1. Choose your referee(s). They can be either a(n):

1. SFU professor/instructor;
2. SFU graduate-level TA/SFU lab instructor;
3. Professor from another university or college (for visiting or transfer students only).

We recommend selecting a professor from a class you have done fairly well in. Also consider how well the professor knows you. For example, did you speak in class? Was it a large lecture, or small class size? Did you attend their office hours? How long ago was the class? How many classes have you had with them? Are they an advocate of study abroad or international research?

Your referee will be asked the following:

• How long they have known you and in what capacity;
• The relevance of the field school to your career;
• Areas of weakness;
• Adaptability to new cultures;
• An overall rating (potential, motivation, adaptability, maturity) of your suitability for a field school.

2. Contact your referee to request permission to send them an online reference request. This should be requested as soon as possible to meet the application deadline.

When asking your referee to complete the online form, we suggest providing your prospective reference with the following documents:

• Current transcript
• Resume
• Brief statement about why you want to go on the field school 

See 'How to ask for a reference letter'. 

3. Once the referee agrees to be your academic reference, you can send them the online form through your application in the Study Abroad system.

4. Your referee will receive the online form via email. You will receive an email once they have submitted their reference form, and the Study Abroad System will indicate that their reference is complete. While you can submit your application before your referee has submitted their reference, your application will not be considered complete until the reference has been submitted. The reference must be submitted by the application deadline.

Applicants to programs not requiring a reference can bypass this step by entering the following into the Study Abroad System application fields:

• Referee’s Email: fieldschools@sfu.ca
• Referee’s First Name: Field
• Referee’s Last Name: Schools

Upload a pdf document containing your most recent SFU advising transcript (using “Term view”). Steps on how to download an SFU advising transcript are here.

Please note:

• SFU co-op, official, and unofficial transcripts are not accepted. 
• For December application deadline your transcript must contain your Summer grades and list of Fall courses. For January application deadline your transcript must contain your Fall courses and grades. 
• If you have transferred credits from another post-secondary institution, it is recommended that you include an unofficial transcript from your previous institution(s). 
  • If needed, files can be merged using PDF software such as Adobe Editor or an online PDF merger. Zip files will not be accepted.

If you are applying as a Visiting Undegraduate Student, please upload a current official transcript from your home institution (please scan and upload the front and back pages of the transcript). If you are unable to obtain an official transcript email fieldschools@sfu.ca.

If you are applying as a Visiting Graduate Student, please scan, merge into one file, and upload the following in PDF format:

1. A current unofficial transcript from your home institution, plus 
2. Recommended: official transcript from your undergraduate degree (scan and upload the front and back pages of the transcript)
3. If you have transferred credits from another post-secondary institution, it is recommended you include unofficial transcript(s) from your previous institution(s).

A sealed or digital official transcript directly from your home institution will be required for admission to SFU if offered a spot in a program (in February for the majority of the programs). 

Files can be merged using PDF software such as Adobe Editor or an online PDF merger. Zip files will not be accepted.

The Field School Student Acknowledgment Form and Field School Program Fee Refund Policy Form are legal documents, which outline the terms of your participation in the program.

Please make sure each of your forms follow these points to be considered complete:

• Read
• Signed by hand or esignature 
• ALL pages are merged, in order, into ONE PDF (Zip files are not accepted)
• If under the age of 19 at the time of signing, your parent or guardian has also signed

Field School Student Acknowledgment Form

Program Fee Refund Policies (Please ensure you fill out the relevant form for your program.)

Keep the original(s) for your records. Contact fieldschools@sfu.ca if you have questions about the document.

If you are 19 years of age or older at the time of signing, please complete the SFU Field School Assumption of Risks Agreement (AOR). The form must:

• have all sections completed (eg. your full legal name; SFU student number; SFU email address; full current address that includes all the required information; name of field school; all required boxes, signed; and the witness was signed by an adult, who saw you complete the form, with all the required informaiton) by the application deadline.   

If you are under the age of 19 at the time of signing, please complete the SFU Field School Informed Child Consent Agreement (ICC). The form must:

• have all sections completed (i.e. student's full legal name; SFU student number; parent/guardian's full legal name, email address, full address with all the required information; name of field school; all required boxes; signed by parent/guardian; and the witness was signed by an adult, who saw the parent/guardian complete the form, with all the required information) by the application deadline. 

The form can be accessed here. Please only submit the form once.

Keep the original for your records. Contact fieldschools@sfu.ca if you have questions about the document.

Upload your standard 1-2 page resume (including education, employment history, volunteer experience and interests).

If you do not have a resume or have one you’d like to update, we suggest you attend a workshop or connect with an advisor from SFU Career Services and then upload it for your field school application.

Upload a scanned copy of the photo page of your valid passport. Your passport must be valid for the time period covering the Field School AND for the subsequent six months. It is your responsibility to ensure that your passport is valid for the appropriate duration.

If you need to renew your passport or obtain a new passport we strongly recommend applying doing so as soon as possible.

Upload a copy of the receipt you received when you applied for your passport/renewal, or upload a document stating your name, student number, and details on when you will be applying for your renewal.

Upload a passport-style photo of yourself. Selfies are accepted as long as they meet the criteria listed (see image below). Supported file formats: .jpeg, .gif, .png, or similar photo file (please do not submit a .HEIC, .pdf, or .doc file)

1. Confirmation of primary medical insurance. You are required to indicate you have and will maintain primary medical insurance for the full duration of the field school, such as BC's Medical Services Plan (MSP). 

2. Confirmation of secondary medical insurance. If you are a visiting student or an SFU student that has already opted out of the SFSS Undergraduate Health / Dental or the GSS Benefit Plan within the current academic year (September 1st - August 31st), you will need to submit a signed copy of the Field Schools: Confirmation of Alternate Travel Medical Coverage form. Please note that in the “Term/Year of Field School:" field, you will fill in information such as “Summer 2024”.

You will need to submit emergency contact information for someone that could be reached for the duration of the field school in case of an emergency. An English speaking contact is preferred.

Additionally, if you anticipate that a family member, friend or representative will be inquiring on your behalf about your field school program and you wish that person(s) to have access to that information, ISS will require your permission before any personal information is released. We recommend that at least one person you identify will be located in the Vancouver area during the time that you are away on your field school. Please note this is separate from the Designate from in the SFU Student Information System.

If you need to change any of the above after the application deadline, please email fieldschools@sfu.ca.

You will be asked to respond to the following questions in the application system.

1. Why have you decided to apply for this field school program?

• Include how this experience would benefit your degree and support your future academic, career and/or personal goals. (Up to 250 words)

2. How do you prepare for, and adapt to, new and challenging situations?

• If you have had experiences that you think are relevant to your participation in the field school program—either internationally or locally—include these as examples. 

You will be required to input referral information about how you heard about the Field School program. You will also be asked whether or not you have attended any Study Abroad advising and information sessions.

Full time Canadian students (enrolled in a term of 9+ units) participating in SFU field schools are eligible to apply for student loans.

Full time degree-seeking SFU students may also apply for bursaries, scholarships, awards, and International Exchange/Field School Bursaries.

All students should enquire with their home institution and/or SFU Financial Aid and Awards for other funding options.

For more information on funding your trip, please visit the SFU Study Abroad's Financial Aid page.

Degree-seeking SFU students applying for a full-time field school program may apply to the Suite of Study Abroad Awards. Students will submit one application in order to be considered for the full suite of awards, but only a maximum of one International Mobility Award (IMA) will be awarded per student. IMA applications will first be considered for the highest value IMA eligible. Each award has its own eligibility and selection criteria, which are detailed on the application.

Visiting Students for the purposes of participating in a field school are not eligible for these awards. Please continue to the next step.

If you are NOT a current SFU student, you will need to apply to SFU as a Visiting Field School Student in addition to the above application.

The visiting student applications are embedded within your Field School program application when you select that you are a visiting student to SFU. Please refer to Visiting Field School Students for the guidelines and more details.

Complete the application that is applicable to you. Your Visiting Field School Student application will be due the same day as your SFU Field School application.

• Visiting Undergraduate Student for SFU Field School Application
  
  
• Visiting Graduate Student for SFU Field School Application

Please do not apply to SFU through the regular visiting student application process. Contact International Services for Students at fieldschools@sfu.ca if you have any questions.

Current degree-seeking SFU students do not need to complete this application.