Financial Commitment, Withdrawals & Refunds

Financial Commitment

When you receive an offer of admission to your selected study abroad program, you will need to commit to or decline participation in the program through MyEA by the published commitment deadline. You demonstrate your commitment to a program by clicking on the “Commit” button in your application in MyEA. Commitment to a study abroad program obligates you financially for all costs associated with the program.

Once you commit to the program in MyEA, Education Abroad will charge the Education Abroad fee to your UMD student account within one week (refer to Costs of Study Abroad for more details on fee categories and amounts). All student account charges and payment deadlines follow the Student Financial Services and Cashiering billing schedule.

Note: Non-UMD students will pay the Education Abroad Fee online using the secure credit-card processing portal in your MyEA application. 

Education Abroad makes payments on your behalf to provide the educational services for your program including, but not limited to, housing, entry fees, educational activities, in-program transportation, etc. These payments occur well in advance of the program start date, before Education Abroad has charged your student account, and/or before you have submitted payment. Education Abroad does NOT guarantee that any portion of the program fee will be credited to your student account should you voluntarily or administratively withdraw from the program. The later you withdraw from a program, the higher your financial obligation to the program is likely to be. 

For faculty-led short-term programs specifically, once you commit to a program, students are responsible for 100% of the program fee if the withdrawal is received in writing less than 30 days before the program start date. Deferring the application fee or EA fee to a different or future program is not allowable..

Withdrawal Process

If at any point after commitment you are unable to participate in a study abroad program, you must follow the withdrawal process outlined below:

Student-initiated withdrawal (defined below): Submit the withdrawal form to Education Abroad immediately at educationabroad@umd.edu. Please note that you, the student, are the only person who can officially withdraw. 

Non-voluntary withdrawals (defined below): Education Abroad will notify you by e-mail of the reason for your non-voluntary withdrawal. 

If you are participating in an Affiliate program or Other Approved Program, you are advised to contact your program sponsor or host institution as quickly as possible to notify them of your withdrawal status to minimize any costs to you. 

1. Education Abroad will change your program status in MyEA to “withdrawn after commitment”, cancel your international health insurance, cancel your study abroad registration in Testudo, rescind any Education Abroad scholarships awarded, and notify the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA). 
2. The Office of Student Financial Aid (OFSA)will contact you directly if you are required to repay federal, state, or institutional assistance. 
3. Education Abroad will then determine the total of non-reimbursable costs committed on your behalf for which you are responsible. These costs may include amounts paid to housing providers, tour operators, and foreign institutions and cover costs such as entrance tickets, pre-paid site visits, and teaching services. The mandatory Education Abroad fee and application fee are non-refundable in all withdrawal scenarios.
4. An Education Abroad staff member will e-mail you to inform you of the final program charges no more than ten business days after the official withdrawal date:

• for voluntary withdrawals, your official withdrawal date is the date you submit your official withdrawal form to educationabroad@umd.edu  
• for non-voluntary withdrawals, your official withdrawal date is the date of the  initial communication from Education Abroad informing you of your withdrawal. 

Student-Initiated Withdrawal Defined

Student-initiated withdrawals are initiated by the student for any reason, including:

Voluntary Withdrawal: Withdrawal from a program for any reason as determined by the student. 

Withdrawal due to Vaccine/Testing Issues: Students are responsible for securing the appropriate vaccines and tests required for entry into a foreign country. Students who fail to meet these requirements may be responsible for non-recoverable costs based on the withdrawal policy. 

Withdrawal due to Visa issues: If you are unable to participate in a program because you were denied the required visa from the embassy or consulate and/or your visa application was not submitted or processed correctly, you may be eligible for a partial refund based on the withdrawal policy.  In such a case, the Education Abroad fee and the application fee are non-refundable.   

​Non-Voluntary Withdrawal Defined

Non-voluntary withdrawal refers to withdrawal proceedings that are not initiated by the student. This includes: 

Program cancellation:  A Program cancellation is defined as a program that is cancelled prior to the Program-participant departure. In the event of a program cancellation, program fees may not be refundable. If a program is cancelled by Education Abroad, the Program Fee, including the Education Abroad Fee and application Fee will be  refunded.

Program curtailment: A Program curtailment is a program that is cut short by UMD while in progress. Where possible, UMD will return a share of the program fee as determined by UMD in its sole discretion.  In the event of a program curtailment, the EA fee and the application fee are non-refundable.   

Withdrawal due to conduct issues: EA reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission or endorsement or dismiss a student from a program in progress due to a violation of the UMD code of student conduct. When possible, UMD will return a share of the program fee as determined by UMD in its sole discretion. In the case of a withdrawal due to conduct issues, the Education Abroad fee and the application fee are non-refundable. Students who are dismissed from the program while abroad will also be required to return home immediately at their own expense.

Administrative Withdrawal: Education Abroad retains the right to process an administrative withdrawal and rescind any offer of admission or endorsement for a student who:

• Ceases communication with EA and/or is unresponsive to repeated requests for necessary information or action.
• Fails to comply with UMD’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Verification of vaccine compliance must be made following UMD guidance. Additionally, should students be unable to travel based on a positive Covid-19 test result, they will assume financial responsibility for all non-recoverable costs.
• Fails to comply with required UMD, EA or partner institution processes necessary to coordinate on-site arrangements on behalf of the student.
• Fails to comply with required University UMD, EA, or partner institution health and safety protocols.
• Does not resolve registration blocks (including financial and judicial) in a timely manner as advised and communicated by Education Abroad. 

In these cases, Education Abroad will issue an administrative withdrawal final warning in writing in advance of processing an administrative withdrawal. Failure to comply with the specified request in the timeline provided will result in a withdrawal of any EA support for participation in the designated study abroad program. This includes an immediate termination of any sponsorship of admission, registration, visa application or other formal endorsement. 

Appeal for Refund 

Appeals Process

Students with extenuating circumstances regarding their withdrawal from an Education Abroad program may choose to file an appeal following the process below:  

1. Complete the appropriate Appeal Form and submit any supporting documents, such as doctor’s notes, within 10 business days of receiving your notification of financial liability due to your withdrawal, which will be sent via email from Education Abroad. 
   
   • NOTE: Education Abroad will only accept appeals from students, unless extenuating circumstances prevent them from doing so. In such cases, appeals may be submitted by the person with financial responsibility for the student.
   • NOTE: Education Abroad will not review any appeals that state the reason for appeal as not reading and/or understanding the financial and withdrawal policies.
2. Education Abroad will notify you of the decision of the appeal within ten business days from the date the appeal is received.
3. If you have withdrawn from an affiliate or approved provider, you must also follow the provider’s own separate withdrawal and appeal policies and procedures. 

Qualifying Extenuating Circumstances and Support Documentation for an Appeal

• Unforeseen academic change; Requires supporting documentation such as course cancellation, course requirement, permission requirements, and internship.

• Activation of military duty after the date of committing to the study abroad program; Requires supporting documentation -  copy of military activation order showing dates that conflict with program dates.
• Unforeseen changes in financial aid package or in personal finances due to unforeseen circumstances, such as parent unemployment or high medical bills; Requires supporting documentation.
• Illness or death of an immediate family member(parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings, children, spouses, and registered domestic partners); Requires supporting documentation.
• Family medical emergencies, such as surgery, diagnosis of long-term illness, and hospitalization; Requires supporting documentation from the treating physician. 
• Physical, mental, or emotional conditions that may limit study abroad;  Requires supporting documentation from the treating physician.
• Legal issues or immigration status issues that might keep you from studying abroad; Requires supporting documentation such as legal notices, official correspondence, etc.

updated 12/20/2021

Financial Commitment

When you receive an offer of admission to your selected study abroad program, you will need to commit to or decline participation in the program through MyEA by the published commitment deadline. You demonstrate your commitment to a program by clicking on the “Commit” button in your application in MyEA. Commitment to a study abroad program obligates you financially for all costs associated with the program.

Once you commit to the program in MyEA, Education Abroad will charge the Education Abroad fee to your UMD student account within one week (refer to Costs of Study Abroad for more details on fee categories and amounts). All student account charges and payment deadlines follow the Student Financial Services and Cashiering billing schedule.

Note: Non-UMD students will pay the Education Abroad Fee online using the secure credit-card processing portal in your MyEA application. 

Education Abroad makes payments on your behalf to provide the educational services for your program including, but not limited to, housing, entry fees, educational activities, in-program transportation, etc. These payments occur well in advance of the program start date, before Education Abroad has charged your student account, and/or before you have submitted payment. Education Abroad does NOT guarantee that any portion of the program fee will be credited to your student account should you withdraw from the program for any reason. The later you withdraw from a program, the higher your financial obligation to the program is likely to be. 

For faculty-led short-term programs specifically, once you commit to a program, you are responsible for the full program fee.  If you withdraw for any reason prior to 30 days before the program start date, EA may be able to process a partial refund should it be able to recover those costs from the vendor. Students are responsible for 100% of the program fee if the withdrawal is received in writing less than 30 days before the program start date. Deferring the application fee or EA fee to a different or future program is not allowable.

Withdrawal Process

If at any point after commitment you are unable to participate in a study abroad program, you must follow the withdrawal process outlined below::

Student-initiated withdrawal (defined below): Submit the withdrawal form to Education Abroad immediately at educationabroad@umd.edu. Please note that you, the student, are the only person who can officially withdraw.. 

Non-voluntary withdrawals (defined below): Education Abroad will notify you by e-mail of the reason for your non-voluntary withdrawal. . 

If you are participating in an Affiliate program or Other Approved Program, you are advised to contact your program sponsor or host institution as quickly as possible to notify them of your withdrawal status to minimize any costs to you. 

1. Education Abroad will change your program status in MyEA to “withdrawn after commitment”, cancel your international health insurance, cancel your study abroad registration in Testudo, rescind any Education Abroad scholarships awarded, and notify the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA). 
2. The Office of Student Financial Aid (OFSA) will contact you directly if you are required to repay federal, state, or institutional assistance. 
3. Education Abroad will then determine the total of non-reimbursable costs committed on your behalf for which you are responsible. These costs may include amounts paid to housing providers, tour operators, and foreign institutions and cover costs such as entrance tickets, pre-paid site visits, and teaching services. The mandatory Education Abroad/OIA fees (application fee and Education Abroad/OIA fee) are non refundable in all withdrawal scenarios. 
4. An Education Abroad staff member will e-mail you to inform you of the final program charges no more than ten business days after the official withdrawal date:

• for voluntary withdrawals, your official withdrawal date is the date you submit your official withdrawal form to educationabroad@umd.edu  
• for non-voluntary withdrawals, your official withdrawal date is the date of the  initial communication from Education Abroad informing you of your withdrawal. 

Student-Initiated Withdrawal Defined

Student-initiated withdrawals are initiated by the student for any reason, including:

Voluntary Withdrawal: Withdrawal from a program for any reason as determined by the student. 

Withdrawal due to Vaccine/Testing Issues: Students are responsible for securing the appropriate vaccines and tests required for entry into a foreign country. Students who fail to meet these requirements may be responsible for non-recoverable costs based on the withdrawal policy. 

Withdrawal due to Visa issues: If you are unable to participate in a program because you were denied the required visa from the embassy or consulate and/or your visa application was not submitted or processed correctly, you may be eligible for a partial refund based on the withdrawal policy.  In such a case, the EA/OIA fee and the application fee are non-refundable.   

​Non-Voluntary Withdrawal Defined

Non-voluntary withdrawal refers to withdrawal proceedings that are not initiated by the student. This includes: 

Program cancellation:  A Program cancellation is defined as a program that is cancelled prior to the Program-participant departure. In the event of a program cancellation, program fees may not be refundable.

Program curtailment: A Program curtailment is a program that is cut short by UMD while in progress. Where possible, UMD will return a share of the program fee as determined by UMD in its sole discretion. In the event of a program curtailment, the EA fee and application fee are non refundable.

Withdrawal due to conduct issues: EA reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission or endorsement or dismiss a student from a program in progress due to a violation of the UMD code of student conduct. When possible, UMD will return a share of the program fee as determined by UMD in its sole discretion. In the case of a withdrawal due to conduct issues, the EA/OIA fee and the application fee are non-refundable. Students who are dismissed from the program while abroad will also be required to return home immediately at their own expense.

Administrative Withdrawal: Education Abroad retains the right to process an administrative withdrawal and rescind any offer of admission or endorsement for a student who:

• Ceases communication with EA and/or is unresponsive to repeated requests for necessary information or action.
• Fails to comply with UMD’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Verification of vaccine compliance must be made following UMD guidance. Additionally, should students be unable to travel based on a positive Covid-19 test result, they will assume financial responsibility for all non-recoverable costs.
• Fails to comply with required UMD, EA or partner institution processes necessary to coordinate on-site arrangements on behalf of the student.
• Fails to comply with required University UMD, EA, or partner institution health and safety protocols.
• Does not resolve registration blocks (including financial and judicial) in a timely manner as advised and communicated by Education Abroad. 

In these cases, Education Abroad will issue an administrative withdrawal final warning in writing in advance of processing an administrative withdrawal. Failure to comply with the specified request in the timeline provided will result in a withdrawal of any EA support for participation in the designated study abroad program. This includes an immediate termination of any sponsorship of admission, registration, visa application or other formal endorsement. 

Appeal for Refund 

Appeals Process

Students with extenuating circumstances regarding their withdrawal from an Education Abroad program may choose to file an appeal following the process below:  

1. Complete the appropriate Appeal Form and submit any supporting documents, such as doctor’s notes, within 10 business days of receiving your notification of financial liability due to your withdrawal, which will be sent via email from Education Abroad. 
   
   • NOTE: Education Abroad will only accept appeals from students, unless extenuating circumstances prevent them from doing so. In such cases, appeals may be submitted by the person with financial responsibility for the student.
   • NOTE: Education Abroad will not review any appeals that state the reason for appeal as not reading and/or understanding the financial and withdrawal policies.
2. Education Abroad will notify you of the decision of the appeal within ten business days from the date the appeal is received.
3. If you have withdrawn from an affiliate or approved provider, you must also follow the provider’s own separate withdrawal and appeal policies and procedures. 

Qualifying Extenuating Circumstances and Support Documentation for an Appeal

• Unforeseen academic change; Requires supporting documentation such as course cancellation, course requirement, permission requirements, and internship.
• Activation of military duty after the date of committing to the study abroad program; Requires supporting documentation -  copy of military activation order showing dates that conflict with program dates.
• Unforeseen changes in financial aid package or in personal finances due to unforeseen circumstances, such as parent unemployment or high medical bills; Requires supporting documentation.
• Illness or death of an immediate family member (parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings, children, spouses, and registered domestic partners); Requires supporting documentation.
• Family medical emergencies, such as surgery, diagnosis of long-term illness, and hospitalization; Requires supporting documentation from the treating physician. 
• Physical, mental, or emotional conditions that may limit study abroad;  Requires supporting documentation from the treating physician.
• Legal issues or immigration status issues that might keep you from studying abroad; Requires supporting documentation such as legal notices, official correspondence, etc.

updated 9/22/2021

Financial Commitment

When you receive an offer of admission to your selected study abroad program, you will need to commit to or decline participation in the program through MyEA by the published commitment deadline. You demonstrate your commitment to a program by clicking on the “Commit” button in your application in MyEA. Commitment to a study abroad program obligates you financially for all costs associated with the program.

Once you commit to the program in MyEA, Education Abroad will charge the Education Abroad fee to your UMD student account within one week (refer to Costs of Study Abroad for more details on fee categories and amounts). All student account charges and payment deadlines follow the Student Financial Services and Cashiering billing schedule.

Note: Non-UMD students will pay the Education Abroad Fee online using the secure credit-card processing portal in your MyEA application. 

Education Abroad makes payments on your behalf to provide the educational services for your program including, but not limited to, housing, entry fees, educational activities, in-program transportation, etc. These payments occur well in advance of the program start date, before Education Abroad has charged your student account, and/or before you have submitted payment. Education Abroad does NOT guarantee that any portion of the program fee will be credited to your student account should you withdraw from the program for any reason. The later you withdraw from a program, the higher your financial obligation to the program is likely to be. 

For faculty-led short-term programs specifically, once you commit to a program, you are responsible for the full program fee.  If you withdraw for any reason prior to 30 days before the program start date, EA may be able to process a partial refund should it be able to recover those costs from the vendor. Students are responsible for 100% of the program fee if the withdrawal is received in writing less than 30 days before the program start date. Deferring the application fee or EA fee to a different or future program is not allowable.  

Withdrawal Process

If at any point after commitment you are unable to participate in a study abroad program, you must follow the withdrawal process outlined below:

Student-initiated withdrawal (defined below): Submit the withdrawal form to Education Abroad immediately at educationabroad@umd.edu. Please note that you, the student, are the only person who can officially withdraw. 

Non-voluntary withdrawals (defined below): Education Abroad will notify you by e-mail of the reason for your non-voluntary withdrawal. 

If you are participating in an Affiliate program or Other Approved Program, you are advised to contact your program sponsor or host institution as quickly as possible to notify them of your withdrawal status to minimize any costs to you. 

1. Education Abroad will change your program status in MyEA to “withdrawn after commitment”, cancel your international health insurance, cancel your study abroad registration in Testudo, rescind any Education Abroad scholarships awarded, and notify the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA). 
2. The Office of Student Financial Aid (OFSA)will contact you directly if you are required to repay federal, state, or institutional assistance. 
3. Education Abroad will then determine the total of non-reimbursable costs committed on your behalf for which you are responsible. These costs may include amounts paid to housing providers, tour operators, and foreign institutions and cover costs such as entrance tickets, pre-paid site visits, and teaching services. The mandatory Education Abroad/OIA fees (application fee and Education Abroad/OIA Fee) are non refundable in all withdrawal scenarios.
4. An Education Abroad staff member will e-mail you to inform you of the final program charges no more than ten business days after the official withdrawal date:

• for voluntary withdrawals, your official withdrawal date is the date you submit your official withdrawal form to educationabroad@umd.edu 
• for non-voluntary withdrawals, your official withdrawal date is the date of the  initial communication from Education Abroad informing you of your withdrawal. 

Student-Initiated Withdrawal Defined

Student-initiated withdrawals are initiated by the student for any reason, including:

Voluntary Withdrawal: Withdrawal from a program for any reason as determined by the student. 

Withdrawal due to Vaccine/Testing Issues:  Students are responsible for securing the appropriate vaccines and tests required for entry into a foreign country. Students who fail to meet these requirements may be responsible for non-recoverable costs based on the withdrawal policy.  Additionally, should students be unable to travel based on a positive Covid-19 test result, they will assume financial responsibility for all additional costs associated with their time in the host country once the program has been completed. 

Withdrawal due to Visa issues:  If you are unable to participate in a program because you were denied the required visa from the embassy or consulate and/or your visa application was not submitted or processed correctly, you may be eligible for a refund based on the withdrawal policy.  In such a case, the EA/OIA fee and the application fee are non-refundable.   

​Non-Voluntary Withdrawal Defined

Non-voluntary withdrawal refers to withdrawal proceedings that are not initiated by the student.  This includes: 

Program cancellation:  A Program cancellation is defined as a program that is cancelled prior to the Program-participant departure. If a program is cancelled by Education Abroad, all fees will be refunded.

Program curtailment: A Program curtailment is a program that is cut short by UMD while in progress. Where possible, UMD will return a share of the program fee as determined by UMD in its sole discretion. In the event of program curtailment, the EA fee and application fee are non refundable.

Withdrawal due to conduct issues: EA reserves the right to rescind any offer of admission or endorsement or dismiss a student from a program in progress due to a violation of the UMD code of student conduct. When possible, UMD will return a share of the program fee as determined by UMD in its sole discretion. In the case of a withdrawal due to conduct issues, the EA/OIA fee and the application fee are non-refundable. Students who are dismissed from the program while abroad will also be required to return home immediately at their own expense.

Administrative Withdrawal: Education Abroad retains the right to process an administrative withdrawal and rescind any offer of admission or endorsement for a student who: Ceases communication with EA and/or is unresponsive to repeated requests for necessary information or action.

• Fails to comply with required EA or partner institution processes necessary to coordinate on-site arrangements on behalf of the student.
• Does not resolve registration blocks (including financial and judicial) in a timely manner as advised and communicated by Education Abroad. 

In these cases, Education Abroad will issue an administrative withdrawal final warning in writing in advance of processing an administrative withdrawal. Failure to comply with the specified request in the timeline provided will result in a withdrawal of any EA support for participation in the designated study abroad program. This includes an immediate termination of any sponsorship of admission, registration, visa application or other formal endorsement. 

Appeal for Refund 

Appeals Process

Students with extenuating circumstances regarding their withdrawal from an Education Abroad program may choose to file an appeal following the process below:  

1. Complete the appropriate Appeal Form and submit any supporting documents, such as doctor’s notes, within 10 business days of receiving your notification of financial liability due to your withdrawal, which will be sent via email from Education Abroad. 
   
   • NOTE: Education Abroad will only accept appeals from students, unless extenuating circumstances prevent them from doing so. In such cases, appeals may be submitted by the person with financial responsibility for the student.
   • NOTE: Education Abroad will not review any appeals that state the reason for appeal as not reading and/or understanding the financial and withdrawal policies.
2. Education Abroad will notify you of the decision of the appeal within ten business days from date the appeal is received.
3. If you have withdrawn from an affiliate or approved provider, you must also follow the provider’s own separate withdrawal and appeal policies and procedures. 

Qualifying Extenuating Circumstances and Support Documentation for an Appeal

• Unforeseen academic change; Requires supporting documentation such as course cancellation, course requirement, permission requirements, and internship.
• Activation of military duty after date of committing to the study abroad program; Requires supporting documentation -  copy of military activation order showing dates that conflict with program dates.
• Unforeseen changes in financial aid package or in personal finances due to unforeseen circumstances, such as parent unemployment or high medical bills; Requires supporting documentation. 
• Illness or death of an immediate family member(parents, grandparents, guardians, siblings, children, spouses, and registered domestic partners); Requires supporting documentation.
• Family medical emergencies, such as surgery, diagnosis of long-term illness, and hospitalization; Requires supporting documentation from the treating physician. 
• Physical, mental, or emotional conditions that may limit study abroad;  Requires supporting documentation from the treating physician.
• Legal issues or immigration status issues that might keep you from studying abroad; Requires supporting documentation such as legal notices, official correspondence, etc.

updated 3/29/2021

Please review all pages of the Financial Policies document below. Use the scrollbar in the frame to read the entire document. The PDF viewer below is not supported on mobile devices. If you cannot view the file below, access it via the following link: Financial Policies.

Please review all pages of the Financial Policies document below. Use the scrollbar in the frame to read the entire document. The PDF viewer below is not supported on mobile devices. If you cannot view the file below, access it via the following link: Financial Policies.

Please review all pages of the Financial Policies document below. Use the scrollbar in the frame to read the entire document. The PDF viewer below is not supported on mobile devices. If you cannot view the file below, access it via the following link: Financial Policies.

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