Need Help?

Travel and Other Expenses Policy

Publication Date: December 2, 2005
Revision Date: July 18, 2022- V5
Effective Date: August 1, 2022

July 18, 2022 - Version 5: Effective August 1, 2022: (NEW Process) Payment Requests to Individuals must be submitted via an EXR - channel news

November 17, 2021 - Version 4.2: Updated P3.6 removed: Exceptions will be made during the pandemic.

April 01, 2021 - All authorized travel must be arranged through McGill’s official travel management company, and you will be required to provide proof that your travel has been approved for exemption. As of March 31, 2021, FST and Expense Payment Services (Transaction Services) will only approve travel-related expenses in which air travel is booked through the university’s travel management company. For all other travel-related expenses, FSTs must ensure that the Dean’s approval is attached with the expense report - more information.

October 15, 2020 - Version 4.1: Updated P3.6 to add Exceptions will be made during the pandemic.

September 17, 2020 - Version 4.0: Updated P3.5.: Expense reports related to travel, trips (including field trips) and conferences must be submitted no later than 30 days following the return date. Added P3.6.: Expense reports not related to travel, trips (including field trips) or conferences that are submitted after 90 days following the oldest receipt date will not be reimbursed.

May 21, 2020 - Version 3.4: Updated P2.4. To add Interac e-Transfer as a method of refund payable to McGill University.

April 6, 2020 - Version 3.3: Overview section - Replaced the word Overview with Purpose and Scope;

August 22, 2018 - Version 3.2: Clarified P4.1 to read: All advances and expense reports must be acknowledged/signed by the Claimant and approved/signed by the Fund Financial Manager(s) of each FOAPAL charged even when the resulting charge (expenses less advances) is zero. Exceptions apply to Visitors. Only wet signatures are accepted.

November 07, 2017 - Memorandum from Yves Beauchamp,, VP Administration and Finance and Martha Crago, VP Research and Innovation about the Tri-Agency Summary of Changes - channel news | PDF icon Memo Tri_Agency Summary of Changes

April 26, 2017 - Version 3.1: Clarified P4.1 to read: All advances and expense reports must be acknowledged by the Claimant and approved by the Fund Financial Manager(s) of each FOAPAL charged even when the resulting charge (expenses less advances) is zero. Exceptions apply to Visitors.

February 21, 2017 - Version 3.0: The Policy has been renamed to Reimbursement of Travel and Other Expenses Policy. Procedures have been removed from the Policy and have been published in the new Travel section of this website. With these revisions, the Policy numbering jumps from version 2.8 to 3.0.

December 5, 2016: Announcement from Julie Ghayad, Director Finance Infrastructure and Transaction Services, Financial Services, about the Vision Travel - FOAPAL Authorization form updated with "Claimant Affiliation" field - channel news

November 30, 2016: Announcement from Elvie Coletta, Director, Research Financial Management Services, Financial Services, about the NEW "Claimant Affiliation" field added to Minerva Advances & Expense Reports forms (effective December 1, 2016) - channel news | PDF icon Reimbursement of Expenses Requirements Checklist Tri-Agency.pdf

November 18, 2016: Announcement from Elvie Coletta, Director, Research Financial Management Services, Financial Services, about 2016 Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide – Summary of Changes – channel news.| PDF icon 2016 Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide - Summary of Changes

August 1, 2016 - Version 2.8: A detailed restaurant receipt is now mandatory when claiming reimbursement on research grants and contracts. If a detailed receipt is not available, it is no longer acceptable to indicate on the receipt why a detailed receipt was not obtained and to certify that the meal being claimed complies with agency policies. The note in expense type (7) Hotel and the receipt requirements for expense type (8) Meals were updated accordingly (section G4.4.6). Per diem amounts may be claimed when there is no detailed receipt available.

June 14, 2016 – Version 2.7: Clarified that the term students includes postdoctoral fellows (postdocs). The following sections were updated to read students (including postdoctoral fellows): G2.1; G2.2; G3.1.1 a, b, and c; G4.2; G4.3.2.

April 25, 2016 – Version 2.6: Updated the note in Section G4.4.6 Summary by Expense Type - Expense Type (2) Car Rental - added If renting a car in North-America to the second paragraph.

April 04, 2016: Announcement from Julie Ghayad, Director Finance Infrastructure and Transaction Services, Financial Services, about Submitting an Expense Report - "new" Expense Items added – channel news. (Note: This announcement impacts data entry in Minerva. No changes have been made to the policy itself.)

March 16, 2016 – Version 2.5: Replaced the phrase “faculty or staff” and the word “staff” with “academic staff, administrative and support staff”.

February 04, 2016 - Version 2.4: Announcement from Cristiane Tinmouth, Interim Assistant Vice-Principal Financial Services and Controller, about Reimbursement of Expenses Policy Update – P2.1 and G3.1 Eligibility for requesting and receiving Travel Advances – channel news.

June 22, 2015 - Version 2.3: Updated the note in Section G4.4.6 Summary by Expense Type - Expense Type (1) Personal Automobile - added a reference to the Use of Personal Vehicle page on the Travel Services website.

April 27, 2015 announcement from Cristiane Tinmouth, Controller, Financial Services about Reimbursement of Expenses Policy Update - G4.4.6 Expense Type (2) Car Rental - channels news.

March 19, 2015 announcement from Cristiane Tinmouth, Interim Assistant Vice-Principal Financial Services and Controller, about Reimbursement of Expenses - UPDATE - Airfare Receipt Requirements- channels news.

October 30, 2014 announcement from Cristiane Tinmouth, Interim Assistant Vice-Principal Financial Services and Controller, about Reimbursement of Expenses - PROCEDURE UPDATE regarding missing receipts- channels news.

September 3, 2013 Memorandum from Rose Goldstein, Vice-Principal Research and International Relations, and Michael Di Grappa, Vice-Principal, Administration and Finance about Reimbursement of Expenses – PROCEDURE UPDATE regarding missing receipts - channels news | PDF version.

May 9, 2013 announcement from Cristiane Tinmouth, Controller, Financial Services about Delegation of Temporary Signing Authority Procedures For All Fund Financial Managers - channels news.

May 6, 2013 Memorandum from Rose Goldstein and Michael Di Grappa about Research Administration and Accountability – Tri-Agency Recommendations - NEW DELEGATION MENU - channels news | PDF version.

May 31, 2012 Memorandum from Cristiane Tinmouth, Controller, Financial Services about Mileage rate increase - PDF version.

Back to top