Columbia Home

General Information
Reimbursement Guidelines

Notice

Effective October 19, 2020 Columbia will use Concur for all faculty submissions. Concur can be accessed through the new Travel & Expense website.

Overview

Any Columbia University employee (faculty, student) or visitor can be reimbursed when a valid business or research related expense exists. All expenses must be necessary and reasonable in order to conduct University business and must provide a clear benefit to the University.

Please use the information below to assist you in submitting a reimbursement claim. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact reimbursements@math.columbia.edu.

Page last updated: Feb 28, 2023

General Guidelines

Basic Policies

  • Please review the official Columbia University travel and business expense policies prior to submitting a request
    • Business expenses are “local” expenses
    • Travel expenses involve leaving the New York City area and include an overnight stay
    • Not knowing Columbia policy is not valid justification for failure to comply. Submitting receipts is not a guarantee that you will receive reimbursement.
  • Submit all expenses in a timely manner, preferably within 10 days of the last expense
    • Receipts received by the department after 120 days of the last expense date may be considered taxable income
  • Provide a conference flyer, seminar announcement, invitation letter, or other document to confirm the business purpose
  • If you are unsure about what is allowable, please check with the department before you incur an expense. Refer to this “cheat sheet” for common allowable / unallowable expenses. Note this is not an exhaustive list.
  • Incomplete submissions, poorly documented receipts, or expenses that violate policy will either delay processing, be returned for more information, or will not be reimbursed

Receipts

  • Must be itemized and show proof of payment (i.e., “CASH”, “VISA xxxx”, “PAID IN FULL”)
    • If a receipt does not show proof of payment, submit a credit card transaction or bank statement as supporting documentation
  • Be aware of receipts that indicate “estimate” or “quote”. These are NOT acceptable for proof of payment
  • Receipts must be attached for each individual entry on an expense report. For clarity, provide individual files for each receipt

If no receipt is available

  • If no receipt is available, provide a clear statement to explain the circumstances

Meals

  • Provide an itemized receipt, showing all items purchased
  • Ensure proof of payment is visible on the receipt (“CASH”, “VISA xxxx”, or similar)
  • Provide the names of all participants at the meal
  • Identify ALL alcohol purchased, or write “no alcohol” if the receipt is not itemized
    • Alcohol is a segregated expense, and must be placed in the “segregated” column
    • Alcohol CANNOT be charged to a sponsored project
  • Meals are limited to three per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner); snacks and coffee/tea/refreshments will not be reimbursed
  • Limits (per person, excluding tax & tip): **
    • Breakfast – $25
    • Lunch – $35
    • Dinner – $60
  • Any meal expense exceeding the threshold will be automatically reduced to comply with these limits, with tax & tip pro-rated accordingly
  • Gratuity over 20% will not be reimbursed

**Student seminar dinners have different meal thresholds. Please see the Student section below.

Back to Top

Travel and Lodging

**COVID-19: All travel must comply with the University’s travel policies and restrictions. Please review current guidelines at https://globaltravel.columbia.edu/ before making travel arrangements. Travel that does not comply with current policy will not be reimbursed. All International Travel MUST be registered in the ISOS system.**

 Flights

  • Always purchase the lowest cost economy ticket, unless there is a documented condition why an upgrade is necessary
    • Upgrades to business or first class travel are considered “segregated”, and are not always reimbursable
    • If upgrades are necessary and allowable, at the time of booking obtain a quote for a round-trip economy flight, and submit with your purchased ticket
  • Ensure proof of payment is clearly visible
    • Note that websites such as Expedia often show only an “estimated fare” or “quote”; this is not a valid proof of payment
  • If using a federal grant (NSF, NSA, DoD, etc.) you must comply with Fly America / Open Skies Act, which generally requires use of a US based air carrier
  • Arrive the day before your event begins, and depart the day after it ends. Extending travel beyond the minimum days for personal reasons requires additional documentation, or travel will not be reimbursed. Please consult the department before purchasing tickets involving extended stays.
  • Clearly document changes in travel plans, or other unusual circumstances

Ground Transportation

  • Local transportation should specify origin and destination (e.g., taxi from airport to hotel)
  • Car rentals should be purchased through Hertz when possible, using Columbia account CDP# 254158
    • When using Hertz, DO NOT purchase Liability or other insurance from the agency. Loss/Damage Waiver and Liability Insurance is included under the Columbia contract. Insurance may be reimbursed from other vendors, if Hertz is not available
    • Provide a copy of the rental agreement with proof of payment
  • Use of personal vehicles may be claimed, and is reimbursed based on mileage. Gas, maintenance, or repairs are not eligible for reimbursement when using a personal vehicle.
    • Provide an online printed map showing your origin/destination and total number of miles
    • List this expense as “Personal vehicle mileage” on your reimbursement form as a line item
      • For travel occurring in 2020, the formula for mileage is: Total miles * 0.575 = $ amt
        • For example, you drive 100 miles round-trip to attend a conference. 100 miles * 0.580 = $58.40 (can be claimed as reimbursement)

Lodging

  • Obtain an itemized, zero balance folio upon checkout
  • Ensure proof of payment is clearly visible
  • Lodging thresholds:
    • Domestic – $350/night
    • International – $400/night

Segregated vs Unsegregated Expenses

  • Most expenses are “Unsegregated”. Common “Segregated” expenses include:
    • First or business class travel upgrades (the cost above an economy flight. An economy quote for the same itinerary and travel dates MUST be submitted along with the purchased upgrade)
    • Expenses above the Lodging thresholds
    • Alcoholic beverages
  • Segregated does not necessarily mean unallowable. However, these items cannot be charged to federal grants and may require additional approvals before reimbursements can be issued.

Foreign Currency

  • All expenses are reimbursed in US Dollars. Receipts in a foreign currency will be automatically converted to USD when entered in Concur, based on the daily conversion rates calculated by the Concur system.

Seminar Expenses

Seminar organizers should consult the department’s seminar spending guidelines for details on using departmental funds when planning seminar schedules and activities.

Back to Top

Instructions for Faculty

Prior to requesting a reimbursement, ensure that a Preparer Delegate is assigned to your Concur profile:

  1. Log in to Concur, click on “Profile”
  2. Click “Profile Settings”
  3. Click “Expense Delegates” from the left menu
  4. Select “Add”
  5. In the box that appears, enter Zubaida Pinky (zp2253), then click “Add”
  6. Select the following options: “Can Prepare”, “Can Submit Reports”, “Can View Receipts”
  7. Click “Save”
  8. Repeat steps 3-7 above, entering Deniz Macleod (dm3111) as an additional delegate

Option A

  • Initiate an expense report through Concur
    • Email reimbursements@math.columbia.edu to request review of the report prior to submission
    • You must have a preparer delegate listed in Concur (see instructions above)
  • Include:
    • Conference flyer, seminar announcement, invitation letter, etc.
    • Receipts and supporting documentation
      • Refer to the section on receipts above to ensure proper documentation is provided

Option B

  • Send a list of expenses and receipts by email and a staff member will prepare the report on your behalf
    • You must have a preparer delegate listed in Concur (see instructions above)
    • After the report has been prepared, you will be notified by email to review and confirm submission

Tips:

  • Provide a clear, specific business purpose
    • Acceptable: “Travel to _____ to participate in a conference on _______. July 1-5, 2017”
    • Not acceptable: “conference travel” or “gave a talk”
  • Submit each expense as a separate file; avoid combining multiple receipts into a single pdf/image
    • Expenses in foreign currency will be converted to US Dollars.  Refer to the Foreign Currency section above.
  • Indicate the source of funding for your request in writing
    • Example: “Algebraic Geometry seminar” or “NSF grant #xxxx”
  • Submit local business expenses as receipts are collected, as opposed to accumulating multiple receipts throughout a semester
  • Seminar organizers should refer to the seminar spending guidelines when organizing their seminar
  • Please allow up to 6 weeks for processing before contacting the department for status or payment updates

Back to Top

Instructions for Students

  • Prepare a list of expenses and submit via email for processing
  • Include:
    • Conference flyer, seminar announcement, invitation letter, etc.
    • All receipts and supporting documentation
      • Refer to the section on receipts above to ensure proper documentation is provided
    • Confirmation of funding source
      • IMPORTANT: Requests for department travel funds must be approved prior to initiating travel. Reimbursements will be automatically declined if advance written approval is not obtained or if expenses are submitted without a funding source identified. In general, students should apply for funding in the following order: event -> faculty advisor -> department.

Tips:

  • Provide a clear, specific business purpose
    • Acceptable: “Travel to _____ to participate in a conference on _______. July 1-5, 2017”
    • Not acceptable: “conference travel” or “seminar talk”
  • List each expense you are submitting individually
  • Submit each expense as a separate file; avoid combining multiple receipts into a single pdf/image
  • As a general rule of thumb, alcohol purchases are not reimbursed for students. Prior approval from the department is required, and only granted in rare cases
  • Seminar expenses must follow the department’s seminar spending guidelines
  • Student seminar meal thresholds (per person, excluding tax & tip):
    • Breakfast – $15
    • Lunch – $25
    • Dinner – $35
  • Please allow up to 6 weeks for processing before contacting the department for status or payment updates

Back to Top

Instructions for Visitors

Prior to requesting a reimbursement, all non-U.S. citizens should confirm their eligibility for payment. If you are in a category such a “J-1 Researcher, Professor category not on Columbia’s sponsorship”, work authorization from your home institution should be obtained prior to requesting reimbursement. Typically this is a letter from your sponsoring institution that acknowledges that the travel is related to your visa program and provides permission to receive travel reimbursement and/or honorarium. After confirming you are eligible to receive payment, submit the following:

How do I submit a reimbursement claim?

  • Provide the appropriate tax form, supporting documentation, and non-employee expense worksheet (see above)
    • List each expense you are submitting, one item per line
      • Expenses in foreign currency will be automatically converted to US Dollars.  Refer to the Foreign Currency section above.
      • Date of Expense is the date you purchased an item (NOT the date of travel, but the date the ticket was purchased; this may be several months before your trip)
  • Send submissions to reimbursements@math.columbia.edu, or drop off in person in room 509 Math
    • You may leave the SSN field blank on the W8/W9 form, and call the department after submitting your forms to provide this by phone (212-854-3950), or by secure fax (212-854-8962)
    • Refer to the section on receipts above to ensure proper documentation is available prior to submission
  • DO NOT send bank account information to the department. If you wish to receive a direct deposit or wire transfer, notify the department of your preference at time of submission. Instructions on submitting your account details will be provided upon request.
    • Please be aware that due to processing times, wire transfer requests will delay processing by several weeks at minimum

Why must I submit tax forms for a reimbursement? Is my expense considered taxable?

  • If you are only receiving travel reimbursement (transportation, meals, lodging) for itemized receipts, this is not considered income and is not taxed. However, Columbia still requires a tax form on file to comply with IRS regulations.
    • Note: Do not submit the statement for non-resident alien payments or Form 8233 if you are only receiving travel reimbursement

What if I am receiving an honorarium?

  • In special circumstances, the department may offer to provide visitors with an honorarium. If you are an international visitor, you must first confirm that you are eligible to receive an honorarium based on your current visa status. If you are eligible, submit the following additional documents:
    • Statement for Non-Resident Alien Payments (required)
    • Form 8233 (optional)
      • Only submit Form 8233 if you are claiming a tax treaty, for an exemption on withholding
      • In most cases where a tax treaty is not claimed, federal regulations require that Columbia withhold 30% from the honorarium at time of payment

Other helpful tips

  • Submit your request only when all required information and receipts are available.
  • Provide suitable contact information on the Non-Employee Expense Worksheet (phone, email)
  • Unless there is an exceptional circumstance, the department will not reimburse alcoholic beverages for visitors. Ensure all meal receipts are itemized, or meals will be excluded from your reimbursement as a precaution.
  • The default payment method will send a check to the address listed on the W8/W9. You must notify the department at the time of submission if you wish to make alternate arrangements.
  • Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing before contacting the department for status or payment updates.
    • ACH and Wire transfer requests will delay processing by at least an additional 2-4 weeks.

Back to Top

Help

Need help with your submission? Questions about a policy or form? Please contact the department for assistance at reimbursements@math.columbia.edu.

Back to Top

Forms & Documents

Please review the above guidelines to ensure proper use of the documents below.

Faculty Submissions

Student Submissions

Visitor Submissions

Miscellaneous

Back to Top

Print this page