In our projects, we work hard to receive financial support from EU grants, which is great news for all those interested in participating. However, when it comes to covering travel costs, we have to follow a different procedure. Participants are required to purchase their tickets in advance and they are reimbursed after the project. This guarantees your participation in the project and ensures that the EU grant is being used efficiently.
We understand that some may find this process tedious or worrying, but we would like to stress that it is in place to protect both the organization and the participant.
In the past, when the organization purchased the tickets and the participant did not show up, the organization lost a considerable amount of money. As the EU grant covers travel costs only for those who participate in the project, the financial loss was significant. Therefore, we now require participants to send all boarding passes and bus/train tickets by post after the project, allowing us to reimburse the travel expenses through your bank account.
Take comfort in knowing that over the past years, around 100 people living in Austria have participated in our projects and all of their travel costs have been reimbursed. We are committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to take part in our projects can do so. So please, do not worry about the reimbursement process. We will ensure that you are reimbursed promptly and fairly.
Tips for Economical Travel to Training Abroad
When traveling abroad for training, it’s important to be mindful of costs.
- ACTIVE may not reimburse taxi fares or first-class tickets. Always opt for economy travel options and second-class tickets.
- When booking flights, avoid adding extra services like paid seat selections, checked-in luggage, travel insurance, and overpriced packages offered by airlines.
- Remember to take a screenshot of your electronic boarding pass, as you will need to upload it along with your other travel documents.
- Keep all electronic or hard copy tickets, receipts, and invoices. Upon your return, you will be required to send these documents to us and upload scans of the tickets to your personal travel folder, which we will provide a link to.
- Note that payment confirmations from your bank account or terminal receipts without itemized details are not acceptable as eligible documents.
Travel insurance
Are you planning to travel to Europe for a project? If yes, then you must apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving. This card is available free of charge and can be applied for online through your health insurance company’s website. It is important to note that EHIC does not cover all costs associated with medical care, so we recommend that you also purchase commercial travel insurance. Although travel insurance is not reimbursed from the grant, it is always better to be safe than sorry. You never know what can happen during your travels.
Travel insurance can also be arranged online and can be purchased even the day before leaving for your project. Many insurance companies provide discounts for ISIC card holders, so you can get a week of insurance for as little as 10 euros. If you are planning to travel frequently, it is advisable to arrange travel insurance for the whole year, which typically costs between 20-30 euros.
The European Health Insurance Card is essential for anyone traveling to Europe for a project. But remember, it does not cover all costs, so we advise that you purchase commercial travel insurance to ensure that you are completely covered. If you are traveling more frequently, it is cheaper to arrange travel insurance for a whole year rather than purchasing it for each trip. Happy travels!
We look forward to welcoming you to our projects!
Register here: https://bit.ly/my_eu_project