Staff Travel Policies & Procedures

International Travel: Prior to submitting your RTA, check whether the country you are traveling to is on the Restricted Regions list. If so, you must apply and obtain approval from the International Oversight Committee. If your destination is not a restricted region, then you only need to register your travel through the UT Austin International Travel Registry (ITR).

Step 1: Request Travel Authorization (RTA)-

Per UT Austin policy, all employee travel regardless of funding source must be approved prior to the start of travel. Travel requests will route to your supervisor or their delegate.

An RTA is required for all travel, even if:

• You're not using UT funds

• It’s funded by a third party or personally paid

• You’re only attending a local meeting lasting over 4 hours

You must have an approved RTA to book flights and request reimbursement.

How To Complete the Travel Authorization Request

Open

Open

2. Click Continue

3. Under “Assign to Group,” select: 00400 - SCL Civitas Accounting

   • (You may select “Add to Profile” and “Make Default” to simplify future submissions)

Open

Step 2: Book Travel

You will receive an email when your RTA is approved. This email will notify you of your RTA Number and VE5 Document ID —please be sure to save this information. You’ll need it both to book your travel and to request reimbursement after your trip.

Upon receiving notification of your approved RTA, please use one of UT’s approved travel vendors to book your trip. This ensures cost savings, insurance coverage, and compliance with university policies.

Recommended options:

1. Anthony Travel (UT’s travel agents)

2. Concur (UT’s preferred online system)

See links below for directions on how to book:
Travel Agency Contacts
Booking Travel Overview

If you are traveling outside of Austin, hotels must be booked out of pocket and submitted for reimbursement.

If staying at a hotel in Texas, you must submit a Hotel Occupancy Form to have state sales tax waived. State sales tax from Texas is not reimbursable.

If you are coming to Austin, it is preferred that you get in touch with your team’s admin who knows how to book SCL preferred hotels. We will be invoiced directly - no sales tax and at the University rate.

Step 3: Understand Allowable and Non-Allowable Expenses

Please review our Travel Reimbursement Guidelines
This document outlines specific do’s and don’ts in greater detail and is essential reading before your trip.

Note: These guidelines reflect common scenarios but are not all-encompassing. For full university travel policies, visit the UT Austin Handbook of Business Procedures – Travel Section.

Step 4: Post Travel - Submit Receipts for Reimbursement

Per UT policy, travel can only be reimbursed after the trip has been completed.

To request reimbursement, complete the Travel Reimbursement Request Form and upload all required receipts.

• A detailed, itemized hotel folio showing zero balance is required.

• Texas state sales tax is not reimbursable; city and local tax is ok.

• Do not include expenses for anyone else (e.g., students, colleagues, spouse, children)—even if you paid for them. These are not eligible for reimbursement.

• Submit your reimbursement within 30 days of your return.

  • Per University policy and IRS “Safe Harbor Rules, reimbursements submitted after 60 days will need a written explanation, considered taxable income to the traveler and may be denied.

Assign to group: 00400 - SCL Civitas Accounting

Need help? Contact us at sclbiz@utexas.edu

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