Withdrawing from a Program

Students withdrawing from a global experience program must submit a Withdrawal Request Form to their Global Experience Advisor. To fill out this form electronically, please download to your desktop, complete information, and print. Please note that your withdrawal takes effect on the first business day after GEO receives your signed withdrawal form.

All Medical and Emergency Leaves of Absence are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If you are approved for one of the following leaves of absence, there may still be costs associated with your withdrawal for which you will be responsible. Please connect with your GEO Advisor for further information on associated costs.

Medical Withdrawals

If your withdrawal is related to a medical or physical issue, illness or injury that prevents you from participating in your Dialogue of Civilizations program but you are not considering or may not need to take a leave of absence from Northeastern University.

For more information about the Medical Withdrawal process, please refer to the University Health and Counseling Services website.For more information about general policies regarding Leaves of Absence and University Withdrawal at Northeastern University, please refer to the Undergraduate Course Catalog.

Medical Leaves of Absence

If your withdrawal is related to a medical or physical issue, illness or injury that prevents you from participating in your Dialogue of Civilizations program and you are considering taking a leave of absence from Northeastern University, please review the links below.

For more information about the Medical Leave of Absence process, please refer to the University Health and Counseling Services website.

For more information about general policies regarding Leaves of Absence and University Withdrawal at Northeastern University, please refer to the Undergraduate Course Catalog.

If the U.S. State Department issues a Travel Warning, or if the CDC issues a Travel Health Warning in a country in which NU offers a program, NU may suspend or cancel the program in that country at the recommendation of the Global Safety and Security Advisory Committee (GSSAC) and by order of the Provost.

If a Travel Warning, including a Travel Health Warning, is issued prior to the start of the program, students who do not participate in a substitute program will be entitled to a full refund of any amounts paid to the University by the student for such program. In the event such a warning is issued:

• You are required to return immediately to the U.S.
• You will be evacuated by the organization contracted by NU for 24/7 emergency assistance.
• All transportation and housing costs not covered by the emergency assistance organization will be covered by GEO.

GEO will make every effort to assist you in finding an alternative program for the semester. (If it is not possible to find an alternative program, you are entitled to a refund or credit on a pro-rata basis.)

Why are there withdrawal costs?

Northeastern is contractually obligated to begin making payments to vendors and partners for student participants before the start date of the program. The withdrawal penalties cover these non-refundable expenses and are based on the DOC withdrawal timeline below. The DOC fee does not cover the full cost of the program itself; that is why withdrawal penalties are greater than just the DOC fee.

The total program cost is the DOC fee PLUS Northeastern tuition for the number of credits associated with the program. Typically, eight credits are associated with each DOC program. Once you have been accepted to your DOC program and changed your application to “Committed,” you have indicated your commitment to participate in that program. Your commitment to participate commits you to the entire program cost including tuition and the additional fee. Please carefully review the following penalties for withdrawing from a DOC program before submitting your application.

Withdrawal Penalties for DOCs

Summer I 

Withdrawal on or before February 10 – No Cost

Withdrawal from February 11 – February 28 – $750

Withdrawal from March 1 – March 31 – $2500

Withdrawal from April 1 – April 30  – $5500

Withdrawal from May 1 onwards  – Students will be responsible for full tuition and the DOC fee 

Summer II 

Withdrawal on or before March 10  – No Cost

Withdrawal from March 11 –March 31 – $750

Withdrawal from April 1 – May 31 – $2500

Withdrawal from June 1 – June 30 – $5500

Withdrawal from July 1 onwards – Students will be responsible for full tuition and the DOC fee 

You may choose to withdraw from the Global Engagement Program and continue your college education as a typical undergraduate Northeastern student.

The Global Quest withdrawal policy applies to both program locations:

Withdrawal on or before October 14: No cost
Withdrawal from October 15 to December 1: 50% of program fee
Withdrawal from December 2 to Program Start Date: 100% of program fee
Withdrawal after Program Start Date: 100% of program fee and tuition

Withdrawal on or before December 1	No cost
Withdrawal from December 2 to Program Start Date	50% of program fee
Withdrawal after Program Start Date	100% of program fee

Withdrawal fees are charged for study abroad programs because these types of programs require a significant amount of advanced planning and expense on the part of the University and host institution.

If a student is accepted to a study abroad program and then becomes unable to participate in it for any reason, a significant portion of the program expenses are non-recoverable by Northeastern and the host institution.

Therefore, for study abroad programs, students are responsible for all non-recoverable costs if they withdraw after committing to a program.