Policy on Course Refunds

Friday Harbor Laboratories

Refunds for course fees, tuition, housing, or dining paid by registered students who do not complete their course of study at FHL will depend on the timing and reasons for the student’s departure. FHL class sizes are kept small to maintain low student-to-instructor ratios; for every student admitted, others are generally turned away. When a student departs an FHL program early, it represents a missed opportunity for another student who could have been admitted to, and presumably would have completed, the program. Further, with such small classes, the payment received from each student is crucial in supporting FHL academic programs.

Tuition

  • Students who drop an FHL course for a nonurgent reason will not be entitled to any portion of tuition paid directly to FHL (primarily Research Apprenticeships).
  • Students who drop an FHL course for a family emergency, personal health issues, or other urgent circumstances may request a refund through the FHL Director for any portion of tuition paid directly to FHL.
  • Students who paid tuition to a non-FHL entity (i.e., UW registrar or the UW Continuum College) for regular UW courses or summer courses may independently pursue reimbursement according to the appropriate UW department’s procedures and deadlines.

Course Fees

  • Students must make a written request to the FHL Academic Services Manager
    (fhlstudents@uw.edu) to secure a refund for a course fee, regardless of whether the course is being taken for credit or audited.
  • Course fees will be refunded for a course a student drops within the first 7 calendar days of the quarter or if a student withdraws within the first 7 calendar days of the quarter.
  • After the 7th calendar day of the quarter, Friday Harbor Laboratories generally will not refund course fees because purchases for the class will have already been made.
  • However, special consideration may be given for extenuating circumstances, such as in the case of hardship withdrawal, but only if the student has not extensively participated in the field or laboratory work. Course fees refunded after the 7th calendar day of the quarter may be prorated based on the number of weeks remaining in the quarter.

Housing and Dining

  • Students who drop an FHL course for a nonurgent reason will not be entitled to any reimbursement for housing and dining due to the loss of revenue borne by FHL and for lost opportunities of other students.
  • Students who drop an FHL course for a family emergency, personal health issues, or other urgent circumstances will be entitled to reimbursement for any housing and dining fees except:
    • Housing fees paid for time already spent at FHL.
    • Dining fees paid for time already spent at FHL plus one extra week of dining fees to cover costs of pre-purchased perishable foods.

The FHL Director may approve a larger refund than allowed for by the above rules upon request by a student under extenuating circumstances.

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