Travel Authorization
Prior approval for all business travel is required for absences of employees from the campus or other designated headquarters for periods of half a day or more during the normal working period, whether or not there is a cost to the University.
Written approval must be obtained from direct supervisor and a Travel Authorization Request (RTA) must be approved before the travel date. All travel requests must be routed to the supervisor for approval before reaching Dell Med Finance's desk. Special approval will be required for Washington, D.C. and foreign travel.
Required Information Includes:
- Traveler’s name
- Destination
- Dates of travel
- Purpose
- Benefit to UT
- Disposition of duties
- Account number (if cost to UT) – please check with DMS-Finance team
Travel Authorization Request Submission Process
- Log into the Request Form System
- In “Create a New Request”: Click the “Create” button (located to the right of the Travel Authorization Request line).
- Follow the instructions on the form and fill in all information about the trip. Provide as many details as possible. The more information you provide, the faster it will be approved.
- After all information is filled in, click “Continue”.
- Assign the Travel Authorization Request to Direct supervisor for approval.
- Direct supervisor assigns the Travel Authorization Request to DMS-Finance.
Non-Employee Travel
- If the non-employee traveler is to be paid an honorarium in addition to travel expense reimbursement, payment should be made according to the current process for paying independent contractors. Travel expenses are authorized on an APS (Authorization for Professional Services) for.
- If the only expenses for which the non-employee is to be reimbursed are travel expenses, the department should process a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) with the non-employee traveler type.
- If ten or more non-employees are to be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred to attend a single event and will not be paid for services or receive a stipend or honorarium, a Blanket Authorization of Professional Services (APS) may be prepared in lieu of preparing a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) for each traveler. A list of participants' names must be submitted with the Blanket APS so that hotel and airfare expenses can be direct-billed.
- If there is a signed hotel contract in place, rather than a Blanket APS, a memo from a department chair/center director may be submitted with a list of participants’ names identifying any current employees and including the appropriate RTA number.
Travel Contact:
For questions or comments about travel, please contact Dell Medical School-Finance.
Helpful Links and Resources for Travel Authorizations and Reimbursements
Travel Reimbursement
Any University of Texas at Austin employee, prospective employee, student, or independent contractor is entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses incurred while conducting official university business for only his or her travel expenses and not for any other individual, regardless of who paid the travel expense.
A Few Noteworthy Rules:
- An employee can only be reimbursed for his or her own expenditures, not for expenditures incurred by other individuals. Please advise your faculty and staff to NOT pay for other travelers (meals, hotel rooms, etc.) during the trip.
- If a business meeting, where the employee covers all costs, must occur during the trip, a separate reimbursement process is needed. The Official Occasion Expense Form (OOEF) must be submitted, with corresponding itemized receipts, and be approved in order for the employee to get reimbursed. Please contact Dell Medical School-Finance and refer to the process for Entertainment Payments for more information.
- Reimbursements will only be processed based on proof of receipt or agreed-upon documentation.
- Transportation:
- Personal Car: Mileage rate is currently 57.5 cents per mile. Mapquest must be used for point-to-point calculation.
- Only economy flights are reimbursable.
- Meals and Lodging:
- Only single occupancy rate may be claimed.
- UT employees are exempt from Texas state hotel occupancy taxes. A University employee traveler must present the hotel with a completed exemption certificate. If a hotel refuses to honor the certificate, the traveler will be reimbursed for the tax, and the state comptroller should be notified of the hotel's refusal. Otherwise, UT employees will not be reimbursed for State of Texas hotel occupancy tax. All taxes are reimbursable for out-of-state travel.
- All taxes for in-state or out-of-state travels are reimbursable for non-employees.
- Daily Limits (Effective 05/01/2016):
- Overnight in Texas: actual meal and lodging expenses not to exceed $260 per day, with food not exceeding $51 per day.
- Overnight outside of Texas, but in Continental US: actual meal and lodging expenses not to exceed $375 per day. If meal expenses exceed $51 per day, an explanation will be required.
- Outside Continental US: actual expenses not to exceed $425 per day. If meal expenses exceed $51 per day, itemized meals receipts are required with a written explanation.
- Non-reimbursable: Alcohol, dry cleaning, video rental, personal phone calls, and any non-business related travel and expense.
Travel Reimbursement Request Submission Process
- Travel Authorization Request must be prepared and approved BEFORE the reimbursement request.
- Log into the Request Form System
- In the Create A New Request: Click the “Create” button (located to the right of the Travel Reimbursement Request line).
- Follow the instructions on the form and fill in information about the trip. Provide an attachment of receipts. Provide as many details as possible. The more information you provide the faster it is to get final approved and reimbursement can be mailed out to the traveler.
- After all information is filled in, click “Continue.”
- Assign the Travel Authorization Request to the DMS-Finance.