Types of Travel Awards in GradStar
When the University is the primary beneficiary
| Travel Type | Purpose of Travel Payment | Receipts & Docs* Required | Payment Processing System | Considered Financial Aid? | Eligible for GradStar COA Increase Request?** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Business Travel/Expense | Reimbursement for student travel and expenses incurred for travel made on behalf of the University. (Ex: travel to pick up a guest of the University from the airport). | Yes | University travel system for travel payments; A/P voucher for expense reimbursement | No | No |
| Travel for University Research | Reimbursement for RAs/TAs currently on payroll traveling to present research, attend a conference, etc., representing UNC-CH. | Yes | University travel system for payments; A/P voucher for expense reimbursement | No | No |
| Paid Internship Travel | Payment for student travel related to paid internship at UNC or external locations and student's income is reported on a W-2. | Yes | University travel system for payments; A/P voucher for expense reimbursement | No | No |
| Paid Student Leaders | Payment for fulfillment of responsibilities to University-paid positions including Resident Advisors, USO Student Leaders, Orientation Leaders | Yes | University travel system for payments; A/P voucher for expense reimbursement | No | No |
When the student is the primary beneficiary
| Travel Type | Purpose of Travel Payment | Receipts & Docs* Required | Payment Processing System | Considered Financial Aid? | Eligible for GradStar COA Increase Request?** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid Internship or Internship Paid by a Non-UNC entity | Payment to defray costs associated with an unpaid or non-UNC internship (student is not employed by UNC) | Yes | GradStar: Research/Internship Award Type (RIG) | Yes | Yes |
| Travel for Student Educational Benefit | Payment or allowance to support student in furthering academics and/or scholarly education. | Yes | GradStar: Travel Award type (VSG/TGT/NTV) Depts processing a large quantity of travel payments may use the University travel system to book transportation. Contact ssa_graduate@unc.edu to report these. |
Yes | Yes |
| Volunteer Student Leader Travel | Payment to student volunteer leaders for unreimbursed expenses related to responsibilities of leadership positions and required travel. Payment is intended to encourage the student to play a leadership role within the University but is not salary or wages based on hours worked | Yes | GradStar: Travel Award type (VSG/TGT/NTV) Depts processing a large quantity of travel payments may use the University travel system to book transportation. Contact ssa_graduate@unc.edu to report these. |
Yes | Yes |
| Professional or Leadership Development Travel | Payment associated with transportation, lodging, meals or conference/workshop registration fees, participation in retreats | Yes | GradStar: Travel Award type (VSG/TGT/NTV) | Yes | Yes |
Other travel
| Travel Type | Purpose of Travel Payment | Receipts & Docs* Required | Payment Processing System | Considered Financial Aid? | Eligible for GradStar COA Increase Request?** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel for Intramural, Sport Club and Competitive Teams (Students pay annual dues) | Reimburse travel expenses to students who pay annual dues or participation fees and use team fund raising to support student travel | Yes | A/P voucher Intramural and sport club travel coordinated by student participants using their personal funds to travel to events/championships should book through World Travel with help from Campus Recreation Staff |
No | No |
| Travel for Intramural, Sport Club and Competitive Teams (Students DO NOT pay annual dues) | Reimburse students who do not pay annual dues or participation fees | Yes | GradStar: Travel Award type (VSG/TGT/NTV) Depts processing a large quantity of travel payments may use the University travel system to book transportation. Contact ssa_graduate@unc.edu to report these. |
Yes | Yes |
| Cash advance from dept to student (or reimbursement from dept to student after travel) | Cash advance to students to purchase their own travel (or reimbursement after travel) | Yes | Depts should contact Student Life or Campus Recreation before making a cash advance to a student. Gradstar: Travel Award type (VSG/TGT/NTV) |
Yes | Yes |
| Group travel | Pay students for travel or expenses when traveling in groups (including travel to competitions, service trips, conferences, other student related activities) | Yes | GradStar: Travel Award type (VSG/TGT/NTV) Depts processing a large quantity of travel payments may use the University travel system to book transportation. Contact ssa_graduate@unc.edu to report these. |
Yes | Yes |
*Expenses must be substantiated through receipts or by documenting the specifics of travel for per diem payments. GradStar does not function as a repository for receipts.
**Cost of Attendance (COA) Adjustment
The purpose of a COA increase is to accommodate required educational costs related to travel, research or internships not originally included in the financial aid COA. COA increases for student emergency payments and payments to students who require childcare for their dependent children are also permissible.
The following award types allow departments to request a financial aid COA increase:
Department Award/Student Payment
- Travel (VSG)
- Training Grant Travel (TGT)
- Training Grant Dependent Care (TGD)
- Research-Internship (RIG)
- Emergency Payment (EMR)
Pre-Paid/Non-Monetary Active Award
- Pre-Paid Travel (NTV)
Pre-Paid Travel (NTV) award should be used to document travel expenses such as airfare, hotels, etc., that were paid for by the department on the student's behalf.
Department travel award types are "refund only"; they are generally refunded to the student without paying against outstanding charges. However, when a student with financial aid receives a travel award, financial aid may be reduced and the University must pay those reduced amounts back to the funding source(s). Students in turn must repay the University any amount from the financial aid revision that was previously refunded. For example: Student aid totals $24000, student receives $1000 refund and has a $0 balance. When a $1000 travel award is entered in GradStar (with no COA increase request) that amount is refunded to the student, their aid is reduced to $23000, and the University sends those funds back to the funding source(s). The student must then repay the University $1000. Please carefully review whether a COA Adjustment (which would prevent this revision to financial aid) is appropriate for your student before finalizing the award submission in GradStar.
The COA attestation page will automatically pop up for any award that allows for a COA increase. An 'Adjust COA' hyperlink is also available to the right of the award amount if you need to revisit the pop-up attestation page after entering the award amount. Enter the award amount, click the calendar icon and select the award entry date. Review the attestation statement and click the box for 'I agree' and click 'Submit'.
Examples
Examples of travel/expense reimbursement where University is the primary beneficiary:
- Student represents UNC at a conference: Student travels out of state conference to attend and present at a conference and may report results or share information from conference with dept. Student is reimbursed through A/P after submitting receipts and travel payments are made through the University's travel system
- Student represents UNC at a recruiting event: Dept asks student to attend out of town recruiting event. Student drives and is reimbursed through A/P for gas after submitting receipts.
- Department asks student to pick up a guest speaker at the airport. Expenses reimbursed through University's travel system.
- Reimbursement for purchase: Dept asks student to buy refreshments for a recognition event. Student spends $65 for food and is reimbursed through A/P after submitting receipt.
- Reimbursement for lunch: Prof asks student to take a prospective graduate student to lunch. Student is reimbursed through A/P after submitting receipt.
Examples of paid internship travel:
- UNC student intern paid by UNC (wages reported on W-2) travels for work. Travel payments should be made in the University's travel system.
- UNC student intern paid by UNC (wages reported on W-2) performs services related to work. Reimbursed through A/P.
Example of travel/expense reimbursement where Student is the primary beneficiary:
- Student travels to a conference and attends for the experience but is not presenting. Dept agrees to pay student $500. A $500 award is entered as a travel (TGT/VSG) award or fellowship (FSG) award in GradStar and counts as financial aid.
Example of travel/expense reimbursement to an unpaid/non-UNC intern:
- UNC student interns for a company in NYC and the student's dept provides the student a $2000 travel award to assist with expenses. The travel (TGT/VSG) award is entered in GradStar
Examples of travel for student educational benefit:
- A dept offers health profession students who participate in a rural rotation a travel scholarship to cover transportation costs to the rural site. The travel (TGT/VSG) award is entered in GradStar
- Student travels to a conference as an attendee, does not present or contribute in an official way for UNC, and is not expected to share information from the conference with others at UNC. The travel award (TGT/VSG) is entered in GradStar
- Student travels to another country to improve language proficiency but is not a degree requirement or student travels to research the dissertation topic. The travel (TGT/VSG) award is entered in GradStar
- Student receives a fellowship award to support learning experiences while traveling abroad. The travel (TGT/VSG) award is entered in GradStar.
Example of research travel/expense for University benefit:
- A student uses a portion of the fellowship grant's institutional allowance on services related to the advisor's sponsored research. The research supports the student's academics but primarily furthers support of the faculty advisor's research project.
Example of professional development or leadership payment:
- A student receives a $1000 dept award to travel/attend a conference. The conference is not required for degree completion but will be helpful to the student's professional development. The travel (TGT/VSG) award is entered in GradStar
Example of student organizational travel that primarily benefits the University:
- The Union funds a weekend retreat for student leaders. The retreat focuses on making plans for programming and student activities for the upcoming year. University travel system for payments and A/P voucher for reimbursement
- The Residence Hall Assoc pays for student delegates to attend a national conference. The delegates represent UNC and bring back knowledge and expertise to enhance the UNC Residence Hall Assoc. University travel system for payments and A/P voucher for reimbursement
- USOs that support travel for students and require service to receive funding (ie poster, white paper, etc.). University travel system for payments and A/P voucher for reimbursement
Example of payments for group travel:
- A group of students travel on an optional public service mission not related to their degree over spring break. One of the students pays for the group's lodging. The dept may choose to only reimburse the student who paid for the lodging. If each student paid a portion of the lodging costs the dept can choose to reimburse each student for the amount each paid. The travel (TGT/VSG) award is entered in GradStar
Updated: 6/24/24