Faculty Handbook

Travel Advance Worksheet

Approximately one month before your program departure date, contact Amy Moeder or Sean Curry so a Travel Advance Worksheet can be prepared. The Travel Advance Worksheet serves as a tool for determining your Travel Advance amount, and is based on your program budget and the information you provide. The Worksheet outlines the amount of funds being advanced for each budget category and will be attached to your Travel Authorization Form on file in the Office of Study Abroad.
 
Since the advance is based upon the actual number of students enrolled, includes your actual housing and flight costs, and uses the latest currency exchange rate, there should be little or no deviation in the actual amount spent. The Acting Director of the Office of Study Abroad will carefully review any large discrepancies. Reimbursement for additional expenses cannot be guaranteed.

Whenever possible, invoices for student housing, class trips, instruction, etc. should be requested from the provider well before departure and paid by the Office of Study Abroad. It is important to allow adequate time, approximately two to three weeks, for payment processing. If you purchase equipment with program funds, it must be included in the budget; if you need to keep that equipment beyond the program end date, OSA must store that equipment for liability reasons.  If you should need the equipment for on-campus purposes, we will share the cost with your department.

In some cases, it may be necessary to pay guest speakers on site.  If you anticipate invoices to arrive after receiving your advance, discuss this with Amy or Sean so the amount can be deducted from your advance.

A credit card is available for program payments and will supplement your travel advance.  It is a MasterCard and works like a debit card, in that the card will be loaded with a specified amount and the card can be used until that amount is spent.  Normally the spending limit and single purchase limit are the same, so larger purchases should not pose a problem as they might with a normal MSU purchasing card.  Also, unlike the MSU purchasing card, this card can be used for travel costs such as group accommodations or activities.  If you are interested in a card, please print the application and return the completed application to Amy Moeder at least six weeks prior to your departure date.  When the card is ready, you will be notified by Marilyn Powell in Purchasing.  You will need to attend a brief training session with Marilyn when you pick up the card.  The spending limit will be determined during your advance discussions with Amy Moeder or Sean Curry and will be communicated to Marilyn, who is responsible for all card updates and changes.  When your program is over, the card should be returned to Amy Moeder.  Amy will retain the card until it is needed again.