Non-University of Minnesota students may have home institution cancellation policies you are beholden to in addition to or in place of the policy represented here.
Process
If you wish to cancel your participation on a program, you must log in to your application and submit the 'Request a Cancellation of this Application' checklist item. The date/time stamp of this cancellation request will determine the refund eligibility according to this policy. Institutions paying on behalf of the student participant are responsible according to the same schedule. It is your responsibility to notify your home institution of your cancellation from a program.
Financial Obligation
The Learning Abroad Center reserves your space on the program upon receipt of the Confirmation and Payment Agreement. At this point, the Learning Abroad Center incurs certain non-recoverable costs. Therefore, any participant who cancels at any time after the Confirmation and Payment Agreement has been received will be responsible for part or all of the program fee, as described in the sections below.
The application fee, deposit, and program fee, if applicable, will be fully refunded in the following cases:
- your home institution cancels all education abroad for a given term
- the Learning Abroad Center cancels a program before the official start date
- your waitlisted application is canceled because no additional spots became available on the program
The Learning Abroad Center is not responsible for any flight costs or other travel expenses incurred should cancellation occur either by yourself or the University.
Learning Abroad Center Programs
Effective September 1, 2026 individual students canceling their participation (prior to program start date) will be billed for the following amounts based on date of cancellation:
- 91 days or more prior to start date: confirmation deposit
- 90–75 days prior to start date: 10% of program fee
- 74–60 days prior to start date: 15% of program fee
- 59–45 days prior to start date: 25% of program fee
- 44–30 days prior to start date: 50% of program fee
- 29–15 days prior to start date: 75% of program fee
- 14 days or less prior to start date: 100% of program fee
*Note that if flights are included in the program fee, you will get a credit for that flight. Also note that the confirmation deposit is included in the program fee percentage starting at 90 days from program start date.
Embedded Courses
For programs with coursework on campus before and/or after a period spent abroad, regular UofM cancellation deadlines, penalties, and policies will apply to tuition and fees for the on-campus course. The Learning Abroad Center cancellation policies will apply to the abroad component of the course based on the start date of the period abroad.
University of Minnesota College, Department or Unit Programs
Individual students cancelling their participation:
- Cancellation policies and refunds are determined by the sponsoring unit. Refer to the program leader and/or sponsoring unit.
Academic Year, Calendar Year, & Multiple Term Participants
Participants canceling from their full commitment during the first term of participation are responsible for the published program fee for the term you participated in if that program is offered (e.g., an academic year program would be equivalent to fall semester fee. If invoiced half of the academic year fee, a balance may be owed if the fall semester fee was higher than half of the academic year fee). Cancellation amounts to be billed for the second term will follow the schedule as outlined above based on the start date for the second term.
Academic Year/Calendar Year students that cancel during your first term of participation will be billed for the first term program fee if that term exists as a stand alone option (example, Fall for Academic Year, and Spring for Calendar Year) for the program. If invoiced half of the Academic Year/Calendar Year fee, a balance may be owed if the semester fee was higher than half of the Academic Year/Calendar Year fee).
If the program is not offered as a semester only option, you will be billed for the full year program costs.
For Academic Year Programs
If a Fall only option for the program exists, you will be charged for the Fall only option (in some cases this will result in additional charges being added if the Fall only option is more than 50% of the academic year cost) plus non-recoverable costs for the Spring semester program.
For programs that do not have a stand alone Fall and Spring option, you will be charged for the entire program cost.
Example: You are enrolled in a program for the Academic Year and decide during the Fall semester that you do not want to do the Spring semester. You will be charged for the Fall semester plus non-recoverable costs for the Spring semester OR charged for the Academic Year if there is no Fall only or Spring only program option.
For Calendar Year Programs
If a Spring only option for the program exists, you will be charged for the Spring only option (in some cases this will result in additional charges being added if the Spring only option is more than 50% of the academic year cost) plus non-recoverable costs for the Fall semester program.
For programs that do not have a stand alone Spring and Fall option, you will be charged for the entire program cost.
Example: You are enrolled in a program for the Calendar Year and decide during the Spring semester that you do not want to do the Fall semester. You will be charged for the Spring semester plus non-recoverable costs for the Fall semester program OR charged for the Calendar Year if there is no Spring only or Fall only program option.
For Multi-Term Programs:
If a term 1 only option for the program exists, you will be charged for the term 1 only option (in some cases this will result in additional charges being added if the term 1 only option is more than 50% of the total cost) plus Term 2 program costs according to the chart/schedule above.
Example: You are enrolled in May + Summer and decide during the May session you do not want to do the Summer session. You will be charged for the May session plus a percentage of the summer session based on the chart/schedule above.
Appeal for Refund
Participation on a Learning Abroad Center programs gives you the option to appeal the Cancellation Policy when cancelling for extenuating circumstances. The Appeal for Refund Process details the process.
If you participate on University of Minnesota College, Department or Unit Programs, you must appeal to the sponsor of the program, not the Learning Abroad Center. See Collegiate & Departmental Program Cancellation Information for details.