Fees

Fee structure & payments

IMS’s Forest Refuge fees are on a sliding scale basis. This allows participants to pay according to individual means. There is some financial assistance available for those who cannot afford the entire cost.

The Supported rate covers 50% of IMS’s cost for your participation.

The Sustaining rate represents the actual cost to IMS to operate our programs. If you can afford this level or higher, you assist our efforts to offer lower sliding-scale rates and ongoing financial subsidies.

The Benefactor rate covers the cost for your retreat and also contributes generous financial support for another practitioner to attend.

Beginning in 2025

• Only amounts paid above the Sustaining rate will be tax-deductible.
• All registration payments will be due four weeks prior to the start of a retreat.

Teacher support

Here at IMS, our teachers are continuing the ancient Buddhist monastic tradition of freely offering the teachings. For a sustainable income in the midst of contemporary Western society, they rely on the generosity of retreatants. There is an opportunity to offer contributions to the teachers at the end of your retreat. (IMS reimburses teachers’ travel to and from our centers, and provides teachers with meals and housing while they’re teaching.)

At the Forest Refuge, where participants often stay for long periods, IMS supplements donations to teachers as needed to provide an adequate offering.

Your contributions help teachers to lead a life devoted to teaching both at IMS and in other parts of the world, including communities without the means to donate. Your gifts also allow teachers to take time for their own practice, ensuring that their teachings are continuously enriched.

Click here to learn more about teacher dana.

Deposits

A deposit of approximately one-third of your total retreat cost is due once your application has been approved. Deposits are accepted online – a link will be sent to you if your application is approved. You can also pay by mail or by phone. If you’re paying by check, please make it payable to IMS. If your check is drawn on a Canadian bank, please write “USD” after the amount. Unfortunately, we cannot accept checks from other countries, unless they are drawn on a US bank.

Cancellations and date changes

Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel. If you let us know more than 60 days before your retreat begins, the fee is $100 (or your full deposit if less than $100 was paid). If you cancel 60 days or less before your starting date, you forfeit your full deposit.

Changes that move or shorten the dates of a confirmed retreat are considered cancellations. If you change part of your retreat more than 60 days before the confirmed start date, the fee is $100. If you change part of your retreat 60 days or less before the confirmed start date, you may forfeit a deposit amount proportional to the length of time cancelled, with a minimum fee of $100.

Date changes that lengthen your confirmed retreat incur no fee.

Beginning in 2025

• $100 fee for cancelling at or before eight weeks before the start of your retreat.
• Your full deposit will be kept as a cancellation fee if cancelling between eight and four weeks before the start of your retreat.
• Cancellations received four weeks or less before the start of your retreat will not be refunded.

* Exception: For registrations at the Benefactor rate, we will refund the difference between the Benefactor and Sustaining rates.

**Exceptions for cancellation fees possible only for serious family emergencies or illness with a doctor’s note.

Lotteries

Due to their popularity, admission to certain retreats is by lottery. In this case, lottery information will be included in the course description. All registrations received by the deadline will be included in the lottery. Those selected by lottery will be notified and asked to make their deposit payment to hold their spot. Those not selected, as well as any late registrations, will be put on a wait list. In order to maintain a valid wait list, you will be asked to make a deposit and we ask that you notify us if you wish to be removed.

Waitlists

• A deposit payment of $200 is due if you are placed on a waitlist, in order to retain your spot.
• If you are placed on a retreat waitlist and are subsequently unable to attend, please let us know immediately – in these circumstances, you will not be charged any cancellation fee. As long as your name remains on a retreat waitlist,  we will assume you still wish to participate. If a space becomes available, we will automatically confirm your registration. Once you are confirmed in a retreat, you are liable for applicable cancellation fees if you then cancel.
• Our wait lists can be very fluid – there are often cancellations from those already confirmed, and spaces open up. If you assume you have no chance of getting into a retreat, please check your waitlist status on your MyIMS portal or with us, before deciding to cancel – it is surprising how rapidly you can move from a high wait list position to a low one.
• If spaces do not open up, and you are not offered a place in the retreat we will issue you a full refund.

Rates

The Sustaining rate represents the actual cost to IMS to operate our programs. If you can afford this level or higher, you assist our efforts to offer lower sliding-scale rates and ongoing financial subsidies to those who cannot afford our Supported fee.

For 2024, whatever amount you contribute above the Supported rate is a tax-deductible donation and helps IMS. 

2024 Rates

Benefactor – provide support for others to attend retreats
Sustaining – the actual cost of the retreat
Mid – approx. 75% of the cost of the retreat
Supported – approx. 50% of the cost of retreat

2025 Rates

Benefactor – provide support for others to attend retreats
Sustaining – the actual cost of the retreat
Mid – approx. 75% of the cost of the retreat
Supported – approx. 50% of the cost of retreat

For 2025, whatever amount you contribute above the Ssustaining rate is a tax-deductible donation and helps IMS.