Before you make a business trip abroad, you need permission from your manager. Depending on your situation, additional steps may be necessary. For example, a Global Mobility check is required when you’re going abroad. For more information, please see Working abroad. If you travel to a country and/or area with the color code orange or red, you also need prior permission from the university. More information about this can be found on the page: Travel to high-risk areas. 

Taking the train is the norm when a destination can be reached by rail within six hours or 500km. Our Leiden University travel map (also available as a PDF) can help you plan your train trip.

The easiest way to organise a business trip abroad is to book your trip via DGI. DGI will send their invoice directly to Leiden University, so you don’t need to worry about it.

For business trips abroad, you do not need take out business trip insurance, since you can make use of Leiden University’s collective insurance. The policy conditions - including when you are and are not covered - can be found on the Work-related travel insurance page. Before you leave for your trip, make sure you install the Hienfeld Travel Assistance app. With this app, you can receive warnings about the region where you are travelling. In case of emergency, university staff who have the appropriate authorisation can also see where you are during your trip and take any necessary measures.

If you plan to travel to a country with increased health risks, you can make an appointment with VGM Occupational Health & Safety Service+. They can provide you with advice, vaccinations, and a prescription for malaria medicine.

Please claim your expenses for accommodation, meals, minor expenditure and transport that is not booked with DGI via BAS InSite. Some expenses are subject to fixed reimbursement rates, and you must meet a number of conditions to qualify for them. For more information, see the notice on Reimbursement of expenses for business trips abroad.