Program Details
Program Eligibility
Program Model
Program Structure
IFSA is an Indianapolis, Indiana based nonprofit that offers a broad range of overseas study programs.
This is an affiliate program. You receive resident credit for the courses you take. Your grades factor into your University of Minnesota GPA and each course appears on your transcript with an A/F grade. Consult the Learning Abroad Center's Academic Policies for more information.
Affiliate organizations and partner universities will not accept applications from UMTC students without the endorsement of the Learning Abroad Center. You must participate in affiliate organization and partner university programs through the standard Learning Abroad Center application process.
Coursework
Heredia
Universidad Nacional (Semester, Academic Year, or Calendar Year)
Finding Course Information
Dates Details
Visit your affiliate's website for program dates and application deadlines.
Orientation Dates & Locations
The Learning Abroad Center provides a pre-departure orientation(s) in addition to the orientation offered by your affiliate program team. It is your responsibility to know the information shared at these orientations.
Orientation consists of several sessions, all of which are created to support your preparation to go abroad:
- Online Health & Safety Orientation: This asynchronous module can be accessed in your LAC checklist and is mandatory.
- LAC Affiliate Orientation (live Zoom session): UofM-specific information will be covered (academic planning, finances, etc.). Details on the LAC affiliate orientation will be sent to you via email.
- Affiliate Provider Orientation: This orientation will cover program-specific information. Your affiliate provider will invite you to a pre-departure orientation leading up to your departure.
The Learning Abroad Center also offers 2 optional orientations:
Fees
University of Minnesota participants pay the program fee instead of on-campus tuition and fees for the term they are abroad.
How to Calculate the Total Program Fee
To calculate your total program fee
Find your Affiliate program fee
To locate IFSA's published program fees, visit the IFSA website.
Add APAAC
Refer to the Affiliate Program Fees. Follow instructions on that page to determine your APAAC.
Add International Health Insurance
You will be billed approximately $2/day for your international health insurance.
Subtract Affiliate Fee Reduction
Visit the Affiliate Program Fees to determine the fee reduction you receive for being a University of Minnesota student.
What Is the APAAC?
Students participating on affiliated programs are charged a program fee that is inclusive of the affiliate's program fee, University of Minnesota Advising, Placement, Academic, and Administrative Costs (APAAC), and international health insurance. The APAAC covers:
- Application processing
- Advising services, orientation
- Course registration
- Grade transfer and posting for resident credit
- Program billing and assistance with financial aid (when applicable)
Based on these additional services and benefits, the total program fee may be higher than the affiliate's published program fee.
Billing & Payments
Visit Billing for information about the billing process for application fees, deposits, and program fees.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Visit Financial Information for information on using financial aid and scholarships for study abroad.
Each of our affiliated programs awards its own array of scholarships. While many are need-based, others are based on merit, location, academic area, or diversity criteria. Explore your options within specific affiliates' scholarship pages.
Bridging Loan
Bridging Loan, a no-interest/no-fees loan that funds the confirmation deposit and/or flights cost, is available for this program for eligible students going abroad during an eligible term.
Cancellation Policy
Before you apply to or confirm your participation on this program, review the Learning Abroad Center's Cancellation Policy to inform yourself of the timeline and financial obligations for canceling
Prepare
Complete pre-application advising.
Apply
You will be charged a $50 application fee for each application you submit.
Complete
After you submit your application, you will receive an email notification confirming that your application was received. Submitted applications are assigned an application checklist, which will include the following items:
Submit to IFSA:
- IFSA Application
Detailed descriptions and instructions for submitting each checklist item are included on the application checklist assigned to you.
Note: You do not need to complete the second page of the Program Approval Form, part of IFSA's application, requesting approval from someone at your home institution. Send both pages directly to IFSA. Our staff will contact IFSA to notify them of your nomination for the program after your online application and transcript are reviewed.
Next Steps
- Upon submitting the online application, you will receive an automated email message indicating your application was received.
- Follow the instructions on your application checklist to submit all of the items. Your application is not considered complete until all items on your application checklist are either received or waived.
- Complete the affiliate program's application requirements as applicable.
- Your completed application is reviewed by our program team. If nominated for participation, the Learning Abroad Center contacts the affiliate's staff to notify them of your status.
- You will be notified of an admission decision by email. If admitted, you will be assigned a confirmation checklist. Log in to the online application to review the confirmation checklist and submit the required items.
- Do not pay the affiliate’s confirmation deposit. The affiliate accepts the Learning Abroad Center’s deposit as indication of confirmation. The Learning Abroad Center deposit is submitted by completing the Confirmation and Payment Agreement found on the confirmation checklist assigned to you.
- If you decide not to continue with the application process, log in to the online application and submit a Cancel Request. You must also notify your affiliate of your cancellation.
Program Contact
For further information or questions about this program, send an email to