Work Related Travel

Bookings and transport for travel on university business

Current university guidance and links to the university preferred travel provider and process are available.

Road travel using your own vehicle or one you hire

Most road travel on departmental business (other than to your normal place of work or other parts of the university) will not involve a member of the department driving the vehicle being used. Where it does though, and in particular when you are transporting other people, then you need to also take into account the university policy on occupational travel.

Travel Insurance for University Staff and Students

The University has a scheme to provide cover for the employee/student and their personal belongings while travelling on University business. Full details of the scheme (and policy coverage /exclusions) can be found on the University insurance web site.

Note that cover under the policy is subject to the following conditions:

• Applications may be rejected/insurance not provided. Cover is only in place if the application is approved, at which point you will receive a confirmation email. Cover is not automatic and you must not assume that you are covered simply because you have submitted the electronic form.
• Cover may only be granted for travel on University business only
• Cover is based on departure from and return to the UK
• Cover can also apply for travel within the UK
• All travellers must meet the requirements of the University Safety Office
• In some circumstances a full risk assessment must be completed by the traveller, see section below.
• Following submission of an application you may be asked for additional information to assist in the review process.

Risk Assessment

A full risk assessment will be required, for example, if travel is proposed to an area where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has guidance in place or advises against travel, or if the destination is on the university list of high risk locations. A risk assessment may also be required in relation to disabilities or medical conditions. 

Travel for academic/work purpose by members of the department is low risk in over 99% of cases. Note where travel is medium or high risk then there is a risk assessment template available at the bottom of this page. The risk assessment should be completed by the risk creator (i.e. the traveller), and in the case of students typically with input and guidance from their supervisor. Supervisors and line managers must complete the university overseas travel safety training before they can approve travel for someone who requires a risk assessment. The risk assessment should be attached to the travel insurance application where it will be further reviewed by university staff, and potentially the university insurer, before the insurance can be confirmed as in place.

Travel by members of the department generally does not include fieldwork. If, however, you are in an exceptionally rare case where it will then a risk assessment will be required. 

If your travel could be deemed to be medium or high risk, or for other reasons you consider a risk assessment may be required, you may seek early advice from the Department Travel Administrator (Helen Matkin and Sara Jolliffe) or the Departmental Safety Officer (Keith Gillow).

How to apply for cover

If you wish to apply for insurance cover under the scheme please complete the travel insurance application web form (found at https://travelinsurance.admin.ox.ac.uk/) and submit it for approval. In the case of travel that may not be low risk, please complete a travel risk assessment form (available below), and attach it to the online application.

Please note that students must set the 'supervisor approval' field to yes, and enter the long form official email address of their supervisor (i.e. typically something of the form @email). The application will then first go to them for their approval before it proceeds onwards to the main review and approval processes. Academic faculty should leave the supervisor approval field set to no - i.e. postdocs and faculty should not interpret this as wanting an academic line manager name entered here!

Please allow a minimum of 5 working days for your application to be processed and longer if a risk assessment is required (contact the Travel Administrator for likely timescales for medium-high risk travel).  

It is important to note that cover will only be in place once you have received email confirmation that your application has been approved. Cover is not automatic and you should not assume that you are covered simply because you have submitted the electronic form.

If you are a student, your application will require supervisor approval before it proceeds to the Travel Administrator.

Colleagues who are college-only employees will not normally be covered under the university’s travel insurance policy, and should seek appropriate insurance cover from their college in good time before they travel.

Any university user with an SSO (single sign on) login can create a travel insurance application. Staff who provide administrative support to other colleagues can make an application on their behalf.