Update 5/16/2019 – This news post has been amended to include additional information: the $3 per day International Travel Service Fee is also charged for the day before and the day after each trip. For some locations, the fee may apply to additional days as well. For questions, please contact the ASU Travel Office.
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Full Message, originally posted 5/15/2019 –
In January 2019, the ASU Study Abroad Office implemented a new International Travel Registry which provides a secure system for students traveling outside the United States and its territories to record international travel plans and contact information.
With this registry, there is an International Travel Service Fee of $3.00 per day. This fee is used to pay an external service provider and covers the following:
- Access to pre-trip intelligence through public and private sources (that we have paid to subscribe to).
- Comprehensive international medical and evacuation insurance, through GeoBlue.
- Access to a travel risk management app, AlertTraveler.
- 24/7 emergency communication support from the Study Abroad Office.
Impact to Sponsored Projects
The International Travel Service Fee is allowable on sponsored projects, and should be included in budget estimates for proposals, if applicable. Guidance has been added to the Travel section of the Other Direct Costs page, the Foreign Travel topical guide, and the Budget Justifications Best Practices job aid.
Who is required to register travel?
All ASU students (and faculty/staff members accompanying ASU students) participating in University-Related Travel outside of the United States and its territories. University-Related Travel includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:
- Research, experiential learning (e.g., international internships, co-ops, volunteering, service-learning), independent study done abroad, or any other international travel that is part of an ASU class or for which the student receives ASU resident credit;
- International travel sponsored by or affiliated with ASU or an ASU student organization (this applies to both affiliated and independent student organizations registered with EOSS);
- Any other international travel by students for the purposes of officially representing ASU, such as participation in an academic or professional conference.
Would a staff member who is also a student be required to register?
If the individual is traveling internationally in their role as a staff member (e.g., to a professional development conference connected to their staff position), then the trip would not need to be registered.
If the individual is traveling abroad to conduct research in a student role or participate in some other activity in their capacity as a student, then the trip must be registered.
When the International Travel Registry is used, do impacted travelers still need to use Concur as well?
Yes. This new registry is not a travel booking system and does not replace Concur (My ASU TRIP). University travelers seeking reimbursement for expenses incurred during approved university travel must comply with ASU Travel Policy, including use of My ASU TRIP to obtain appropriate authorizations for all trips with an overnight stay or airfare and to report associated travel expenses within 30 days of the trip end date.
It is recommended that travelers seek and obtain travel approval through My ASU TRIP before registering in the International Travel Registry.
Does the $3 fee applied for each day the individual is in travel status? Are any other days included in the fee calculation?
The travel registry coverage and charge will extend typically one day prior to departure and one day after the traveler returns, although it may be extended longer depending on how far the individual is travelling in order to ensure proper coverage during transit as while the traveler is abroad.
Study abroad office lists the $3 fee as the 2018-2019 rate. Is there an expectation that the rate will go up each year?
There is a possibility that the fee will increase in the future.
For the purposes of proposal budgeting, it is recommended to escalate costs at 8% in out years, along with other appropriate travel costs.
How far in advance should the registration happen?
As soon as is prudent. Once the cities and dates are finalized, the trip should be registered. The ASU Study Abroad office will need at least a few days to turn around the registration (and get the traveler covered with insurance, etc.), but more lead time is always preferred.
If the travel destination is high risk, a more thorough review and approval process is necessary (which requires the traveler to provide additional information and sign an additional document). Since that can take a week or more (though it is usually faster) – and since it is possible that the committee could decline to approve travel – earlier registration is better.
If a student registers for self-pay and is charged the fee on their student account, can the charge be reversed from the student account and charged to an ASU Grant instead?
Yes. The charge can be reversed. Notify the Study Abroad Office if/when a department would prefer to remove a self-pay charge (and instead bill the department/grant directly). The Study Abroad Office will change the student’s registration on the back end (from “self-pay” to “sponsored”) and ask the student to sign the agreement applicable to sponsored travel.
Is there an expectation for students/staff traveling abroad to download associate phone apps? If so, is the unit expected to cover technology subsidies or other related costs of using a personal phone while traveling? Are those costs expected to be covered by daily travel allowance?
Ideally, registrants will download and activate the AlertTraveler app, which can be accessed over a wi-fi connection. If the traveler does not download and activate the app, however, all relevant alerts will still be emailed to them.
Individual expenses related to use of the app or email will typically be covered by the traveler’s allotted per diem (aka, meals and incidental expenses – M&IE).
For unlike circumstances where a Cost Accounting Standard (CAS) exception is needed for phone costs, refer to the CAS Sitelet and process (specifically, the Phones guidance page).
Note: Laptops, smart phones, and other electronic devices may be export controlled. See International collaborations and travel on the Research Integrity website.
Does the option to log in using an email address (visiting exchange and non-ASU students) apply to individuals not participating on a Study Abroad Program?
Any ASU student, faculty, or staff member who registers in the system should login using their ASURITE login credentials. The Travel Registration System is not designed to support external users who do not have an ASURITE login.
Are visiting exchange students considered non-ASU students?
No – in this context a student currently at ASU as a visiting exchange student would be considered an ASU student and would register with their ASURITE login for their ASU-related activity outside of the US.
Would non-ASU participants/trainees involved in sponsored foreign travel be required to apply to ASU as non-degree seeking students?
Management of non-ASU participants/trainees is handled on a case-by-case basis. There may be instances where it is appropriate to have trainees registered as ASU students. In other cases, it may not be necessary.
After the student submits the form, it goes through an approval process. Who approves? Will a grants manager be able to access the information submitted in the system to verify accuracy? Will they get a copy?
If a student registers as a “sponsored” traveler, the Study Abroad Office will reach out to the unit to verify.
In most cases, there is no formal approval provided for registered travel. The major exception to that is for travel to a “high risk” destination. In those cases, there is an International Travel Advisory Committee (which will include a dean’s designee) tasked with reviewing and approving student travel to high risk destinations.
What if a trip is cancelled after the International Travel Service Fee has been charged to a sponsored account?
If a student/unit fails to notify the Study Abroad Office (SAO) about trip cancellations in a timely manner, the International Travel Service Fees associated with cancelled trips will be unallowable on sponsored projects.
Registrants certify to the following information as part of the registration process:
“If I withdraw from the URT prior to the URT arrival date I provided when registering my planned travel, then the SAO will refund/reverse the entire International Travel Service Fee charged to my Sponsor. If I withdraw from the URT after my planned arrival, the SAO will retain any unrecoverable funds encumbered on my behalf and will refund/reverse any unused portion of that International Travel Service Fee to my Sponsor.”
If, due to weather, flight schedules, or other uncontrollable factors, an ASU traveler is required to spend additional nights abroad, are the hotel costs and other expenses allowable?
The sponsored registration form in the International Travel Registry includes a statement limiting ASU’s responsibility for the costs of unexpected extensions of travel time. However, on a case-by-case basis, these expenses may be justifiable based on standard allowability determinations and the prudent person test, as long as the award terms and conditions do not prohibit this type of cost.
The registration form states that, for sponsored travel, users must include the name/contact information for the “Primary Investigator (PI) on the grant.” Does this need to be the lead award PI?
The ASU Study Abroad office will reach out to the listed PI to obtain the grant account number(s) to charge. This can be the Lead Award PI, an Account PI, a Co-PI, or an authorized unit staff member.
Who should I talk to if I have remaining questions?
For questions related to the International Travel Registry, please contact the ASU Travel Office.
For general questions related to sponsored projects administration, contact [email protected].
By Research Operations