• DO NOT make travel arrangements through THIRD PARTIES, like Expedia, Chase Travel, Citibank Travel, etc. These companies do not provide the receipts that the university travel office requires for reimbursement.
  
  
• Students are encouraged to share lodging when reasonable. All student names must be on lodging receipt for each student to be reimbursed. Names on the receipt must match the names on the TA.
  • Hotels - If sharing a hotel room, students can ask for separate receipts with their name upon checkout of their share of the room rental.
  • AirBnB or Vrbo - When making a reservation for lodging through AirBnB or Vrbo, you will be asked for names and email addresses of other guests so an email of the itinerary can be sent to each guest. If you use this option, the receipt will automatically list each student name as required for reimbursement.

• The total of the receipt will be divided by the number of people listed on the lodging receipt to reimburse each traveler on the TA, so do not add a name to a reservation unless it is assured that person will share lodging. USC will only give reimbursement if your name is on the receipt. Reimbursement will not be given for the lodging of any unapproved traveler. It is not advisable for students to pay travel expenses of other travelers. Each traveler must submit their own receipts for reimbursement separately.
  
  
• The maximum lodging rate is $429.54. per person, per night

• When planning travel, students should be practical and economical with due consideration given to the time involved, lodging and airfare costs, and the mission to be accomplished. It is advisable to take advantage of early-bird conference registration, purchase economy class airfare, avoid change-of-flights fees, and share lodging with other conference attendees whenever reasonable.
  
  
• Travel grants are available from the Graduate School, the Arnold School of Public Health, the Department of Exercise Science, and possibly, faculty mentors.
  
  
• All travel on behalf of the Department of Exercise Science must have prior approval. Students must submit a Travel Authorization (TA) request no later than 2 weeks prior to travel.
  
  
• DO NOT REQUEST A TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION UNTIL YOU HAVE CONFIRMATION OF ALL TRAVEL AWARDS FOR WHICH YOU HAVE APPLIED.
  
  
• It is not advisable for students to pay travel expenses of other travelers. Each traveler must submit their own receipts for reimbursement separately. If travel expenses are inconsistent among a group of travelers, expense reports will likely be returned for additional information and may not be reimbursed.
  
  
• While traveling, gather receipts as you pay for each expense. Don’t wait until you return to track down a receipt. Check each receipt for accuracy.

• Instructions and Applications 
• Graduate School Travel Grants
• ASPH Dean’s Student Travel Grant Application
• Exercise Science Travel Grant Application

• A travel authorization must be approved by the department prior to travel. Travel authorizations submitted after travel has commenced will not be approved. No reimbursements will be given without an approved TA.
  
  
• DO NOT REQUEST A TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION UNTIL YOU HAVE CONFIRMATION OF ALL TRAVEL AWARDS FOR WHICH YOU HAVE APPLIED.
  
  
• Once official notifications of travel awards are received, submit a Travel Authorization (TA) request no later than 2 weeks prior to travel.
  
  
• You must provide the following information on the TA request:
  • Dates of travel - If you wish to extend business travel for personal reasons, note it on the TA request. You will only be reimbursed for dates of conference or meeting dates.
  • Destination city, state, country
  • Purpose of travel – conference name
  • Estimated expenses (registration, ground transportation, mileage, flight, lodging).
  • Sources of funds for reimbursement. This includes any travel award letters from ASPH, EXSC, and/or Graduate School. If your faculty mentor is contributing to your travel funds, please provide an email or letter from them with their name, amount they are contributing, and the account number. 
• If students plan to share lodging, only one TA should be requested, listing all student names.
  
  
• Travel authorization does not ensure full reimbursement of all travel expenses. You will only be reimbursed for the amount of approved expenses on the TA via travel grants, faculty mentor support, or other approved sponsors. No reimbursements will be given without an approved TA. It is not advisable to purchase airline tickets until your TA has been approved. Not all faculty mentors may agree to provide reimbursement for certain expenses or meal per diems.

Form Link

• Receipt CHECKLIST for Reimbursement 

• Uber and Lyft will email receipts upon request. Save email as a pdf.
  
  
• Travel in excess of 500 miles round-trip should be by air, not personal vehicle. Some exceptions apply when students travel in a group by personal vehicle. USC pays 67 cents per mile when using your personal vehicle for transportation instead of reimbursement for gasoline.
• USC will not reimburse rental car expenses unless preapproved by the department.

• Receipts for air travel MUST include the traveler’s name, ticket number, class of airfare, itinerary and proof of payment.
  
  
• USC will reimburse economy class airfare only, not business or first-class airfare.

• Students are encouraged to share lodging when reasonable. All student names must be on lodging receipts. Names on the receipt must match the names on the TA.
  
  
•  The total of the receipt will be divided by the number of people listed on the receipt. USC will only give reimbursement if your name is on the receipt. A student will not be reimbursed the lodging of an unapproved traveler.
  
  
•  The maximum lodging rate is $429.03 per person, per night. 
   

• No receipts are necessary for meals. USC pays a per diem for meals as follows: