Learning Abroad Center

Cancellation Policy for UofM Students

This policy applies to programs administered by the Learning Abroad Center and affiliate programs. Programs administered by other UofM colleges, departments, or units have their own cancellation policies. The information contained on this page supersedes any verbal or other written information that anyone may have received regarding cancellation refunds.

Non-University of Minnesota students may have home institution cancellation policies they are beholden to in addition to or in place of the policy represented here.

Process

Students who wish to cancel their participation on a program must log in to their 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 the participant's responsibility to notify their home institution of their cancellation from a program.

Financial Obligation

The application fee and confirmation deposit are non-refundable. The Learning Abroad Center reserves space on the program for the participant 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 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:

  • the Learning Abroad Center cancels a program before the official start date, or
  • a waitlisted student's application is canceled because no additional spots became available on the program.

Learning Abroad Center and Affiliate Programs 30 days or more in length

Individual students cancelling their participation (prior to program start date) will be billed for:

  • 60 days or more prior to start date; Application fee + confirmation deposit +non-recoverable flight costs*
  • 59–45 days prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 25% of remaining program costs
  • 44–30 days prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 50% of remaining program costs
  • 29–15 days prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 75% of remaining program costs
  • 14 days or less prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 100% of program costs

*Non-recoverable flight costs refer to those costs billed as a part of the overall program costs. It does not include any flight costs paid by students directly to airlines, travel agents etc.

Learning Abroad Center and LAC Affiliate Programs less than 30 days in length

Individual students cancelling their participation (prior to program start date) will be billed for:

  • 75 days or more prior to start date; Application fee + confirmation deposit + non-recoverable flight costs*
  • 74–60 days prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 25% of remaining program costs
  • 59–45 days prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 50% of remaining program costs
  • 44–31 days prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 75% of remaining program costs
  • 30 days or less prior to start date; Application fee + non-recoverable flight costs* + 100% of remaining program costs

*Non-recoverable fight costs refer to those costs billed as a part of the overall program costs. It does not include any flight costs paid by students directly to airlines, travel agents etc.

Embedded Programs

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. Dropping the on-campus course in Onestop does not constitute notifying the Learning Abroad Center. Students who wish to cancel their participation must log into their Education Abroad account online and submit a cancel request.

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.

Nonaffiliated Programs

Individual students cancelling their participation:

  • There are no refunds for non-affiliate program costs once the process has been undertaken by the Learning Abroad Center. Outside organizations will have their own cancellation/refund policies the student may be subject to.

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 they 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 their first term of participation will be billed for the first term program fee if that term exists as a stand alone option (eg Fall for AY, and Spring for CY) 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 students will be billed for the full year program costs.

For Academic Year Programs:

If a Fall only option for the program exists, students 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 Spring semester program costs according to the chart/schedule above.

For programs that do not have a stand alone Fall and Spring option, students will be charged for the entire program cost.

For example, a student is enrolled in a program for the Academic Year and decides during the Fall semester that they do not want to do the Spring semester. They will be charged for the Fall semester plus a percentage of the Spring semester based on the chart/schedule above 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, students 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 Fall semester program costs according to the chart/schedule above.

For programs that do not have a stand alone Spring and Fall option, students will be charged for the entire program cost.

For example, a student is enrolled in a program for the Calendar Year and decides during the Spring semester that they do not want to do the Fall semester. They will be charged for the Spring semester plus a percentage of the Fall semester based on the chart/schedule above 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, students 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.

For example, a student is enrolled in May + Summer and decides during the May session they do not want to do the Summer session. They will be charged for the May session plus a percentage of the summer session based on the chart/schedule above.

Transfer a Deposit to a Future Program

If a student cancels their participation in a program after confirming and pays all required cancellation fees (see above), they can request to use the $400 deposit toward the cost of a new program.  The start date of the new program must be no more than one year from the start date of the original program. Deposits will not automatically be applied to new programs; students must make a request via email.

Appeal for Refund

Students on Learning Abroad Center programs have the option to appeal the Cancellation Policy when cancelling for extenuating circumstances. The Appeal for Refund Process details the process.

Students on University of Minnesota College, Department or Unit Programs must appeal to the sponsor of the program, not the Learning Abroad Center. See Collegiate & Departmental Program Cancellation Information for details.