Travel Grants

The goal of the University of Innsbruck is to reduce its carbon footprint without restricting research, networking and teaching activities. For this reason, new travel guidelines have come into effect as of 01.06.2021. After a transition period the guidlines will become binding as of 01.10.2021.

Going by plane:

First, it has to be made sure that going by plane is inevitable. In that case, as of 01.10.2021 an additional air ticket levy (= climate contribution) has to be paid to the University of Innsbruck from the respective travel budget (global budget or project budget, alternative account assignment possible). For the first trip in the calendar year, this amounts to 10% of the flight costs or at least 50 euros per flight (an outward and return flight is considerd as one flight). From the second flight in the calendar year the flight contribution amounts to 20% of the flight costs or at least 50 euros per flight (outward and return flight). For external persons and external lecturers whose travel costs are covered by the University of Innsbruck, the climate contribution amounts to 10%, at least 50 euros per flight (outward and return flight). For administrative reasons, this group is included as of 1 January 2022.
This levy will be used to finance projects aimed at reducing the carbon footprint. There will be an annual financial report on this.
Cost savings due to travelling by plane (cheap flights) are no longer considered a sound reason for this choice. From now on overnight stays which might become necessary when using public transport will be refunded.
As a comfortable alternative to flights please consider night trains, sleepers or couchettes.
Flights to short-haul destinations that can easily be reached by public transport are not supported any more and will therefore not be reimbursed. These include all domestic flights, all flights to Switzerland and flights with the destinations Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Strasbourg, Venice, Milan, Turin, Genoa. Intermediate landings at these destinations when flying long-haul are still allowed though.
Please avoid intermediate stops when flying long-haul, if possible. Please choose night trains instead of flights, if doable.

Going by car:

Car costs are only reimbursed under the following conditions:

having to transport heavy or bulky items.
inaccessibilty of the (interim) destination by public transport (and the on-site rental of a car is out of the question)
in some cases official or private urgent reasons
relevant time reduction for distances under 200 km. (A time reduction is considered relevant only if the travel time by car is longer than 30 minutes in total and the travel time is reduced at least by half.)

For detailed information please click on the following link (only in German): Klimafreundliches Reisen

General information on faculty travel grants

Travel grants are given for

participating in congresses, conferences and other scientific events at home and abroad
stays abroad for studying new scientific methods or didactical working methods (study visits)
other comparable activities within the field of university activities

There is no legal entitlement to travel grants. Grants can only be given corresponding to the funds availabe.

Who is entitled to travel grants and to what amount?

All scientific members of the three departments of the Faculty of Economics and Statistics may apply for travel grants amounting to € 1.500 per year and person.
Project staff is entitled to travel grants half that amount, i.e. to a maximum of € 750 per year and person.
The person given a grant must be employed by the University of Innsbruck at the time of the trip.

Application procedure in terms of travel grants

1. Apply for leave from work before the trip

Submit the request in VIS-online.

2. Apply for the travel grant

When applying for leave from work at the same time apply for the travel grant, namely in the same form under "Allgemeine Anmerkungen" (general remarks). Here it is necessary to list the costs separately (transport costs, hotel costs, conference fee) as well as to state whether the travel costs will be covered by
- the global budget (travel allotment per employee)
- the (individually allocated) research funding or
- project funding

It is also required to state the purpose of the trip, e.g. participaiton in a conference and/or if a speech will be given or if a paper will be presented.

Attention: For participating in conferences and congresses a 20% VAT may have to be paid.

Please make sure not to exceed your personal travel allotment.

You will be informed about the actual amount of your travel grant by the assistant to the Dean.
For further questions (concering application, guidlines, approval procedure) please contact the assistant of the Dean: Dean-EconStat@uibk.ac.at

3. Submit your invoice upon return from your trip

Fill in the Abrechnungsformular (reimbursement form) and attach the original invoice as well as your payment confirmation and send everything to the Dean's office.

Please use the form in German as this is the only valid. Find the translated form here: Settlement of Travel Expenses
Attention! If you are traveling by plane, an attachment to the reimbursement form has to be completed.

4. Reimbursement of travel grants

Reimbursement forms of already approved grants are immediately forwarded.
Your costs are reimbursed via the Personalabteilung (personnel department).