Financial Obligations
When you apply for any study abroad program, you are charged a $50 non-refundable application fee. This fee is only refundable if your program is canceled by our office.
When you sign the Confirmation of Participation form, you give UMD permission to reserve your place and make payments towards your study abroad program on your behalf. BEFORE you sign the Confirmation of Participation, be sure you understand your financial responsibilities and all charges that will be applied to your student account if you cancel. After your Confirmation of Participation is signed and received, you will be billed a non-refundable confirmation deposit on your UMD student account that is applied toward your program fee.
If you decide to cancel after confirming, you are financially responsible for the costs paid on your behalf. These costs vary according to the type of program and when you cancel. Refer to our study abroad costs web page for details. Keep in mind, as the program participation date approaches, costs associated with canceling may increase.
You are responsible for all program fees until a cancellation notice is received by our office. The application fee and confirmation deposit for all programs are non-refundable, as are the processing fees for non-affiliate programs.
If you are participating in a UMTC or an affiliate program (API, CEA, CISAbroad, ISA, AIFS, ASA, TEAN, or USAC) it is your responsibility to notify your program sponsor of your cancellation. You will be responsible for any non-refundable fees charged by the affiliate based on their cancellation policy.
Canceling from UMD Faculty-Led Programs
In order to keep costs as low as possible for UMD students, our office bases final faculty-led program fees on the exact number of students participating in each of its programs. If you cancel from a UMD faculty-led program after signing the Confirmation of Participation form, you may have additional financial responsibility including a portion of the program fee and non-recoverable expenses including but not limited to airfare and accommodation. See the table below to determine the fees you will be responsible for based on your official cancellation and date of program departure.
Faculty-led Program Additional Cancellation Fees
# of days
before departure% of Program Fees owed 30 days or fewer 100% 44–31 days 75% 59–45 days 50% 74-60 days 25% 75-or more 0%, + confirmation deposit Additional financial obligations for all cancellations: Application fee, + any non-recoverable expenses
Non-recoverable 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.
Canceling from International Student Teaching or Field Placement Programs
As a reminder, you are responsible for any non-refundable fees charged by your host university. If you cancel from any field placement program such as International Student Teaching, you will also be responsible for the $600 study abroad fee plus any non-recoverable insurance.
Canceling from Semester, Winter, & Summer Programs
As a reminder, you are responsible for any non-refundable fees charged by your host university or program provider. If you cancel within 59 days of the program start date (Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer), you will also be responsible for the study abroad fee portion of the program fee plus any non-recoverable insurance.
Canceling from Academic Year & Calendar Year Programs
In addition to the semester program cancellation policy, if you cancel your participation at the end of the first term on an academic year or calendar year program, you are responsible for the published program fee for that term. You will be responsible for any non-recoverable costs attributed to the second-semester portion of the program fee. These fees can be substantial and may include tuition and room and board.
Canceling from Non-Affiliate Programs
If you cancel your participation in a non-affiliate program, you remain responsible for the study abroad processing fee and any non-refundable fees charged by your university or program provider.
COVID-19
The standard cancellation policy applies. However, if a program is canceled due to COVID-19 prior to the program start date, active participants will be refunded the UMD application fee, confirmation deposit, and any recoverable costs that may have been incurred.
Appeal for Refund
You have the right to appeal the study abroad Cancellation Policy when canceling from a program for extenuating circumstances, which are defined as:
- Medical | All medical (physical, psychological, emotional, etc.) reasons for canceling require documentation from an attending physician using this form.
- Immediate Family: Illness or Death | Any family medical emergencies (surgery, long-term illness diagnosed, etc.) require documentation from an attending physician. The death of an immediate family member requires a death certificate.
- Academic | Any unforeseen academic changes require appropriate documentation.
- Military Activation | A copy of the military activation orders is required and must show dates that conflict with the program dates.
- Financial | Any unforeseen financial emergencies require appropriate documentation. This does not include:
- Failure to understand program costs
- Financial aid eligibility
- Scholarship availability
- Other | Documentation of situation, process, and timeline are required.
Procedure
You must complete the Refund Appeal form and submit it to [email protected] within one month of the cancellation date. All Refund Appeal forms must be submitted by email. Only appeals received at the [email protected] email will be considered. The UMD Study Abroad Cancellation Appeals Committee reviews each case individually and makes every effort to be fair and equitable in determining the amount of non-recoverable costs. You will be notified of the decision via email after the committee's determination