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Travel Policy and Procedures

The Business Office does not manage travel arrangements on behalf of faculty and staff. 

Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) 

All travel for University of Texas at Austin business purposes requires a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) to be approved in advance of travel. You must fill out an RTA whether or not you plan to request reimbursement. RTA authorization also ensures faculty accountability for missed classes and academic responsibilities.  

  • Complete the Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) and assign it to Thomas Burritt’s EID: tb6222. He will approve your travel request and route it to the Business Office (00332).
  •  If you are unsure of your account number, leave it blank. 
  •  If another institution or group is paying for your travel, or you will not seek reimbursement select “No Cost to UT.” 
  •  If traveling to Washington, D.C. and visiting a federal agency–such as the National Institute of Health, for example–an agency contact name is required as well as supporting documentation, such as an invitation letter or email. 
  • Please attach all travel approvals that may apply (approved Faculty Travel Grant, approved Butler School Travel Funding Request, etc). 

International Travel

Funding Support for your Travel

The Butler School has three ways to support faculty travel: 

1) Any allocation or department fund that has already been designated to you for research and travel. 

2) The Graduate School offers tenure-track, tenured, and senior non-tenure track faculty a travel grant program of up to $1,400 once per academic year to present original papers at scholarly and professional meetings. You would need to submit an application to the graduate school to receive these funds. Graduate School Faculty Travel Grants (FTG) applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks in advance. Airline tickets are not allowed to be directed billed (Anthony travel/Concur); membership fees are not allowable.  All expenses must be paid out of pocket and included on your travel reimbursement request.  

3) Through the Butler Endowment we have allocated $35,000 to Faculty Travel Grants to distribute internally in amounts of up to $1,500 per faculty member per year for travel that is not covered under the Graduate Travel Grant. This is open to all faculty. Funds are available until they run out. To be eligible for this funding, you must apply in advance of your trip by filling out the Butler School Travel Funding Request Form.

The BSoM Travel Funding Request Form is an internal process for faculty to access Butler Faculty Travel Grants. It does not replace the requirement to request Authority to Travel. You must request a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) prior to any business trip.

Joe Tijerina-Casillas processes all travel authorization and reimbursement requests for faculty and staff members Please reach out to Joe at j.tijerina@austin.utexas.edu if you have any questions about travel policy or procedures, such as how to book a flight or reserve a rental car.  

Travel Reimbursements

  • If you are requesting a reimbursement for your travel expenses, complete the Travel Reimbursement Request as soon as your trip is over and assign it to group 00332 (Business Office). 
  • Receipts must be processed within 60 days of return date. 
  • Upload your receipts with the Travel Reimbursement Request; you can upload multiple receipts in pdf format.
  • Itemized receipts showing proof of payment are required for all travel expenses except your meals (list your per diem amount, up to the limit of $51/day). Alcohol is not considered per diem and it will not be reimbursed. 
  • Group meals during travel require an approved OOEF Official Occasion Expense Form (OOEF) and follow UT entertainment policy and COFA entertainment policy effective 4.1.24 and they will be reimbursed though the Entertainment Expense reimbursement request (group meals are not travel expenses). 
  • Employees sharing a room must each submit individual documentation for reimbursement of their portion of the charges. Per HBP 11.5.2. MEALS AND LODGING: “An employee can only be reimbursed for his or her own expenditures, not for expenditures incurred by other individuals.”

Required Receipts

    • Airline ticket receipts if the traveler paid for the ticket
    • Car rental receipts
    • Gasoline receipts
    • Taxi, bus, or train receipts for travel between cities
    • Lodging receipts which must include the hotel/motel, or short-term rental folio card showing itemized costs
    • Itemized meal receipts when rules allow exceptions to the limits
    • Registration receipts if registration was paid for by the traveler
    • Miscellaneous expenses
    • Receipts are not required within a city for all other transportation, but the expenses must be itemized by date, locale, type, point-to-point, and amount. Receipts for parking expenses are not required. 

Non-Reimbursable Expenses

The following is a partial list of non-reimbursable expenses: 

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Airline club dues
  • Any expense not related to official state business
  • Commuting expenses
  • Dry cleaning or laundry
  • Excess baggage charges for personal belongings
  • Locker rental for baggage storage
  • Rental of on demand for personal entertainment
  • Travel Insurance

Tools and Resources

 

Travel, Approval, Exceptions, & Planning

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