UFIC Program Fee, Deposit, and Administrative Charge Refund Policies

If you are using Financial Aid to pay for your Study Abroad program, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to determine your financial aid eligibility BEFORE paying the non-refundable deposit or administrative charge. If you are relying on scholarships to pay for your program, please note that scholarships are not guaranteed, and a backup plan is recommended.

Deposit/Administrative Charge Transfer

All deposits and administrative charges are non-refundable. However, if you choose to withdraw from a program you may be eligible to transfer the deposit/administrative charge to another program one time up to one year after the withdrawn term. Deposit/administrative charge transfer requests must be submitted in writing to your Study Abroad Advisor at the time of your withdrawal. Deposit/Administrative Charges are not transferable without written notification. Please contact your Study Abroad Advisor to find out if you are eligible to transfer your deposit/administrative charge payment.

UFIC Cancellation and Refund Policies for UF Sponsored Programs

In order for UFIC to cancel/withdraw your application, you must notify your Study Abroad Advisor in writing; email notification is acceptable. Please note we cannot process your cancellation/withdrawal if you solely notify your program director, academic advisor or professor. It is your responsibility to notify your UFIC Study Abroad Advisor in writing of your decision. We count the day UFIC receives written notification as the date of your cancellation/withdrawal.

Students with a Pre-Approved application who cancel or withdraw within 90 days of their program’s start date may be fee liable*. Your fee liability will depend on the amount of non-refundable payments UFIC has made on your behalf at the time of your cancellation/withdrawal. Please speak with your Study Abroad Advisor to determine your fee liability, as various factors can affect this amount (i.e. exact date of withdrawal, contractual obligations to program partners, etc.).

*If your UFIC application is Pre-Approved within 90 days of your program's start date, you have one week to withdraw without penalty (deposits remain non-refundable). After this one-week grace period, the aforementioned policy applies.
 
No refund will be given if a student is dismissed for misconduct (violation of UF Student Conduct Code, host institution conduct code, host country laws, alcohol/drug abuse, etc.). All refund requests will be reviewed by the Associate Director of Study Abroad.
 
UF will not refund airfare or other costs incurred as a result of program changes or cancellations. Students should keep this in mind if purchasing non-refundable tickets and should consider purchasing cancellation insurance to reduce risk.

Optional Trip Interruption or Cancellation Insurance

UFIC strongly encourages all students to purchase supplemental trip insurance that covers cancellation for any reason (CFAR) and interruption for any reason (IFAR). An example of this type of insurance is the Worldwide Trip Protector Plans through Travel Insured International. However, you should do your own research and select a provider/plan that is best for you. Please note that this type of insurance is different than international health insurance plans included in most study abroad programs. CFAR and IFAR plans help protect your financial investment in study abroad should unexpected circumstances arise affecting your participation, especially if you are forced to withdraw but remain fee liable for your program. 

UF Sponsored Program Cancellation/Modifications

The University of Florida International Center reserves the right to cancel a program before it has started. Any student that withdrew prior to the cancellation of the program will NOT be eligible for a refund of their program deposit if their application was Pending at the time of withdrawal. Students with Pre-Approved or APPROVED applications will automatically be refunded the deposit. 

UFIC and associated host institutions reserve the right to make changes, modifications or substitutions to the program in cases of changes at host site locations or in the interest of the program and its participants.

Medical Withdrawal Policy (by program type)

Students (or immediate family members) experiencing illness or injury of such severity or duration that renders them unable to participate in a Study Abroad program may be eligible for a medical withdrawal.
 
UF Sponsored Programs

Refunds for medical withdrawals from UF Sponsored programs will be handled in accordance with UFIC policies.

  • A written request for medical withdrawal, accompanied by a physician’s note, must be submitted in writing to the Associate Director of Study Abroad Services or the student’s Study Abroad Advisor.
  • Deposits paid to UFIC for UF Sponsored programs may be refunded.
  • For medical withdrawal before the program start date, or before the start of classes within the program dates, students may be eligible for a refund up to 100% of the UF in-state undergraduate tuition. Please keep in mind that 100% of tuition is only a small portion of the actual program fee, for which you might still be held liable. 
  • For medical withdrawal after the start of the program, and/or after classes begin, students may be eligible for a refund up to 75% of the UF in-state undergraduate tuition.
  • Refunds will not be issued for unrecoverable program costs paid on behalf of the student. This may include, but is not limited to, accommodations, group dinners, local transportation, and organized excursions. Depending on the date of withdrawal, non-recoverable program costs can be substantial, especially in the case of last-minute withdrawals. As previously mentioned above, UFIC strongly encourages all students to purchase supplemental trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance for this reason.

UF Exchange Programs

Refunds for medical withdrawals from UF Exchange programs will be handled in accordance with UF policies. https://care.dso.ufl.edu/medical-petition-portal/. 

  • A written request for medical withdrawal, accompanied by a physician’s note, must be submitted in writing to the Associate Director of Study Abroad Services or the student’s Study Abroad Advisor.
  • Administrative charges paid to UF Study Abroad Services for exchange programs may be refunded.

Non-UF Programs

Refunds for medical withdrawals from Non-UF programs are at the discretion of the third-party program provider or host institution. 

  • A written request for medical withdrawal, accompanied by a physician’s note, must be submitted in writing to the Associate Director of Study Abroad Services or the student’s Study Abroad Advisor.
  • Administrative charges paid to UFIC for Non-UF programs may be refunded.

Please Note:

  • Students with pre-existing medical conditions of such severity or duration that may result in interruption from their Study Abroad program are encouraged to seek medical clearance from their medical provider before committing to a Study Abroad program.
  • Withdrawal from a course or program after the program has begun may have implications for financial aid and some scholarships. Please consult with the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Ineligibility after Acceptance

If program participants have been accepted into a program and fail to pass a class that is a requirement for the approved program, students will be responsible for payments that have already been made on their behalf. This is also true for students who receive a judicial hold after being accepted into a program. Students will also be responsible for airfare, passport, or visa costs they might have incurred.

Early Departure from Program and/or Evacuation

Should program participants need to depart the program early or need to be evacuated from the program location for reasons such as a U.S. Department of State travel advisory, armed conflict, natural disaster, health problems, etc., the participant will be responsible for any additional travel and related costs that may be incurred. Any refund of program fees will be based on recoverable costs. Again, please consider purchasing supplemental trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance.

Dismissal from Program 

If a program participant is dismissed from a program due to conduct issues, no portion of the program fee or deposit is refundable. 

 
Students on financial aid must adhere to all refund policies and deadlines as stated by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.