Building 1 Joondalup Campus
ECU's travel management solution, in partnership with FCM Travel is the FCM Platform.
The FCM Platform offers an improved and streamlined traveller experience with its integrated pre-trip approval and online booking tools.
Please note:
The Finance and Business Services Centre (FBSC) oversees the Authorised University Travel Policy, manages the Six Steps to Travel, maintains relationships with ECU’s travel service providers and provides support for the FCM Travel Platform.
Effective travel planning begins with assessing whether a trip is essential and aligned with the University’s strategic objectives. Travellers should also proactively consider potential health, safety, security, and cyber risks associated with the regions they intend to visit.
Key considerations include:
The conditions for University travel are governed by ECU’s Authorised Travel Policy and the 'Six Steps to Travel'.
If you’re planning ECU business-related travel or book travel on behalf of others, you must ensure you are familiar with travellers' rights and obligations when travelling on behalf of the University.
As part of the pre-trip approval process, you are required to provide an estimate of the total costs associated with the trip, including:
Quotes for domestic and simple point-to-point international travel can be obtained directly through the FCM Travel Platform - Online Booking Tool (Savi).
For complex international travel quotes please contact a FCM consultant via ecu@fcmtravel.com.au.
Before departure, travellers must ensure they have the required documentation to travel and perform University business.
Risk Awareness
Travellers should consider security, health and cyber risks related to their destination. Guidance, including information on ECU Secure Loan devices for high-risk countries, is available via International Travel Advice.
For general travel tips, including reducing phone and internet costs click here.
Learning Abroad Programs
Staff planning student programs should review the School Led Learning Abroad Guidelines and refer to the Study Tours, Clinical Placements and Practicums Sharepoint before making arrangements.
University Credit Cards
If using a University Credit Card overseas, advise the Commonwealth Bank of your travel dates and destinations (Tel: 13 15 76).
Passports
Ensure your passport is valid for the required period beyond your return date. Passport costs are personal expense unless approved in exceptional circumstances by your Executive Dean/Dean/Director.
Visas/Immigration Requirements
Confirm visa requirements for each country visited. Advice and applications are available through the FCM Travel Platform - CIBTVisas. Visas are acceptable travel expenditure if required as part of business travel.
It is the travellers responsibility to ensure they are fully informed of the immigration requirements for every country they visit. Use the correct business or professional visa where required - Entry with a tourist visa for business purposes may lead to detention or denied travel.
Documentation
Keep copies of your passport, tickets, insurance, visas, and credit card details with your nominated contact in case of loss or theft.
Immunisation
Check vaccination requirements through Smartraveller. For advice, consult the Travel Doctor, or your GP. Immunisation costs should be paid on a University Credit Card and charged to your School/Centre.
Immunisation Guidelines are available from the People and Culture website.
Risk Management
It is important for travellers to plan for and to be aware of health, safety and security concerns in the region(s) they will visit.
Work Health and Safety considerations extend to travel being undertaken on behalf of ECU. Travellers should consider if a Fieldtrip, Event or Travel risk assessment may also be required. Please refer to the flowchart for guidance.
Student Learning Abroad programs (study tours, clinical placements, work integrated learning, student exchange, etc.) must go through a formal approval process, including risk assessment, before making travel arrangements.
Please refer to the University's Travel Risk Management website for further information.
Insurance
The University provides insurance policies for all staff and students travelling on authorised Edith Cowan University business, irrespective of whether the Authorised University Travel is fully or partly funded (i.e. sponsored) by the University or a third party.
Any travel undertaken on behalf of the University must be authorised prior to the travel being undertaken otherwise travel insurance will not apply to the trip.
Please refer to the University's Insurance website or email insurance@ecu.edu.au.
Note: ECU reserves the right to withdraw travel approval if the DFAT advice level changes due to adverse situations (such as natural disaster, military conflict, terrorism, virus outbreak, etc.) and it is required that you leave the location. If you do not follow DFAT advice to leave the location, insurance cover will cease, and approval will be retracted.
The University requires a Travel Diary to be completed by staff for all business travel, for the entire travel period (including any personal travel), in order to determine whether Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) is applicable for dual purpose travel, as well as to support the University’s duty of care obligations to authorised University travellers. It is important to accurately record all activities in the Travel Diary which is submitted as part of the Pre-Trip Approval (PTA). See Approval for more information.
Personal travel may be included with official University travel provided the main purpose of the travel is legitimate University business, the personal portion is incidental, and no University funds are used for personal expenses.
Incidental Personal Travel
Personal travel is considered incidental if the personal days do not exceed 40% of the Total Trip Duration. For example, for a Monday - Sunday trip, up to two personal days are allowed without attracting FBT.
If personal travel exceeds the allowable limit, the travel will be deemed to have a dual purpose being business and personal.
Travel to and/or from a "non-business destination" (for personal purposes) may indicate dual purpose travel and requests will be considered on a case by case basis in connection with the authorised University Travel Policy.
Costs & Leave
Employees are responsible and liable for all personal travel costs.
Personal days falling on normal workdays require leave approved via Staff Kiosk.
Approved unavoidable “standby” days (e.g. weekends between business travel) are not considered personal.
Dual Purpose Travel / FBT Liability
When travel is deemed dual purpose, employees must pay 50% of the cost of a return airfare* to the “business destination” (plus any airline merchant fees):
*Definition of Return Airfare - is a flight to a destination and back to the original departure point.
**even if a third party funds the airfare, FBT still applies.
Spouse/Partner and Dependant Travel
Employees must inform their manager and include details in the Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) if a spouse, partner or dependant will accompany them. The employee has responsibility and liability for all associated spouse, partner or dependant costs.
All Authorised University Travel and related expenses must be approved in advance.
A Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) or Manual Authorisation is required when an Employee, Guest, or Student travels away from their usual home or work location overnight or exceeds one calendar day.
A PTA or Manual authorisation is not required for:
Note: ECU may withdraw travel approval if DFAT travel advice changes due to events such as natural disaster, conflict, terrorism, disease outbreaks. If you choose not to follow DFAT advice to leave a location, insurance coverage will cease, travel approval will be revoked.
ECU staff and guests must obtain travel approval through the Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) tool in the FCM Travel Platform before undertaking University business travel.
The PTA provides approvers key details – including estimated costs, funding source, and travel plans to support informed decision making.
Approval is required for all travel components – flights, accommodation and car hire – even when they are personally funded, paid for by a third party, or when student accommodation is used. Ensure all components are included in your PTA.
For guidance, refer to the FCM Platform Procedures and training videos available in the FCM Travel Platform.
Retrospective Approvals
If travel was undertaken without prior approval (noting this is non-compliant and may impact insurance coverage), you must submit a retrospective PTA using the “Other” option.
Attach a completed Travel Diary spreadsheet and include an explanation in the Reason field outlining why approval was not obtained beforehand.
The University requires a Travel Diary to be completed by staff for all business travel, for the entire travel period (including any personal travel), in order to determine whether Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) is applicable for dual purpose travel as well as to support the University’s duty of care obligations to authorised University travellers. It is important to accurately record all activities in the Travel Diary which is submitted as part of the Pre-Trip Approval (PTA).
Completing your travel diary
Business Days
A Business Day involves 3+ hours of approved University activity such as:
Staff must return at the earliest opportunity after business concludes or record any extended time as Personal in the Pre-Trip Approval (PTA).
Recovery Day
Personal Days
A Personal Day is any day not counted as business, including:
Total personal days must not exceed 40% of the trip to avoid dual purpose classification.
Students must obtain approval for course-related travel using the ECU Student Travel Approval Form, submitted to their School/Centre for processing.
For Learning Abroad programs, staff must first seek program approval by reviewing the Outbound Learning Abroad Governance Guidelines and consulting with the International Office. Individual student travel cannot be authorised until the program itself is approved.
The ECU Student Travel Study Abroad Form is required for students participating in study experiences such as exchanges, study tours and international placements.
Where appropriate, student travel may also be approved through the Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) tool in the FCM Travel Platform. In these cases, the PTA must be completed and submitted by a School/Centre staff member on behalf of the student.
Both the Student Travel Approval Form and the PTA provide approvers with essential information, including estimated costs, funding sources, and travel arrangements.
Note for Travel Arrangers:
If a students ‘Supervisor/Research Supervisor’ is not available as a Level 1 approver within the PTA, upload written approval as a supporting document and select the Executive Dean/Dean or Director as both the Level 1 and Level 2 approver.
FCM Travel is the University’s preferred travel management provider. Using a Travel Management Company (TMC) supports ECU’s duty of care by enabling centralised traveller tracking in the event of an emergency.
Personal travel for family members can also be arranged through the TMC Leisure team.
All TMC booking fees are charged to the relevant School/Centre at the time of booking. Refer Service Fees for details.
All travellers must have a profile in the FCM Travel Platform before quotes or bookings can be made.
Staff Profiles
Guests and Students
Profile Updates
Notify the University’s Preferred Travel Agent of any changes by updating the profile directly or emailing them if updates cannot be made in the system.
Important: The traveller’s name in the profile must exactly match their passport.
Travel Arrangers
Notes:
The preferred method for domestic and simple international point to point travel is via the FCM Travel Platform - Online Booking Tool (Savi). This instantly confirms your booking.
After your Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) is approved:
Complex international travel must be booked offline through an FCM Consultant—use “Send to FCM” in your PTA or contact them directly by phone or email.
If your trip includes personal or accompanied travel:
Refer to FCM Platform Procedures for more information.
Group Travel
The FCM Group Travel Team can assist with flights, accommodation, tours and transport for group bookings.
Contact the team at groups@fcmtravel.com.au when:
Note: Approvals must be obtained before any bookings being made. Traveller profiles are not required for group bookings, as they are managed separately.
Travellers on Authorised University Business must book registered hotels through the FCM Travel Platform or through an FCM consultant.
You may book directly with:
All accommodation details (including Airbnb) must be included in your Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) for emergency visibility.
When booking, prioritise safety – choose well-lit, central locations and check online reviews before confirming.
Airbnb
Booking.com
Staff travelling on behalf of the University are expected to use a University credit card for travel and related expenses. Alternative payment options may be used where appropriate.
Splitting payments across multiple University credit cards is not permitted. Ensure your card’s transaction and daily limits can cover the full travel cost.
If you don’t have a University Credit Card, you may:
In exceptional circumstances, a cash advance up to AU$500 may be approved by the Executive Dean/Dean/Director, to cover travel-related expenses. Requests for amounts over AU$500 must include written justification and receive the same level of approval.
Submit the approved Application for Advance Form to Accounts Payable or your Academic Unit Finance Team ahead of the scheduled payment run (see Month-end and Year-end Financial Process timelines within the Financial Services Procedures).
If a non-employee requires a University advance, the request must include an approved Exemption from Policies form, completed and submitted by the coordinating staff member.
Employees on research-related international travel (21-90 days) may request a per diem allowance for meals, incidentals, and minor expenses:
Day of Arrival at Destination (local times)
| Arrival before 10am | Full Daily Per Diem available |
| Arrival between 10am - 3pm | Lunch and Dinner Per Diem only available |
| Arrival after 3pm | Dinner Per Diem only available |
Day of Departure from Destination (local times)
| Departure Before 10am | Breakfast Per Diem only available |
| Departure between 10am - 3pm | Breakfast and Lunch Per Diem only available |
| Departure after 3pm | Full Daily Per Diem available |
Per diem is not available for personal travel days or accommodation costs, which must be paid via a university credit card.
Personal Taxation Issues
Per diem allowances are not taxable and are excluded from your Payment Summary.
Staff travelling on behalf of the University should be familiar with Emergency Assistance options, manage travel expenses responsibly, and keep Tax invoices for all travel-related costs.
Download the FCM Mobile App (with White FCM Logo), which you can use for itinerary management and travel alerts.
If you experience an emergency while travelling – whether it involves you or students under your supervision, contact AHI Assist immediately for 24/7 support in any situation.
For further information, visit the Travel Risk Management website for details on:
You can also reach the FCM After Hours Team via +61 08 6149 9845 for urgent travel assistance at any time.
All accommodation, meals and incidental costs must align with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) ATO Reasonable Travel Expenditure Rates, available from the Financial Services website.
For international travel, daily meal rates are apportioned as:
Excessive spending on alcohol is considered inappropriate and treated as entertainment expenditure subject to FBT.
Entertainment of Guests
Refer to the Entertainment and Catering Expenditure Guidelines when entertaining guests while travelling on University Business.
Telephone and Internet Usage
Business-related calls and internet use are reimbursable. Reasonable personal calls home are acceptable. See DS Mobile Phones sharepoint site for tips to reduce international roaming costs.
Excess Baggage
Excess baggage fees for ECU materials required for business purposes will be covered.
Laundry Service
Reasonable laundry expenses are reimbursable for trips exceeding four nights.
Keep original tax invoices or receipts for all travel expenses. If originals are not available, a substitute slip must be provided.
Travellers are authorised to use ground transport (Taxis, Uber and rental cars) in addition to public transport, i.e. buses and trains. Refer to Ground Transportation web page for more information.
Upon returning, ECU staff must ensure their Travel Diary accurately records all daily activities and must reconcile any travel-related credit card expenses.
After returning from Authorised University Travel, travellers must ensure their Travel Diary in their Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) accurately reflects:
Updates must be completed within 14 days of trip completion.
If travel dates or activities change, edit the Travel Diary in your PTA.
If changes occur before departure and the PTA is already actioned, submit a new PTA with the updated Travel Diary for approval.
FBSC Travel monitors compliance, and the FBSC Tax Team may conduct periodic spot checks.
All Travel expenses are reconciled via Expense8.
For more information see ECU Credit Cards.
Where a university credit card is available, only legitimate travel-related expenses will be reimbursed. Please Refer to the Reimbursement Guidelines for full details.
All travel advances, credit card cash withdrawals, and requests for cash reimbursement must be reconciled or submitted within 14 days of the final day of travel and must include approval from the delegated financial authority. Any claim that does not reference a Pre-Trip Approval (PTA) number must be accompanied by a copy of the corresponding Travel Approval.
Notify Payroll of any changes to the details provided in your Application for Per Diem Payments (for example, if travel is cancelled or you return earlier than expected).
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