IES Abroad Refund Policy

We plan for the what ifs so that you don't have to worry. That's why our team of experts has curated a refund policy* that keeps your best interest in mind.

Suspension of program prior to arrival

If IES Abroad suspends or cancels a program prior to its official arrival date for any reason other than a Force Majeure¹ event, then IES Abroad will issue a full refund of monies then paid to IES Abroad to date for the program, including the Confirmation Deposit, to the paying party.
If IES Abroad suspends or cancels a program prior to its official arrival date due to a Force Majeure¹ event, IES Abroad will issue a refund of all recoverable monies paid to IES Abroad to date.

Program Fee Terms

What's included in the "program fee"?: Tuition, housing (option 1), and health insurance.

The following terms will apply in the event of Student cancellation of enrollment or withdrawal from Program after confirmation. Notice of cancellation or withdrawal must be made in writing via email to the student’s IES Abroad Advisor. In such scenarios, refunds are available as follows:

• All cancellations must be submitted in writing to the Student’s IES Abroad Advisor.
• Refunds are issued only to the original paying party.
• Emergency withdrawals require medical documentation and approval by the IES Abroad Office of Student Life, Health and Safety.
• The amount of any refund is determined at the sole discretion of IES Abroad.

Independent Housing Fees

IES Abroad Housing fees are fully refundable if a Student has submitted an Independent Housing approval form through the IES student portal by the posted deadline. If the Student submits an Independent Housing approval form after the posted deadline, through the student portal, housing fees may be partially refundable, per the table below.

IES Abroad Internships Guarantee and Related Refund Policy

IES Internships guarantees students a placement in their fields of choice, as indicated on their internship application. If we are unable to offer an internship placement in the student’s expressed fields of choice, based on interests, qualifications, and needs of the internship host(s), at least two weeks before the program start date, despite their full participation in the process and satisfaction of all program requirements, then the student has the option to receive a refund of the full amount paid to IES Internships or the chance to transfer to an IES Abroad program of comparable length and value in the same location (subject to satisfying applicable visa requirements and IES Internships’ academic program requirements).

• A student who declines an IES internship placement in the field of choice stated on their application will be subject to the same refund eligibility rules that apply to IES Signature programs, outlined throughout this policy in tables above and below.
• If a Student is dismissed from their internship by the Host Employer due to misconduct or violation of policy, no refund is available.

Suspension of Program After Arrival

If IES Abroad suspends a program after its official arrival date, IES Abroad will issue recoverable cost refunds to the paying party for housing and field trips, but only if and when IES Abroad has recovered actual refunds from its vendors.

Tuition is deemed fully earned once instruction begins and is not refundable if students are provided the option to continue pursuing courses for credit, either in person or online.

In cases where IES Abroad is not able to provide an option for students to continue pursuing credit online or in person, students will be eligible for a refund of recoverable tuition costs with respect to the courses they started but were unable to pursue either online or in person.

All refund determinations are final once issued and are not subject to appeal.

Dismissal of Student

Any student who is dismissed from a program by IES Abroad after the arrival date for any reason is ineligible for any refund, including without limitation a refund of used or unused expenses, as well as the comprehensive program fee.

Actions by Government in Host Country

Actions by a host country’s government may constitute a force majeure event. In such cases, refund eligibility is governed by Force Majeure terms, and any refunds are limited to recoverable costs in accordance with this policy. Additionally, IES Abroad will endeavor to offer impacted students one of the following options:

1. Virtual Participation
   Participation in the program virtually, including enrollment in IES Abroad courses online, until it becomes possible to travel to the program destination. Some partner university courses may not be available online.
2. Withdrawal Prior to Program Start
   Withdrawal from the program before the program start date, with eligibility for a refund limited to recoverable costs, as determined in accordance with this policy and the Force Majeure provision above.
3. Deferral
   Deferral to a subsequent term, with application of the confirmation deposit to that term. Students who do not enroll in the subsequent term may be responsible for any nonrecoverable costs incurred by IES Abroad, at IES Abroad’s discretion.

Additional Charges (not included in Base Program Fees)

IES Abroad’s refund policy will supersede your home school’s refund policy. IES Abroad will issue any refunds that are due under our policy to the party who paid IES Abroad directly. Funds returned to student may vary subject to the refund policy of your home school.

The table below summarizes how the refund policy applies to specific categories of fees. All refunds are subject to the recoverability of costs and are determined at the sole discretion of IES Abroad.

*This policy applies to study abroad and internship programs offered through IES Abroad and IES Internships. It does not include programming offered through Customized & Faculty-Led Programs.

¹Force majeure events include, but are not limited to: acts of God, natural disasters, pandemics, epidemics, war or regional conflict resulting in State Department Level 4 designation in program location, terrorism, civil unrest, government actions, border closures, visa restrictions, public health emergencies, transportation disruptions, labor strikes, or any other events beyond IES Abroad’s reasonable control. IES Abroad reserves the right to modify, postpone, suspend, or cancel programs and services without liability for nonrecoverable costs. Nonrecoverable costs, including but not limited to tuition/administrative fees of foreign institutions and payments retained by housing vendors, are not refundable.