Payment and Refund Policy

Program Fee Payment Schedule

Year and semester programs departing July-September:

  Payment: When the Payment is Due:
  $200 application fee  When you submit your application
  $500 deposit  Upon AFS-USA completion of application review
  $1,500 installment  By April 1 or within 20 days of receipt of your invoice, whichever comes later.
  Remaining Balance  By May 1 or receipt of your invoice, whichever comes later.

 

Year and semester programs departing January – March:

  Payment: When the Payment is Due:
  $200 application fee  When you submit your application
  $500 deposit  Upon AFS-USA completion of application review
  $1,500 installment  By November 1 or within 20 days of receipt of your invoice, whichever comes later.
  Remaining Balance  By December 1 or upon receipt of your invoice, whichever comes later.

 

Summer programs departing June – July:

  Payment: When the Payment is Due:
  $200 application fee  When you submit your application
  $500 deposit  Upon AFS-USA completion of application review
  $1,500 installment  By March 1 or within 20 days of receipt of your invoice, whichever comes later.
Remaining balance By April 1 or upon receipt of your invoice, whichever comes later

 

Global Prep programs departing June – August:

  Payment: When the Payment is Due:
  $200 application fee  When you submit your application
  $500 program fee deposit  Upon  application  being sent abroad to partner office
  $1,100 installment  Within 30 days of receipt of your invoice or within 3 weeks of departure, whichever comes first
Remaining balance By 2 weeks before your departure date

Important Notes:

  • Students will not be able to depart without paying the program fee in full.*
  • Delays in student departures may occur due to circumstances beyond the control of AFS-USA, such as changes in visa processes or other regulations here or abroad.
  • Participation fees for programs are not based upon the length of the program.
  • Fees will not be prorated or discounted if departures are delayed.
  • AFS will impose late-payment penalties as appropriate.
  • All programs, prices, and travel dates are subject to change without notice.
  • If a payment date falls on a weekend, the payment is due the next business day.

*Full scholarship students: Please see the fee schedule specific to your scholarship in the payment schedule addendum of the Participation Agreement.

Refund Policy:

Application fee: Non-refundable
Program deposit: Non-refundable unless:

  • The student’s application is not accepted by AFS.
  • The student doesn’t receive their host family’s name or address  two weeks prior to departure, and decides to withdraw as a result.
  • If AFS cancels a program and does not provide an acceptable alternative.

For program payments beyond the deposit:

  More than 60 days prior to departure:  Program fee payments in excess of the  deposit are fully refundable.
  Within 60 days of departure:  You will be responsible to pay a cancellation fee equal to 20% of the  full program fee. The remainder is refundable.
  After departure:  Full program fee is non-refundable.

 

    • In circumstances when the deposit is refundable, program fee payments are also refundable.
    • If you receive a scholarship that covers any portion of your program fee after having already paid it, AFS will issue a refund accordingly.

​