Finances

HOW TO CANCEL YOUR PROGRAM

Applicants must use the cancellation form on the dashboard of the International Programs Portal to withdraw from their program. Written notice of cancellation via email (IP-Cancel@fsu.edu) may also be accepted in exceptional cases.

Participants who are administratively cancelled by International Programs or who request cancellation from their program after a payment deadline will remain financially liable for program fees as outlined below.

FINANCIAL LIABILITY AFTER CANCELLATION

• Application Fee: The application fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable regardless of the timing or reason for cancellation. Payment of the application fee does not guarantee admission to a program.
• Commitment Fee: If cancellation occurs after the Commitment Fee due date, the Commitment Fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable; applicants who deferred a portion of the commitment fee will also remain liable for paying the amount deferred.
• Program Fee: If cancellation occurs after the Full Payment Due Date, the entire Program Fee (including the commitment fee) is non-refundable and non-transferrable; applicants who deferred a portion of the program fee will also remain liable for paying the amount deferred.
• Deferred Fees: International Programs must receive payment for all deferred fees by the 10th day of the program, or by the 10th day of the Spring semester for Spring Break programs. Participants who cancel after the commitment fee or full payment due dates will remain liable for paying the amount deferred.
• First Year Abroad Spring Program Fee: If cancellation from the spring semester of the First Year Abroad program occurs less than 60 days before the start of the spring semester, the entire FYA Spring Program Fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable; applicants who deferred a portion of the program fee will also remain liable for paying the amount deferred.

International Programs reserves the right to administratively cancel any applicant for failure to meet the conditions of admission outlined in their application decision letter or failure to pay or defer fees by the corresponding deadlines published on the International Programs website and the International Programs Portal.

APPEALS FOR A PARTIAL REFUND/RELEASE OF LIABILITY FROM DEFERRED FEES 

By default, cancelled participants will remain financially liable for the application fee, commitment fee, and/or full program fee as outlined in the Financial Liability after Cancellation section above. However, participants may appeal for a partial refund or a partial release of liability from deferred fees when:

• Cancellation was caused by extraordinary, unforeseen circumstances beyond the participant’s control, such as an illness of such duration or severity that it prevents program participation, AND
• Notice of cancellation was provided to International Programs prior to the start of the program, AND
• Notice of cancellation was provided to International Programs as soon as possible after the event(s) causing the need for cancellation

Submitting an appeal based on the criteria above does not guarantee a refund or release of liability will be approved. If the International Programs (IP) Refund Committee approves an appeal, the committee will use the matrix below to determine the maximum refund amount or maximum release of liability from deferred fees:

HOW TO APPEAL FOR REFUND/RELEASE OF LIABILITY FROM DEFERRED FEES

All appeals must be submitted to IP-Cancel@fsu.edu appeals received after the program/semester has ended will not be considered. The applicant’s full name, application number, and program code must be included. Appeals are subject to review by the IP Refund Committee and/or University Health Services and must be accompanied by sufficient supporting documentation, including: 

• Timeline of Extraordinary, Unforeseen Circumstances: Attach a PDF or Word document outlining a timeline (with dates) of the changes/events leading up to your official date of cancellation
• Supporting Documentation: Include any documents that support your timeline of events and substantiate your appeal. The IP Refund Committee reserves the right to request additional supporting documentation to ensure a thorough review of your appeal

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR REFUNDS/RELEASE OF LIABILITY

International Programs will refund the full program fee and release participants from liability for all deferred fees under any of the following circumstances:

• The participant cancels prior to the start of the program and provides documentation of an involuntary call to active duty, a death in the immediate family (parent or stepparent, legal guardian, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent), or death of the participant
• International Programs is unable to secure an internship placement 30 days prior to the start of an Internship program, unless the participant had agreed to an extension
• A program is administratively cancelled prior to the program start date (or prior to the delivery of academic coursework for Spring Break or other short-term programs)

If International Programs cancels a program after the program start date (or after the delivery of academic coursework for Spring Break or other short-term programs) due to causes beyond the control of International Programs, including, but not limited to, acts of God; natural disasters; riots; war; epidemics; terrorist activities; government restrictions; failure of suppliers, subcontractors, or carriers; or travel warnings or prohibitions issued by the World Health Organization or any U.S. federal government agency, including the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of State, no refunds of any kind will be issued. However, International Programs, in its sole discretion, may issue refunds for unused program costs such as housing.

FIRST YEAR ABROAD TUITION WAIVER POLICY FOR NON-FLORIDA RESIDENTS 

Non-Florida residents will earn an FYA waiver reducing the out-of-state tuition rates to the in-state tuition rates for the remainder of their first undergraduate degree at FSU’s main campus in Tallahassee after meeting all conditions below:

• Successful completion of two consecutive semesters of the First Year Abroad program at FSU’s European Study Centers or Republic of Panama campus
• Successful completion of 30 International Programs credit hours abroad (15 credits per semester abroad) with a cumulative FSU GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Payment of all fees and other financial obligations to International Programs

The FYA Waiver will be automatically renewed each semester until completion of the student’s first undergraduate degree if the following criteria are met:

• Enrollment in FSU courses every fall & spring semester without interruption (summer terms excluded)
• Remain in good academic and conduct standing
• Consistent, successful degree progress and course completion

APPLICATION FEE

All study abroad applicants are required to submit a non-refundable, non-transferrable application fee in order to have their application reviewed by International Programs. Paying the application fee does not guarantee admission to a program.

COMMITMENT FEE

Once admitted to a study abroad program, a non-refundable commitment fee is required to confirm your participation in the program. FSU applicants expecting to receive financial aid including scholarships, grants, and other sources of assistance have the option to submit a legally binding fee deferment form for all or part of the $1,500 commitment fee, with payment of the balance, if any. Non-FSU students may not defer the commitment fee.

Applicants are fee liable for the commitment fee on the commitment fee payment due date.

COMMITMENT FEE PAYMENT DEADLINE

Admitted applicants who have not paid or deferred the non-refundable commitment fee in full by the published commitment fee payment deadline will be ineligible to participate in the program (i.e. International Programs will change the student's status to cancelled and the student will have no further fee liability). Applicants who apply to a program after the regular commitment fee payment deadline has passed must pay or defer the entire commitment fee to be eligible for admittance to a program.

FULL PROGRAM FEE

All admitted applicants must pay or defer the full program fee in accordance with the published full payment date in order to avoid being canceled from the program.

CANCELLATIONS AND WITHDRAWALS

• Admitted applicants who have submitted a written request to cancel from the program by close of business on the full payment due date will be held liable for the $1,500 commitment fee but not the full program fee.
• Admitted applicants who have not paid or deferred in full and who have not submitted a written request to cancel from the program as of the close of business on the full payment due date will be cancelled from the program and will remain liable for the commitment fee previously paid or deferred.
• Fully paid or deferred admitted applicants who have submitted a written request to cancel from the program after close of business on the full payment due date will remain liable for the full program fee.

Florida State University International Programs and Florida State University College of Law (“Florida State”) reserves the right to cancel the Summer Program in Law at Oxford (the “Program”) in the event that enrollment falls substantially below target levels, faculty members are unavailable and cannot be replaced, a change is made in the US Department of State (the “State Department”) advisory level for the United Kingdom, or for other compelling reasons.

• If cancellation of the program occurs after a deposit has been paid, the Program director will use his or her best efforts to make arrangements for each student enrolled to attend a similar program, if the student so desires.
• If changes are made in the course offerings or other significant aspects of the Program (a “Change in the Program”), those changes will be communicated promptly to any students who have paid a deposit or registered for the Program, and an opportunity will be provided for them to withdraw.

The relevant State Department consular information for the United Kingdom is available here. If this information is revised prior to or during the Program, the updated information will be distributed promptly to students

REFUND POLICY

If prior to the commencement of the Program, students withdraw due to a Change in the Program, or if the Program is cancelled, students will receive a full refund of all monies advanced within twenty (20) days after the cancellation or withdrawal. A student will also receive a full refund if prior to the commencement of the Program, if they are subject to an involuntary call to active duty or if they or an immediate family member (parent, legal guardian, spouse, child, or sibling) dies.

If during the course of the Program, students withdraw due to a Change in the Program, or if the Program is terminated, students will be refunded fees paid, except for room and board payments utilized prior to the date of termination or withdrawal.

Partial refunds/partial release of fee liability for program fees may be granted in instances of withdrawal prior to the start of the program under the following circumstances, upon providing appropriate documentation:

• Illness of the student of such a duration or severity that it precludes overseas travel. The student will be required to submit all relevant medical records for review and evaluation by FSU’s University Health Services. University Health Services will advise International Programs’ refund committee of its recommendation. International Programs’ refund committee will notify the student of the decision.
• Exceptional unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the student, as approved by the International Programs refund committee.

REFUND AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY POLICY DETAILS

In evaluating requests, the refund committee considers the timeliness of the notification in relation to the event causing the need for withdrawal and timeliness in relation to the start of the program.

• Refunds or release of liability cannot be granted, under any circumstances other than those outlined above, in instances of withdrawal after a program has begun.
• In no instance is a refund or release of fee liability request considered if it is after the end of the applicable program or semester, even if the cancellation or withdrawal occurred prior to the start of the program.
• Applicants who apply and are accepted after published due dates remain liable for fees in accordance with the published dates.

SUBMITTING CANCELLATIONS AND REFUND/RELEASE FROM FEE LIABILITY REQUESTS

Submit all cancellations and requests for refunds or release from fee liability in writing via email to IP-Cancel@fsu.edu . Applicants should include their last name and program code in the subject line of the email.

Alternatively, requests may be submitted in writing to International Programs at the following postal address:

Attention: Refund Committee
Office of FSU International Programs
A5500 University Center
282 Champions Way
P.O. Box 3062420
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2420