FOSCOD Internship & Volunteer Refund and Cancellation Policy

1. Application Deposit (Non-Refundable)

• A USD 300 application deposit is required to secure admission into the program.
• The deposit is strictly non-refundable under all circumstances, including:
  • Withdrawal or change of plans
  • Visa denial or immigration delays
  • Deferral to a future cohort
  • Inability to participate for any reason
• The deposit is credited toward your total program fee but cannot be refunded or transferred to another person or program.

2. Standard Cancellation and Refund Policy

Refunds are based on the date FOSCOD receives your written cancellation request, counting back from the official program start date.

3. Deferrals

• You may request one free deferral to the next available cohort if your written request is received at least 30 days before the program start date.
• Deferral requests made within 30 days of the start date will be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on costs already committed (host family, coordination, logistics, etc.).
• The USD 300 deposit remains non-refundable and non-transferable even when a deferral is approved.

4. Visa Delays or Immigration Barriers

If you cannot travel due to documented visa delays or immigration restrictions beyond your control, you may choose:

1. A free deferral to the next available cohort, or
2. A 50% refund of the program fee (excluding the USD 300 deposit).

5. Emergency Exceptions

In the event of a documented personal or family emergency (e.g., severe illness, hospitalization, or bereavement of an immediate family member), FOSCOD may approve a refund of up to 25% of the program fee, depending on costs already committed.

• The USD 300 deposit remains non-refundable.
• You must notify FOSCOD as soon as reasonably possible and provide supporting documentation (medical certificates, death certificates, etc.).

6. Force Majeure

Force majeure events include, but are not limited to, pandemics, natural disasters, political instability, or government-imposed travel restrictions that prevent the program from running as planned.

In such situations, FOSCOD may offer:

• A free deferral to a future cohort, or
• A partial refund based on expenses already incurred.

In all force majeure cases, the USD 300 deposit remains non-refundable.

7. Refund Processing

• Approved refunds will be processed within 30 days from the date of written approval by FOSCOD.
• Refunds are made via international bank transfer or, where possible, the original payment method.
• Bank, transfer, or intermediary charges will be deducted from the refund amount.

8. Summary Refund Table

This table provides a quick overview of our refund policy based on different cancellation scenarios: