Resources & Job Aids: Travel Payment Methods
Travelers may use one or any combination of the following payment methods when incurring travel expenses:
- Traveler personally pays for expenses, then after travel, requests reimbursement from Stanford
- Traveler charges all or some portion of travel costs to an Individual Stanford Travel Card or to a Departmental Stanford Travel Card.
- Traveler requests travel expense advance in iOU
Regardless of how traveler pays for his/her travel expenses, in order to be reimbursed and/or to clear an advance, travelers must initiate a Reimbursement Request via the Reimbursement Module in iOU once travel is complete. See Enter Reimbursement Request for instructions.
On this page:
About Stanford Travel Cards
Stanford Travel Cards are issued to individuals or to departments as a payment means for travel related purchases.
Individual American Express Accounts
- The card is available to approved faculty, staff, and post-doctoral scholars.
- Cards are the responsibility of the individual and may be used for personal as well as University business.
- Card holder is responsible for payments to American Express.
- Application for Individual American Express Travel Card
Departmental American Express Accounts
- The account enables department card holders to purchase travel (i.e. airline tickets and pre-paid lodging) for students, consultants, or visiting faculty traveling on University business.
- Designated department administrator is responsible for the department account and manages transactions.
- Travelers wishing to use the department account submit a completed Request to Charge Travel Form to the administrator in charge of the department account.
- Application for Departmental American Express Account
Questions about establishing a department account? Call the Travel Program Coordinator at 650-725-9102.
About Travel Expense Advances
- Expense advances may be requested for out-of-pocket business expenses associated with travel such as airfare or, in some cases, anticipated cash expenditures to be incurred during business travel.
- The department initiates a request for an advance online using the iOU application, at least 10 working days before funds are needed. If a Rush advance is needed, or if pickup at the "Will Call" window is requested, a fee [need to create a page detailing processing fees] will be charged to cover processing costs.
- Expense advances are authorized by the department manager, and are issued to the individual who will be incurring expenses. Once issued, responsibility for the advanced funds remains with the individual until a reimbursement request is made through the iOU application in Oracle, noting all expenditures and clearing the advance against those expenditures.
- The amount advanced may not exceed the estimated cash required for the activity.
- Any portion of advanced funds not used for expenses must be returned to Travel & Reimbursement and a completed iOU reimbursement request submitted within 10 working days after completion of the activity. If the business need for an outstanding advance ceases to exist, the funds advanced must be returned immediately.
- Travel advance check may be delivered by interdepartmental mail, US Postal Service, direct deposit to payee's bank account, or via the "Will Call" window located in Encina Hall.
See also:
About AT&T Calling Card
- Information Technology Services supplies AT&T corporate rate calling cards for faculty and staff that travel on University business.
- Application for AT&T Calling Card
- For dialing instructions and lost card instructions, visit ITS website at http://www.stanford.edu/services/telephone/department/callingcard/.