PSTC Travel Guidelines
If you will be traveling with funds from the PSTC, please take a few minutes to sit down with PSTC staff well before your departure date. It is the traveler's responsibility to fully understand and comply with all guidelines pertaining to funding and allowable expenditures, as well as all airline, PSTC, and Brown University travel rules and restrictions.
Brown University travel policies and procedures are available through the University Travel Accounting webpage; however, we have compiled an overview of some general guidelines and suggestions that is specifically aimed at PSTC travelers, particularly those who will be traveling internationally.
Before You Go
Travel Advances
Travel Reimbursement
Required Receipts
Legitimate Expenses
Ineligible Expenses
Before You Go
Booking Flights: We strongly recommend that you consult with us as early as possible regarding airline tickets to ensure that you are fully aware of any restrictions or guidelines regarding your ticket purchase. (For example, those travelers using federal funds to fly internationally must comply with the "Fly America Act" and use American carrier flights, unless they request and qualify for an exception.)
Travelers must fly economy class and should plan to purchase their own tickets using a personal credit card or other funds. We encourage PSTC travelers to be pro-active in finding and booking their own reasonably-priced airfare, but we can offer assistance booking your travel. The PSTC has an excellent and longstanding relationship with a travel agent who has expertise in arranging itineraries to many global settings.
Some travelers have found very good fares with ticket brokers in their countries of destination or through domestic agencies that specialize in tickets to certain regions; however, PSTC staff do not have any professional contacts with these agencies.
If you do not have a credit card or otherwise lack sufficient funds to purchase your airline ticket, please contact PSTC staff to make arrangements to book your travel through the University-approved travel agency, Garber Travel. Please do not ask a colleague or friend to purchase tickets for you. The University strongly discourages this practice.
Additional Considerations: When purchasing air travel, please note that travel insurance is not a reimbursable expense. If you choose to purchase this type of insurance, you will have to absorb the cost.
Visas: We are happy to assist you in securing any necessary visa(s) to your country/countries of destination and can provide letters of support for PSTC travelers. You bear responsibility for complying with all visa requirements. Citizens of countries other than the United States may require transit visas in addition to entry visas for their countries of destination. Please check these requirements, and the status of your passport and/or U.S. visa, prior to making travel arrangements. Please note: Each traveler is responsible for the cost of renewing his/her own passport and/or U.S. immigration visa. These are not reimbursable expenses.
Healthcare Planning: Visit the CDC's Travel page for information on health risks in global settings. The PSTC will reimburse travelers for vaccinations and/or prescriptions recommended by the State Department or CDC. The cost of any medications or ongoing prescriptions not specifically related to health risks in the country of destination are the traveler's own responsibility. Additionally, travelers should check with their health insurance providers regarding coverage while traveling.
Travel Advances
Travel advances are issued by the University as a courtesy to travelers. Once you have proof of a paid travel itinerary, the PSTC can provide you with a travel advance for the amount of the itinerary, as we understand that airline tickets are costly and many travelers need to pay their credit card bills prior to their departure.
We can also provide you with a travel advance towards your living expenses. Foreign travelers can be provided with an advance of up to $75 per day. Domestic travelers can receive up to $50 per day in advance.
Please be in touch with PSTC staff early if you anticipate needing any funds up front so that you can coordinate a timeline for submitting these requests. Advances for airline tickets can be processed immediately after the tickets are purchased. However, we can submit travel advances for living expenses no earlier than ten business days prior to departure (unless you will be away from Brown before that). Travelers who receive advances for any expense must still submit receipts in accordance with University guidelines once their travel is completed. Receipt of a travel advance does not absolve travelers of this obligation.
Reimbursement Procedures
Original receipts for international travel should be submitted either by mail or in person to Kelley Smith or Katelyn Clary within two weeks following the completion of travel. Receipts for domestic travel can be submitted to Katelyn Clary.
It is helpful to us if you organize your receipts prior to submitting them for reimbursement. Generally, receipts should be grouped by type (transportation, lodging, etc.) and then chronologically within that type. Tape receipts to scrap paper. You may also want to include a spreadsheet documenting your expenses. If you have unspent funds from your travel advance, you must return them in the form of a check payable to Brown University.
If your receipts are in a foreign currency, please provide us with a receipt for the exchange rate you used. If you do not have a printed record of the exchange rate, we will use an online currency converter to calculate your expenses.
Once PSTC staff have completed the travel report, they will contact you to arrange a time for you to sign it. After the report is signed, it will be submitted to the Travel Accounting office. It usually takes about one to two weeks for them to process the report (and to issue a check, if the traveler is due a refund). Reimbursement checks are sent to Katelyn Clary, who will contact you when they are received.
Required Receipts
We understand that receipts can be difficult to obtain, especially in the developing world. Many PSTC travelers take a small receipt book with them so that they can keep track of money exchanged.
However, all travelers must submit the following:
- Original passenger receipts/e-tickets from air or train travel, showing itinerary and cost
- Original receipts for lodging, detailing cost of room and taxes and dates of visit
- Meal receipts, if not claiming per diem*
- Receipts for any expense over $50
*A note on meal receipts and "per diem": Meals can be reimbursed in one of two ways: by submitting receipts for the actual amount spent at each meal, or by reimbursement for a flat per diem rate for the duration of travel. Travelers cannot request reimbursement using both methods on one travel report.
Domestic Travelers: Most travelers on short domestic trips opt to submit receipts for each meal. Otherwise, domestic meal per diem rates are in the range of $40-$45/day. Domestic per diem rates can be viewed here.
Foreign travelers: Most foreign travelers usually opt to receive meal reimbursement using the per diem method, as it can be difficult to obtain receipts overseas. However, PSTC travelers generally spend considerably less than the per diem allowed by the government. Please review the international per diem rates set by the State Department as a guide. Travelers should plan to eat at budget-class restaurants. Travelers who use a per diem rate do not need to submit receipts for their meals - they must only be able to provide an accurate figure as to their total meal expenditures.
Other Legitimate Expenses
When applicable and with the necessary receipts, you may also be eligible to claim the following as legitimate travel expenses, within the limitations of your funding:
- Taxis, buses, and subways
- Economy-class rental car
- Mileage reimbursement for use of own car
- Tolls incurred while driving
- Airport parking
- Internet use
- Conference registration
- Recommended vaccinations/prescriptions
- Small hospitality gifts to hosts/colleagues
- Payment to research assistants
- Photocopying for research purposes
- Visa/transit visa for country/countries of destination
- Books and/or research materials not available in U.S.
- Occasional phone calls to home/colleagues or phone cards
- Occasional laundry service
Ineligible Expenses
The following are not reimbursable expenses:
- Upgrades from economy-class travel
- Meal expenses in excess of maximum per diem
- Personal travel unrelated to PSTC itinerary
- Expenses incurred by family members or other non-PSTC travelers
- Cost of renewing passport and/or US visa
- Tourism
- Entertainment
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal hygiene supplies
- Souvenirs
We expect that travelers will not be abusive in their use of PSTC funds. Travelers should not submit reimbursement requests that would allow them to profit from their travel, cover costs incurred by fellow travelers, or that would exceed the permissible funding for their trips. As always, if you are confused about a travel policy or are unsure about what constitutes a reimbursable expense, set up a time to meet with PSTC staff.
The PSTC expects that travelers can appreciate the number of University and federal policies with which they and PSTC staff must comply, and hope that they will do their best to plan ahead for upcoming travel. We appreciate your cooperation and hope that this web page has helped to clarify what are often confusing policies regarding travel. We look forward to assisting you with your travel needs in the future. Please feel free to contact Kelley Smith at 863-3201 or by email with any questions.