Each faculty member and student must submit a travel request prior to traveling.
Faculty: Once the travel authorization has been submitted in PeopleSoft you will receive a request for approval (via email). The travel authorization must be approved before travel occurs.
Students: There are two opportunities for students to receive funding for travel. Funding is available through the Dean’s office with the maximum award being $500. Priority will be given to students who have not received a previous travel award from the school; no student will receive more than one award in a fiscal year. The Graduate School also offers funding, ranging up to $500 for domestic travel and up to $800 for international travel. Qualified students may receive up to two travel grants during their tenure in the graduate school. For both of these awards, the department may match funding up to $500.
A request for travel reimbursement can be made after all travel has been completed.
Please save all original receipts (food receipts excluded). Once you have returned from your travel, please submit receipts to Chase Ferch at ferchc@mailbox.sc.edu and Janine Rominger at janiner@mailbox.sc.edu.
Quick Tips
Hotels
- Ask hotels for the government rate.
- Please chose most economical options.
Ground transportation / air travel
- All flights should be most economical possible.
- All flights charged to federal projects must be taken on U.S. flag air carriers or on foreign air carriers that code share with a U.S. flag carrier on the flight taken. This includes flights within the U.S. See Fly America Act.
- Show dates and points of origin and destination on all ground transportation receipts.
- You may elect to receive mileage in lieu of flying as long as the mileage is less than economy airfare. In such cases, it will be necessary to provide a comparison of the costs.
- Uber tips over 15%.
- Attach a map showing distance when requesting mileage reimbursement.
Meals
- Don’t include tips over 20%.
- Check receipt calculations.
- Deduct from your per diem any conference provided meals. (Traveler must provide conference agenda.)
- Do not request per diem if you purchased a meal package with your hotel room. (Meal packages are not recommended.)
General
- Provide receipts that are clear and have required information.
- Submit itemized receipts that show date, location, time, items purchased, and proof of payment. (Item ordered and/or shipped is not proof of purchase.)
- Provide the daily conversion rate for international travel expenses.
- Do not pay for another traveler’s expenses. He or she should submit separately.
- Submit travel reimbursement form within 7 business days of travel. Forms submitted more than 30 days after traveler’s return may not be reimbursed.
- If a traveler wishes to extend business travel for personal reasons, list only the business travel dates on the travel request and travel authorization forms. Do not list extended personal days. Also, provide a price comparison from the time of purchase showing the change did not increase costs to the university.
- Travel costs should be the most practical and economical with due consideration given to the time involved, extra meals, lodging costs, and the mission to be accomplished.
- If travel costs are inconsistent among a group of travelers, expense reports will likely be returned for additional information and may not be reimbursed.
- Provide details!
For more information:
USC Travel Policy (Includes current rates. Please note college rates may be significantly less. Ask if you have questions.)
Receipts
The traveler is expected to obtain original receipts for all expenses for which they plan to be reimbursed. An original receipt may take many forms (i.e. cash register receipt, copy of an order form, web receipt or confirmation). A receipt must identify:
- the date of purchase
- the vendor name
- itemized list and unit price of the purchased items
- the total amount
If the traveler is unable to obtain an original receipt that contains all the required information, documentation should be submitted to demonstrate as many of the required items as possible. A copy of the traveler’s credit or debit card statement identifying the date, location, and amount of the expense, or a rental agreement, may be submitted along with a description of the purchase, identifying the amount of any expenses to be segregated (i.e. alcohol).
A receipt in a foreign language is considered acceptable documentation, with the US Dollar conversion amount noted on the receipt. Please provide PDF or snapshot of the conversion rate.
Proof of Payment
The traveler is expected to obtain proof of payment for all expenses for which they plan to be reimbursed. Proof of payment may take many forms and must demonstrate payment was tendered and must identify how it was tendered. This is often part of the original receipt. Examples of this may include notation of:
- “Cash Tendered” (traveler’s signature is required on receipt if paid in cash)
- “Paid”
- A zero balance due
- Debit/Credit card payment (card type, last four digits of card and/or signature)
If no proof of payment is available in this form, a debit or credit card statement may also be provided. Please black out any private or unrelated information.
Receipts Required for Air Travel
The original passenger ticket/receipt, boarding pass, e-ticket or website statement or confirmation, or itinerary issued by a travel agent, must include:
- Dates and points of departure and arrival
- Travel “class”
- Total cost of the flight
- Proof of payment
- If a traveler extend a business trip for personal reasons, they MUST include a cost comparison from the time of purchase that shows the university did not incur any additional expense for the revised itinerary.
Receipts Required for Ground Transportation
Travelers should attempt to obtain a receipt from the driver or transportation company. The original receipts for fares must include:
- the dates and points of origin and destination
- passenger’s name
- the total amount of the fare
- proof of payment