Many universities allow students to take institutional financial aid off campus.  Check with the Financial Aid office at your school to see what aid you can apply to your IFR field school.  Explore your eligibility for additional funds – including loans – through your home school before applying to an IFR field school.  The Study Abroad office at your home institution may be of help and can be a good source of information.  Because the credit units you earn for your IFR field school will likely be accepted at your home institution and applied towards your degree, your school should be able to process a Stafford Loan or other federal/state sources of support to assist your IFR participation.

Most IFR field schools run during the summer.  Your annual financial aid package may be augmented (through additional allocation of funds) to cover the costs of tuition, estimated airfare and spending money.  The summer is usually considered the first term of the academic year but policies may be different at your home institution. Please consult with your home institution about availability, eligibility and home campus deadlines for Financial Aid requests.

If you do plan to use Financial Aid to pay any portion of your field school costs, please follow these four steps:

1. Consult with a Financial Aid officer at your home institution regarding eligibility, availability and type of financial package.  Complete all relevant paperwork.

2. Apply to an IFR field school.  Once accepted, you will be sent an enrollment packet.  Complete and send with your nonrefundable $500 Deposit Fee to secure a spot in the program.

3. Download the IFR Financial Aid Agreement  Carefully read and make sure you understand the legal obligations you are taking upon yourself.  Sign, date, scan and send as an email attachment to info@ifrglobal.org.  Once received, the form will be reviewed and IFR representative will sign on our behalf.  A copy will be sent to you, usually within 36 hours.

4. Once Financial Aid funds are dispersed to you, forward balance of payment to the IFR.  You will not be allowed to attend the field school if we do not receive your full field school payment five days prior to the beginning of your program.

 

Important Note

Federal financial aid must be dispersed directly to you. The IFR and UCLA cannot accept direct federal financial aid on your behalf as you matriculate at your home institution. Federal financial aid may be dispersed to you first and it is your responsibility to use the funds and pay for the costs of the field school.