The Office of Student Financial Aid is located on the second floor of Calvin Hall on the east side of the UI campus.

Originally named Science Hall, the three-story brick building was constructed in 1885 at the present site of Macbride Hall. The building remained unchanged until the turn of the century, when it was determined that it could not be included in the plan to surround the Old Capitol with a symmetrical arrangement of four new buildings (the Pentacrest). Because Science Hall was relatively new, Professors Samuel Calvin and Thomas Macbride were able to convince the authorities not to tear it down, and in 1905 the building was moved approximately one-half block to its present location.

Employees of the L.P. Friestedt Company of Chicago cut the building from its foundation and placed timber cribbing and hundreds of rollers, six inches in diameter and four feet in length, under the structure. Utilizing the massive weight of Science Hall to anchor a cable which secured a pushing surface for jackscrews, the men turned the jackscrews and the building slowly inched its way across Jefferson Street.

The move received national and international attention and was without mishap, despite the fact that a slight turn had to be negotiated around the Dental Building and another half turn was needed in order to set the Hall down on its new foundation. Remarkably, classes were not interrupted and delicate instruments and valuable collections remained in their places during the move. The entire project required two months and cost $25,000. The building suffered no damage and today remains a functional part of the UI campus.