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Forté Undergraduate Travel Reimbursement

Attendees from Forté undergraduate partner schools and those who express a need for financial assistance are eligible for a travel stipend to help offset the transportation and lodging costs associated with attendance. Stipends are limited and only available for students who have traveled more than 50 miles to attend.

Stipends are capped at a maximum of $300 and will in no case exceed the actual costs paid by a participant for their travel and lodging. (Campus Ambassadors and Career Ready Certificate Earners are eligible for an additional $100 for a maximum stipend of $400.) The amount payable will be calculated according to the following policy.

Expense Eligibility Rules

Air, Bus, or Rail Travel

Long-distance travel fares associated with airfare, bus, or rail travel are eligible for reimbursement. Travel must occur within the Approved Travel Window listed for each conference. All expenses must be documented by a receipt indicating full payment, travel details, and name of traveler(s). Please note: this does not include transportation to and from the airport, train station, or bus station, parking fees, checked baggage fees, travel insurance, change flight fees, or other related expenses.

If you extend your stay, verification will be required to show that the flight cost is equal to or less than if you traveled within 24 hours of the conference. When making your travel arrangements, please make a printout/screenshot of the cost of the fare for the flight that is within the travel window. Without this documentation, your travel costs will not be reimbursed.

Car Travel

Attendees choosing to drive to and from the conference from their current U.S. residence are eligible for mileage reimbursement. You must provide proof of distance in the form of a Google or Apple map that shows the distance from your current residence to the conference location. Mileage reimbursement may be disbursed according to the following limits:

Expenses incurred for travel in and around the city in which the conference is being held (e.g. taxis, buses, ride shares) ARE NOT eligible for reimbursement.

Lodging

The travel stipend can also be used to cover lodging costs related to your attendance at a Forté Conference. Covered lodging expenses must occur within the Lodging Fee Window noted below for each conference. All expenses must be documented by a receipt indicating full payment, date of stay, number and name of guests. Accommodations eligible for expense reimbursement include hotel, motel, hostel, Airbnb, and other commercially established and regulated home sharing sites (i.e. Vrbo, HomeAway, etc.). Reimbursements will not be given for non-commercial establishments. If a hotel room block is secured by Forté we will update this page.

Lodging fees will only be reimbursed for the following nights:

Sharing Expenses

Forté does not coordinate travel or roommate agreements between attendees. There is a GroupMe for each conference where attendees can connect and inquire about travel arrangements.

Lodging expenses can be split amongst attendees but only by the number of people sharing the cost. For example, if two attendees share a hotel room, the reimbursement for the hotel will be divided evenly between the two attendees. Funds cannot be pooled together resulting in greater reimbursements for one attendee over another.

Process

Reimbursement Requirements
All reimbursement applications and receipts must be received by Forté no later than one week after the conference. All reimbursements will be processed after the conclusion of the conference and within four weeks of receipt. No stipends will be processed after the deadline.

The following information and documentation must be provided by the participant:

Please Note: Any errors or incomplete information (i.e. name, mailing address, invalid receipt, etc.) may result in delays to your reimbursement.

To be eligible for the travel reimbursement, you must:

Reimbursement Distribution

Once reimbursement applications are reviewed and approved by the Forté finance team, eligible stipends will be reimbursed through Bill via ACH or live checks.

It will take four weeks for these payments to be processed. We begin processing on the submission deadline. Physical checks will be sent via USPS and delivery times will vary. Please provide an address that you will have access to for at least 4 weeks in the event there is a delay with the processing of your reimbursement.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the Forté Undergraduate Programs Team at college@fortefoundation.org with any questions.