Economics Department Visitor Reimbursement Guidelines
General Rules
Prior to the visit, visitors are issued a PaymentWorks link to set up the visitor, individually, as a vendor for reimbursement. Expenses incurred during the visit to the Economics Department should be incurred by the visitor.
All expenses to be reimbursed must be prudent and reasonable and must have a Columbia University business purpose, i.e. the expenses must be related to the purpose for the visit.
Travel Agency Assistance for Booking Air/Rail Travel and Accommodations
Visitors are invited to work with the Economics Department’s preferred travel agency, Jet Travel, who will book airfare/rail and hotel accommodations following Columbia Travel Policy, with the expenses then paid directly by the Economics Department. Alternately, visitors may book their own airfare/rail travel and be reimbursed (please see the airfare/rail guidelines below). To book your air/rail travel and accommodations with Jet Travel, please mail the Economics Department’s Director of Academic Administration and Finance, Matthew Turner (mt3888@columbia.edu) for assistance.
Air/Rail Travel
The Economics Department will provide roundtrip travel at the lowest logical airfare/rail fare to/from the same point of departure and NYC, which ordinarily means Economy/Main Cabin fares. Acela Business Class rail fare is always permitted.
If a visitor’s point of departure and return location differ, then the Economics Department will reimburse for the cost of roundtrip travel between the point of departure and NYC (this cost will be established with a comparison fare). Furthermore, if a visitor chooses to arrive early or stay late, then the Economics Department will reimburse for the cost of roundtrip travel arriving one day before the visit and leaving one day after the visit.
Ground Transportation
Ground transportation, such as taxis/ride shares to and from the points of arrival and departure within NYC (such as travel to and from the airport, travel to and from campus, and travel to and from a post-seminar restaurant dinner), or parking fees at the airport at the point of departure, are eligible for reimbursement. Travelers are encouraged to take advantage of the most cost effective means of transportation, including public transit (when feasible). Private/black car services are not eligible for reimbursement.
If you plan to drive to Columbia University for your visit, then please check-in with the Director of Academic Administration and Finance, Matthew Turner (mt3888@columbia.edu) first. Rental cars are not reimbursed for guests under any circumstances.
Accommodations
Accommodations for arrival the day before the event and departure the day after the event (ordinarily two nights) are provided by the department and should be booked directly by the department or using our travel partner, Jet Travel.
If visitors choose to extend their visit to NYC beyond the visit days to the Economics Department, then the Economics Department is available to make hotel reservations at our negotiated rates, but visitors are asked to pay for the accommodations out-of-pocket and submit for reimbursement for the agreed-upon hotel nights (ordinarily two hotel nights).
Meals
The department will reimburse for meals not provided (including on travel days) at the rates of $25 before tax and tip for breakfast, $35 before tax and tip for lunch, and $75 before tax and tip for dinner; the department will not reimburse alcohol expenses for individual meals. Please note Columbia will only reimburse up to 20% on tips for meals. For workshop/seminar visitors, it is expected that the coordinating faculty member will take the visitor to dinner.
Reimbursement Process
Visitors are set up to be reimbursed via Columbia’s vendor management system, PaymentWorks, from whom you will receive an email invitation to be set up. Original, detailed receipts are required for all expenses in order to be reimbursed.
For questions about reimbursement for travel expenses outside of those outlined above, please contact the Director of Academic Administration and Finance for the Economics Department, Matthew Turner, at mt3888@columbia.edu.
Receipts for reimbursement should not be sent via email. Receipts for reimbursement should be submitted by filling out the Economics Expense Report Request Form. An Economics Department staff member will send you a link to the form following your visit. The request for reimbursement must be submitted within one month of the visit; for visits that take place in late April/early May, the request for reimbursement must be submitted by May 15 in order to accommodate fiscal year end deadlines.
Updated: 12/12/2025
