Off-Campus Study and Financial Aid

Program Costs and Your Financial Aid

First steps

You may already know if your financial aid can help you with the costs of your program. If you are not sure, please check with the Office of Financial Aid for clarification. Generally, if you are participating in an approved semester off-campus program, financial aid can apply. Please check with the Office of Financial Aid office for anticipated out-of-pocket costs.

What to do before you leave campus

1. Check if your financial aid or scholarship applies to your off-campus program.
2. Renew your aid for the upcoming year.
3. Review your Statement of Account (see what to expect to receive or pay for various programs below).

Next Steps

If you have been approved to apply the financial aid you receive to the costs of your program, you must complete the following steps.

4. Renew your financial aid for the school year in the same way you would if you were planning to be on campus. To do so, complete the renewal application process with the Office of Financial Aid, no later than May 1st.
5. After completing the above steps, you will receive a Financial Aid Announcement detailing your financial aid eligibility - and the amount you will owe - for the entire school year, including the semester you will be away.

The Billing Process

You will receive a Statement of Account (“bill”) from the College’s business office for the semester you will be studying off campus. This statement will include the costs of your off-campus program that are billed to you by the program. The financial aid you qualify to receive will also be included on this statement.

If the financial aid you are eligible to receive does not cover all of the costs, you are responsible for paying the difference to Lake Forest’s business office. The College will, in turn, submit payment on your behalf to the college/university that hosts the off-campus program. If your financial aid exceeds these billing costs, a refund will be made to you after our semester begins. You may use this refund to help with some of the miscellaneous costs you will have. If you are expecting a refund, please meet with the Student Accounts Coordinator to determine the best method of making this refund available to you (direct deposit, etc.).

For certain off-campus programs, you may find that you are directly responsible for some expenses, such as room and board and travel. In these cases, Lake Forest College cannot add these costs to the Statement of Account you receive from us. You are responsible for paying these costs directly to the appropriate place.

Tying Up Loose Ends

Your tuition account at Lake Forest College for the prior academic year must be paid in full before you will be allowed to participate in an off-campus program. Please check with the Student Accounts Coordinator if you have any questions or concerns about this.