Payment and Cancellation Policy FAQ

What are the cancellation and withdrawal refund policies?

All cancellations or transfers must be mailed, emailed, or faxed by the participant.
Reservations made by lifelong learners under the current pricing promotion for the Fall 2011 voyage are non-refundable.

Prior to fall and spring departures, all funds received on a participant's account are refundable until the 90-day payment due date for the voyage. Cancellations following the 90-day payment due date will automatically result in a charge of $500 regardless of name change or cabin resale, and the following fees will apply:

• Cancellation up to and including 90 days prior to the voyage - full refund to participant
• If cancelled 89-60 days prior to voyage - 25% of program fee
• If cancelled 59-45 days prior to voyage - 50% of program fee
• If cancelled 44-31 days prior to voyage - 75% of program fee
• If cancelled 30 days prior to the voyage and after 100% of program fee

Prior to summer departures, all funds received on a participant's account are refundable until the 60-day payment due date for the voyage. Cancellations following the 60-day payment due date will automatically result in a charge of $500 regardless of name change or cabin resale, and the following fees will apply:

• Cancellation up to and including 60 days prior to the voyage - full refund to participant
• If cancelled 59-50 days prior to voyage - 25% of program fee
• If cancelled 49-40 days prior to voyage - 50% of program fee
• If cancelled 39-31 days prior to voyage - 75% of program fee
• If cancelled 30 days prior to the voyage and after 100% of program fee

Prior to short-term departures, all funds received on a participant's account are refundable until the 30-day payment due date for the voyage. Cancellations following the 30-day payment due date will automatically result in a charge of $500 regardless of name change or cabin resale, and the following fees will apply:

• Cancellation up to and including 30 days prior to the voyage - full refund to participant.
• If cancelled 29-20 days prior to voyage - 25% of program fee
• If cancelled 19-15 days prior to voyage - 50% of program fee
• If cancelled 14-11 days prior to voyage - 75% of program fee
• If cancelled 10 days prior to the voyage and after 100% of program fee

After departure, no refund will be made to participants who withdraw from the program for personal reasons, student conduct code or honor code expulsion, or a reoccurrence of a medical or psychological illness that had been diagnosed prior to sailing.

If the participant leaves the voyage for documented medical reasons arising after embarkation and during the first 25 days of a Spring/Fall semester (15 days for Summer or 6 days for Short-Term voyages), he/she may be entitled to a pro-rata refund of the program fee. No refund of any kind is made after the first 25 days of a Spring/Fall semester (15 days for Summer or 6 days for Short-Term voyages).

If a participant's departure or dismissal from the program requires a return or reduction of applicable federal or institutional aid or loans, he/she is responsible for the program fees that were covered by these funds.

What is the Payment Policy?

In order to confirm your intent to participate for the upcoming term, you must submit your $500 deposit online or with the Cabin Reservation form. Cabin space is not guaranteed solely upon admission. Deposits are accepted by check (payable to Institute for Shipboard Education P.O. Box 400885 Charlottesville, VA 22904) or by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover). The deposit is not a supplemental expense and will be your first payment toward the total cost of the program.

The entire balance of the spring or fall program cost is due 90 days prior to sailing (excluding participants enrolled in the TuitionPay payment plan). For summer participants, the balance is due 60 days prior to departure. For short-term participants, the balance is due 30 days prior to departure. Students anticipating financial aid should plan to provide documentation of approval from aid source(s) indicating details of the disbursement to ISE. Necessary forms are provided to students. Documentation of any financial aid that is to be credited to a student's account (such as Stafford loans or Parent PLUS loans) must be submitted to ISE by the payment deadline. Participants who have not made arrangements for full payment by the due date may forfeit enrollment in the program.

NOTE: The $500 deposit is refundable or transferable until the 90-day payment deadline for spring or fall participants, the 60 day payment deadline for summer participants, and the 30-day payment deadline for short-term participants. Deposits are refundable past the 30, 60, or 90-day deadline for waitlisted participants only. Participants confirmed into cabins from the waitlist will have two weeks to make full payment.

Will I be charged late fees?

A penalty of $250 may be assessed on outstanding accounts after the due date. Participants enrolling with the TuitionPay payment plan (800/635-0120) and those receiving documented pending financial aid will not be charged a late fee.