Foundations Conference Skip to main content
Student Connection and Leadership Center
Foundations of Leadership Conference

Foundations of Leadership Conference

BYU's Foundations of Leadership Conference is an annual conference for incoming BYU freshmen focused on leadership. This conference, hosted by the BYU Student Connection and Leadership Center, is designed to be a launchpad for your years here at BYU. At this conference, you will be presented with the opportunity to connect with campus organizations, meet other incoming freshmen before the start of the school year, learn from the experiences of upperclassmen peer mentors, learn from hand-picked speakers, and have a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

This year's FOL will be August 25-27, 2025.

How to Register

Because Foundations of Leadership participation is on a first-come, first-serve basis and the conference typically fills up quickly, we encourage participants to apply as early as possible in order to ensure a spot. Registration will open on this site in May 1st 2025.
Register Now

Conference Details


Conference Dates: August 25-27, 2025
Location: BYU Aspen Grove Family Camp (check-in and check-out at Lavell Stadium)
Cost: $400 (includes all meals, lodging, official conference t-shirt, round-trip travel between BYU and Aspen Grove, and all other conference programming)

Financial Aid


In order to make the Foundations of Leadership Conference as accessible as possible for everyone, limited financial aid is available. To be considered for financial aid, please complete your FAFSA in advance. Financial aid decisions are made based off the Expected Family Contributions (EFC) number found on the FAFSA as well as expected scholarships and/or grants for the upcoming school year.

Volunteer

The Foundations of Leadership Conference offers BYU sophomores, juniors, and seniors the opportunity to volunteer as peer mentors. In exchange for guiding BYU’s incoming freshman, you receive free food and lodging throughout the duration of the conference, enjoy the nearly all the offerings of the conference, and of course free swag. Peer mentors are typically selected from the leadership of campus student organizations and previous Foundations of Leadership participants, but all are welcome to apply!

Peer Mentors must be available for the entirety of the session(s) duration they apply for, as well as one of the mandatory trainings discussed below. Click the button below to apply!
Apply

Peer Mentors


As a peer mentor, you will have the opportunity to welcome and guide participants in their first BYU experience. You will lead them through the conference programming, facilitate group discussions, and help make the conference as fun as possible!

Mandatory Training


Peer mentors are required to attend one of the following training dates before the conference. This training goes over expectations for peer mentors, lesson plans, the schedule for each day, and ways to help the participants have the most enriching experience.

Training Dates:
Thursday, August 21 (6pm)
Friday, August 22 (6pm)
Saturday, August 23 (6pm)

Contact Us

For additional questions and information about the program please contact us at sclfoundations@byu.edu or call 801-422-7176.

Questions and Anwsers

Questions

  • Q: When do I pay for the conference?
    A: During the registration process, payment will be due and charged to a personal card.

    Q: Is Financial Aid available?
    A: If the conference fee poses a financial hardship, the BYU Student Connection and Leadership Center offers limited aid to those who qualify. Within the registration application, there is a Financial Aid application for those who are interested. To be considered you must first complete a FAFSA. Please have your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the FAFSA and the total amount of money expected from all scholarships and/or grants for the upcoming school year ready, as you will be asked to have that information in order to successfully fill out the application included in registration.

    Q: How do I apply for Financial Aid?
    A: Conference application includes a section that participants can fill out if they would like to apply for financial aid.

    Q: How will Financial Aid be applied?
    A: If you are notified that you qualified for financial aid, you will receive a “discount code” that will be used in the payment process to reduce the overall cost.

    Q: Is there a deadline to apply for Financial Aid?
    A: Yes, the deadline to apply for Financial Aid are the same dates as registration, May 1st through June 20th, 2025. Be ready to apply for financial aid when you apply for the conference.

    Q: If I decide not to attend the conference, can I receive a refund?
    A: All payments will be non-refundable after July 31st.

  • Q: I am leaving on my mission, so won't be attending classes this fall. Can I still come to Foundations Conference?
    A: We recommend attending the conference immediately prior your first fall semester in order to maximize the value of your experience. If you have conflicts with mission dates, please reach out to us.

    Q: My son/daughter will be returning from his/her mission and would like to attend. Can they register?
    A: Yes. Many returned missionaries attend every year. Returned missionaries will always be paired with at least one other returned missionary in their group. We recommend filling out the registration on their behalf if they are unable to fill out registration on their own.

  • Q: Is Aspen Grove wheelchair accessible?
    A: The majority of the central portion of Aspen Grove is paved and has ways to get around stairs, however there are certain activities that are not wheelchair friendly. We would love to work with and and all students who may have accessibility concerns. Feel free to call our office or pay us a visit in person.

    Q: Will there be a nurse/EMT present?
    A: Although we do not have a certified or registered medical professional with us at FOL, we do have a first aid kit complete with everything from ibuprofen to ankle wraps to tweezers. Any severe injury, reaction, medical emergency will be taken seriously and proper authorities will be contacted. If you need to take medication every day, make sure to list current medications in your registration form in case of an emergency.

    Q: Are service animals allowed at Aspen Grove?
    A: For more information, please contact Aspen Grove at (801) 422-6000.

  • Q: Can I drive myself to the conference?
    A: No. There are very limited spaces at the check-in location. For liability purposes, students may not drive themselves to the conference location in Aspen Grove. If a personal emergency arises, you will need to arrange for someone to pick you up. In a medical emergency, transportation to a care center will be provided by conference staff.

    Q: Can I leave the conference at any time?
    A: Foundations Conference events and activities are unique and, if missed, may decrease the value of your experience. If an emergency arises, you may leave the conference. For liability purposes, if a student leaves the conference early for any reason, their time at the conference is complete.

    Q: My flight gets in too late to make it to check-in on time? What can I do?
    A: If you let us know ahead of time, we can have conference staff wait for you at the check-in location and drive you to the conference location at Aspen Grove. If this applies to you, you can email us at sclfoundations@byu.edu

    Q: I'm coming to BYU by myself. How can I get from the airport to BYU?
    A: You can take the Express Shuttle or the Frontrunner Train.

    Q: What time is check-in/out for the conference?
    A: Check-in will be 9:00-9:40 a.m. on August 25. Check out will be 12:00-12:30 p.m. on August 27.

  • "Q: I am living off-campus. Can I still check into my apartment early?

    A: Unfortunately, we cannot arrange for early check-in for students living off-campus. We encourage you to make your own arrangements for storing your belongings with your landlord, a short-term storage unit, a friend or family member, etc.

    Q: I am attending FOL and will be living on campus. Can I check into my dorm early?

    A: Students attending FOL will not be able to check in before attending the session due to Education Week. However, you are welcome to sign up for a check-in date and time following the Conference on the 27th. You should have already received instructions from housing on how to sign up for a check-in date and time.

    For on-campus residents, you can arrange your check-in date online through your Resident Life Portal. If you are able to receive special permission from Resident Life for an earlier check-in, there will be a $15/night early arrival fee.

    Q: I am living on campus. Can I check into my dorm early without signing up for early check-in?

    A: No. All students who want to check in early must sign up for an early check-in date and time through attaining special permission from Resident Life so that their housing will be prepared for them. Students should also communicate their early move-in to conference directors by August 9th.

    Q: I don't have a car, and my parents will be gone. How can I get to the check-in location?

    A: We will provide a free shuttle service from some on-campus housing if the participants arrange it through us. This shuttle service will also be available after the conference to shuttle students back to the dorms. There will be a shuttle sign-up a few weeks prior to the conference."