Prior to making the decision to withdraw, students are strongly advised to consult with the sponsoring university or program abroad as well as their Washington University Global Programs coordinator fully understand the financial and academic consequences of withdrawing. Decisions that a student might make after they have committed to study abroad program or once the program is in operation regarding his/her individual participation and continuation in a program are personal and the student is individually responsible for the personal decision to withdraw from a program or return home early. Students should be aware that the courses available to them for the semester on-campus may be limited due to the late date of subsequent registration.
Please completely review the following information and the Withdrawal Procedure below.
A student who must withdraw from a study abroad program due to emergency or illness should contact Global Programs for assistance and instructions as soon as possible.
Withdraw Policy
Submit Withdrawal Notification to Olin Global Programs| If a student decides to withdraw, notification of the withdrawal must be sent to Olin Global Programs in writing as soon as the decision is made. Unless the student is incapacitated, the notification must come directly from the student and include the student’s name, Washington University student ID number, program sponsor, program location, date, and reason for withdrawal. The date of the request may affect the student’s enrollment status at Washington University and the amount of the student’s refund, if any. See the refund policy for clarification. Notification to the student’s academic advisor, undergraduate school, or any other Washington University or non-WUSTL administrative office does not constitute withdrawal from study abroad status. In order to be considered valid, the request to withdraw must be received and acknowledged by Global Programs.
Submit Withdrawal Notification to Host Institution| The student must also notify the host institution, program provider or sponsor of the decision to withdraw following the guidelines set forth by the host institution or program provider. The student should also contact his or her academic advisor about the decision to return to Washington University for the semester and ensure that any holds are removed from the student’s account in order to register for Washington University classes. Program Dismissal| There are circumstances under which study abroad program providers, program coordinators, and host institutions have the authority to dismiss a student from a study abroad program. These circumstances include but are not limited to the following:
- Students who do not pass INTL 300A, Planning for International Learning
- Students whose conduct prior to departure or while on the program is deemed undesirable and whose actions are in violation of the host institution, study abroad program provider, or Washington University’s Student Code of Conduct will be dismissed from the program and subject to campus disciplinary reviews.
- Students whose conduct is in violation of the rules and guidelines of the sponsoring overseas institution.
- Students whose conduct is in violation of regulations set forth by the resident director.
- Students whose conduct is in violation of the foreign country’s civil and/or criminal statutes.
Students dismissed from the program will receive no credit for their academic work and will be considered as not having completed the program. In addition, no refund of program fees will be issued. See the refund policy for further details. Financial Ramifications| Upon admission, students digitally sign an “Intent to Participate,” also known as “Program Commitment.” This confirms the student’s commitment to participate and allows Washington University to begin making reservations and/or make payment on the student’s behalf. Regardless of where students are in the application or abroad process, students must follow the withdraw policy and may be financially liable for non-recoverable fees prepaid by Washington University on the student’s behalf (i.e., tuition, housing deposits, orientation fees, language courses, insurance premiums, etc.).
Students may be subject to the withdrawal fees and policies of the sponsoring university or program provider. The withdrawing student is responsible for paying cancellation fees and or non-refundable deposits directly to Washington University. Washington University cannot influence or alter the withdrawal policies of other universities, program providers, or program sponsors.
If a student’s withdrawal is caused by unanticipated extenuating circumstances, exceptions to the refund policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The student may still be liable for any non-recoverable fees Washington University has already paid to the program provider or host institution abroad on the student’s behalf. See the Refund Policy for clarification.
Financial Aid Recipients| Students receiving financial aid who are considering withdrawing from semester study abroad are strongly encouraged to consult a Financial Aid Advisor to review the impact that a withdrawal will have on their financial aid package at Washington University. They must also notify Student Financial Services of the decision to remain or return to WU. Academic Credit for Courses Abroad| If a student withdraws from the program before the end of the semester abroad and is unable to complete enough work to earn final grades in the classes taken abroad, no credit will be granted for the semester abroad.
If the withdrawal is due to unanticipated extenuating circumstances, it may be possible for the student to earn grades for classes begun abroad through alternative forms of assessment. With the approval of the host institution abroad and/or the program sponsor, and relevant WU faculty, and the Global Programs coordinator, the student may be permitted to take proctored exams at WU and/or submit assignments to the program abroad upon return to the U.S.
Options cannot be guaranteed| It is important that a student considering withdrawal first consults both the Global Programs coordinator and the international office staff of his or her program abroad to fully understand the academic consequences of withdrawing.
Withdrawal Procedure
See the information on the Withdraw Policy and the Refund Policy.
Withdrawal before Olin Global Programs application deadline | Students wishing to withdraw their application from being considered for approval to participate in a study abroad program prior to the Washington University published application deadline must change their online application status to “Withdrawn” by clicking the WITHDRAW button on their application home page.
Withdrawal before acceptance to the program | Students wishing to withdraw their application after the Washington University application deadline and prior to acceptance into the program must send an email to their Global Programs coordinator requesting to withdraw the application. A reason for the withdrawal must be included in the email.
Withdrawal before committing to the program | Students wishing to withdraw their application after having been approved for participation in a study abroad program must decline their offer by clicking the DECLINE Offer button on their application page.
Withdrawal after committing to the program (abroad) | If a student has to withdraw after having committed to participating and before the program begins, the student must notify an Olin Global Programs Coordinator in writing and include a reason for withdrawing. The date on which the notice is received by Global Programs staff will be the Washington University official date of withdrawal. Students must also notify their program provider in accordance with the provider’s policy.
Cancellation and other fees (abroad programs) | If the withdrawal occurs prior to September 15 for Spring programs and prior to April 1 for Fall/Academic year programs, financial consequences are likely to be limited to any non-refundable deposit guaranteed or paid by Washington University on the student’s behalf is non-refundable. Students may be responsible for other fees even if at the time of withdrawal charges have not yet been posted to the Student Account. Any dates listed on a program’s Statement of Responsibility subsede dates listed here.
Cancellation and other fees (domestic programs) | Students withdrawing from a domestic study away program are subject to the same withdraw and refund policies as all other Global Programs. Reservations for these programs often need to be made immediately upon receipt of a student’s “Intent to Participate.” Students may be responsible for expenses made on their behalf even if at the time of withdrawal charges have not yet been posted to the Student Account.
Withdrawal after the program begins | If a student has to withdraw after the program begins, the student must:
Notify Olin Global Programs | Send a written withdrawal request to Global Programs with a reason for withdrawal. The date of the request may affect the student’s enrollment status at Washington University and the amount of the student’s refund, if any.
Notify Program Provider | Notify the program provider or sponsor of the decision to withdraw following the guidelines set forth by the program.
Contact Advisor | Contact his or her academic advisor about the decision to return to Washington University for the semester and ensure that any holds are removed from the student’s account in order to register for Washington University classes. Students should be aware that the courses available to them for the semester may be limited due to the late date of their subsequent registration.
Contact Student Financial Services | If the student receives any type of financial assistance, he or she must also notify Student Financial Services of the decision to return to Washington University.