Getting Reimbursed for Expenses

If you paid for certain expenses to attend the OSG User School 2018, then we will reimburse you for them. This page explains what can be reimbursed and how to request reimbursement. Please read this whole page carefully before submitting your request.

The deadline for all reimbursement submissions is Friday, 7 September 2018.

What Can Be Reimbursed?

We offered to reimburse certain expenses that were part of attending the OSG School:

Unfortunately, we are not able to reimburse you for any other expenses (e.g., checked baggage fees, transportation to/from your home and local airport).

What Information Is Needed?

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has strict requirements about reimbursements. See below for each type of expense and its rules.

Expense Rules

Bus fare

For bus trips between Madison and a nearby airport, as planned with us in advance.

The original receipt is required, including at least the total amount paid.

Ride fare

For taxi and ride-sharing trips between the Madison airport and your hotel. Rides in your home town are not covered.

If you paid for other School participants, list their names. If the total (fare + tip) is more than $25, the original receipt is required, ideally including:

  • Date of trip
  • Fare and tip

Driving mileage

If we agreed in advance to cover your driving costs to/from the School, simply list the agreed-upon reimbursement amount ($ or miles) as a reminder.

Dinners

For dinners on Monday through Thursday of the School, we can reimburse you for up to $27 per evening.

  • The total reimbursement per evening is limited to $27
  • Within the $27 total, you may include tax and tip (but no more than 15% tip)
  • No alcohol is allowed, but non-alcoholic drinks are OK
  • Original receipts are not required, but if you want to email us a scanned copy of your receipts, it may help us understand your request better

If you do not have receipts, do your best to estimate your meal expenses accurately, up to the $27 per evening limit. Remember, all of your meal reimbursements are being paid by federal taxpayer funds, so be fair and honest!

Hotel bill

If we arranged in advance for you to pay your own hotel bill, we can reimburse you as agreed. The complete hotel bill, including the itemized invoice, is required.

Note: If you must give us receipts (see above), electronic files are fine. You may scan or photograph any paper receipts and email them to us.

How to Request Reimbursement

Please follow these instructions carefully for fastest processing of your reimbursement request.

  1. Gather your reimbursement information (see above for what you need).

  2. Email your reimbursement request by Friday, 7 September 2018.

    Write a clear email with your name, the exact expenses and amounts to be reimbursed, reimbursement total, and any scanned receipts or other documentation. Send the email to [email protected]. Use the sample format below to get started, but update the subtotals and remove the sections that do not apply to you:

    I attended the OSG User School 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin, and I request
reimbursement for the following School-related expenses:

STUDENT INFORMATION

Name: Cartwright, Tim
SSN: 1234 [LAST FOUR DIGITS ONLY]
Mail: 1210 W Dayton St, Madison, WI 53706
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (608) 262-4002

EXPENSES

Bus Fare => $60.00
  * Roundtrip on Van Galder bus between Chicago O’Hare and UW-Madison
  * Original electronic receipt is attached

Taxi Fare => $30.00
  * One-way from Madison airport to Best Western hotel
  * Other OSG School passengers: Lauren Michael, Brian Lin
  * Scanned receipt is attached

Driving Mileage => $200.00
  * Roundtrip between home and Union South hotel in Madison
  * Estimated total miles (from Google Maps): 420

Dinners => $72.24
  * Mon,  9 July 2018: $20.00
  * Tue, 10 July 2018: $15.80
  * Wed, 11 July 2018: $19.84
  * Thu, 12 July 2018: $16.60

Hotel => $630.00
  * Union South hotel
  * $115.00 per night for 6 nights
  * Scanned receipt is attached

TOTAL => $1,052.24

  3. For receipts, just attach the electronic files (PDF) to your request email; or, email separately to [email protected].

    All receipts must be emailed by Friday, 7 September 2018, or the corresponding expenses will not be reimbursed.

  4. OSG School staff will review your request and either approve it or send it back for changes.

  5. Once approved, UW–Madison administrative staff will process your reimbursement request.

  6. Your reimbursement check will be mailed to the postal address that you provided.

  7. When you receive your check, please email [email protected] to say that the check arrived and the exact amount of the check (dollars and cents). Maybe surprisingly, this is the only way that we can make sure that you got the reimbursement and that the amount was correct.