Airline Tickets:

You may arrange travel through World Travel Inc., a Penn approved travel agency, to avoid paying for your airfare out of pocket and waiting for reimbursement.  You should contact World Travel at least 14 days in advance.

World Travel Inc. Contact Information:

• Email: upenngroups@worldtravelinc.com
• Phone: 800-338-2103

Please complete the form (here) before calling, or attach the completed form to your email.

*Graduate groups:

• Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemical Biology (BBCB)
  • U001554 - 2026 BGS BBCB Recruiting Weekend 1
  • U001555 - 2026 BGS BBCB Recruiting Weekend 2
• Cell & Molecular Biology (CAMB)
  • U001556 - 2026 BGS CAMB Recruiting Weekend 1
  • U001557 - 2026 BGS CAMB Recruiting Weekend 2
• Epidemiology & Biostatistics (GGEB)
  • U001563 - 2026 BGS GGEB Recruiting Weekend
• Genomics & Computational Biology (GCB)
  • U001562 - 2026 BGS GCB Recruiting Weekend
• Immunology (IGG)
  • U001559 - 2026 IGG Recruiting Weekend
• Neuroscience (NGG)
  • U001560 - 2026 BGS NGG Recruiting Weekend 1
  • U001561 - 2026 BGS NGG Recruiting Weekend 2
• Pharmacology (PGG)
  • U001558 - 2026 BGS PGG Recruiting Weekend

When booking a reservation online or through an agent, please make reservations between Sunday night (for Monday approval and ticketing) and early Friday morning (for the close of Friday ticketing). This allows Finance to approve the travel reservation and the travel agent to finalize your travel during regular business hours. If you require a RUSH reservation later on a Friday during business hours, please get in touch with us to approve it before 3:30pm on Friday. World Travel agents will ask you for your personal credit card information. Your credit card will only be charged for costs associated with any changes once your ticket has been purchased or if you cancel the flight altogether.

AMTRAK Tickets:

To have Amtrak tickets purchased on your behalf please email the following information to the Finance Office staff member for your group:

BBCB, CAMB, GCB Applicants: jennifer.lu@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

IGG. NGG, PGG Applicants: Sherita Blair at blairsh@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

GGEB Applicants: Regina Medlock at medlock@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

• Travel dates: arrival and departure
• Train number(s) for the round trip, arrival and departure time(s)
• Name of city departing from and returning to
• Cell Phone number
• Working email address
• Full name as spelled out on your passport or other ID
• Date of birth

If you decide to change your ticket or cancel it altogether, you should let Jennifer, Sherita, or Regina know before you cancel this with Amtrak. Any additional costs incurred by this action will be your responsibility.

Making Your Own Travel Arrangements: 

RECRUITS BOOKING THEIR OWN TRAVEL PLANS SHOULD BE THE EXCEPTION – WORLD TRAVEL INC. IS THE BEST PRACTICE

If you plan to make your own travel arrangements, please remember to purchase tickets at least 7–14 days in advance to secure the lowest available fares.  Additional details regarding e-tickets and related information can be found in the reimbursement packets referenced below.

Please note that BGS will reimburse only for the cheapest and most practical mode of travel. If you are purchasing your own ticket and the round-trip cost exceeds $600, you must obtain approval before completing the purchase; otherwise, full reimbursement is not guaranteed.

To request approval for tickets over $600, email BGSFINANCE@LISTS.UPENN.EDU with the following information: your name, visit dates, the city you are traveling from, and your graduate group.

Examples of non-reimbursable travel:

• Flying from New York to Philadelphia, or Washington DC to Philadelphia
• Taking a limo or first-class car service to get to the nearest airport.  Please select budget friendly alternative modes of transportation
• Airline ticket upgrades, business and/or 1st class tickets
• Additional expenses incurred due to changes in travel dates and/or times, unless weather related
• 1st class/Business Amtrak tickets
• Airport parking if it is not long term or economy
• Fees for premium seat options unless the request is ADA related.

BGS will reimburse for one checked bag weighing 50 pounds or less. 

Transportation to and from the Airport or Train Station using Cab/Lyft/Uber: 

Expenses incurred in the process of getting to and from your home base airport/train station will be reimbursed. You must attach the receipt from vendors, which clearly includes the following details:

• Date of trip
• Time of trip
• Map with start and end point of the trip
• Amount paid for the trip, including the tip
• Names of other students and/or guests with you on this trip

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You will be staying at the Sonesta Hotel.  Please be aware that you will be assigned to a double occupancy room according to gender. (NOTE: If you are concerned about the room assignment or are traveling with a companion, you will need to check in with your graduate group coordinator regarding arrangements.) The room cost is covered by BGS.  Incidentals, including phone calls/movies/room service/mini-bar/laundry, etc. will be directly billed to your credit card. Note that the hotel places a hold of $150 for the entire stay on the guests' credit card to guarantee for incidentals. This hold is released in full upon checkout if no incidentals are used. The hotel provides complimentary internet access as well as access to computers/printers in their business center for printing out boarding passes.

Hotel parking:  

Applicants staying at The Sonesta can park at the garage associated with the hotel. The garage is accessed via valet parking located on Market Street between 19th and 18th street and should have a sign up front saying Sonesta Valet Parking and is attached to the hotel. At check-in, you should identify yourselves as BGS guests and should notify the front desk that you parked your car in the garage and that it is to be billed to your room. Upon check-out if your bill has parking charges, you should ask for the front desk manager for the bill to be corrected.

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The reimbursement packet includes all the forms you will need to be reimbursed for your travel related expenses, along with a cover note that explains how to fill out the forms and the rules regulating reimbursements at Penn.

Be sure to download the forms for your graduate group. Use of incorrect graduate group forms causes confusion and will delay your time to reimbursement.

BGS will not consider requests for meal reimbursements on the days that meals are provided for by the graduate group.

You will need to complete the forms included in the reimbursement packet. Once the forms are completed and submitted, you will receive an email prompting you to complete your registration through Penn MarketPlace. At that time, you will be able to select how you would like to receive your reimbursement.

Foreign applicants will also be reimbursed through the Penn MarketPlace system. Please note that additional information will be required during their supplier registration in the MarketPlace system. Foreign applicants are encouraged to submit their reimbursement as soon as possible.

Please note that if you request a check reimbursement, it will be mailed to the address you provide.

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