Travel Procedures and Funding

NEW: Travel and Card Services Website

We are now using the new system, Concur, for the travel request/approval processes. Concur replaces the ELF Travel Approval Request, the Travel Expense Statement System, and TCMS. Use the above link to access Concur and helpful instructions on how to use the new system. Please remember that international travel still requires Dean's office approval in advance of the trip.

*Note: any below information that references the old travel system is now out of date and will be updated shortly.  

Graduate Travel Procedures

• Policy, Timelines, and Graduate Travel Memo

Travel Awards

• Goldhaber Travel Grant
• ICSSA Award
• The Department of Geographical Sciences also offers graduate students an award for $250 + Registration Fee for any conference. This award can be used once per year.
• Postdoctoral Conference Support Award (PCSA)

FAQs

• What's the difference between research-funded travel versus academic and graduate student department-funded travel?
  • For questions about research-funded travel, please contact your research administrator. If you’re unsure of who the correct contact is, please reach out to Vicky Berry. 
  • Only students who will be presenting research, papers, posters, etc. at a conference are eligible for travel funding through the department. Exceptions are extremely rare and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Graduate students must start by filling out the Graduate Travel Memo and following the steps to travel funding found here.
• When should I start applying for department-funded travel?
  • Eligible graduate students must begin the application for travel funding no later than 2 months prior to travel (ie. 2 months before you will need the department to pay for travel expenses). The department reserves the ability to deny travel funding to students who do not follow this timeline. 
• I've filled out my graduate travel memo and been awarded travel funding, how do I get started with paying for my trip?
  • Please follow the steps here and contact Vicky Berry with additional questions. Please note when filling out the TAR that you will only be approved for the amount awarded by the department. ONLY put costs up to this amount on the TAR. The department will not pay for any amount spent over the award monies.
• I've paid for my trip up-front but was awarded funding (and my TAR was approved prior to my travel), how do I get reimbursed?
  • Upon return from your travel, you will fill out an expense statement detailing the costs associate with your trip. You will turn this in to the Smart Center with original receipts. Please keep a copy of the expense statement and receipts for your records.
• I'm still confused, who can I talk to about graduate travel funding?
  • You can direct initial questions to Vicky Berry.