Travel Allowances For Travel Within the Continental United States
i. Per Diem Allowance for Short-term Travel - Meals and Incidental Expense (M&IE)
ii. Conference/Workshop Provided Meals
iii. Long-Term Per Diem Allowance
i. Per Diem Allowance for Short-term Travel - Meals and Incidental Expense (M&IE)
Travel for 24 hours or more: The daily per-diem allowance for meals and incidental expenses constitutes a maximum daily reimbursement and may be claimed as follows
- $13.00 Breakfast
- $15.00 Lunch
- $26.00 Dinner
- $5.00 Incidentals (i.e., laundry, tips, etc.)
Travelers should record actual meal expenses or the authorized per-diem rates on SDSU Research Foundation’s Travel Reimbursement Request form and submit it to the SR grant specialist who reviews and approves the expense and forward it to the travel coordinator for payment. This form may be found at AP forms.
Requesters are reimbursed for the actual meal and incidental expenses or the maximum per-diem allowance, whichever is less. To receive an allowance for all three meals and incidentals, a traveler must be on travel status for a full 24-hour period. A 24-hour period is calculated from the time of departure on day one to the same time on day two, and to the same time on each succeeding day. (Note: The time of departure on travel claims may start when you leave your residence for the airport.)
For travel that is a fractional part of a period of travel of more than 24 hours, the maximum authorized allowance for meals is as follows:
If the travel extends past 9 a.m., a breakfast may be claimed; if the travel extends past 2 p.m. a lunch may be claimed; if the travel extends past 6 p.m., a dinner may be claimed. Travelers may be reimbursed for actual meal expenses up to the maximum allowance for each individual meal. An original receipt must substantiate any single item of expense for $25 or more.
NOTE: The incidental expense of$5.00 may be claimed on both the day you leave and the day you return from a trip as long as the trip length is twenty-four hours or more.
- Travel for less than 24 hours: For travel that is less than 24 hours in duration, meal allowances may be claimed: for breakfast if the travel begins before 7 a.m., for dinner if the travel extends past 6 p.m. Expenses must be incurred more than 25 miles from the normal work location and no lunch allowance may be claimed. Expenses for each meal must be reported on SDSU Research Foundation’s Travel Reimbursement Request form. An original receipt must substantiate any single item of expense for $25 or more.
ii. Conference/Workshop Provided Meals
Attendees are not eligible to receive an M&IE allowance for any meals that are included in the registration fee for conferences, workshops, and meetings. The daily M&IE allowance must be reduced by the applicable meal allowance for the meal(s) provided. A copy of the registration form/brochure must be attached to the travel claim when requesting reimbursement.
iii. Long-Term Per Diem Allowance
A long-term per diem allowance is applicable when an individual’s original estimated travel is for more than 30 consecutive days in one location. SDSU Research Foundation follows the policies for long-term travel as outlined by the CSU Chancellor’s Office. Please contact SDSU Research Foundation’s travel coordinator for current rates and policies.
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