Currently, our refund policy varies by term. Please review the policy below for the term in which you had planned to study.
IES Abroad Refund Policy
Standard Programs* Refund Policies
Suspension of Program Prior to Arrival Date
If IES Abroad suspends or cancels a program prior to its official arrival date, 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.
Student Voluntary Withdrawals
Students who voluntarily withdraw, in writing to their IES Abroad Advisor, from an IES Abroad program 2 weeks before the program’s official published arrival date will receive a refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, minus the $500 Confirmation Deposit.
Students who voluntarily withdraw, in writing to their IES Abroad Advisor, from an IES Abroad program less than 2 weeks before the program’s official published arrival date will receive a refund of recoverable costs equal to the amounts IES Abroad recovers, which may be limited, from the student’s housing, field trip vendors, and our local university partners. Any refunds will be payable in all cases to the party who paid IES Abroad for the service in the first instance pursuant to IES Abroad’s Refund Policy.
Students voluntarily withdrawing after the program’s official arrival date will receive no refund.
Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program due to the individual student or their immediate family member having a serious illness or injury after the program’s arrival date are eligible to receive recoverable cost refunds. All emergency withdrawals must be documented in writing by a physician and approved in advance in consultation with the IES Abroad Dean of Students Office in Chicago.
The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis in the sole discretion of IES Abroad. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees as required under the IES Abroad refund policy.
IES Abroad Internships Guarantee and Related Refund Policy
IES Internships guarantees students a placement in their field of choice, as indicated on their internship application. If we are unable to offer an internship placement in the student’s expressed field of choice, based on interests, qualifications, and needs of the internship host(s), at least two weeks before the program start date, despite their 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).
Suspension of Program After Arrival Date
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 not refundable if students are provided an 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.
Refunds would be calculated on a student by student basis on what IES Abroad is able to recover from each student’s housing and field trip vendors within 4 months of a program suspension, and any refunds will be payable in all cases to the party who paid IES Abroad in the first instance. In some instances, funds may not be in exact proportion to or pro-rated with the period of suspension. The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of IES Abroad.
Dismissal of Student
Any student who is dismissed from a program by IES Abroad after the arrival date for any reason forfeits the possibility of 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
Should a host-country government’s action before our program start date make it impossible for some students to travel to their study abroad destination, IES Abroad would may offer impacted students one of the following three options:
- Participate in our program virtually, taking IES Abroad classes online, until it becomes possible to travel to the study abroad destination. Some partner university classes may not be available online.
- Withdraw from the program before the program start date and receive a full refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, including the Confirmation Deposit.
- Defer to a subsequent term and apply the confirmation deposit to that term. Students who don’t enroll in the next term may be responsible for non-recoverable costs at IES Abroad’s discretion.
IES Abroad's Refund Policy
IES Abroad’s refund policy may differ from your home school’s refund policy. In the event of a conflict, IES Abroad’s policy will take precedence over your home school’s policy. IES Abroad will issue any refunds that are due to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees. You may be subject to different refund policies by your home school.
The following table highlights categories of fees which qualify for refunds and those that do not qualify for refunds per the written policy above:
Tuition |
See policy above for details |
Housing |
See policy above for details |
Supplemental Tuition |
More than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Refundable Less than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded. After the program start date: Not refundable if student is provided an option to continue pursuing credit. |
Health Insurance |
Not refundable after the program start date |
Supplemental Housing |
More than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Refundable Less than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded. After the program start date: Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Visa ACCeSS fee ($125) |
More than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Refundable Less than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded. After the program start date: Not refundable |
Visa ACCeSS consular fee |
Not refundable after visa application is submitted to consulate as part of ACCeSS process |
Visa fees for independently submitted visa applications |
Not Refundable |
Optional Field Trips and Excursions |
More than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Refundable Less than 2 weeks before the arrival date: Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded After the program start date: Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Books |
Not refundable if the student received them |
Transportation Passes |
Not refundable |
Loans to Students |
Not refundable |
Student charges for outstanding items (keys, cleaning fees, damage to housing) |
Not refundable |
Suspension of Program Prior to Arrival Date
If IES Abroad cancels a program prior to its official arrival date 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.
Student Voluntary Withdrawals
Students who voluntarily withdraw, in writing to their IES Abroad Advisor, from an IES Abroad program on or before the program’s official published arrival date will receive a full refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, including the Confirmation Deposit.
Students voluntarily withdrawing after the program’s official arrival date will receive no refund.
Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program due to the individual student or their immediate family member having a serious illness or injury after the program’s arrival date are eligible to receive recoverable cost refunds. All emergency withdrawals must be documented in writing by a physician and approved in advance in consultation with the IES Abroad Dean of Students Office in Chicago.
The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis in the sole discretion of IES Abroad. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees.
Suspension of Program After Arrival Date
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 not refundable if students are provided an 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.
Refunds would be calculated on a student by student basis on what IES Abroad recovers from each student’s housing and field trip vendors, and any refunds will be payable in all cases to the party who paid IES Abroad for the first service in the first instance.
Dismissal of Student
Any student who is dismissed from a program by IES Abroad after the arrival date for any reason forfeits the possibility of 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
Should a host-country government’s action on or before our program start date make it impossible for some students to travel to their study abroad destination, IES Abroad would offer impacted students three options:
- Participate in our program virtually, taking IES Abroad classes online, until it becomes possible to travel to the study abroad destination. Some partner university classes may not be available online.
- Withdraw from the program on or before the program start date and receive a full refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, including the Confirmation Deposit.
- Defer to a subsequent term and apply the confirmation deposit to that term. Students who don’t enroll in the next term may be responsible for non-recoverable costs at IES Abroad’s discretion.
IES Abroad's Refund Policy
IES Abroad’s refund policy may differ from your home school’s refund policy. In the event of a conflict, IES Abroad’s policy will take precedence over your home school’s policy. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees and you may be subject to different refund policies by your home school.
The following table highlights categories of fees which qualify for refunds and those that do not qualify for refunds per the written policy above:
Tuition |
See policy above for details |
Housing |
See policy above for details |
Supplemental Tuition |
Not refundable if student is provided an option to continue pursuing credit |
Health Insurance |
Not refundable after the program start date |
Supplemental Housing |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Visa ACCeSS fee ($125) |
Refundable for withdrawn students on or before the program start date |
Visa ACCeSS consular fee |
Not refundable after visa application is submitted to consulate as part of ACCeSS process |
Visa fees for independently submitted visa applications |
Not Refundable |
Optional Field Trips and Excursions |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Books |
Not refundable if the student received them |
Transportation Passes |
Not refundable |
Loans to Students |
Not refundable |
Student charges for outstanding items (keys, cleaning fees, damage to housing) |
Not refundable |
Suspension of Program Prior to Arrival Date
If IES Abroad cancels a program prior to its official arrival date 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.
Student Voluntary Withdrawals
Students who voluntarily withdraw, in writing to their IES Abroad Advisor, from an IES Abroad program on or before the program’s official published arrival date will receive a full refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, including the Confirmation Deposit.
Students voluntarily withdrawing after the program’s official arrival date will receive no refund.
Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program due to the individual student or their immediate family member having a serious illness or injury after the program’s arrival date are eligible to receive recoverable cost refunds. All emergency withdrawals must be documented in writing by a physician and approved in advance in consultation with the IES Abroad Dean of Students Office in Chicago.
The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis in the sole discretion of IES Abroad. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees.
Suspension of Program After Arrival Date
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 not refundable if students are provided an 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.
Refunds would be calculated on a student by student basis on what IES Abroad is able to recover from each student’s housing and field trip vendors, and any refunds will be payable in all cases to the party who paid IES Abroad in the first instance.
Dismissal of Student
Any student who is dismissed from a program by IES Abroad after the arrival date for any reason forfeits the possibility of 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
Should a host-country government’s action on or before our program start date make it impossible for some students to travel to their study abroad destination, IES Abroad would offer impacted students three options:
- Participate in our program virtually, taking IES Abroad classes online, until it becomes possible to travel to the study abroad destination. Some partner university classes may not be available online.
- Withdraw from the program on or before the program start date and receive a full refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, including the Confirmation Deposit.
- Defer to a subsequent term and apply the confirmation deposit to that term. Students who don’t enroll in the next term may be responsible for non-recoverable costs at IES Abroad’s discretion.
IES Abroad's Refund Policy
IES Abroad’s refund policy may differ from your home school’s refund policy. In the event of a conflict, IES Abroad’s policy will take precedence over your home school’s policy. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees and you may be subject to different refund policies by your home school.
The following table highlights categories of fees which qualify for refunds and those that do not qualify for refunds per the written policy above:
Tuition |
See policy above for details |
Housing |
See policy above for details |
Supplemental Tuition |
Not refundable if student is provided an option to continue pursuing credit |
Health Insurance |
Not refundable |
Supplemental Housing |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Visa ACCeSS fee ($125) |
Refundable for withdrawn students on or before the program start date |
Visa ACCeSS consular fee |
Not refundable after visa application is submitted to consulate as part of ACCeSS process |
Visa fees for independently submitted visa applications |
Not Refundable |
Optional Field Trips and Excursions |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Books |
Not refundable if the student received them |
Transportation Passes |
Not refundable |
Loans to Students |
Not refundable |
Student charges for outstanding items (keys, cleaning fees, damage to housing) |
Not refundable |
Cancellations and Program Start Dates
If IES Abroad cancels a program prior to its official arrival date 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.
Student Voluntary Withdrawals
Students who voluntarily withdraw from an IES Abroad program on or before the program’s official published arrival date will receive a full refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, including the Confirmation Deposit.
Students voluntarily withdrawing after the program’s official arrival date will receive no refund. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees.
Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program due to the individual student or their immediate family member having a serious illness or injury after the program’s arrival date are eligible to receive recoverable cost refunds. All emergency withdrawals must be documented in writing by a physician and approved in advance in consultation with the IES Abroad Dean of Students Office in Chicago.
The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis in the sole discretion of IES Abroad.
Suspension of Program After Arrival Date
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 not refundable if students are provided an 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.
Refunds would be calculated on a student by student basis on what IES Abroad is able to recover from each student’s housing and field trip vendors, and any refunds will be payable in all cases to the party who paid IES Abroad in the first instance.
Dismissal of Student
Any student who is dismissed from a program by IES Abroad after the arrival date for any reason forfeits the possibility of 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
Should a host-country government’s action on or before our program start date make it impossible for some students to travel to their study abroad destination, IES Abroad would offer impacted students three options:
- Participate in our program virtually, taking IES Abroad classes online, until it becomes possible to travel to the study abroad destination. Some partner university classes may not be available online.
- Withdraw from the program and receive a recoverable cost refund from IES Abroad.
- Defer to a subsequent term and apply the confirmation deposit to that term. Students who don’t enroll in the next term may be responsible for non-recoverable costs at IES Abroad’s discretion.
IES Abroad's Refund Policy
IES Abroad’s refund policy may differ from your home school’s refund policy. In the event of a conflict, IES Abroad’s policy will take precedence over your home school’s policy. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party who paid IES Abroad for those fees and you may be subject to different refund policies by your home school.
The following table highlights categories of fees which qualify for refunds and those that do not qualify for refunds per the written policy above:
Tuition |
See policy above for details |
Housing |
See policy above for details |
Supplemental Tuition |
Not refundable if student is provided an option to continue pursuing credit |
Health Insurance |
Not refundable |
Supplemental Housing |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Visa ACCeSS fee ($125) |
Refundable on or before the program start date |
Visa ACCeSS consular fee | Not refundable after visa application is submitted to consulate as part of ACCeSS process |
Visa fees for independently submitted visa applications | Not Refundable |
Optional Field Trips and Excursions |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Books |
Not refundable if the student received them |
Transportation Passes |
Not refundable |
Loans to Students |
Not refundable |
Student charges for outstanding items (keys, cleaning fees, damage to housing) |
Not refundable |
If IES Abroad cancels a program prior to its official arrival date 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.
Students who voluntarily withdraw from an IES Abroad program more than 14 days before the program’s official published arrival date will receive a full refund of the program fees then paid to IES Abroad to date, including the Confirmation Deposit. Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program less than 14 days before the program’s official arrival date will be eligible for a refund of recoverable costs as determined by IES Abroad at the time of their written withdrawal notice. Students voluntarily withdrawing on or after the program’s official arrival date will receive no refund. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party that paid IES Abroad for those fees.
Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program due to the individual student or their family member having a serious illness or injury after the program’s arrival date are eligible to receive recoverable cost refunds. All emergency withdrawals must be documented in writing by a physician and approved in advance in consultation with the IES Abroad Dean of Students Office in Chicago. The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis in the sole discretion of IES Abroad.
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 not refundable if students are provided an 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 may be eligible for a refund of recoverable tuition costs.
Any student who is dismissed by IES Abroad after the arrival date for any program for any reason forfeits the possibility of any refund, including without limitation a refund of used or unused expenses, as well as the comprehensive program fee.
The following table highlights categories of fees which qualify for refunds and those that do not qualify for refunds per the written policy above:
Tuition |
See policy above for details |
Housing |
See policy above for details |
Supplemental Tuition |
Not refundable if student is provided an option to continue pursuing credit |
Health Insurance |
Not refundable |
Supplemental Housing |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Visa/Residence Fees |
Not refundable |
Optional Field Trips and Excursions |
Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES Abroad will be refunded |
Books |
Not refundable if the student received them |
Transportation Passes |
Not refundable |
Loans to Students |
Not refundable |
Student charges for outstanding items (keys, cleaning fees, damage to housing) |
Not refundable |
Students who voluntarily withdraw from an IES Abroad program more than 14 days before the program’s official published arrival date will receive a full refund of the program fees, including the non-refundable Confirmation Deposit. Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program less than 14 days before the program’s official arrival date will be eligible for a refund of recoverable costs as determined by IES Abroad at the time of their written withdrawal notice. Students voluntarily withdrawing on or after the program’s official arrival date will receive no refund. IES Abroad will issue all refunds to the party that paid IES Abroad for those fees.
Students voluntarily withdrawing from a program due to a serious illness or injury or a serious family medical emergency (not pandemic related) after the program’s arrival date are eligible to receive recoverable cost refunds. All emergency withdrawals must be documented in writing by a physician and approved in advance in consultation with the IES Abroad Dean of Students Office in Chicago. The amount of any possible recoverable cost refund will be determined on a case-by-case basis in the sole discretion of IES Abroad.
If IES Abroad cancels a program prior to its official arrival date due to a lack of a sufficient number of students to effectively run the program, then IES Abroad will issue a full refund, including the non-refundable Confirmation Deposit, to the paying party.
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 expenses from its vendors. Tuition is not refundable if students are provided an option to continue pursuing courses for credit. In cases where IES Abroad is not able to provide an option for students to continue pursuing credit, students may be eligible for a refund of recoverable tuition costs.
Any student who is dismissed by IES Abroad after the arrival date for any program for any reason forfeits the possibility of any refund, including without limitation a refund of used or unused expenses, as well as the comprehensive program fee.
The following table highlights categories of fees which qualify for refunds and those that do not qualify for refunds:
Supplemental Tuition | Not refundable if student is provided an option to continue pursuing credit |
Health Insurance | Not refundable |
Supplemental Housing | Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES will be refunded |
Visa/Residence Fees | Not refundable |
Optional Field Trips and Excursions | Only recoverable costs actually recovered by IES will be refunded |
Books | Not refundable if the student received them |
Transportation Passes | Not refundable |
Loans to Students | Not refundable |
Student charges for outstanding items (keys, cleaning fees, damage to housing) | Not refundable |
In response to the unprecedented impact of coronavirus, for all upcoming Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 standard study abroad and internship programs only, IES Abroad will issue full refund of our program fees (including the $500 Confirmation Deposit) for any payment submitted directly to IES Abroad for students who decide to withdraw up to the day before the program’s official published arrival date. Arrival dates can be found on the public-facing program webpages on our website.
Under this plan, IES Abroad will provide a full refund to the paying party—whether that is the student or home school. We encourage students who submit payments for their IES Abroad program to their home college or university to contact their study abroad office on campus to confirm what is refundable from their home school in this case. If you pay IES Abroad directly, this full refund is automatically applied upon withdrawal from your program.
This policy means that IES Abroad—not students, parents, or schools—will bear those costs billed by IES Abroad in the event of a last-minute withdrawal from Summer or Fall 2020 programs.
Stay Up-to-Date
IES Abroad’s Crisis Management Team is still actively and closely monitoring the ongoing impact of COVID-19.

*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.