Education grant travel - FAQs
See also: Education grant
Note: OHR FAQs on changes for education grant and education grant travel from 2017/2018 school year onwards.
Below is an overview of most frequently asked questions on Education grant travel received by Benefits and Entitlement Services and the answers to same.
Please note important changes due to the revised Compensation package as of the school year in progress on 01 January 2018 which will include the school year 2017/2018
Eligibility to Education grant travel will be:
Subject to the eligibility to assistance for boarding related expenses.
Any children studying at tertiary (post-secondary) education are no longer eligible for Education grant travel.
Additional education grant travel for the designated duty station in the field will be discontinued.
Intervals between entitlement travels
Can the three-month interval between entitlement travels be significantly reduced (also when there is no Rest and Recuperation cycle)?
Example: Education grant travel is planned from 16/08/2016 to 01/09/2016 and Home leave travel is planned from 06/09/2016 to 16/09/2016.
Yes, interval flexibility when combining Education grant travel with other entitlement travels may be applied, based on ST/AI/2011/4 8.1 (2) (ii).
'Advance' Education grant travel
May an Education grant travel be paid in advance of the upcoming school year, that is, if the child travels to his/her place of study prior to school year start?
Yes, such request to travel, for example, from the duty station to the place of study for the start of the school year may be granted. Planning the Education grant travel before the school actually starts to get installed/settled, etc. is common and is not considered 'advance' Education grant travel.
'Advance' Education grant travel would be if, for instance, a staff member already availed of the entitlement for a given school year (2015/2016) and requested a new Education grant travel within the same year (2016), although for the following school year (2016/2017).
Comparison of cost would be made, ref. item 12 POPP UNDP/ADM/2002/50 - Guidelines and consideration given on interval with other possible entitlement-related travel, ref. item 21 POPP UNDP/ADM/2002/50 - Guidelines
As to when the request would need to be made, the guidelines specifies at least two weeks prior to anticipated departure, ref. item 71 POPP UNDP/ADM/2002/50 - Guidelines
Education grant travel in the same year as Home leave travel
Can a staff member receive both Home leave travel for children studying outside of the duty station and also receive the annual entitlement of Education grant travel for the same children?
Yes, in principle the child would be entitled to Home leave travel when they have been travelled to join at the duty station.
While in principle there is an entitlement to both entitlement travels, the requirement of three-month interval does make it more difficult in practice, although, the Home leave guidelines does allow for a reduction to allow Education grant travel to take place in the same year as Home leave travel (if eligible).
For example, a child would receive an Education grant travel once per scholastic year to travel from the duty station to place of study in September with a return at the end of the school year in June the following year. Being back at the duty station he or she would need an interval before being eligible for Home leave travel. Again, however, flexibility may be exercised in that particular situation on the interval.
It would be advisable to have the staff member to show the planned dates of how the Education grant travel and the Home leave travel would be combined in this regard, while altogether adhering to the three-month interval rule and, of course, ensuring that the purpose of the different travels is also met.
Link between Education grant and Education grant travel
Are staff members eligible for Education grant travel when there is no education grant paid in the said school year? For example, if child attends public school or staff member has not submitted any education grant claim/advance.
Yes, Education grant travel is payable when staff member is eligible for an Education grant and staff member is not obliged to submit an education grant to be entitled to Education grant travel. A school certificate certifying that child is in full time studies duly signed/stamped by the institution will suffice in this case, ref. UN Staff Rule 3.9
Education Grant Travel and retroactivity
Can a staff member request an Education grant travel retroactively?
In principle, a staff member has 1 year to claim an entitlement, however, it should be emphasized that the request for Education grant travel must be completed and submitted before the child travels.
Since the Education grant travel entitlement has been delegated to the country office, it is recommended that staff member inquires with their HR focal point for guidance on possibility to claim the entitlement in advance based on the individual circumstance.
Benefits and Entitlement Services may be consulted for guidance in cases of doubt.
Home Leave as place of studies
Can children studying in the home leave place be granted Education grant travel to visit staff member at the duty station?
Yes, Education grant travel may be granted provided all other eligibility criteria is met. The purpose of Education grant travel is precisely for dependents to travel to/from the duty station to place of study, in this case also place of home leave, once during the school year. In fact, the cost of the travel is capped at the cost of travel from home leave place to duty station, ref. item 10-12 POPP UNDP/ADM/2002/50 - Guidelines
This also applies if the children have been travelled to the place of home leave by the organization.
Place of recruitment and place of home leave differ
If place of recruitment and place of home Leave differ, what is the Education grant travel comparison of costs?
As with many other entitlements the basis for the calculation is the recognized place of home leave and not the place of recruitment, this includes Home leave travel and Education grant travel.
The entitlements that takes into account a staff member's place of recruitment is the initial travel to the duty station upon appointment and repatriation travel in cases where a staff member is separated following completion of less than two years of employment (staff member is advised of this in the Offer of appointment.)
Student, Excursion and Special fares
When are Student, Excursion and Special fares applicable?
The travel quotes from the travel agency for Education grant travel should be based on the cost of the student who is to travel and "Student, Excursion and Special Fares" should be taken into account when determining the monetized travel lump sum. This is true also for reverse Education grant travel, as the fare is still based on the cost of the student's travel. ref. item 15 POPP UNDP/ADM/2002/50 - Guidelines
Do Student, Excursion and Special fares also apply for organization assisted travel?
Yes, it means that when you get the travel quote, or arrange for the organizational assisted travel, the fare should be based on these fares and not, as is the standard practice for other official travel of staff members, on 'the most direct and unrestricted/economical route'.
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