Conference Travel Expenditures

How to claim conference travel expenses: A guide for ComCult students

Congratulations on attending your conference! Presenting your research and connecting with your academic community is a significant milestone in your graduate career.

We understand that filing an expense report for the first time can feel overwhelming. This guide will help you navigate the reimbursement process smoothly so you can focus on your academic work.

Before you travel

To ensure your expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the Travel and Other Business Expenses Policy, please keep these guidelines in mind:

• Choose the most economical options: Travel should be booked at the lowest available fares (such as economy class) and standard hotel rates.
• Check your funding: Review your specific funding agreement to confirm you are staying within your eligible budget.
• Alcohol purchases: Alcohol is not a reimbursable expense. If you order alcohol during a meal, ask the server to provide a separate bill for those items.

During the conference

The most important part of getting reimbursed is keeping detailed records.

Collect itemized receipts: You must provide detailed, itemized receipts for all expenses. A credit card slip (the small slip you sign) is not sufficient because it does not show the tax breakdown or the specific items purchased.

Ensure your receipts show:

• The name of the vendor.
• The date of purchase.
• A full breakdown of all items (meals, fare types, etc.).
• The sales tax (HST/GST).

Keep your boarding passes: If you are flying, you must provide your boarding passes. These serve as proof that the travel actually took place. Digital boarding passes (screenshots or PDFs) are acceptable.

After the conference: Please submit your claim within 10 business days of returning from your trip.

Step 1: Organize your documents

Make a copy of this  (google sheet) worksheet to track your expenses (external link) . This helps us process your claim faster. Attach a copy of this worksheet to your final submission.

Collect the following documents:

• Registration fees: Proof of payment for the conference.
• Transportation: Proof of payment for flights, trains, or buses.
• Boarding passes: For all flights.
• Accommodation: The final itemized hotel folio showing a zero balance.
• Meals: Itemized receipts for meals not included in the conference fees.
• Local travel: Proof of payment for airport shuttles, public transportation, or taxis.

Step 2: Prepare your submission

• Complete a Travel Advance/Expense Form: 
  • Use the section called "Parts 2 & 3: Travel Expense Statement". Fill in as many fields as you can. The worksheet you used to track your expenses will help.
  • Be sure to type in your full name and mailing address.
  • If you are unsure about a field, reach out!
• Scan your receipts: Scan all receipts, boarding passes, and your worksheet.
• Create a single PDF: Combine all documents into one PDF file. This is a requirement for auditing purposes.
• Verify legibility: Make sure all scans are clear and no information is cut off.

Step 3: Send your claim

Reply to the original authorization email and attach your single PDF.

Note: You must keep your original receipts for one full year after submission, as the university may request them for auditing purposes.

Need help? If you have questions or aren't sure if an expense is covered, please reach out to our program administrator. We are here to support you through this process.