LAS Study Abroad programs work with Project Assist, a service of the Study Abroad Center that provides support and assistance with program development. For more information, contact Mercedes Serracin.
Travel Authorizations
Authorization before the trip is not required by ISU Accounting. Please check with your departmental office to see if an on-line authorization is required.
Event Cards
Event Cards are time/activity specific credit cards issued by ISU Procurement Services to faculty leading study abroad programs. Event cards are in addition to regular purchasing cards and do not replace regular purchasing cards. Event cards are automatically requested for program directors by LAS Study Abroad. You will then have the option to accept or reject the event card via AccessPlus+.
Individuals will receive an email from Procurement Services confirming that an event card has been requested for you. Your event card will be mailed to your campus office address. Please follow the instructions contained in the email to activate the event card and assign a PIN.
The event card is authorized for group program expenses only. Individual expenses should not be charged to the event card.
Program-related expenses incurred prior to departure such as vendor pre-payments or deposits (within card limits) and supplies are acceptable uses of the event card.
Event card transactions have a limit of $4,900 per single transaction and $15,000 per billing cycle.
When activating an event card, the holder will be prompted to assign a PIN to facilitate cash advances using an ATM machine. If ATM cash advances are obtained, you must have receipts to justify how that cash was used during the study abroad program. If a receipt cannot be obtained from the vendor, please complete a generic receipt form.
Travel Advance
A travel advance for expenditures during your program should be requested at least 14 days before your scheduled departure date.
The Cash Advance Authorization Form should be submitted to Mercedes Serracin to obtain a cash advance.
Processing time is a minimum of 10 work days.
A check for the amount you request will be mailed to your ISU campus address.
Cultural Insurance Services International
Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) provides basic and emergency medical insurance and security evacuation services for students, faculty and staff traveling abroad on university business.
Enrollment in the CISI program is strongly recommended for ISU international business travelers (faculty, staff, graduate students, postdocs). The cost of CISI coverage is centrally funded for faculty and staff on official ISU business. This program cannot be used for international travel that is not business related. For more information regarding CISI, review the Study Abroad Insurance Plan Participant Guide.
Faculty, staff and students on official study abroad programs will be automatically enrolled in the International Insurance.
Upon completion of enrollment, the traveler will receive an email directly from with the following:
- Participant ID Card
- The International Insurance Brochure with claim form
- A consulate letter verifying insurance coverage (if needed for visa purposes)
- Access to the Internatinal Insurance web portal
To obtain International Insurance coverage for international travel (other than a study abroad program), please contact administrative support staff in your departmental office.
Global Cell Phone Program
LAS Study Abroad has a supply of cell phones available for use by program directors during study abroad programs. The phones carry a Verizon global service plan and both iPhone and Samsung Galaxy options are available. LAS Study Abroad will pay monthly service charges; however, usage fees during travel will be charged to the program. Plan details are as follows:
Phones will be activated and ready to use. Users will need to download TripLingo using an Apple ID for iPhones or gmail account for android. A factory reset will be done on all phones upon return to ensure all personal information and data pertaining to a particular user has been deleted before it is transferred to the next user.
Please contact Danette Bontrager approximately 4 weeks before your departure date if you would like to check out a phone and indicate if you prefer a Samsung Galaxy or an iPhone. We will try to accommodate your preference based on phone availability.
Trip Lingo
Iowa State University has partnered with TripLingo, the ultimate tool for international travelers. Learn essential phrases in four slang levels, instantly translate your voice or photo or connect to a live translator, get a crash course on the local culture and more!
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Download the Trip Lingo app by clicking here. Then, login with your @iastate.edu email address.
Should you have any questions, simply reach out to support@triplingo.com for assistance.
Global Phone/Trip Lingo Quick Start Guide
Adapted from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Study Abroad website