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Before Travel

Don't forget to complete a Travel Request for travel outside the State of Kansas before booking your travel in the University's online booking tool - Concur Travel, or directly with our contracted travel agency Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP). Also check out the information below about current travel restrictions, the first-time user checklist, IT Security, and International travel before you go!

Current Travel Restrictions

Effective 4/19/21, the University of Kansas is discontinuing restrictions on university-related travel implemented during the pandemic. This means that prior approval by the Provost Office and submission of research fieldwork/travel planning forms to the Office of Research are no longer needed for KU-related travel. Please continue to keep health and safety in mind when making plans, and adhere to all applicable State of Kansas Travel Guidelines and CDC Travel Guidelines. If traveling internationally, please review the University-sponsored Travel to High Risk Locations policy.

For information about conducting academic work in countries with Federal travel advisories, please visit the International Affairs website.


Are You A First-Time Concur Travel User?

Please review this checklist of items you need to do before booking travel with Concur Travel or using CTP travel services.
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Concur Travel Requests

Out-of-State and International travel must have an approved Travel Request (TR) completed in Concur prior to making travel arrangements.  Employees should complete their TRs no later than 14-days prior to domestic and 30-days prior to international travel.

To create a more efficient process, the University is transitioning away from using various department forms and the SSC Travel Request webform in favor of travelers creating their TRs directly in Concur.  If you or your department would like to discuss and set up training on the new pre-trip Travel Request process in Concur, please email travel@ku.edu.

KU EMPLOYEE TRAVELERS:  Please identify funding and gather estimated travel costs before creating their Travel Request directly in Concur (see CREATING A CONCUR TRAVEL REQUEST-for instructions and link to Concur log-in). 

-OR- 

NON-EMPLOYEE STUDENT TRAVELERS and GRAD STUDENTS IN-BETWEEN HR APPOINTMENT or if your department has not yet transitioned to the new TR creation process, submit the following information to your SSC or travel processor so a Concur TR can be created on your behalf:

  • Name & contact info of Department Approver
  • Trip Location
  • Depart & Return Dates
  • Personal Time - if applicable
  • Trip Business Purpose
  • Conference Website - if applicable
  • Estimated Business Expenses (e.g., airfare, lodging, rental or taxi, per diem, registration fee, mileage, etc)
  • Travel Funding
  • Travel Document attachments – if applicable

This information can be provided to the SSC via the SSC Travel Request Form, forwarded department travel authorization form, or via email directly to your SSC or department travel processor.

The preferred method for creating a travel request is employee travelers creating it directly in Concur.  Please only use the SSC Travel Request Form if you are an non-employee students or if your SSC has instructed you to still use the SSC form at this time.

As needed please reference the Travel Policy & Procedure page for KU, KU Office of Research, and KU Endowment policy guidance on travel.

Concur Travel Request Instructions

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Booking Upon TR Approval

Once the Concur TR is approved and your Concur Travel Profile is updated, travel can be booked in Concur Travel or directly with our travel agency CTP at 877-630-1232. Training videos and guides are available in our Training Library to help you with the booking process.
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IT Security When Traveling

Criminals know that many of us let down our guard while we are traveling, choosing convenience over security. Whether you are traveling internationally or domestically, it's important to know how to protect your devices and data while you travel.
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Are You Traveling Internationally?

Please review Global Operations & Security, International Affairs, Study Abroad & Global Engagement and other international travel information before making plans to travel internationally.
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