Withdrawal policy

Students who withdraw from the study abroad programme may be subject to a charge.  

Students who secure a place on the 2024/25 study abroad programme but subsequently withdraw after Friday 1 March 2024 and before taking up their placement abroad, will be charged £100 except in exceptional circumstances for which supporting evidence will be required. This policy applies to open exchange, subject-based exchange and Horizon exchange destinations. Withdrawals must be made in writing by email to the Global Opportunities Team. Withdrawals are final and cannot be reversed.

Important: Failure to pay the withdrawal fee when instructed to do so will result in the debt being added to your university account. 

Exceptional circumstances that would normally waive the withdrawal fee include:

  • personal illness preventing travel (eg doctor’s note)
  • health concerns relating to travel to the destination country
  • illness of close family member/partner
  • bereavement 
  • extreme changes in circumstances between the date of application and date of withdrawal (eg financial problems due to a close family member being made redundant)
  • withdrawal for academic reasons (eg School withdrawing support for the application due to unsatisfactory academic performance, or August resits preventing attendance)
  • war, or other civil unrest in the destination country 
  • prolonged industrial action in the destination country
  • travel restrictions preventing travel to the destination country
  • the host university’s cancellation of their exchange programme, or moving the programme fully online
  • students on a compulsory language study abroad programme