Consortium Agreements

Students who would like to incorporate courses offered by another ABA-approved law school into their degree program at Lewis & Clark may request a Financial Aid Consortium Agreement between the two schools. The Consortium Agreement allows Lewis & Clark, the Home Institution, to process federal financial aid for payment toward the costs of the Host Institution’s program.

• Lewis & Clark will only enter into Consortium Agreements with other schools participating in the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV financial aid programs.
• Gift aid from Lewis & Clark (e.g., the Dean’s Scholarship) is not transferable to other institutions.

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How to Arrange a Consortium Agreement

1. Review your enrollment plans with your advisor and the Law Registrar’s Office.
   1. Be prepared to provide actual enrollment dates and course descriptions.
   2. Familiarize yourself with the L&C Law School Transfer Credit Policy. (Federal aid is not available to cover the cost of externship credits taken elsewhere, as these credits are not transferable or applicable to your L&C degree.)
   3. Half-time enrollment in degree-applicable credits is required to qualify for federal student loans.
2. Apply for federal financial aid by submitting the FAFSA for the appropriate academic year.
   1. Send your aid application to Lewis & Clark (federal school code: 003197).
   2. Summer is the first semester of the new academic year at L&C.
3. Email the L&C Financial Aid Office and request a Financial Aid Consortium Enrollment Form.
   1. Indicate which semester you plan to enroll elsewhere.
4. Complete the student portion of the Consortium Enrollment Form.
   1. Provide contact information for your Host Institution and a list of the courses you will take.
   2. Add your handwritten signature to confirm that you accept the stated terms and policies.
5. Bring your signed form to the L&C Law Registrar’s Office for course approval and a signature.
6. Return your Registrar-approved Consortium Enrollment Form to the L&C Financial Aid Office.
   1. Using the L&C Financial Aid Secure Document Upload Portal is preferred.
7. Register for coursework at your Host Institution.
   1. If you will be concurrently enrolled, finalize your L&C registration as well.

The L&C Financial Aid Office will work directly with your Host Institution to execute the Consortium Agreement and establish your Cost of Attendance. When the agreement has been finalized, the L&C Financial Aid Office will determine your federal aid eligibility and prepare or revise your financial aid offer.

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Securing Your Aid

You will be notified by email when Financial Aid Self-Service has been updated. Complete all required loan processing steps promptly to secure your financial aid.

Do some financial planning and budgeting after receiving your financial aid offer. Use the Budget Worksheet to look ahead and estimate your charges and financial aid credits in each semester so you know what to expect throughout the year.

Be aware that refund amounts can vary by semester. Therefore, you may need to set aside a portion of your refund from one semester to address expenses in a future semester.

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Timeline

Fully processed loans will disburse to your Lewis & Clark student account at the beginning of the semester. Next, Student and Departmental Account Services will forward the funds to your Host Institution to be applied to your charges there. Any excess aid will then be refunded to you in accordance with your Host Institution’s policies.

Keep in mind that it takes time for loans to disburse, checks to be mailed, and payments to be processed.

Anticipate that some costs will need to be paid up front before financial aid is available (e.g., application fees, program deposits, airfare, housing deposits, personal expenses).

If your bill is due before financial aid funds can be released, you may need to make special arrangements with the Student Accounts Office (or Cashier/Bursar) at your Host Institution.

Be prepared for a delay in receiving any refund from your Host Institution. Enrolling in direct deposit is strongly recommended if your Host Institution offers that option.