Planning a trip?

So many new procedures and policies have been introduced over the past few years that the process of booking travel for postgraduate research students has become complicated! This guide is intended to be a hub for the essential information relating to postgraduate travel, and will hopefully make the process a little clearer for students.

For students funded by the M4C and ESRC, please make sure that you also refer to the guidance provided by your Doctoral Training Centres.

If students are planning their first trip, they should read all the information given on this page to get an overview of the important steps prior to booking.

Getting Started

Any students planning a research or conference trip should first discuss details with their supervisor to ensure that the plans are appropriate for their studies.

Once supervisors have approved a suggested itinerary, next steps are to ensure that funding is in place to cover the travel costs, that the trip will be approved by the University Risk Management process, and that students are aware of the Financial Regulations policies for UK/EU and Overseas Travel.

Funding

Students who have access to Research Council funding should check how to apply for the funds with their Doctoral Training Centre:

ESRC Travel Funding: esrcdtp@warwick.ac.uk

M4C RDF and EF Application: M4C@warwick.ac.uk

Note: Students should plan early and be aware of the strict funding application deadlines involved in DTC funding applications.

Any students who do not have access to a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) can apply to use the History PG Research Fund. Please carefully check the PG Research Application Form for how to apply, eligibility and deadlines.

Alternative sources of research and conference travel funding are listed on the current student funding awards page.

Please also check the weekly PG newsletter which will advertise any further funding opportunities that are made available throughout the year.

If students are planning to undertake any travel which is NOT funded via the University, but still relates to their studies, the Financial Regulations processes do need to be followed, but the Travel Declaration form and, if necessary, the Pre-Travel Risk Assessment process MUST still be completed.

Risk Management - Notice of Overseas Travel

We need to make sure that anyone (staff and students) travelling overseas on University business:

• have checked they are covered by the University's travel insurance policy and are aware of the exemptions;
• Are aware of the University Financial Regulations relating to travel bookings
• are only taking items of IT to be used for University business which comply with minimum University IT security requirementsLink opens in a new window;
• are clear on UK export control regulationsLink opens in a new window.

To ensure that travellers are aware of these regulations, all students and staff traveling outside of the UK on University activities must complete an Overseas Travel Declaration form before any travel bookings are made.

In order to complete the form, students will first need to check the risk levels identified in their visit destination according to FCDO travel advice and the insurance provider's Solace SecureLink opens in a new window app (create an account via the Aviva website, using the travel insurance policy number found on the insurance website):

• If the country that you are visiting is amber or red, you will need to complete an Overseas Travel Risk Assessment form (OTRA) and send to Emma Russell for approval before completing the Overseas Travel Declaration Form.
• If the country that you are visiting is rated green, you only need to fill the new Overseas Travel Declaration Form (most countries in Europe are green).

Complete the Overseas Travel Declaration Form. The approved OTRA form (if required) will need to be uploaded to the Overseas Travel Declaration Form.

A full summary of the process is covered at the Health and Safety Travel Hub.

Financial Regulations for Travel in Brief:

Overseas Travel

All overseas travel and/or accommodation bookings for destinations other than the UK and Europe, regardless of value, MUST be booked via the University Travel Agent Key Travel.

Students must complete an Overseas Travel Declaration form before any travel bookings are made overseas.

Travel in the UK and Europe

Any travel and accommodation bookings in the UK and EU which total less than £1000 can be booked by students and the costs claimed back via expenses, providing costs adhere to Financial Regulations.

Any travel and accommodation bookings in the UK and EU which total £1000 or more, need to be booked via the University’s authorised travel agents, Key Travel.

Students must complete an Overseas Travel Declaration form before any travel bookings are made outside of the UK.

Students need to ensure that all spending from University sources is permissible within University Financial Regulations: Financial Procedure 16Link opens in a new window.

Some important points to note:

• All expenses claims should be submitted within 3 months of the expense being incurred
• The Finance Office have tight regulations regarding AirBNB accommodation bookingsLink opens in a new window, which are not normally permitted.
• Expenses claims submitted near the end of the financial year (31st July) must be received by no later than the end of the 1st week of July.
• The University will only consider paying membership fees under certain conditions (see section 16.6.5 Professional Subscriptions.)

Accessing Key Travel

Any students with access to a RTSG will be granted Key Travel access at the start of their studies.

These students can use the Key Travel portal to research their flight and accommodation costs, and send quotes to the PG Research Coordinator at pghistoryoffice@warwick.ac.uk who make a booking (providing the relevant forms have been completed).

Students without access to an RTSG should contact the PG Research Coordinator with details of their suggested itinerary for assistance with putting together the Key Travel quote.

For further advice and tips on how to use the Key Travel portal, please see the Key Travel Portal Crib Sheet.

Fin Regs Exemptions

There are occasions where students may be given permission to book their overseas travel outside of Key Travel. This can be for instance if Key Travel doesn't have suitable accommodation options in the area, or if additional flexibility with booking is required due to limitations with access to archives.

The process is strict and not all applications to book outside of Key Travel will be accepted.

Please contact pghistoryoffice@warwick.ac.uk for additional advice if you would like further advice on fin regs applications.

Claiming back expenses

Any students who booked their own travel (if the trip was within the UK or EU and less than £1000, or if they had a fin regs exemption) should keep all original receipts and claim back the costs by following the expenses guidance.

Note that student's first expenses claim will be via the fp16aPhD expenses claim form found via the expenses page above. On submission of the fp16aPhD form, students will be set up with access to the University online expenses claim system, Concur, and emailed their account details by the expenses team. All future claims must be submitted via Concur.

For Concur training and FAQ's, students should refer to the expenses Concur guidance.

Concur claims need to be allocated to the correct cost code for student's funding to ensure that funds are taken from the appropriate source. Any students unsure of their cost codes should contact pghistoryoffice@warwick.ac.uk for assistance.