Luther College has special associations with various study abroad providers. You may study through one of these programs, other colleges and universities, or through a selected approved direct enrollment program. If you choose to participate in one of these programs, you will be considered an itinerant student.

Charges

You will be required to pay Luther an itinerant fee for each program you attend. You are responsible for paying the actual fees charged by the program. Depending on the program, these fees may be less than the Luther comprehensive fee. In most cases, you will be billed directly by the program. It is important that you pay close attention to the program payment due dates. Review your charges carefully to determine if room and board are included in your statement. Some programs bill separately for room and/or board expenses. DIS will bill you through Luther. You should work with the Study Abroad Office or the Financial Aid Office to determine if charges include room and board.

Available Assistance

As an itinerant student, you are not eligible to receive your Luther College scholarships or grants. However, you are allowed to use assistance from selected Federal, State or outside scholarship and loan funds for which you qualify. This would include Federal Pell Grant, Iowa Tuition Grant, other state scholarship assistance, Federal Direct Stafford Loan, and any outside scholarship or EPIC (not eligible for matching portion) funds you have been awarded. In addition, the Financial Aid Office will assist you in evaluating your eligibility for Federal Direct PLUS or private educational loan options. These programs are outlined on the Loans section of this website.

Financial Aid Application Process

If you are planning to study abroad, it is very important that you complete the financial aid application early. Complete the following steps early in the calendar year to ensure that funds are here prior to your departure.

• Complete the FAFSA prior to March 1.
• Complete the Supplemental Financial Aid Application, available on the Financial Aid Forms page, prior to March 1.
• Submit any additional requested documents prior to April 15.
• If you plan to finance a portion of your trip with a Federal Direct PLUS Loan, or a private educational loan, submit the application six or more weeks prior to your departure. Private lenders will contact you at your home address if loan applications are incomplete or if there are problems with approval. If your lender needs additional information to finalize your loan, they will send a letter to your permanent address. Be sure that someone is watching your mail for any requests from your lender and send needed information immediately.

In addition to the application materials outlined above, you will need to complete and submit the following forms to receive financial aid as an itinerant student:

• Study Abroad Questionnaire: This form gives the Financial Aid Office important information for proper calculation of your financial aid, including an expectation of when payment is due and when you plan to leave the U.S. Submit this to the Financial Aid Office.

• Application for Itinerant/Off Campus Residency Status: This is a multi-office form. It must be routed for signatures from the Financial Aid Office, the Office for Financial Services, Residence Life, your adviser, and the Study Abroad Office. After all of the required signatures have been gathered, submit to the Study Abroad Office. Once your file is complete, the Study Abroad Office forwards the completed form to the Registrars Office for registration purposes.

• Study Abroad Consortium/Contractual Agreement: Complete Part A of this form and submit to the Financial Aid Office. We will fax this form to an individual at your program for completion. Federal regulations require that we receive the completed agreement from your program before you receive any financial aid.

• Authorization to Pay Direct: This form gives written permission for Luther to send a payment in U.S. dollars directly to your program/institution. It also gives us contact information required for making this payment.

Some itinerant programs offer competitive scholarships. For specific information about these opportunities, visit the Study Abroad Office. You should also apply for Gilman Scholarship if you are a Federal Pell Grant recipient.

Program Payment

Once your aid is finalized and your loan has been approved, the Financial Aid Office will notify the program of your expected funding. Most programs will hold that portion of your balance due until the funds are received. It is your responsibility to pay any remaining balance to your program by the due date. You are not eligible to participate in Luther's monthly payment plan, however, some programs have their own monthly payment arrangements, or are affiliated with other plans. Contact your program for details.

In some cases, you may be required to make a partial payment to your program before financial aid funds are available, even with a commitment of funding. Read materials from your program carefully. Some foreign institutions will not accept a Luther check in U.S. dollars. In those cases, you will need to arrange to make required payments to the program by their due date. Financial aid would then be refunded to you at your home address about the third week of the semester.

Non-Approved Direct Enrollment

For your protection, we strongly encourage you to consider only approved programs for your study abroad experience. If you choose to direct enroll in a program that is not approved, please be aware of the following concerns:

• Your credits will not be transferable toward your Luther College degree.
• You will not be considered enrolled for the purpose of enrollment verification. This may affect your eligibility for inclusion in your family's health insurance.
• You will not be considered enrolled for continued educational loan deferment. This will cause your student loans to go into repayment.