Travel and Expense Advances

Advances will be provided to Yale University or YNHH employees only. Individuals requesting an advance will be required to show a valid Yale or YNHH ID.

Please present an authorized original of the most current Travel or Expense Advance form to the cashier's window to obtain an advance. No earlier form will be accepted!

Advances cannot be issued to individuals with prior outstanding advances. It is the responsibility of the department business office to ensure that prior advances are cleared with an expense report before authorizing a new advance. If an outstanding advance was recently cleared, please bring a copy of the expense report when obtaining a new advance.

Travel advances can be obtained no earlier than seven to ten days prior to the date of departure.

Airline Tickets

The Yale Purchasing Card is the preferred payment method for all travel purchases. This allows the University to be billed directly for travel expenses. Contact your business office or see Procedure 3215 PR.01 for details.

The University issues travel advances if the traveler is ineligible for the Yale Purchasing Card or when extended travel or unusual circumstances are involved. For more information, see Policy 3305 Long Term Activity and Other Expense Advances.

Disbursement of Travel Expenses

Qualifying travelers may receive either an advance check from the Accounts Payable Office, or cash (up to $300) and/or travelers checks. Travelers checks are available in denominations of $50 (in books of $150, $250 and $500), $100 (in books of $300, $500, and $1000), $500 singly.

Additional Information

• The department administrator must approve all travel advances. Travel advances are limited to anticipated reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
• Department administrators are urged to carefully evaluate the circumstances and to use prudent business judgment in the authorization of advances.
• Outstanding advances must be cleared within ten (10) days of the traveler's return.
• Expense advances must be cleared by submission of the appropriate form no later than two weeks (10 business days) after the end date of travel, or two weeks (10 business days) after the occurrence of the expense. In the case of long-term activity advances, expenses must be accounted for by submission of the relevant form and receipts.

Returning Unused Advances

Any outstanding advance amount in excess of substantiated expenses will be deducted from the employee’s next pay check or in the case of students and PDFs should be returned to the University by submitting a personal check. Returning cash should be avoided but if necessary, it must be hand delivered to the Accounts Payable Office at 25 Science Park and should not be sent through campus mail.