Reimbursement

Please keep your individual receipts, even if you visit NITMB with a group. Group receipts are acceptable if a sole person paid for a group expense and is requesting reimbursement on the whole group’s behalf, as long as the receipt details the number of participants. Person-to-person transactions, such as Venmo, are not eligible as receipts.

Non-participant family members are ineligible for reimbursement, even in the case of lodging. Please make sure to keep your travel expenses separate and be aware of the GSA limits for meal reimbursement. A separate receipt is preferred.

If you fully paid for a travel expense you shared with a fellow participant, please make a note with your submission. All participants on the shared charge must email reimbursements@nitmb.org confirming the individual who paid for the expense.

If you are seeking reimbursement through your university or institution, please have them send us an invoice.

If you are unable to find a receipt that fits our guidelines, we recommend you reach out to the service provider to obtain a receipt. If your receipt does not contain proof of payment and date, you may also include a redacted credit card bill as backup.

On the form, you will be able to request a wire transfer if you do not have a United States mailing address. US residents may request Zelle instead. After submitting your request for wire transfer, we will follow up with a form for you to fill out bank information.

Reimbursement is not available until the conclusion of the event. If the event you participated in has officially ended, and you still do not see it listed on the form, please wait for the post-visit instructions email from the reimbursements team.

Once submitted, reimbursements will go through processing and approvals, which can take up to 45-60 days. This can vary for international participants, and may also be affected by USPS mailing. Please note that if we reach out with any inquiries about your request, your reimbursement will not proceed until we hear back from you.

Prior approval is required only for exceptional or nonstandard travel arrangements. Submit a request before making any purchase when your itinerary includes:

• Extended stays.
• Multi-city travel.
• A departure or return airport different from your home institution.
• Non-U.S. carriers.
• Travel outside standard program dates.
• Driving long distances instead of flying.
• Medical or accessibility accommodations.
• Any itinerary that exceeds reimbursement limits.

Prior approval is an exception review, not a reservation or guarantee of reimbursement. Complete the Prior Approval Form before purchase and wait for a written decision. NITMB may approve, deny, limit, or place conditions on a request based on the invitation letter, available funding, cost comparisons, policy requirements, and applicable federal rules. A submitted or pending request is not approval. Costs purchased before written approval are at the traveler’s own risk and may not be reimbursed.

1. Submit the Prior Approval Form before purchase.
2. Include the complete proposed itinerary, a standard policy-compliant comparison, costs, and the reason for the exception.
3. NITMB reviews the request for policy compliance, allowability, funding, and any required federal approval.
4. Wait for a written decision. The decision may approve, deny, limit, or condition the request.
5. Book only after written approval and follow the approved itinerary and reimbursement limit. Changes require a new review.

Prior Approval Form: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/f5b16a8dac734564b1fd2a77c9892e7c

Provide complete documentation that allows NITMB to compare the requested exception with standard, policy-compliant travel. Depending on the request, include:

• Flight comparisons.
• Screenshots or PDFs of alternate itineraries.
• Cost comparisons.
• Explanation of business or personal travel being combined with the NITMB trip.
• Supporting documentation required for a medical or accessibility exception.

Only in limited circumstances. Travel outside the approved program dates is considered nonstandard and must not be booked unless written prior approval is received. Approval is not automatic. The request must show that the exception is necessary or cost-effective and does not increase NITMB’s reimbursable cost. Accept responsibility for booking and paying for your own lodging, meals, local transportation, and all other expenses outside the NITMB-covered dates unless the written approval expressly states otherwise.

Yes. A personal extension is an exceptional, nonstandard itinerary and requires written prior approval before purchase. Approval is not guaranteed. NITMB will consider only the documented cost of standard round-trip travel directly related to program participation, subject to the invitation letter and reimbursement cap. Accept responsibility for booking and paying for your own lodging, meals, local transportation, and all other expenses outside the NITMB-covered dates unless the written approval expressly states otherwise.

Possibly, but only as an exception approved in writing before purchase. Lower airfare alone does not guarantee approval. Submit the requested itinerary and a standard-date comparison. NITMB may deny the request or limit reimbursement to the lower eligible amount. You are responsible for lodging and other expenses outside the approved program dates.

You may purchase an upgrade with personal funds only after the underlying itinerary complies with policy. NITMB can reimburse no more than the approved economy-equivalent airfare up to the cap. Premium seating or business-class costs are not reimbursable.

Only with written prior approval. Travel from or to a location other than your home or home institution is nonstandard and will be reviewed as an exception. Submit a standard home-Chicago-home cost comparison and explain the business or personal travel being combined. NITMB may deny the request, limit reimbursement to the eligible program-related portion, require cost allocation, or impose other conditions. The flight cap still applies.

Only with written prior approval. Combining NITMB travel with another business purpose is an exception and is not automatically reimbursable. Submit a standard home-Chicago-home cost Updated 9.29.26 comparison and identify the other business purpose and funding source. NITMB may deny the request or reimburse only the documented portion attributable to NITMB, subject to the flight cap and any written conditions.

Possibly, but only if approved in writing before purchase. Submit a standard home-Chicago-home cost comparison and the complete proposed itinerary. NITMB may deny the request or limit reimbursement to the documented leg or amount directly attributable to program participation, subject to the flight cap.

Use of a non-U.S. carrier is not automatically permitted. Because NITMB travel is supported by U.S. federal awards, the itinerary must comply with the Fly America Act or a documented exception. Submit the Prior Approval Form before booking and wait for written approval. If approval is denied or not obtained before purchase, the airfare may be non-reimbursable.

Submit a prior approval request before booking. Price or convenience alone does not qualify as a Fly America Act exception. The request will be reviewed against the applicable federal criteria, and approval is not guaranteed. A non-U.S. carrier may be considered only when a documented Fly America Act or Open Skies exception applies, including the circumstances below. Meeting a listed circumstance does not by itself constitute NITMB approval; written approval is still required before purchase:

1. When a U.S. air carrier is not available.
2. When using a U.S. carrier service would extend the travel time by 24 hours or more.
3. When a U.S. carrier does not offer a nonstop or direct flight between origin and destination, and using a U.S. carrier:
   1. Increases the number of aircraft changes outside the United States by two or more;
   2. Extends travel time by six hours or more; or
   3. Requires a connecting time of four hours or more at an overseas interchange point.
4. When the flight time from origin to destination is less than three hours and using a U.S. flag carrier doubles the flight time.
5. When there is an applicable Open Skies Agreement in effect that meets the requirements of the Fly America Act.

The exceptions provided by the Open Skies Agreements for government-funded travel do not apply if your transportation is funded by the Department of Defense.

Note: Ticket cost and convenience are NOT exceptions to the Fly America Act.

Use a policy-compliant connecting itinerary whenever reasonably available. Nearby-airport, railconnection, or other nonstandard arrangements require prior approval when they differ from the standard itinerary. Submit the full itinerary and cost comparison before purchase and wait for a written decision.

Driving under 300 miles is automatically approved only when the mileage documentation requirements are met. Driving over 300 miles is an exception requiring advance review and an airfare comparison. NITMB may deny the request or limit reimbursement to the applicable comparable airfare or other approved amount.

Economy or coach bus and rail travel may be reimbursable within the stated policy limit. This is not approval for premium service or a nonstandard itinerary. Travelers departing from outside Illinois must retain comparable airfare documentation, and any itinerary that otherwise departs from policy requires written prior approval before purchase.

No. NITMB covers lodging only for the approved program period. Additional nights are personal expenses unless an exceptional need is specifically approved in writing before the stay. Submitting a request does not guarantee that additional lodging will be covered.

Contact NITMB before booking so the request can be reviewed through the appropriate accommodation and approval process that requires approval by the National Science Foundation. Cabin-class changes for medical reasons require additional documentation and approval under federal award rules. Do not purchase a nonstandard arrangement until written approval is received. Requests for change in cabin class for medical reasons must be approved by the National Science Foundation due to US federal award rules. A medical certificate or a signed, dated doctor’s letter written on clinician letterhead will need to be provided to request approval. NITMB cannot reimburse the cost of the upgrade. The flight cap still applies.