Per Diem for Travel

Find out about travel per diem rates for meal and lodging expenses.

Per diem is a daily amount to cover meal and lodging expenses for UCSD employees traveling on official UCSD business. Per diem applies to the following travel situations:

• Foreign travel
• Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. possessions travel
• Long-term travel (30 days or more) in the continental U.S.

Per diem is not the same as meal and incidental expense (M&IE), which applies to short-term travel (29 days or fewer) in thecontinental U.S.

Incidentals

The incidentals portion of a per diem rate includes tips for service and costs for ground transportation directly connected with a meal (e.g., taxi from hotel to restaurant and back).

Claiming actual expenses

Any adjustment to claiming the published allowable per diem rate should reflect the traveler's actual costs. Travelers can claim:

• Less than per diem to save costs.
• An exception to per diem when actual expenses exceed per diem and required conditions are met.

See MyTravel Help: Per DiemTab for instructions.

Calculating per diem

You can use MyTravel to claim most per diem expenses as they’re calculated automatically based on location and duration.

For travel you can't claim using MyTravel (e.g., group travel and moves/ transfer), see instructions for calculating per diem.

Notice: UCSD travel policy, as published in Blink, is decisive. It has been adapted to UCSD's organization, delegation of authority, terminology, chart of accounts, and processing applications. The source for UCSD travel policy is UC Travel Policy and Regulations.

Travel

Expenses & Reimbursements

• Per Diem
  • Calculate Per Diem
  • Reimbursement by Receipts
• Reporting Expenses
• Approving Reimbursements
• Receipts
• Prepaying