The School of Medicine has funds to help defray travel expenses for currently enrolled medical students.  Funding is limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis.  

All travel requests must be approved in advance by the Student Travel Advisory Committee.  You must complete the Request for Travel Funds Application Form at least 30 days in advance of your departure.  Once reviewed by the Student Travel Advisory Committee, you will be notified if your travel funds are approved.

If your travel request is approved, you must complete the Student Travel Expense Form once you return from your trip.  This form must be completed within 30 days of your return  in order to receive your travel reimbursement.  Reimbursement usually takes 4-6 weeks from time of the expense form submission.

The University of Louisville travel policies and procedures are updated on a regular basis as needed.  The comprehensive policies and procedures can be found at https://louisville.edu/finance/controller/acctops/travel.

GUIDELINES:

• All requests must be made at least 30 days in advance of your trip. 
• Medical students may receive funding for only one trip per academic year. 
• If you are traveling to present research, said research must have been conducted while you were a medical student.  Travel for research done prior to your matriculation into medical school will not be approved.
• First priority will be given to those students in leadership positions (e.g. AMA-KMA, AMSA, AMWA, SNMA) attending an organization regional/national meeting or conference and/or those students presenting abstracts, posters, or oral presentations at a meeting or conference of a medically related organization.
• You must include your conference abstract and letter of acceptance to present.
• Medical students will be eligible to receive up to $400 per trip.
• Three or more students from one group/organization will be eligible to receive no more than $1,200 per trip.
• Funding is available for international travel as well, but international travel approval paperwork must be submitted in order to be approved for funding.
• These funds are not available for Distinction Track students to present their DT projects at conferences.  Please contact the director(s) of your Distinction Track for funding alternatives.
  

Before you make any travel arrangements, be sure to read the information below.  If you have any questions or need any information, please contact Tony Simms, Director of Medical Student Affairs & Student Wellness, Anthony.Simms@louisville.edu or (502) 852-3267.

The University will reimburse reasonable travel and business expenses duly authorized and incurred for the conduct of University business by employees/students according to this policy which shall apply to all departments regardless of the source of funds, and in all affiliated and related organizations.

Conference Registration

Conference registration must be paid for with a university procurement card prior to the conference.  The university will not reimburse for any conference registrations.

Receipts

Only travel expenses actually incurred will be reimbursed. All receipts must be in the traveler’s name. Receipts must be detailed vendor receipts. Original receipts, showing the date of the service, are required for airfare, lodging, and car rental claims. Credit card receipts are not acceptable. If the original receipt is not available, complete the Certification of Non-original Receipt form when submitting faxes or copies of the receipt. Any expense under $30 does not require a receipt (except for lodging charges and per diems distributed to students/employees), but must be considered reasonable and necessary. Any other items in excess of $30 must also be documented by dated receipts.

 Transportation

1. Use of privately owned vehicles may be reimbursed at the prevailing IRS rate. Mileage claims, based on official mileage maps, must be more economical than the airfare available, except when the use of a vehicle is necessary. In the case that an employee/student decides to drive rather than fly to a destination that would typically be more cost effective to fly, please provide a copy of quote, dated at least two (2) weeks prior to the departure date, from the University's contracted travel agency with the travel voucher showing the most economical airfare available at the time of the trip. This will be used as a basis to determine the amount of reimbursement to the employee. An employee/student will not be reimbursed the full value of mileage charges if that amount exceeds this basis. If mileage is claimed, reimbursement for fuel charges cannot be claimed.
2. Commercial carrier travel including airfare may be reimbursed at actual cost including taxes and fees for the most economical class available. 
3. For travel at the destination, including to/from the airport, claimants are encouraged to use shuttles or mass transit.  Taxi fare and tip is allowed when more economical transportation is not efficient.

Lodging

The most economically feasible lodging should be used. Reimbursement shall not exceed the single, standard room rate. Traveler should obtain a pre-printed, itemized, original receipted bill showing a zero-balance. Express checkout folios may be used as long as the last 4-digits of the credit card number are displayed.

Rental Vehicles

All car rentals for a single traveler should be done through Enterprise or National Car Rentals. Car rental for a single traveler must be limited to the midsize/intermediate class of vehicle. Those who are traveling in groups may reserve higher classes as appropriate. Rental company supplemental insurance is neither an authorized nor reimbursable travel expense, and the vehicle should be rented in the name of “John Doe/University of Louisville” as the lessee.

Financial Aid

Please be mindful that any expenses that are paid on behalf of a student or reimbursed to a student must be approved by the Financial Aid Office in advance.

Travel Voucher

Reimbursement will be made after a travel voucher is filed with the Controller’s Office. The voucher shall include the expenses of only one traveler.  This voucher will be completed by the Office of Medical Student Affairs.

In order to comply with IRS requirements, the University uses the IRS standards for establishing reasonable time limitations for determining the tax treatment of reimbursements, as follows:

1. If written substantiation for the reimbursement is submitted within 60 calendar days of when the expenses were incurred or after returning from travel, and if all other requirements of the University’s Travel Policy are met, the reimbursement will be treated as a nontaxable reimbursement of a University business expense.
2. If written substantiation occurs more than 60 calendar days after the expenses were incurred or after returning from travel, the reimbursement must be reported to the IRS as taxable income paid to the individual. The amount of the reimbursement will be added to the employee’s W-2.