Refund Policies
Updated December 17, 2021
Occasionally students must cancel their homestay reservations before they arrive or shortly following their arrival due to unforeseen circumstances. Please review our cancellation and refund policy below to avoid any misunderstanding.
Cancellation of Services Before Arrival
If a student wishes to cancel their request for homestay and/or custodial guardianship services adequate written notice is required. Refunds for any prepaid fees following notice of cancellation will be paid as follows:
Written cancellation received 30 days or more before expected arrival:
No refund of the prepaid homestay placement/custodian set-up fee. Full refund (100%) of all prepaid homestay accommodation fees, custodial monitoring fees (provide proof that the student is not entering Canada as a minor), and airport transfer fees.
Written cancellation received within 30 days of expected arrival:
No refund of the prepaid homestay placement/custodian set-up fee, the first month homestay accommodation fee, the custodial monitoring fees (first term only), and the airport transfer fees. Full refund (100%) of all subsequent months prepaid homestay accommodation fees and prepaid monitoring fees for the second term onward, if applicable.
Cancellation of Services After Arrival
The following policies apply to any cancellation of service once a student has begun receiving our services:
Homestay Service Cancellation Policy
No refund will be given for cancellation of homestay services or a move to self-identified accommodation within the first month. If a student wishes to cancel homestay services or move from their assigned homestay after the first month they are required to give one month’s notice. Any prepaid homestay fees for subsequent month’s will be fully refunded, less the required one month notice period. Refund payments will be processed at the end of the current school term.
Guardianship Service Cancellation Policy
If the natural parents of a minor-aged student wish to cancel our monitored guardianship services, written notification must be received, together with documentation that clearly demonstrates that a new custodial guardian has been assigned to the student OR evidence that the student is permanently returning to her/his home country.
The documentation required to change custodianship includes ALL of the following:
- a notarized copy of either a Passport or Citizenship document that clearly demonstrates that the new custodial guardian is a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada, as required by the Government of Canada;
- a notarized copy of the parent declaration that clearly demonstrates the natural parents have assigned responsibility to a new custodial guardian; and
- a notarized copy of the custodian declaration that clearly demonstrates that the new custodial guardian agrees to assume responsibility for the child.
The documentation required to prove the student intends to permanently return to her/his home country includes evidence that the student has subsequently enrolled in school, college, or university in another country and intends to begin studies immediately.
No refund will be given for prepaid custodial monitoring fees for the current school term. All subsequent prepaid terms will be fully refunded. Refund payments will be processed at the end of the current school term.
Expulsion from the Program
First Choice International Placement Inc. (FCI) reserves the right to dismiss any student who fails to comply with either the homestay program expectations and/or the custodianship program expectations (in the case of a minor-aged student). In the event a minor-aged student is expelled, FCI shall be immediately released from its obligations to the minor-aged student and the natural parent. No prepaid program fees will be refunded following a program expulsion.
Refund Procedure
If you have cancelled in accordance with the above-noted policies our accounting staff will forward a credit memo for the amount that is to be refunded to you. You will also receive a refund options form that outlines the various options available to you in order to receive your refund.