Travel and Accommodation Guidance (Overseas and non-Overseas)
Please ensure that your RDF/EF applications adhere to both the M4C guidance above and the Warwick University expenses guidance. When quoting travel and accommodation costs for your trip, please follow the guidance below and ensure your application mirrors this.
Accommodation Costs
M4C have a maximum nightly cost permittable for your RDF/EF trip. In your application you do not need to provide quotes for these, but ensure you have included these costs in your budget.
| Location |
Maximum nightly cost permittable |
| London |
£120 per night |
| Overseas |
£120 per night |
| Elsewhere in UK |
£100 per night |
Quotes and Booking Rules
All travel must follow the below rules when it comes to booking. In your application form, you need to provide Key Travel quotes if your trip will need to be booked via Key Travel, and quotes from mainstream websites if you are booking independently (as per the rules laid out below).
| |
Total cost of travel and accommodation under £1,000 |
Total cost of travel and accommodation over £1,000 |
| Travel within Europe and the UK |
FinRegs approval is not needed and can be booked independently. |
Should where possible be booked via Key Travel. If not possible and you need to book independently, you must contact FinRegs for approval FinRegs@warwick.ac.uk. Please ensure you follow the guidelines around what is and is not accepted. |
| All non- European travel |
Should where possible be booked via Key Travel. If not possible and you need to book independently, you must contact FinRegs for approval FinRegs@warwick.ac.uk.
Please ensure you follow the guidelines around what is and is not accepted. |
Should where possible be booked via Key Travel. If not possible and you need to book independently, you must contact FinRegs for approval FinRegs@warwick.ac.uk. Please ensure you follow the guidelines around what is and is not accepted. |
Rail and Air Travel
As part your RDF/EF application, you will need to provide quotes for your estimated train/air travel costs (if applicable for your activity). We want to make sure you are not underestimating or unnecessarily overestimating the cost of your trip.
Please see below for the types of tickets you should be quoting:
- For train travel, aim to use the train provider’s website (where possible, rather than trainline to avoid additional fees) for all quotes. Please select off-peak standard class travel where possible and do not quote advance saver tickets due to price fluctuation before you are in a position to buy. M4C would not normally fund standard anytime or open tickets - if there is a specific reason why you would need an earlier train or require the flexibility and need to quote a standard or anytime ticket, please ensure you provide a rationale on your application.
- For air travel, if you are quoting yourself (rather than through Key Travel as per the rules stated on this page), please ensure you choose an Economy Class ticket only without any extras added on (e.g. extra leg room or additional luggage as a bundle). The cost of checking in your luggage can be found on the airline's website should be quoted separately. You will need to pay this charge yourself and be reimbursed by us.
Once your application is approved, you will be able to actually book the most suitable ticket within your approved budget (e.g. booking an advance saver rail ticket). University of Warwick expenses policy recommend that where costs can be made in booking saver tickets, this should be followed. However, it is not suitable to quote them for your application.
Please also note that rail should be the default mode of transport for all journeys within the UK of less than 6 hours. For overseas, where travel by train is an option and the journey time is less than 6 hours, this should be the default mode of transport even where it is not the most economical.
For full details of regulations you need to adhere to, please see the link: Financial Procedure 16
Mileage Expenses
Where using your own car is necessary, you should detail the miles you expect to claim for. In your RDF/EF application, please include a screenshot of maps detailing the start and end destination and miles you expect to travel. The claim amount should be 45p per mile (for PGRs funded by M4C) so please use this figure in your calculations (no. of miles x 0.45). Any questions, please let us know.
Insurance and Risk Assessment
If you are travelling abroad as part of your research, you will need to make sure you have followed relevant guidance. Some countries require approval to travel from the Insurance Services Department and/or FinCompliance, details found here: Overseas Business Travel Insurance (warwick.ac.uk).
The travel policy is renewed every year, and detail on business travel arrangements can also be found at the link above.
Before you travel, please download the Solace app found here: Login & Register (solacesecure.com)(email and policy number 100735754GPA required to register free of charge).
You can also sign up for alerts from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office: Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)and Amadeus (via Key Travel) relevant for the country or countries you are travelling to.
Additionally, you may need to complete a travel risk assessment before travel arrangements are booked.
