SUBMIT AN ONLINE RTA
An RTA (Request for Travel Authorization) is required for all employees, students, and staff prior to making travel arrangements. The RTA must be completed and submitted electronically through Request Forms. Once you have logged in with your EID and password, select "Travel Authorization Request" under Expense Requests. Follow all instructions, including adding an account number to charge for expenses. When completed, assign the request to Molecular Biosciences Travel (00171). You will receive an email with your RTA number once your request has been processed and approved.
Any University of Texas at Austin employee, prospective employee, student, or independent contractor is entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses incurred while conducting official university business for only his or her travel expenses and not for any other individual, regardless of who paid the travel expense.
SUPERVISOR/ACCOUNT SIGNER APPROVAL
Students or lab personnel traveling on faculty accounts will need prior approval from their supervisor/PI before their RTA will be processed. For this approval to be on file, please email MBS Payments and cc your PI with the following:
“I will be traveling to (conference name and/or city) during (travel dates), using (account number).”
Booking Your Flight
You have three flight booking options once your RTA has been approved (Find out more at Travel Management Services):
- Concur Online Reservations-- One-time setup for quick and easy travel arrangements. Create your traveler profile and once approved you will be able to log in to book your flight and rental car using a direct billed account or personal credit card (will require an RTA before approving airfare).
- Anthony Travel or Corporate Travel Planners-- UT official travel agencies. Please be aware that all business-related air travel must be arranged through Anthony Travel, Corporate Travel Planner, or Concur Online Reservations.
- Booking Your Own Flight -- You may use other online reservation tools if you can get a better price. However, you will still have to follow all university rules (economy class, etc.). To get reimbursed for booking your own flight, please write the following statement on your invoice, along with your signature and date: "Online selection is best value as consistent with institutional priorities." Please note, your reimbursement request may be denied without this statement.
Booking Your Hotel
If two or more employees share lodging, University policy requires the expense to be divided equally between the employees. Please note there are different lodging depending on the UT account used to fund your trip. Most accounts follow UT Local Rules, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), or Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) rates.
Rental Cars
UT has a list of contracted car rental vendors, which you can access on Travel Management's website. All contracted agencies include insurance with rental rates, as rental insurance is a mandatory purchase for all UT travelers. Rentals with vendors outside of these five vendors, will not be reimbursable without an exception.
Meals
Meals are only reimbursable with an overnight stay, and alcohol is not a reimbursable travel expense. Depending on the account funding your travel, you may claim per diem rates or be required to submit itemized meal receipts. The University allows reimbursement up to 20% gratuity of meal subtotals; however, some grants prohibit this reimbursement. Please be sure to understand your account rules and rates. You can contact MBS Payments to confirm your account travel rules.