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SDSURF › Project Administration Guide › Travel › Travel Advances

Travel Advances

1. Obtaining an Advance
2. Clearing an Advance


1. Obtaining an Advance

An advance of $25 minimum may be submitted for up to 80 percent of the estimated out-of-pocket expenses for travel in excess of 24 hours and may be requested no earlier than 30 days prior to the trip. The traveler completes a Check Request signed by the PI or designee that includes an itemized list of anticipated expenses, and forwards it to the SR administrator for approval. New travel advances may not be issued to an individual who has outstanding travel advances in excess of 60 days old. The advance must be refunded immediately when a trip is cancelled or postponed. The traveler is personally responsible for clearing the advance. To avoid personal tax liability, the advance must be cleared within 60 days after the trip.

Travel advances are normally issued to an individual requester, except in exceptional instances where the composition of the travel party requires a campus custodian to administer travel funds for several individuals. When submitting a travel reimbursement claim to clear a single advance involving multiple travelers, a travel roster is required in addition to the normal documentation requirements. The travel roster must include the name of each traveler and the signature of the traveler acknowledging funds expensed on his/her behalf.


2. Clearing an Advance

When your travel is complete, you may find that you did not spend the entire advance, you spent more than the amount advanced, or you came out exactly even. Your advance must be substantiated in one of the following ways:

  • If you have cash to return, cash should not be delivered to anyone other than the cashier. Deliver the completed Cash Receipt form to SDSU Research Foundation's cashier. Include a copy of the Cash Receipt and staple your Travel Reimbursement Request form and backup documentation behind the copy of the Cash Receipt. Attach the advance card to the front of the copy of the Cash Receipt. The cashier forwards the copy of the Cash Receipt to the accounts payable travel coordinator. The travel coordinator works with the SR administrator to approve the expenditures and clear the advance.
  • If you are returning funds by way of personal check, complete a Travel Reimbursement Request form. Attach your receipts and personal check for balance of advance to the form and forward to the SR administrator for review. After review, the Travel Reimbursement Request form is forwarded to the travel coordinator for final audit and to clear the advance.
  • If you have no funds to return, complete a Travel Reimbursement Request form. Attach your receipts and forward to the SR administrator for review. After review, the Travel Reimbursement Request form is forwarded to the travel coordinator for final audit and to clear the advance. If you have spent funds in excess of your advance, an accounts payable refund check will is issued to you.
  • Forms



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