Refund, Cancellation, and Withdrawal Policies for Northwestern Summer Programs

Withdrawal Policy

If a student chooses to withdraw from a Northwestern University summer study abroad program, he or she must inform the Study Abroad Office in writing immediately.

In such an event, the following policies apply:

  • The $1,000.00 program deposit is not refundable, unless the student is not accepted to participate in the program.
  • If an accepted student chooses to withdraw prior to a program's commencement:
    He or she will be responsible for paying any unrecoverable program costs that the Northwestern Study Abroad Office or the program has incurred on his or her behalf. Such costs may include, but are not limited to: pre-paid meals, pre-paid room or housing reservation deposits, airline deposits or airline tickets, bus rental fees, and payments for guides. Thus, even if the student has not yet paid the full program balance and does not attend the program, he or she may be responsible for paying these unrecoverable program costs. Therefore, it is in the student's best interest to notify the Study Abroad Office immediately upon making a decision to withdraw in order to minimize unrecoverable expenses made on the student's behalf.
  • If an a student chooses to withdraw after a program's commencement for any reason, including academic or conduct:
    No refunds will be given. In addition, any student who withdraws before completion of the program may not be eligible to receive academic credit from the program.
  • If a student is required to return to the U.S. after a program's commencement due to serious illness, death, or death within the immediate family:
    The Study Abroad Office will make every effort to refund recoverable costs to the student.
  • If a students chooses not to participate in a program activity (such as a field trip, excursion, cultural event, included meals, etc.):
    No portion of the program cost will be refunded.
  • If a student is dismissed from a program due to behavioral, academic, legal, or other related issues:
    No refunds will be given.
  • Note: Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Financial Aid Office for information about how withdrawing from a summer program would affect their federal, state, or institutional aid.

Program Cancellation Policy

Because student safety is of critical importance, Northwestern University reserves the right to cancel any Northwestern sponsored summer program in a location that is considered unsafe by the University or for which the U.S. Department of State has issued a Travel Warning. The Study Abroad Office regularly reviews information provided by the U.S. Department of State and monitors other sources, such as announcements from the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), for information about the countries where Northwestern students are or will be studying.

In such an event, the following policies apply:

  • If Northwestern cancels a program for safety reasons prior to departure or after commencement of the program:
    The Study Abroad Office will make every effort to refund recoverable program costs to the participants. Unrecoverable program expenses (e.g., airline deposits, excursion expenses, housing fees or reservation deposits) cannot be refunded.
  • If Northwestern cancels a program after it has commenced due to safety concerns, an emergency, or an act of God:
    The Study Abroad Office will make every effort to help students complete the academic work from the program and, depending on the circumstances, possibly earn the intended academic credit from the program. Whether or not this is possible depends largely on the particular program, the circumstances of the academic work of the program, and the length of time remaining in the program after the official cancellation date.
  • If Northwestern cancels a program for reasons other than safety, including under-enrollment:
    The Study Abroad Office will make every effort to refund recoverable program costs to the participants.
  • Note:
    • The Financial Aid Office will review program cancellations on a case-by-case basis for students who are receiving financial aid.
    • Because full refunds are often not possible, students may wish to consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance that can be obtained through many travel agents or insurance companies. Policies vary on when trip cancellation insurance must be purchased, so students should check with travel insurance providers for more details.
    • All students participating in a Northwestern summer program are required to purchase HTH insurance before departure. In the event that a program is cancelled, students should review the HTH Trip Cancellation Insurance.