HomeRefund policy

Refund policy

This page explains exactly what you get back and when, for every fee Exchange Path charges. It sits alongside — and is part of — our Terms & Conditions.

The short version

If we cannot match you with a summer camp, the $300 Placement Fee is refunded in full. The $150 Acceptance Fee is refundable until sponsor paperwork begins. The $25 Application Fee covers review work and is not refundable once we have assessed your file. UK and EU applicants keep their statutory 14-day cooling-off rights.

§ Summary

The fees at a glance

Exchange Path charges a single universal programme fee, paid either in one payment of US$400 or in three milestone instalments totalling US$475. Payments are coordinated on our official WhatsApp (+1 (845) 665-1477) or by email to info@exchangepath.org, and settled by bank transfer to Exchange Path using the reference we provide.

Charge	Amount	Refundable?
Application Fee	US$25	Non-refundable once your file has been reviewed.
Acceptance Fee	US$150	Refundable in full if you withdraw before sponsor paperwork is initiated.
Placement Fee	US$300	Refunded in full if we cannot match you with a camp, or if your J-1 visa is refused at your appointment.
Pay-in-full ($400)	US$400	Same milestone-based refund as the staged option (see below).
SEVIS / MRV / embassy fees	Varies	Paid to U.S. government — governed by their rules, not ours.

§ What you paid for

What each fee covers

Knowing what the money pays for is the quickest way to understand what can and cannot be refunded.

$25 Application Fee — assessment of your application, documents and references by our team. Work is performed as soon as you submit, which is why this fee is not refundable after review.
$150 Acceptance Fee — onboarding onto the programme, dashboard access to interview prep materials, and handing your file to our U.S. placement team.
$300 Placement Fee — matching, interview coordination with U.S. camps, liaison with the J-1 sponsor to issue your DS-2019, pre-departure orientation, and our 24-hour U.S. support line during your camp season.

§ Entitlement

Your refund entitlement

Your right to a refund depends on how far through the journey you are when the refund-triggering event happens.

If we cannot match you with a camp — after reasonable effort and once the application window has closed for the season, the $300 Placement Fee is refunded in full. Pay-in-full applicants receive the same $300 back.
If you withdraw before sponsor paperwork begins — the $150 Acceptance Fee is refunded in full. The $25 Application Fee remains non-refundable.
If you withdraw after sponsor paperwork has begun — the $150 Acceptance Fee is forfeited, because we and the sponsor will already have performed work on your behalf. The $300 Placement Fee, if paid, is refunded pro-rata to the work outstanding, calculated and explained to you in writing before the refund is issued.
If we terminate your place for serious breach of these terms, safeguarding rules, or misrepresentation — all paid fees are forfeited and no refund is due.

§ Visa refusal

If your J-1 visa is refused

A U.S. consular officer has the final say on your visa. If your J-1 interview results in a refusal and you attended the appointment and submitted accurate information, we refund the $300 Placement Fee in full. The $25 Application Fee and (if paid) $150 Acceptance Fee are retained because the programme work has already been performed.

If a refusal is linked to omissions or misrepresentation in your application — for example, undisclosed criminal history or falsified documents — no refund is due.

§ Cooling-off

UK & EU cooling-off rights

If you live in the UK or the EU, consumer law gives you a 14-day cooling-off period on services sold at distance. You can cancel within that window without giving a reason and receive a full refund of any amount paid — unless you have expressly asked us to begin work within the cooling-off period and that work is complete, in which case you agree to pay for the work performed and acknowledge that you waive the right to a refund for that portion.

To exercise this right, email info@exchangepath.org from the address on your account with the subject line “Cooling-off cancellation” within 14 days of your first payment.

§ Government fees

SEVIS, MRV & embassy fees

SEVIS (currently US$35), the J-1 visa MRV fee (currently ≈ US$185) and any other government charges are paid directly by you to U.S. authorities. Exchange Path cannot refund them under any circumstances — refund rules for those payments are set by the U.S. Department of State. Flights, insurance add-ons and other third-party purchases made outside Exchange Path are similarly outside our refund policy.

§ How to request

How to request a refund

Email info@exchangepath.org from the email address on your Exchange Path account with:

The subject line: “Refund request”.
Your full name as it appears on your application.
The date and amount paid, the bank reference you used, and (if helpful) a screenshot of your transfer confirmation or the WhatsApp / email thread where we confirmed details.
A short reason — e.g. “no placement offered”, “visa refusal”, “withdrawing before sponsor”, “14-day cooling-off”.

§ Timings

Processing times

We aim to acknowledge every refund request within 2 business days and approve or explain a decision within 10 business days. Approved refunds are sent back by bank transfer to an account you confirm by email; most banks show the credit within 5–10 business days. Refunds are issued in the same currency as the original payment where possible.

§ Disputes

Chargebacks & disputes

If you disagree with a refund decision, reply to our email so we can review it — almost every case is resolved that way. If you dispute a bank transfer with your bank, tell us at the same time so we can reconcile records; your application may be paused while the bank investigates.

§ Contact

Contact

Exchange Path
63 Federal Street, Portland, ME 04101, USA
info@exchangepath.org