerary so that they can be properly documented.

Reimbursement should be submitted within two business days of return via the Request Form System. To submit your reimbursement, you will need:

1) Approved Travel Authorization Request number

2) Itemized receipts for costs incurred on travel including: airfare, taxis/Uber, hotel, conference registration, tolls, parking, etc. All receipts must be itemized and show proof of purchase. Each receipt will be entered as a separate line item.

The department processes up to $51.00 per diem for all meals; no meal receipts are required for reimbursement.

Travelers will only be reimbursed for his or her own expenditures, not for expenditures incurred by other individuals.

Notes

• Ensure that you set up non-payroll payments under My Bank Information.
• Reimbursement for Texas hotel state sales tax is not allowed. If traveling within Texas, present the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate upon check-in to have the state tax removed. City sales tax can be reimbursed.
• Tips can be calculated only up to 20% of pretax subtotal.
• When seeking reimbursement for a hotel, a "zero hotel bill" is required, indicating that the account has been paid.
• Reimbursements must be processed within 30 days of the last day of travel. Requests submitted after 30 days require explicit justification in request notes and ASE/EM leadership approval. Timing of reimbursements is regulated by the IRS.
• For car mileage reimbursement, an online mapping tool is required roundtrip to and from your destination. When using state funds, MAPQUEST is required.
• Please contact the travel administrator if you have questions in regards to your reimbursement.

For more detailed information on travel reimbursement you may go to the Handbook of Business Procedures.