Travel Guidelines

Penn State has established comprehensive guidance for both personal and University-affiliated travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Highlights of these guidelines are listed below, but please visit the University's Travel Guideline site for complete and most up-to-date information as these guidelines will be reviewed monthly:

Domestic Travel:

Beginning July 1, 2021, employee domestic travel may resume. Pre-COVID travel approval processes should be followed. Employees are asked to limit travel where possible and consider virtual options that might replace or reduce the need to travel.

Penn State strongly encourages employees to be fully vaccinated prior to engaging in University-affiliated domestic travel.

Employees engaging in University-affiliated domestic travel should:

  • Carefully review the CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance for domestic travel.
  • Research the restrictions imposed in the area(s) to which they are traveling and ensure that they can comply with the restrictions.
  • Follow all COVID recommendations and requirements of the destination.
  • Upon returning home, the CDC recommends that unvaccinated travelers get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after travel.
Note: All travel arrangements must be made through Penn State's travel provider, Anthony Travel.

International Travel:

University-affliated international travel is permitted but must be be deemed mission critical or academically essential and must be approved by senior University leadership:

  • Essential travel requests should be submitted to Academic Affairs to be screened and forwarded to Executive Vice-President and Provost Nicolas P. Jones for his review and decision.
  • Requests are to be submitted to the Academic Affairs office 6-weeks in advance of travel to meet the deadline of the Provost office and you are required to file with the Travel Safety Network (TSN) as soon as approval is granted but most certainly at a minimum of 3 days before travel.
  • Reimbursement for travel expenses will not be possible without proof of confirmation by TSN that your trip had been been approved prior to travel.
Note: All travel arrangements must be made through Penn State's travel provider, Anthony Travel.

Travel Process

All faculty and Academic Affairs staff are required to complete an employee travel authorization form which must be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks in advance of travel (international travel would be 6 weeks in advance). The authorization form, which is also the reimbursement form, can be accessed by clicking on the link:  Travel Authorization & Reimbursement Form

The process includes:

  • Authorization (submission of authorization form and supporting documents for pre-approval)
  • Reimbursement (submission of reimbursement form and all required itemized receipts)
  • Entry into SAP Concur (entry of travel expenses with required receipts)
  • Submission in SAP Concur (submitting the report is your electronic signature)