Transportation Reimbursement

Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students who are engaged in direct service, activism, and/or advocacy at a site in the greater Philadelphia area during the academic year are eligible for reimbursement of their transportation costs directly between campus and their service site.

Reimbursement is available to student volunteers, students enrolled in a Praxis course, participants in the Community Based Work-Study program, and unpaid student interns.

Civic Engagement processes student reimbursement requests and offers 100 percent reimbursement for all students participating in Praxis and/or Community Based Work-Study.

As a pilot program for the Spring 2024 semester, Civic Engagement is offering 100 percent reimbursement for travel on public transportation for individual student volunteers and unpaid interns for service travel between January 22, 2024 and May 3, 2024. Rideshare travel will continue to be reimbursed for mileage only.

Transportation Reimbursement applies to the following expenses:

Public Transportation

Remember to save your receipts. Forms cannot be processed if the receipts are not included.

• Train, Trolley, and Bus Trips: Print out your Septa KeyCard trip history and highlight your Civic Engagement trips. Submit this history with your transportation reimbursement request. 
   
• Taxi Cabs: Civic Engagement does not reimburse the cost of taxi cabs.

Personal Vehicles

• Mileage on a personal vehicle: Civic Engagement follows the College policy of reimbursement using the standard mileage rate determined by the IRS. Click here for the current rate.
• Tolls: Remember to save your receipts for all tolls.

Ride Share Services (Uber, Lyft, etc.)

Whenever possible, students should use public transportation, campus vans or personal vehicles to travel to their field sites. When public transportation is unavailable or unfeasible, Civic Engagement will reimburse the mileage portion of a ride-share trip directly between campus and a field site in the greater Philadelphia area.

In these cases, students must submit their ride-sharing receipt along with a printed map of the route, showing the trip’s mileage. Civic Engagement follows the College policy of reimbursement using the standard mileage rate determined by the IRS. Click here for the current rate.

How do I request transportation reimbursement?

Becoming Eligible

• To receive reimbursement you must be a current BMC undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student serving as a Praxis student, a Community Based Work-Study employee, an unpaid intern, a volunteer, or have attended a protest, rally or community organizing event.
• If you are an individual volunteer or an unpaid intern, you will first need to complete the intake form and provide Civic Engagement with a letter of verification from your field site before requesting reimbursement.

Submitting Reimbursement Requests

• Save all receipts for travel costs (except mileage).
• Fill out a transportation reimbursement form. Fall 2021 forms will be available at the beginning of the semester, using the link at the top right of this page. 
• Include all receipts with the request form and email to Sydney Robertson at srobertso1@brynmawr.edu. Monthly deadlines are listed on each form.

Collecting Reimbursement

• The Controller’s Office will process student reimbursement requests once a month.
• Deadlines for turning in requests for transportation reimbursement for the current semester are listed on the reimbursement forms.
• All reimbursements will be paid by direct deposit or by check and sent to students in campus mail or to the address provided on the request form.

Questions?

Email Civic Engagement at srobertso1@brynmawr.edu.

Spring 2024 Reimbursement Request Forms

• Activism Travel
• Community-Based Work Study Travel
• Individual Service Travel
• Praxis Travel