Checking Accounts -- Some of our visitors have experienced difficulty with local banks when they open a checking account as it takes some time for either a personal or a certified check to be processed. You might want to have some traveller's checks with you which you could use in the interim if you do decide that you would like a local checking account. For a nominal fee you can cash personal checks on campus; a picture identification card (ID), such as a driver's license, is required.

Transportation Reimbursements --- It is the policy of the University of California that expenses for transportation to and from Santa Barbara cannot be reimbursed in full upon arrival at KITP. If the visitor is long-term (more than one month) the first half of this reimbursement will be included with the visitor's first reimbursement check for local expenses. The balance will be reimbursed shortly before departure. Reimbursement checks for local living expenses will be issued once a month usually around the first of the month for those staying more than 30 days.

NEW: UCSB Policy on the Use of Travel Packages

For visits of less than 30 days, there will be one reimbursement for all transportation and living expenses.  This will generally be issued shortly prior to your departure. Please be sure that you bring sufficient funds with you to cover your expenses, especially your entire rent.   Do note that, if you stay in an hotel, we will not be able to provide you with a reimbursement prior to your departure.  If you live outside the US and would like to request a wire transfer, please note that we will need to deduct the cost of the transfer from your reimbursement. Where do I go for reimbursement?

Government Employees -- if you are a government employee, it is very possible that we will not be allowed to reimburse you directly for your local expenses. We may have to reimburse your home institution. The best way to do this is for your home institution to invoice us for the amount that we would have reimbursed to you.  The first step will be to determine that this will be permitted by your institution. (It is currently our understanding that NASA does not permit this procedure.) The second step is for you to meet with Julia when you are here to determine the reimbursement amount. We can provide this to your home institution, and they can use this to invoice us. Please note that we cannot reimburse you in excess of the amount that our policies dictate, nor can we pay any administrative fees.

Pay Periods --- Salary checks, for those who are receiving them, are normally issued on the first working day of each month for work performed in the prior month. If you arrive at the Institute late in the month or if your employment forms are delayed for some reason, this date may not be feasible. Please assist us in our preparations by returning your forms as quickly as possible.

Conference Registration --- If the period of your stay at the KITP includes a program-related conference, then you will automatically be registered to attend.  You will receive an email from the KITP conference administrator prior to the conference letting you know that you have been registered and informing you of the amount of the registration fee.  Program participants receive a reduced fee, usually one-half of the regular fee.  Program Coordinators are also eligible for a special rate which may be obtained from the KITP conference administrator.  KITP postdocs, KITP graduate fellows, and members of the UCSB Physics Department are notified of conference registration policies pertaining to them via email.  If you have any questions regarding this, or do not hear from us, please contact the KITP conference administrator.  All others interested in registering for a conference should go to our conference site.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO DRIVE to KITP from your home institution: It is the policy of the University that "the reimbursement of surface transportation costs, shall not exceed the cost of airfare, based on the lowest restricted coach fare (including discounts) provided by a standard commercial air carrier, plus transportation costs to and from the terminals." In order to establish this, you need to get a price comparison for a RT ticket to and from your departing airport to SB. These rates will determine how much of the driving mileage and related expenses you can have reimbursed (but not to exceed the ITP's commitment). These comparison rates must be given to our bookkeeper. The ultimate decision to drive/fly always rests with the traveler, but you must provide us with this information in order to be reimbursed.