How to Get Reimbursed
Travelers on university business typically pay for some of the expenses out of their own pocket and seek reimbursement after the trip is over. It’s a good idea to keep detailed records of what you spend money on and obtain a receipt whenever possible.
Within 45 days after returning home, you must file an expense report to document the business purpose of the trip and the full amount of the cost. The expense report often includes a request for reimbursement. The traveler is the best person to provide trip expense information. They know what locations they visited, what transportation they took to get there, where they stayed, what meals they ate, etc. This is the type of detail that is needed to capture business-related travel expenses. Employees can submit a travel expense report by logging in to the travel reimbursement system(link is external). Once a report is submitted, employees can track the status of a reimbursement request directly in the system.
Guests and students should contact their department for assistance.
See the Documentation and Receipts page for more information about what receipts and back-up records you’ll need to submit.
How to Enter your Travel Expenses for Reimbursement
Additional Information
- Key Points of Travel webpage provides travel guidelines and best practices in purchasing and reporting expenses while away on UC Business
- Learning Resources: Video webinar on how to submit travel expenses on reimburse.berkeley.edu and Job Aids featuring step by step expense submission instructions.
- Dependent Travel and Dependent Care Travel Guidelines webpage
- Reimbursement for Private Automobile Mileage
- Documentation and Receipts
- Reimbursement for travel impacted as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Frequently Asked Travel Questions: UC’s Online Booking Portal, Direct Bill – Charge Airfare directly to UC, 45 Calendar Day Submission Deadline, Travel Reimbursement, Travel/Entertainment Policy, and Travel Cancellation/Reimbursement Emergency Policy
- Insurance for Business-Related Travel
- Emergency Assistance
Roles
Traveler Role
The university traveler is responsible for:
Knowing:
- UC travel and entertainment spending policies, at least as they relate to the circumstances of their own travel
- If there are any funding source or departmental restrictions on paying for the activity
- Every travel expense has an approver separate from the traveler and if the approver disallows an expense, it will not be paid/reimbursed
Doing:
- Observe normally accepted standards of propriety in the type and manner of expense incurred
- Purchase travel services through Connexxus whenever reasonable
- Register for UC travel insurance program if travel is booked outside of Connexxus
- Report expenses and claim reimbursement in an ethical and responsible manner
- Submit expense reports timely and respond promptly to requests for details and documentation
- Return any unused university resources (i.e., unused prepaid airline tickets, excess travel advance funds)
- Never use university resources to pay for personal expenses
Preparer
The university Travel Preparer is responsible for:
Knowing:
- UC travel and entertainment spending policies
Doing:
- Coordinating with the Traveler to ensure all expenses are reported and all documentation is provided
- Entering trip information into the reimbursement system on behalf of the Traveler
Approver
The university Travel Approver is responsible for:
Knowing:
- UC travel and entertainment spending policies and funding restrictions
Doing:
- Reviewing expenses for reasonableness, appropriateness, accuracy and policy compliance
- Approve or deny requests in the system – may message other approvers within the system to get their documented approval on funding source or exceptional items