Study Abroad Withdrawal Policy
As soon as Swarthmore makes a non-refundable payment on the student's behalf (e.g., deposit, part or full payment for tuition and/or room and/or board and/or any other program costs), or obligates same, and/or as soon as Swarthmore has paid for round-trip travel in association their program, the student is obligated to pay the College full Swarthmore tuition, room, and board for the semester or year abroad (less whatever may be covered by financial aid).
Failure to meet this condition will comprise an unfulfilled financial obligation on the student's part to the College. So long as the obligation remains unfulfilled, the student may be denied re-enrollment by the College; the Registrar’s Office will not release the student's transcript; and the student will not be permitted to receive a degree from Swarthmore College.
Before a Program Begins
If a student elects to withdraw from a semester/year abroad program before the program begins, the student assumes financial responsibility for the expenses that the College has either paid out, or is obligated to pay, on behalf of the student. The student must repay the College the unrecoverable portion of the paid out and/or obligated amounts, and must repay any travel and/or meal and/or lodgings allowance that have been advanced, before the student will be permitted to re-enroll at the College, receive an official transcript, or be graduated from the College. Financial aid will not be available for this purpose.
After a Program Starts
If the student withdraws after the program is underway, any adjustment of billed tuition, room, and board, due to involuntary or voluntary withdrawal can only be made after all financial obligations due the program have been collected, as verified by the Global Engagement Office (GEO). Once the unrecoverable portion of the paid out and/or obligated amounts have been met (these include but are not limited to the payment of tuition, room and board and travel allowances), College charges will be reduced in a manner consistent with the charge reduction/withdrawal policy for tuition, room, and board set forth in the Swarthmore College Bulletin. If the student has received a cash advance for meals and/or lodgings and/or round-trip travel expenses, the unused part must be returned to the college before the student will be permitted to re-enroll at the college, and before the Registrar’s Office will release the student's transcript, and/or the student can be graduated from the College.
College-Mandated Withdrawals
If the student is required by the College for any reason to withdraw from study abroad and/or to withdraw from Swarthmore College before or after being accepted by a study abroad program, the student will be ineligible to participate in semester/year aborad until and unless readmitted to Swarthmore. In this event, the student will be obliged to pay to Swarthmore the unrecoverable portion of any amount paid or obligated on his or her behalf by Swarthmore to a program. Failure to do so will comprise an unfulfilled financial obligation on the student's part to the College. So long as the obligation remains unfulfilled, the student will be denied re-enrollment and will not be allowed to graduate from the College, and the Registrar’s Office will not release the student's transcript.
