Frequently Asked Questions about Faculty Travel Grants

Faculty Travel Grants FAQs

"How will I be notified that my application has been approved?"

You will be sent an email confirming that your travel grant has been approved with instructions for ticketing. A copy of the email is also sent to the person who prepared your RTA/VE5. If you do not receive the email within a week of submitting it to us then it is possible that the application has not been received by us. It is important for you to confirm that your travel grant has been approved before you travel. Sometimes the forms are mishandled or lost in the mail and they do not reach this office. Do not assume that you have received a travel grant until you receive our confirmation email.

"My airfare is being paid by the conference. May I use my travel grant for conference fees, hotel, etc?"

The only expenditures permitted on the travel grant account are transportation and conference registration.
"May I use my travel grant to cover taxi fares?"

Not if they occur within the destination city. However, if ground transportation is necessary to get to the final destination, (i.e., the city in which the conference is being held has no direct airline service), travel grant funds may be used in that instance.
"May I use my travel grant to cover rental car fees during the conference?"

The same rule applies here as above relating to taxi fares. If ground transportation is necessary to get to the final destination (i.e., the city in which the conference is being held has no direct airline service), travel grant funds may be used in that instance. However, you must comply with state rules regarding use of rental cars and rental car agencies under state contract and you will only be reimbursed by the Faculty Travel Grant account for any amount remaining on the grant after deducting your airfare expense. Questions regarding rental car policies should be directed to Travel Management.

"I have returned from my trip and need to get reimbursed for my airline ticket. What do I do?"

You should give your ticket receipt to the person in your department who prepares travel vouchers. Have them forward the paperwork to our office, and after we've approved it, we'll forward it to Accounting, who will then issue the check.

If your airline ticket was directly billed to the Faculty Travel Grant account you do not need to do anything.
"I am driving to an out-of-state meeting. How do I get reimbursed?"

Out-of-state auto travel is reimbursed at no more than the "average air fare" as quoted by one of the travel agencies contracted to do business with the university, or actual car mileage times the current state mileage allowance, whichever is less. The person who prepares your travel voucher should show a quote on the voucher from one of the travel agencies contracted with the university giving the average air fare cost versus actual car mileage at the state rate. Please send the voucher materials to us for approval, and we will forward it to Accounting.
"I have cancelled the trip for which you awarded me a travel grant. May I use the funds for another one?"

If the ticket has already been directly billed to the Faculty Travel Grant account, you will need to ask the travel agency to reimburse our account for the unused ticket. Obtain written verification from them that a refund is being processed, and you may then reapply for another travel grant. If approved, you may then bill another ticket to the Faculty Travel Grant account.

If the ticket is not refundable, you may reapply for another Faculty Travel Grant, and use the ticket for that meeting. There is usually a re ticketing fee for this, which the Faculty Travel Grant account does not cover.
"Do I have to use one of the contracted travel agencies? I have found a lower airfare somewhere else."

If you want the charges directly billed to the Faculty Travel Grant account, you will need to use one of the agencies under contract to the university. If you can get a lower fare elsewhere, you will need to pay for your ticket with personal funds, and then get reimbursed after your trip. In this case your department will need to prepare a voucher to send for approval.
"I received a travel grant, but the airfare came to less than $1200. May I use the balance for another meeting this year?"

Yes, a faculty member may be awarded up to two trips per academic year (September 1 through August 31), up to a maximum of $1200.
"I have already received a travel grant this year, but I have a conference coming up on August 28. May I use next year's travel grant for that trip?"

Yes. Trips that occur after August 15 are eligible for inclusion in the upcoming academic year's awards.
"I am preparing a payment voucher for a faculty member who has received a travel grant. Can I put these charges on the same document with other expenses?"

Accounting has requested that charges to the faculty travel grants account be placed on a separate voucher. If the ticket was more than the travel grants allowable balance and you will be paying the difference on another account you should keep a copy of the ticket to submit with that voucher. It is often a good idea to enter this information in the NOTes section of the voucher (e.g., "The original receipt has been submitted with voucher #_____.") Please remember that state and local funds always have to be put on separate documents.
"I just returned from my trip and I have not yet applied for a Faculty Travel Grant. May I send an application in now?"

No. Applications are not accepted for trips already completed. Always plan to submit applications to this office two weeks prior to departure.

If your questions are not addressed above please feel free to contact the Faculty Travel Grant office to request additional information. Contact Maggie Keeshen at 232-3608 or mkeeshen@mail.utexas.edu.

The Graduate School

Faculty Travel Grants FAQs