Travel Guidelines for Presenters

SITE is funded by a grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and requires that all travel is conducted in the most economical method.  Please submit your reimbursement request with copy of receipts showing itemized expenses and proof of payment within 15 days after attending SITE using the SITE travel reimbursement form.

Airfare

  • Stanford will only reimburse economy class at lowest available airfare. Only a flight from your home institution to Stanford and back will be reimbursed. If you must travel from a different location, please provide reason and documentation of comparable direct airfare made at the time of your ticket purchase (a time-stamped screenshot of flight comparison results at time of ticket purchase is required).
  • Mineta San Jose (SJC) and San Francisco (SFO) airports are equidistant from Stanford.
  • Compliance with Fly America Act.  A person traveling on funds provided by the federal government must use a U.S. flag carrier (an airline owned by an American company), regardless of cost or convenience.
  • See list of U.S. Flag Air Carriers and Code Share Alliances and Policy Notes for Fly America Act and Open Skies Exceptions.
  • When scheduling international travel that is federally funded, you must ensure that all flights, where possible, are scheduled on U.S. flag carriers or on foreign air carriers that code share with a U.S. flag carrier. Please note: Code sharing: when two or more airlines “code” the same flight as if it was their own.
  • Driving in lieu of flying cannot exceed the documented cost of airfare plus ground transportation.

Hotel Accommodations

  • Stanford will reimburse a maximum room rate of $450/night.
  • Internet access is eligible for reimbursement.  However laundry, in-room entertainment, and convenience food are not eligible.
  • Local hotels that offer discounts to Stanford visitors are listed here.

Traveling Within 50 Miles to Stanford

  • University-sponsored travel may occur within or outside the local area. Travel is considered outside the local area when the destination is 50 miles or more one way from the traveler’s home or Stanford’s historic campus, whichever is greater. This definition is applicable to some travel expense policies, for example, hotel lodging reimbursement, where the university will only pay for hotel lodging expenses when the trip is outside the local area.

Ground Transportation

  • Travelers should use reasonable and economical means for travel between residence/airport and airport/lodging. Stanford reimburses for actual expenses when traveling to or from an airport, including personal mileage, parking fees, ride-hailing service charges, and taxi fares. When the cost of airport parking is considered, shuttle or ride services are usually the most economical solution for trips lasting three or more days. The use of ride share services is not required.
  • When the use of a rental car is the most economical form of local transportation, the university will pay car rental fees for compact, intermediate, or standard size automobiles and automobile-related expenses, such as fuel, tolls, and parking. Stanford carries a blanket car rental insurance policy for business travelers. Additional car rental insurance is not reimbursable (e.g., loss damage waiver (LDW), collision damage waiver (CDW), etc.). Any portion of the cost of a rental car attributable to the personal use by the traveler will be deducted from reimbursable expenses.
  • For personal auto, travel for distances over 350 miles round trip is on an exception basis. Expense must be less than or equivalent to economy airfare.

Food

  • Meals are provided to workshop participants. Per diem may not be claimed. Only the cost of meals purchased on travel days can be reimbursed; itemized receipts are required and no alcohol is allowable.
  • Tips for meals should not exceed 20% and should be based only on the subtotal that excludes fees and tax.

COVID-19 Policy for Visitors

The guidelines are for on-campus activities relating to COVID-19 for Stanford visitors (e.g., temporary community members, such as visiting scholars and researchers, as well as members of the public). 

  • All visitors arriving from domestic and international destinations must adhere to current Stanford travel policies, please visit the travelers page here for more information on these requirements.
  • Face coverings are no longer required at Stanford, but are strongly recommended while indoors.
  • If a visitor tests positive for COVID-19, within 10 days of being onsite, they must complete the General COVID-19 Case Reporting Form.



SITE is funded by grants from the National Science Foundation with additional support from the Stanford School of Humanities & Sciences Department of Economics, the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.