International student withdrawals and refunds
Fanshawe College withdrawal and refund policy
The College's international student withdrawal and refund policy is developed in compliance with the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence, and Security (MCURES) and Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidelines and policies.
Important timelines
For students who are registered for the term: Make a request to withdraw from the program within the first 10 school days of the term. The term tuition fee becomes non-refundable after 10 school days, and only subsequent semester fees paid will be reimbursed. Any outstanding balances owing on a student’s account will be deducted from the refund. Note: English for Academic Purposes (EAP) deadline is within the first 5 days of the EAP term.
When we can process your refund request
We recognize that it is important that your application be processed as quickly as possible, with minimal back-and-forth communication to request additional documentation. To ensure your application can be processed promptly, we ask that you carefully review the requirements to ensure all necessary documents are included with your withdrawal request.
If you are here in Canada under a study permit, we need proof that you have left Canada (boarding pass) or transitioned to another legal status to remain in Canada before we can proceed. If you are in your home country and have a study permit application in process, we need proof that you have withdrawn your application, or we need to wait until your application has been processed before we can proceed.
On average, the refund process currently takes approximately 90 days once all required documents are received. The processing time for each case could differ depending on various factors, such as the applicant's country, payment method, supporting documents, and the volume of requests being processed. Please be assured that we aim to process your refund as quickly as possible in the order your completed submission was received. Refunds are always credited back to the original method of payment.
Reason for withdrawing, supporting documentation required and administration fees
| Reason for withdrawal and documents required | Administration fee (non-refundable) |
|---|---|
Study permit/visa denial Please submit:
| $250 if submitted before the 10th day of the term and the denial letter is dated after the latest Letter of Acceptance (LOA) issued from Fanshawe. $2,300 if your denial letter is dated before the latest Letter of Acceptance (LOA) issued from Fanshawe. Full term fees remain with the College if submitted after 10th day of the term. |
Transferring to another institution Please submit:
| Level 1 (new students): $2,300 non-refundable tuition deposit if submitted before the 10th day of the term. Level 2 or above (returning students): $250 administrative fee Full term fees remain with the College if submitted after 10th day of the term. |
Leaving Canada Please submit:
| Level 1 (new students): $2,300 non-refundable tuition deposit if submitted before the 10th day of the term. Level 2 or above (returning students): $250 administrative fee Full term fees remain with the College if submitted after 10th day of the term. |
Changing status in Canada Please submit:
| Level 1 (new students): $2,300 non-refundable tuition deposit if submitted before the 10th day of the term. Level 2 or above (returning students): $250 administrative fee Full term fees remain with the College if submitted after 10th day of the term. |
Other Please submit:
| Requests will be reviewed by management on a case-by-case basis. If you submit a refund request for reasons that are not mentioned above, your individual case will be reviewed based on the explanation letter and supporting documents you provide. While your request will be considered, your eligibility for a refund cannot be guaranteed. Please note: acceptable proof of death documents include a death certificate and obituary; please do not share any graphic images. |
Overpayment/credit balance | If you are a current student in your final level of studies or have recently graduated and have no outstanding fees, but your student account shows a credit balance, you are eligible to request a refund for any overpayment of tuition fees. You won’t be charged any administrative fee for requesting a refund in this scenario. |
Program cancelled or suspended Please submit: | Eligible for a full refund with no administrative fee as long as you do not have a visa application in process and have not received a new Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for a different program at Fanshawe. |
Deferring to a future term A deferral is moving your study term from one term to the next. | The request must be made in the Virtual Application System (VAS) on or before the first 10 school days (post-secondary) or the first 5 school days (EAP) of the semester that they were originally admitted for. Students who defer to a future intake forgo the right to request a refund if they obtain a study permit and enter Canada. All fees paid for the first term will remain with the College. If the student defers to a future intake and then later chooses not to apply for a study permit or enter Canada, a refund less $2,300 will be applicable and immigration officials will be notified that the letter of acceptance is no longer valid for study permit application purposes. Students who choose not to apply for a visa from the Canadian Embassy after receiving a letter of admission may be required to provide proof that no active application is on file with the Canadian Embassy. |
Note: Students who receive a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from Fanshawe College will not be eligible for a refund of their non-refundable deposit unless they have a visa denial letter.
Appeals
The College is committed to ensuring fees are assessed, and refunds are granted in a fair and consistent manner. Students have the right to appeal College decisions relating to the administration of student fees.
Students who withdraw from a program or course past the deadline (10th day of term) have the right to appeal the withholding of these fees.
For more information, please review the fee appeal section of our Student Appeals page, the Student Fee Policy A132 page, and the appendix Guideline B: Fee Appeals.
Students have ninety (90) calendar days from the last day of the academic term to make an appeal for that term.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I receive my refund?
Refunds will be issued in the same method of payment as the original payment (i.e. if paid by wire transfer, the refund will go by wire transfer back to the same bank account or if paid by credit card, the refund will be credited to the same credit card).
The refund will be processed within 90 days after Fanshawe College has received a fully completed application for a refund with all supporting documentation required. This includes the bank wire details, if applicable.
If the original payment was made from a bank account within Canada and from someone other than the student, a Third-Party Release Form must also be completed.
How will this affect my transcript?
If a student withdraws from a program within the first 10 days of term, there is no record of enrollment. If a student withdraws from a program after the refund date (the 10th day of term), but before the withdrawal without academic penalty date, the student will be assigned a "W" grade on the academic record in all their courses; there is no return of fees.
What if I am having trouble accessing the program withdrawal form because I forget my username/password?
Please connect with our IT Service Desk for support (you will need your student number).
Who can I contact for help?
Please contact intrefund@fanshawec.ca for support as you navigate the withdrawal and/or refund processes.
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