Instructions on completing the
TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT
request form

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For complete University Policy and Regulations pertaining to Travel, see: www.ucop.edu/ucophome/policies/bfb/g28.html

The Travel Office’s website provides a wealth of information designed to prepare travelers for what to do and expect pre- and post-travel; below is a summary of the most frequently-requested information. It is important to visit the website (travel.berkeley.edu) regularly, to ensure that no arrangements are made in violation of campus allowability, and that no costs are incurred which cannot be reimbursed. If you have any questions regarding travel policy please contact your budget assistant (for a list of BSO Budget Assistants, click here); it is always best to contact the BSO prior to your travel.

Travel reimbursement requests should be submitted as soon as possible after travel completion; ideally, within 7 days of completion of travel. All costs to be reimbursed must be accompanied by receipts, which should be taped (not stapled) to 8½" x 11" sheets of white paper (the back of scratch paper is fine). Only costs for the traveler can be reimbursed, unless otherwise authorized.

GETTING THERE:

If traveler traveled by plane, an itinerary or passenger receipt must always be provided, even if airfare was paid directly by the university, or if reimbursement is not being requested. The Travel Office requires this documentation as proof of travel.

If traveler drove a private vehicle and will be claiming mileage cost, s/he cannot also request reimbursement for gas (gas, wear-and-tear, etc. are already factored in to the per-mile reimbursement rate).

If traveler rents a vehicle, it is his/her responsibility to obtain the best available rate commensurate with the requirements of the trip. Charges for additional insurance are not allowable, including any charge for a collision damage waiver.

DAILY EXPENSES:

The university has maximum allowances on daily expenses, depending upon domestic or foreign travel. All lodging statements must show a zero balance or be marked paid in full; the Travel Office will not accept lodging statements that do not meet either of these criteria.

For domestic travel, daily maximum meal allowances are (new policy, effective 9/1/08):

Travel more than 24 hours but less than 30 days = up to $64/day

For international travel, daily maximum meal and lodging allowances are determined by the U.S. State Department, and vary from region to region. Contact the BSO prior to your trip for per diem rates; this information will help you plan your trip and ensure full expense reimbursement. University policy prohibits reimbursement over established per diem rates. For the State Department’s site on per diem rates, go to: www.state.gov/m/a/als/prdm/.

CERTIFICATION SIGNATURE:

The Travel Office requires traveler’s certification signature; traveler must sign below the certification statement, found at the bottom of the Travel Reimbursement Request form. Without signature, the Travel Office will not process the reimbursement.

Request Date: Enter today’s date.

CONTACT INFORMATION SECTION

Name: Enter traveler’s name.

Address: Enter traveler’s residence address. Travelers who are not UCB employees or students: this is also the address where your reimbursement will be sent, unless otherwise instructed.

E-mail: Enter traveler’s e-mail address.

Phone: Provide traveler’s phone number; this contact information is necessary should the Business Office need to contact the traveler.

Empl ID/Student ID/SS#/Fed Tax ID: Enter as appropriate traveler’s Employee ID, Student ID, Social Security, or Federal Tax ID (if a UCB employee is being reimbursed, provide his/her Employee ID; if a UCB student is being reimbursed, provide his/her Student ID, etc.).

Is traveler a U.S. citizen?: Check the appropriate box.

TRIP INFORMATION SECTION

If reporting foreign currency costs . . .: For foreign travel only. Identify the type of foreign currency for which receipts are being provided (e.g., British pounds, Canadian dollars); this will assist Budget Assistants in converting foreign currency into equivalent U.S. dollars.

Trip Purpose: Provide a brief business explanation for the trip.

Depart From/Destination: Provide the cities the traveler left from and arrived at (e.g., Oakland/Paris).

Departure Date/Time & Return Date/Time: Provide the date and time the traveler started his/her trip, and the date and time the traveler returned from his/her trip. For domestic plane travel, the departure time is the time the flight was scheduled to depart and the return time is the time the flight returned. For international plane travel, the departure time is the time the flight arrived in the destination foreign city and the return time is the time the flight left from the foreign city. For trips where no plane travel was involved, provide the time the traveler left his/her home/office and the time when he/she returned to home/office.

TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES

Airfare: Enter the cost of airfare. If another organization/institution paid for airfare, please note it. Regardless, in all cases where plane travel occurred, traveler must provide a copy of the flight itinerary or passenger receipt; it is required by the Travel Office as proof of travel.

Was CTS used to pay for airfare?: If the university paid directly for airfare, select "Yes." If the traveler paid for airfare, select "No"; this will ensure traveler be reimbursed airfare cost.

Ground Transportation: Enter cost for ground transportation, specifying transport type (shuttle, taxi, etc.).

Private Vehicle: If mileage on a privately-owned vehicle is being requested, provide the license plate number of the vehicle driven. The vehicle must have liability insurance; check the "yes" box by the question asked. Provide approximate number of total miles being claimed.

MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES

Include any other expenses to be reimbursed in this section. Note that not all costs may be reimbursable; check with your Budget Assistant to determine what can be reimbursed.

DAILY EXPENSES

Using the table provided, fill in daily meal and lodging expenses. For trips exceeding seven days, use the additional table provided (see Excel Worksheet tab labeled, "More Daily Expenses").

The university has maximum allowances on daily expenses, depending upon domestic or foreign travel. All lodging statements must show a zero balance or be marked paid in full; the Travel Office will not accept lodging statements that do not meet either of these criteria.

For domestic travel, daily maximum meal allowances are:

Travel more than 24 hours but less than 30 days = up to $64/day

For international travel, daily maximum meal and lodging allowances are determined by the U.S. State Department, and vary from region to region. Contact the BSO prior to your trip for per diem rates; this information will help you plan your trip and ensure full expense reimbursement.

Certification By Traveler: Traveler must sign here.

Acct Name/Fund Source: Provide the account name or funding source (e.g., Ford grant) to be charged.

Approval Signature: Have the principal investigator (PI) of the funding source sign in this field, authorizing the BSO to charge travel costs against this account. If the PI has designated another individual to sign approval on expenses for a particular account, that individual should sign in this field (note that the BSO must be informed by the PI in writing that another individual can sign for Travel expenses).

Last updated: 8/28/08

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