Skip to the content

Kansas State University

Travel Reimbursement Information

Original, itemized receipts are required for all travel expenses to be reimbursed by SGA. Copies cannot be accepted for reimbursement purposes.

Please stop by the OSAS budget office to discuss your SGA travel allocation. At that time, the OSAS accountant can advise you on State of Kansas travel regulations specific to your travel requirements. Upon returning from your trip, you will need to turn in the Travel Reimbursement Form with your original receipts to seek reimbursement.

It will take the State of Kansas 3-4 weeks to issue payment from the State of Kansas Treasury, Topeka, KS. Travel reimbursements will be mailed to the home or organization's address provided, or electronically deposited . These payments are identical to KSU payroll stubs and other State of Kansas payments. Please be sure to open all State of Kansas correspondence to avoid confusion and receive prompt payment.

Important Highlights

  • Organizations must make their own travel arrangements for all travel.
  • Meals cannot be reimbursed if the travel begins and ends on the same day.

Out of State Travel

Lodging - You will need to submit itemized receipts from the lodging establishment to seek reimbursement. An itemized receipt will list room charges; city, state, and occupancy taxes; and miscellaneous charges as individual charges on your receipt. Lump-sum credit card receipts do not qualify as an itemized receipt. SGA can only reimburse room charges up to State of Kansas lodging limits and their applicable taxes.

Airfare - Airfare reservations may be made through the most economical means possible. Students can now use the popular internet travel services to reserve plane tickets.

Vehicle Rental - You will need to turn in an itemized vehicle rental receipt to seek reimbursement. An itemized receipt will list vehicle rental charges, taxes, insurance (not reimbursable by the State of Kansas), gasoline charges, etc. Lump-sum credit card receipts do not qualify as an itemized receipt.

Registration Fees (If specifically allocated by SGA)- You will need to submit registration receipts to seek reimbursement. If the conference does not automatically provide you with a receipt, you will need to request one from them. The receipt must state your name, the title of the conference, and the amount paid. The State of Kansas requires OSAS to state whether any meals were provided in the registration fees. Please be sure to fill out this section on the Travel Reimbursement Form when you turn in your receipt. A copy of the registration form must be attached.

Meals - Meals can be reimbursed on an actual cost basis (not to exceed the daily quarterly rate) or on a daily quarterly rate (preferable). You will need to retain all original meal receipts if you want to be reimbursed using the actual cost method. The actual cost reimbursement cannot exceed the State of Kansas daily allowable rate. For reimbursement based on a daily quarterly rate, the daily quarters are split up by these times: 12:01a.m. to 6:00a.m., 6:01a.m. to 12:00 noon, 12:01p.m. to 6:00p.m., 6:01p.m. to 12:00 midnight. Please contact the OSAS Accountant for questions regarding quarterly meal reimbursement.

Private Vehicles - Private vehicle usage can be reimbursed on an actual cost basis or on a mileage rate basis. You will need to retain all original gasoline receipts if you want to be reimbursed using the actual cost basis. The mileage reimbursement rate is set by the State of Kansas. The OSAS Budget Office will use a standard mileage distance calculator, MapQuest.com, for calculating total mileage expenses. Please contact the OSAS Accountant for questions on private vehicle mileage reimbursements.

Facilities Motor Pool

  1. You will need to submit a Request for Transportation Form, provided by KSU Division of Facilities Management, http://www.ksu.edu/facilities/forms/trans.html, to the OSAS Budget Office to reserve Motor Pool vehicles. This form needs to be reviewed and signed by the OSAS Coordinator before the reservation can be finalized. The OSAS Budget Office will fax the approved Request for Transportation Form to Motor Pool.
  2. You will not be responsible for paying fuel costs during your trip. Motor Pool will provide numerous credit cards for gasoline expenses. The department is then charged a flat rate per mile depending on the type of vehicle rented.
  3. OSAS will only reserve Motor Pool vehicles if your group has a SGA allocation for this purpose. OSAS will not reserve Motor Pool vehicles for groups that have exhausted their SGA travel allocation.
  4. Any Motor Pool charges over and above your group's travel allocation will need to be paid directly to facilities.
  5. Driver must be a K-State Employee.
  6. If renting a van, driver must have completed van driver training through Motor Pool.

Cash Advances for Student Travel

Advisors must be traveling with the student group to qualify for a cash advance!

  1. Cash advances can be requested when large groups of students will be traveling together.
  2. Cash Advances require at least two weeks notice to allow enough time to process the appropriate paperwork. The cash advance must be approved two weeks in advance by the K-State Controllers Office due to a limited amount of funds available for this purpose. If your request is approved, a check will be issued to your faculty/staff advisor approximately one week prior to your trip.
  3. You will need to turn in the Cash Advance Information Form to the OSAS Budget Office two weeks prior to traveling. Please attach a complete list of K-State students traveling to this form.
  4. The OSAS Budget Office will contact your advisor when the check is ready. It is the responsibility of your advisor to distribute the funds to your organization.
  5. Even though your group has received payment prior to traveling, you will still need to retain all original receipts according to the in-state and out-of-state guidelines explained above. The OSAS Budget Office will need those receipts to process paperwork to reimburse the K-State Controller’s Office loan. Turn in your group's original receipts and the Cash Advance Reimbursement Information Form to OSAS Budget Office no later than one week after returning from your trip.
  6. This is a temporary travel loan made payable to your advisor. The OSAS Budget Office must reimburse the K-State Controller's Office loan no later than one week after your return date. If you are having problems getting receipts or turning in the paperwork on time, please contact the OSAS Accountant as soon as possible.