Student cancellation
If a student removes themselves, or is removed, from a program after the student is in Participant (or Conditional Participant) status, prior to the program start date.
Student withdrawal
If a student removes themselves from a program, or is removed, after the student is in Participant (or Conditional Participant) Status, on or after the program start date.
IAP Acceptance Deposit
Paid by the student as one of confirmation tasks required to move into Participant Status after the student is accepted into the program. The IAP Acceptance Deposit is counted towards the IAP Administrative Fee. It is non-refundable except in the explicitly stated cases on the cost sheet.
IAP Cancellation Fee
Charged to the student in cases when a student cancels their participation within the cancellation fee date range listed on the cost sheet.
Recoverable costs
Expenses that IAP can recover on behalf of a student (such as any fees from external providers that have not yet been paid out or otherwise recoverable from their vendors). Please note that these amounts vary greatly by program and on the timing of the cancellation or withdrawal, as significant costs are already incurred and non-refundable prior to the start date in preparation for the program.
In case of program cancellation, student cancellation or student withdrawal, IAP will work with our partners to attempt to recover costs, where possible. There is no guarantee that any costs will be recoverable. Any recoverable costs received from partners will be credited to the student’s account after they are received by IAP. Note that this process, including determining the amount of the recoverable costs, can take several weeks or even longer from the point of cancellation.
The IAP Administrative Fee and Differential are not considered recoverable costs and are refundable only in cases where explicitly stated on the cost sheet.
IAP Administrative Fee
An IAP Administrative Fee is included as part of the IAP Program Fee and is charged to all students. For more information about study abroad administrative fees and differentials, please refer to UW System Administrative Policy 810.
We are sometimes asked why we charge an IAP Administrative Fee to students on our programs. As an auxiliary unit, IAP receives no additional funding from the state or university to administer its programs and operates its budget on a cost-recovery basis. These fees go towards supporting UW-Madison study abroad staffing and administrative costs. Providing students with quality international, domestic, and virtual global experiences requires a significant amount of time and resources apart from the normal services provided by UW-Madison. The IAP Administrative Fee allows us to provide a wide array of program options as well as advising and support services to our students to ensure the quality and safety of our offerings. The services provided per program may include, but are not limited to the following support:
Student Services & Advising
- Offer advising with professional staff
- Offer information sessions, open houses, and our annual Study Abroad Fair
- Maintain informational materials (program webpages, handbooks, flyers, and more) for students, faculty, and staff
- Provide pre-departure orientation services to help students prepare for study abroad
- Enroll students for the study abroad placeholder course to maintain continuous UW-Madison enrollment
- Manage the Course Equivalent Request (CER) process to enable students to receive credit for all courses taken abroad
- Maintain contact with UW students overseas, monitor world events, and provide 24/7 emergency support in the case of an emergency or health concern
- Offer reentry services and support after the program
Financial Information & Support
- Advise students on options for funding study abroad
- Coordinate with the Office of Student Financial Aid in order to make it possible for students to use financial aid abroad
- Provide program specific cost sheet information, IAP billing procedures, and cancellation policies to students and their families
- Process billing and refunds for participants using UW-Madison’s standard e-Bill system
- Provide and administer merit and need-based scholarships to participants through WiSH
- Enroll participants in the UW System Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) insurance plan and offer guidance on coverage and services
Program Management & Development
- Maintain a large portfolio of program options for students
- Review existing program options for academic quality and student support
- Adapt and update programs and processes based on feedback from student evaluations and best practices
- Partner with UW-Madison academic departments to evaluate potential new programs
- Partner with campus units to identify and develop unique program options and resources in support of access to study abroad for diverse and traditionally less-represented students
- Work with UW-Madison faculty and staff to streamline study abroad processes and integrate study abroad into all majors and certificates
- Hire and train Program Leaders
***”The IAP Program Fee” and all processes and policies stated on this cost sheet apply to all participants on programs managed by International Academic Programs (IAP) and in partnership with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the College of Engineering, and Wisconsin School of Business.***