Division of Financial Services
Travel
Under certain limited circumstances, Cornell provides advances to faculty, staff, and students in anticipation of travel expenses. Cornell units with advances on their accounts should review these accounts regularly and ensure that all advances are allowed.
If you are eligible for a university-provided Travel & Meal (T&M) Card and you refuse to get one, you are not eligible for a travel advance.
Travel advances, including pre-travel reimbursements, are limited to circumstances when (1) you are expected to endure financial hardship if you paid the expenses out-of-pocket, and (2) the expense could not have been paid for by any other means.
Discuss your need for an advance with your supervisor and department finance or administrative office. Hardships generally will not be allowed under any of the following circumstances:
For confidentiality, no documentation related to a hardship will be retained.
Use the Concur Request module. Do not use Concur to submit requests for project or participant fee advances. See Forms for Projects and Participant Fees below.
How-To Guide: Requesting a Cash Advance in Concur (1:56 min.)
Service providers must present an invoice, which must include all fees that the unit has agreed to pay.
Advances are available to non-employees (e.g., job applicants, visitors, guest speakers, visiting scientists) and students under special circumstances when they would be expected to endure financial hardship. Expenses for visitors should be charged directly to operating accounts.
You can request an advance for non-employees or students using the Travel Advance Form (PDF).
Payments to visitors categorized as non-resident aliens may be taxable or subject to tax withholding. See Non-Employee Travel.
Also see Student Expense Reporting.
Advances will be taxable under certain circumstances. See Taxability of Expenses. See also, Expense Reporting.
