Travel Reimbursement Policies

Graduate students may travel to academic conferences with their adviser’s approval. Prior to travel, it is important to familiarize yourself with University and departmental policies.

Concur
  • Princeton uses Concur to reimburse eligible travel and business expenses.
  • Review Princeton’s travel policy.
  • Before traveling, you’ll need to obtain written approval from your adviser with the funding source. Upload it to your Concur expense report.
Getting started
  • Follow these instructions to get started in Concur.
  • Learn how to create an expense report. Receipts are required for all expenses. Itemized receipts are required for meals.
  • You are required to enroll all domestic and international travel with the University.
  • Your assigned Concur expense delegate will review your reports.
  • Submit expenses within 30 days, including those incurred in advance of a conference (e.g. airfare, conference registration, etc.).
  • Don’t wait more than 60 days to submit expenses! They will require an explanation and be reported to the IRS as taxable income.
  • Remember - Be reasonable with your costs. If you would not make a purchase with your own funds, you should not make that purchase with your adviser’s funds.
Flight
  • You must book economy class flights. For trips charged to federally funded sponsored projects, US air carriers must be used. Important: Before booking your flight, check with your expense delegate whether your funding source is a federally funded sponsored project.
  • Airline tickets must include itemized charges, credit card information and seat information. Trip insurance is not an allowable expense.
  • If personal travel is combined with University travel, only the business portion of the trip is an allowable expense. Provide comparison flights — the lesser will be reimbursed.
Hotel

Hotels

  • The preferred method is to book hotel accommodations through Concur or World Travel and pay for them on an expense report in Concur. 
  • University travelers should stay in standard rooms only. Suites and other upgraded rooms are not allowable expenses.
  • When booking a hotel for a conference where there is a special conference rate, the reservation may be made directly with the hotel.
  • The itemized hotel bill must always be included on the expense report.
  • No-show charges are not an allowable expense if the traveler fails to cancel before arrival without a valid business reason.
  • All bookings must follow the travel policy rate guidelines:

United States:
--$400 New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Menlo Park
--$350 Washington D.C., Seattle, Palo Alto, Cambridge (MA)
--$300 Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando
--$250 All other U.S. locations, except Princeton
--$200 Princeton, except during Reunion/Commencement week

International:

--$400 London & Paris
--$350 Amsterdam, Geneva, Hong Kong, Milan, Rome, Singapore, Tokyo, Zurich
--$300 All other international locations 

Alternative Lodging - VRBOs, Airbnb and Similar

  • While strongly discouraged, if you choose to use alternative lodging such as Airbnb or VRBO, it is permitted.
  • Established companies like Airbnb and VRBO carry their own insurance and travelers can book directly with them.
  • Maximum occupancy as stated on the listing cannot be exceeded.
  • The booking must be exclusive - no cohabitation with owners for other non-Princeton University renters at the property.
  • Residential properties with a private pool are not permitted.
  • Private residences cannot be used for alternative lodging unless booked through an established property management company.
  • All bookings must follow the travel policy rate guidelines outlined above.

Longer-term accommodations/property rentals

For long-term accommodations/property rental expenses to be allowable under University policy, they must meet the following requirements:

  • Private residences cannot be used for lodging unless booked through an established property management company
  • A legitimate rental contract or lease agreement needs to be approved by Risk Management before signing
  • Payment must be made through approved University channels (University credit card or PO)
  • Payment receipt must be provided along with a signed rental contract to be reimbursable.   
Meals
  • Group meals will not be reimbursed. You must pay for your portion of a shared meal and submit an itemized receipt for your meal cost.
  • If the conference provides meals, you should be eating the meals provided.
  • Transportation costs (such as Uber, Lyft) to/from meals are not reimbursable.
  • Maximum reimbursement amounts for meals: $75/day (domestic) and $125/day (international). Alcohol is not reimbursable.
Other costs
  • Expenses related to visas, passports and vaccinations for business travel are allowable.
  • Taxi fare (Uber, Lyft) is allowable from home/airport and hotel/conference site.
  • If you’re planning a business trip and have questions about expenses, please contact your Concur expense delegate!
Contact and resources