Student Travel Requests

Travel authorization requests and all related paperwork must be submitted and approved BEFORE you leave.  Please note that depending on your situation, you may need to submit several forms to complete the travel authorization process.

Travel Authorization Requests 

• A Travel Authorization Request (sometimes called TAR or RTA) is required if any of the following descriptions apply to your travel:
  1. You are an employee (TA, AI, GRA) who will be employed during any of your travel dates
  2. You are conducting official travel (i.e., you will be completing work, attending a professional conference, or conducting research related to your degree or position)
  3. You will be requesting a reimbursement for any of your travel expenses
• Email Ben Rapstine (rapstine@austin.utexas.edu) for assistance on the Travel Authorization Form.
• If you are being reimbursed by any UT account (including a grant account), provide a brief description of the account you’d like to use (e.g., Dr. Smith's NSF, my ELDP).
 If your travel is being funded by a professional development award or other fellowship, or if your travel is being paid for by an institution or group outside of UT, select "No Cost to UT.” It is rare that you will select the 3rd party reimbursement option. 
• After your TAR is approved, if you need to book your flights via UT's travel agency, visit this page: https://travel.utexas.edu/travelplanning/contact-travel-agency

* Otherwise you can book your flights on your own, after the TAR is approved. 

International Travel Request Authorization

• All student international travel also requires an International Travel Request Authorization (ITRA) form: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/io/abroad/itr/trip.WBX
• Before your departure, we highly recommend that you consult our Health and Safety Resources webpage and register your trip in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so the U.S. embassy is aware of your travels. (Non-U.S. citizens can register their trip in their home country’s equivalent.)

Restricted Regions Requests

Travel to certain international locations requires additional approval.   If you are traveling to one of these restricted regions, you must submit a Restricted Region Travel Request by the due date listed on the site.  No late requests will be approved.

• You cannot be reimbursed for travel to a Restricted Region unless you have received advance approval from the International Oversight Committee in the International Office for such travel.
• Submit your request at least five weeks prior to departure. 
• Restricted Regions List

1. Please make sure that you are using the updated version of the Restricted Regions request form and COVID-19 travel waiver.
   •  Each traveler needs to complete the forms. This includes providing an in-depth justification for travel and signing both forms.
2. Send the unsigned forms to Ben Rapstine to route for signature.
3. Traveler will receive a copy of the signed documents.
4. Traveler will receive the IOC approval letter and send to Ben Rapstine to move forward with the TAR.

 Travel Cash Advances

• Travel cash advances are available for travelers who will be paying for extraneous research needs during their travel. 
• A cash advance is required if you expect to have any of the following expenses on your trip:
  • Payments to consultants, translators, or any third party payment (including payment of travel or entertainment costs for anyone other than yourself)
  • Purchase of equipment, supplies, or program expenses 
  • Payment for non-commercial lodging
• Requests submitted less than 10 days in advance will be automatically denied.  However, you should aim to submit your request 30 days in advance because it often takes a full month for the request to be approved and the funds to be released.
• If you are not employed during the entirety of your trip, your cash advance will be released to the PI listed on your project.  In this case, it is your responsibility to obtain permission from your PI to get a cash advance in his/her name and to arrange transfer of funds from the PI to your account.
• See the Travel Cash Advance section for details on how to request a cash advance and what you'll need to submit when you return 

Travel Reimbursements

• If you will be requesting a reimbursement for your travel expenses, you will request the reimbursement by submitting a Travel Reimbursement Request (TRR). Email Ben Rapstine (rapstine@austin.utexas.edu) for assistance on the TRR. *If you received a cash advance for your trip, skip this step and follow the cash advance reconciliation instructions here.
• Travel Reimbursement Request form is here, under Expense Requests: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/services/requests/
• Upload your receipts at the top of the page and use “Add expense type” box to detail each expense.  
• Receipts are required for all travel expenses except your meals (list your per diem amount, up to the limit of $51/day) and ground transportation within a city (such as a taxi ride from the airport to your hotel).  
• When the form is complete, select continue at the bottom of the page, then assign it to Linguistics Travel.   
• Please note, if your travel is being supported by a Professional Development Award, you do not need to submit a reimbursement request.  PDAs are paid as a fellowship payment, and you should receive the payment 1-2 weeks after the fellowship committee notifies you of the award.

All reimbursement requests (travel, meals, or purchases) must be submitted and final approved within 60 days.   The Dean’s Office will no longer approve any late reimbursement requests.  The COLA Central Business Services page has additional information about employee travel here.