Find out when it’s appropriate to travel on a per diem basis and how to process your expenses.
Understand how per diems work

When you travel on a per diem basis, you receive a flat sum per day to cover meals, lodging, and incidental expenses.

If you and your DLC opt for a per diem arrangement, you may not use the MIT Travel Card on the trip or submit charges or receipts for reimbursement. Per diem rates may not exceed the General Services Administration (GSA) ceiling rates for domestic travel or the U.S. Department of State, Office of Allowances ceiling rates for foreign travel. 

Determine when to use per diems

A per diem is the right choice when you and your DLC decide that:

  • your trip will be so lengthy that keeping track of individual expenses will be unusually difficult or burdensome
  • your DLC is hosting a guest and you want to cover that individual’s expenses

Follow these links to download Excel domestic per diem request form (Mac or Windows)

Get approval for a domestic per diem arrangement

To travel domestically on a per diem basis, you must first get approval from your department head, laboratory director, or project supervisor.  Once you have departmental approval, you must then submit your request to VPF Travel and Card Services for final approval.

In the case of international travel, your DLC can authorize per diem without additional approval from VPF Travel and Card Services.

The Details

Understand how per diems work

When you travel on a per diem basis, you receive a flat sum per day to cover meals, lodging, and incidental expenses.

If you and your DLC opt for a per diem arrangement, you may not use the MIT Travel Card on the trip or submit charges or receipts for reimbursement. Per diem rates may not exceed the General Services Administration (GSA) ceiling rates for domestic travel or the U.S. Department of State, Office of Allowances ceiling rates for foreign travel. 

Determine when to use per diems

A per diem is the right choice when you and your DLC decide that:

  • your trip will be so lengthy that keeping track of individual expenses will be unusually difficult or burdensome
  • your DLC is hosting a guest and you want to cover that individual’s expenses

Follow these links to download Excel domestic per diem request form (Mac or Windows)

Get approval for a domestic per diem arrangement

To travel domestically on a per diem basis, you must first get approval from your department head, laboratory director, or project supervisor.  Once you have departmental approval, you must then submit your request to VPF Travel and Card Services for final approval.

In the case of international travel, your DLC can authorize per diem without additional approval from VPF Travel and Card Services.