VT Study Abroad Travel Training Lynn Meadows VT

VT Study Abroad Travel Training Lynn Meadows, VT Controller’s Office Phone: 540 -231 -8551 Email: dlynnm 06@vt. edu

Pre-Trip Pre-Pay /Direct Pay Airfare: • Purchase 90 days in advance of travel – contact Travel Supervisor for an exception to policy such as exceptional rates • Process through Hokie. Mart as a Travel Authorization • Can use one of the VT contract travel agencies: (Covington Travel, Martin Travel or Ulti-Max Travel, LLC) • Can also use non-contract travel agencies Lodging: • Can only pre-pay for one night’s lodging – directly to the vendor • If paying a travel agency for handling lodging, all lodging can be paid • Process through Hokie. Mart as a Direct Pay (A-13) – If travel agency vendor isn’t currently set up as a supplier, a W-8 BENE or W-9 is required • Allowable lodging and M&IE rates can be located from US Dept. of State: http: //aoprals. state. gov/web 920/per_diem_action. asp? Example: St. Vincent Lodging = $132 M&IE = $103

Sample Expenses for trip to St. Vincent Lodging Taxi 6 nights 7 days 100 X 4 Rooms 100 per day $ 2, 400. 00 $ 700. 00 Meals 7 days Advisor - 5 full days ($103 per day) and 2 75% days ($82. 50) $ 680. 00 Group Meals Breakfast $15 per day X 10 students X 5 days $ 750. 00 Lunch $26 per day X 10 students X 5 days $ 1, 300. 00 Dinner $41 per day X 10 students X 5 days $ 2, 050. 00 Supplies Reading Books Pencils Crayons Notebooks Entrance Fees Internet Total Expenses $ $ 100. 00 25. 00 100. 00 Museum $10 person X 11 $ 110. 00 Botanical Garden $10 person X 11 $10 per day $ $ 110. 00 70. 00 $ 8, 420. 00 Breakdown for breakfast, lunch, dinner and incidental amounts can be found at FTR Appendix B (Breakdown of Meals/Incidentals – US Dept. of State http: //aoprals. state. gov/content. asp? content_id=114&menu_id=81

Pre-trip expenses: Passport, Visa and Immunizations are allowed/reimbursable if: Ø The expenses are included in the program fee Ø The expenses are required for entry into the country Ø The expenses are required by everyone in the group CISI Insurance should be purchased for the group Pre-trip checklist: Complete Travel Authorization in TEM system a minimum of 2 weeks prior to travel Ø Please attach a list of students going on the trip Ø The TA (travel authorization) will be routed to Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance for review by Amanda Gland (agland@vt. edu) Ø Estimated expenses to be reimbursed to the Advisor should be included in the TA Ø Travel Loan/Advance Procedures are in the process of being changed with the implementation of TEM (Travel Estimate & Expense Management System)

Travel Loans/Advances Ø Travel Loans/Advances can be requested to cover expenses being purchased in Country. Ø The amount requested can not exceed the amount of anticipated expenses listed in the travel authorization or per diem rates set forth by the US State Dept for the location of travel. Ø Airfare and conference registration fees are not allowable expenses. Ø If you are planning to use a travel loan/advance for wintermester or winter break, let me know. This process is scheduled to change in November.

In-Country Group Meals: Group meals should include the advisor and students. If the group has dinner together, the amount associated with dinner from the per diem list needs to be deducted from the advisor’s per diem. For example: Dinner in St. Vincent is $41 so the amount to be provided to the advisor is $62 ($103 full day per diem - $41 dinner). Note: Departments can limit the amount of per diem provided for advisors on study abroad programs. • • Itemized receipts are required for group meals. Please avoid including alcohol during a group meal. Alcohol is not an allowable expense on state funds. If an itemized receipt is not available, obtain a menu either online or from restaurant and mark what each person ate and submit with proof of payment. Advisors can provide students with cash to purchase their own meals – amount limited to the per diem allowed for the meal (ex. Lunch in Saint Vincent = $26)

In-Country Allowable expenses: • Entrance Fees (Museums, Libraries, Botanical Gardens, Castles, etc. ) ü Receipts required (if a receipt is not available, the following alternate receipt can be provided with the travel voucher).

In-Country Transportation Expenses: • Receipts are required. If a receipt is unavailable, the following receipt is allowable: Transportation expenses include taxi, bus, rental car, rail - metro and boat.

In-Country TIPS: Tips are covered under the incidental portion of M&IE. If you provide a tip, please obtain a receipt in order to be reimbursed as a business expense on behalf of the group. Please refer to Travel Overview Procedure P 20335 A, Section 2. 4 – Other Travel Expenses, #5 for additional information regarding gratuities: http: //www. co. vt. edu/Procedures/p 20335 a. html The use of a receipt book is recommended for this type of expense.

Post-Trip Ø Once you return from the study abroad trip, be sure and complete the TR (expense report) in TEM as quickly as possible. Travel Loans are due within 30 days of return. Failure to repay the travel loan can result in payroll deduction. Ø Submit all original receipts with the expense report in TEM. Ø All receipts must be converted to USD. Please use either a currency converter (see attached resource page or a copy of your credit card statement with the converted amount). Ø Include a memo regarding any unusual circumstances. Ø Please complete the expense report in TEM with each day’s expenses. Ø Please do not include expenses on the expense report for which you do not have receipts or supporting documentation.

Resource Links U. S. Department of State – Lodging and Meal Per Diem: http: //aoprals. state. gov/web 920/per_diem. asp U. S. Department of State – FTR Appendix B (Breakdown of Meals/Incidentals): http: //aoprals. state. gov/content. asp? content_id=114&menu_id=81 Currency Converter – Conversions should be on the date the transaction occurred: http: //www. oanda. com/currency/converter/ Controller’s Office Website for policies and procedures: http: //www. co. vt. edu/accounting_operations/accounting_services/Travel/inde x. html Controller’s Office Website for Forms (VT Travel Estimate and Approval Form, Travel Voucher, Travel Loan Form): http: //www. co. vt. edu/Forms/index. html#travel