1. Policy Statement

Global Public Health Credentialing Board Inc. (GPHCB) is committed to transparent, fair, consistent, and learner-centered administration of refunds, withdrawals, cancellations, and enrollment changes. This policy establishes the principles, eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, timelines, and decision-making procedures that govern financial refunds and academic withdrawal from GPHCB courses, certificate programs, digital badge pathways, continuing education offerings, and partner-supported learning programs.

GPHCB recognizes that learners may need to withdraw or defer enrollment due to personal, professional, financial, health, technological, or other circumstances. At the same time, GPHCB must maintain the academic, operational, financial, and administrative integrity of its programs. Refund and withdrawal decisions are therefore guided by published timelines, learner access status, participation records, payment obligations, scholarship or sponsorship terms, and the nature of the program or credential involved.

This policy is designed to protect learners from unclear financial practices while ensuring that GPHCB can responsibly manage instructional resources, learning technology, credential services, administrative processing, partner arrangements, and program delivery commitments.

2. Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide a formal framework for managing refund and withdrawal matters across GPHCB learning programs. Specifically, this policy is intended to:

· define the circumstances under which a learner may request a refund, withdrawal, deferment, transfer, or cancellation;

· establish fair and consistent refund eligibility rules based on enrollment stage, course access, participation, and program type;

· clarify the responsibilities of learners, GPHCB staff, facilitators, partner institutions, and sponsoring organizations;

· protect the integrity of learner records, credential issuance, assessment processes, and payment administration;

· reduce misunderstanding by publishing clear timelines, exclusions, documentation requirements, and appeal routes; and

· support responsible governance for public health, workforce development, continuing education, certificate, digital badge, and partner-supported academic pathways.

3. Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to all GPHCB-administered or GPHCB-supported learning activities unless a separate written agreement, partner institution policy, scholarship agreement, or program-specific policy expressly provides otherwise. It applies to:

· individual learners who self-enroll in GPHCB courses or credential pathways;

· applicants who pay application, registration, administrative, or enrollment-related fees;

· learners enrolled in professional certificates, short courses, continuing education, digital badge programs, and workforce training;

· learners participating in stackable certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, or degree-linked pathways;

· employer-sponsored, government-sponsored, nonprofit-sponsored, institutional partner, or group learners;

· scholarship, discounted, voucher-based, or promotional enrollment arrangements; and

· GPHCB academic, finance, admissions, learner support, and credentialing staff involved in refund or withdrawal decisions.

Where a program is delivered in partnership with an external academic institution, professional body, sponsoring organization, or technology platform, learners may also be subject to the refund, withdrawal, progression, transfer, or cancellation rules of that partner. In such cases, GPHCB will communicate applicable partner requirements as clearly as possible, but the partner institution may retain final authority over partner-awarded credentials, academic registration status, or institutional refunds.

4. Definitions

 

5. Guiding Principles

Refund and withdrawal decisions at GPHCB shall be guided by the following principles:

· Transparency: learners should understand refund and withdrawal rules before payment or enrollment confirmation.

· Fairness: similar cases should be treated consistently while allowing reasonable consideration of documented exceptional circumstances.

· Academic integrity: withdrawal or refund processes must not be used to avoid academic consequences, misconduct findings, assessment obligations, or credential requirements.

· Learner protection: learners should have a clear route to ask questions, submit documentation, and appeal decisions.

· Operational responsibility: GPHCB must protect instructional investment, administrative costs, digital platform access, facilitator time, credential services, and partner obligations.

· Record accuracy: withdrawals, refunds, deferrals, transfers, and cancellations must be documented in learner records and finance records.

6. Standard Refund Eligibility Framework

Unless otherwise stated in a program-specific agreement, partner policy, scholarship agreement, or promotional enrollment term, the following framework provides GPHCB’s standard refund approach for eligible paid enrollments.

 

The above framework is a general standard and may be adjusted for cohort-based programs, graduate-level programs, partner-awarded programs, sponsored training, custom organizational training, subscriptions, payment plans, scholarships, promotional discounts, or programs with published alternative refund schedules.

7. Non-Refundable Fees and Costs

Certain fees may be non-refundable because they are incurred immediately or are paid to third parties. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the following may be non-refundable:

· application fees, admission review fees, or program evaluation fees;

· payment processing fees, bank charges, platform transaction fees, currency conversion costs, or chargeback penalties;

· administrative processing fees associated with enrollment setup, learner records, or LMS activation;

· fees paid to third-party credentialing, badge, assessment, proctoring, verification, or technology providers;

· digital materials, downloadable resources, templates, toolkits, or restricted learning assets already accessed or downloaded;

· custom training design fees, cohort setup fees, partner program setup fees, or organization-specific instructional development fees;

· certificate reissue, replacement, shipping, notarization, authentication, or special documentation fees; and

· any fee explicitly identified as non-refundable at the point of payment or in a signed agreement.

8. Withdrawal Procedure

A learner who wishes to withdraw must submit a written withdrawal request through the designated GPHCB contact form, learner support email, LMS support channel, or other official method published by GPHCB. Informal verbal notice, non-attendance, inactivity, or failure to log into the LMS does not automatically constitute official withdrawal.

A withdrawal request should include:

· learner full name and contact information;

· program, course, cohort, or credential pathway name;

· date of enrollment and date course access was granted, if known;

· reason for withdrawal;

· whether the learner is requesting a refund, deferral, transfer, or administrative closure;

· relevant supporting documentation, where applicable; and

· confirmation that the learner understands the academic and financial consequences of withdrawal.

The effective date of withdrawal is normally the date on which GPHCB receives a complete written withdrawal request, unless GPHCB determines that documented exceptional circumstances justify a different effective date.

9. Deferrals and Transfers

In appropriate cases, GPHCB may offer a deferral or transfer instead of a refund. This approach may be suitable where a learner remains committed to completing the program but requires additional time or a different enrollment option.

Deferrals and transfers may be subject to:

· program availability and future cohort schedules;

· payment balance and fee differences;

· maximum deferral periods;

· partner institution rules where applicable;

· course version changes or curriculum updates;

· credential pathway continuity requirements;

· scholarship or sponsorship restrictions; and

· administrative approval by GPHCB.

A deferral or transfer does not automatically create refund eligibility. If a learner accepts a deferral or transfer, the learner may be deemed to have elected continued participation unless otherwise stated in writing.

10. Exceptional Circumstances

GPHCB may consider exceptional circumstances when determining refund, withdrawal, deferral, or transfer outcomes. Exceptional circumstances may include serious illness, bereavement, significant family emergency, unexpected military or public service deployment, major technology access disruption beyond the learner’s control, documented financial hardship, or other serious events that materially affect the learner’s ability to participate.

Learners requesting consideration under exceptional circumstances may be asked to submit reasonable documentation. GPHCB will review such documentation respectfully, confidentially, and proportionately. Approval is not automatic and will depend on the timing of the request, degree of course participation, program type, partner rules, and the remedy requested.

11. Sponsored, Group, Scholarship, and Partner Enrollments

Refund and withdrawal rules may differ where tuition or fees are paid by an employer, government agency, nonprofit organization, scholarship sponsor, partner institution, donor, or group purchaser. In such cases, the refund recipient may be the payer rather than the individual learner, and the sponsoring or partner agreement may determine eligibility.

For sponsored and group enrollments, GPHCB may apply alternative remedies such as learner substitution, cohort transfer, credit toward future training, or administrative adjustment. Individual learners may not be entitled to direct cash refunds where they did not personally pay the applicable fee.

Scholarship, discounted, promotional, or grant-funded enrollments may be non-refundable unless the scholarship or grant terms expressly permit a refund. Withdrawal from a scholarship-funded program may affect future eligibility for GPHCB scholarships or sponsored opportunities.

12. Degree-Linked and Partner-Awarded Programs

Where a program is offered through a GPHCB-supported pathway leading to a partner-awarded academic credential, the refund and withdrawal process may involve both GPHCB and the partner institution. Degree qualifications or partner-issued academic awards are governed by the academic policies, admission requirements, assessment rules, quality assurance procedures, tuition rules, and graduation requirements of the awarding partner institution.

GPHCB may administer support, recruitment, learner engagement, professional development, digital learning, credential preparation, or related services, but the partner institution may retain final authority over academic registration status, transcript implications, degree progression, or partner tuition policies. Learners should review the applicable partner program documentation before enrollment.

13. Course or Program Cancellation by GPHCB

GPHCB reserves the right to cancel, postpone, restructure, or reschedule a course or program due to insufficient enrollment, facilitator unavailability, platform disruption, curriculum revision, partner requirement, force majeure, regulatory concern, or other operational reason.

Where GPHCB cancels a course or program before meaningful learner access or participation, GPHCB may offer one or more of the following remedies:

· full refund of eligible tuition/course fees paid to GPHCB;

· transfer to a later cohort or equivalent course;

· credit toward another eligible GPHCB program;

· replacement course access where academically appropriate; or

· another remedy approved by GPHCB and communicated in writing.

GPHCB is not responsible for indirect costs incurred by learners, including personal time, internet costs, equipment purchases, travel, exchange rate changes, opportunity costs, or third-party expenses, unless required by applicable law or written agreement.

14. Payment Plans, Installments, and Outstanding Balances

Learners enrolled under payment plans remain responsible for agreed installment obligations unless GPHCB approves a withdrawal, cancellation, deferral, or adjustment in writing. Withdrawal does not automatically cancel outstanding balances, particularly where the learner has already received course access, materials, academic support, or credential-eligible services.

GPHCB may withhold certificates, digital badges, completion letters, transcripts of learning, verification entries, or other credential documentation where fees remain unpaid, unless prohibited by applicable law or overridden by a partner agreement.

15. Chargebacks and Payment Disputes

Learners are encouraged to contact GPHCB before initiating a payment chargeback or external payment dispute. Chargebacks may delay resolution, create additional fees, suspend LMS access, and require formal reconciliation of learner records.

Where a chargeback is initiated after course access, participation, certificate issuance, or completion, GPHCB may review the learner account and take appropriate administrative action, including temporary suspension of access, withholding of credentials, removal from a cohort, or referral to the credential review process where fraudulent or abusive activity is suspected.

16. Refund Request Review and Decision Process

Refund requests will be reviewed by the appropriate GPHCB administrative unit, which may include Academic Affairs, Finance, Enrollment Administration, Learner Support, or a designated policy officer. The review may consider payment records, LMS access logs, course participation, assessment submissions, program rules, communication records, partner requirements, and supporting documentation.

GPHCB will aim to acknowledge complete refund or withdrawal requests within five business days and provide a decision within fifteen business days where practicable. Complex cases, partner-awarded programs, sponsored enrollments, chargeback matters, or exceptional circumstance reviews may require additional time.

17. Refund Payment Method and Processing Time

Approved refunds will normally be returned through the original payment method where practicable. Processing timelines may vary based on payment processor, bank, currency, country, transaction method, anti-fraud checks, or third-party platform rules. GPHCB is not responsible for delays caused by banks, payment processors, currency conversion systems, or third-party platforms.

Refund amounts may be reduced by non-refundable fees, transaction charges, outstanding balances, administrative offsets, third-party costs, or amounts already used for course access, program services, or credential-related expenses.

18. Academic Consequences of Withdrawal

Withdrawal may affect a learner’s academic standing, completion status, assessment eligibility, credential pathway progress, scholarship status, sponsored enrollment status, or future enrollment. Depending on timing and program rules, learner records may show withdrawn, incomplete, deferred, transferred, administratively closed, or another appropriate status.

Withdrawal after assessment submission, academic misconduct review, credential review, or capstone evaluation may not remove the learner from applicable academic, integrity, credential, or appeals procedures. GPHCB may continue or conclude such procedures where necessary to protect academic and credential integrity.

19. Appeals of Refund or Withdrawal Decisions

A learner who disagrees with a refund or withdrawal decision may submit a written appeal within ten business days of the decision notice. The appeal should state the reason for appeal and provide any additional evidence not previously considered.

An appeal may be considered where the learner can show one or more of the following:

· a material error in the application of this policy;

· new and relevant evidence that was not reasonably available at the time of the original request;

· documented exceptional circumstances that were not adequately considered;

· evidence of procedural unfairness; or

· evidence that the decision was inconsistent with published GPHCB or applicable partner rules.

Appeals will be reviewed by an appropriate GPHCB official or committee not responsible for the original decision, where practicable. The appeal decision will normally be final within GPHCB, subject to any applicable partner institution or external legal rights.

20. Records, Confidentiality, and Data Protection

GPHCB will maintain records of refund requests, withdrawal requests, decisions, supporting documentation, financial adjustments, communications, appeals, and final outcomes in accordance with applicable learner records and data protection practices. Such records may be used for audit, quality assurance, compliance, learner support, dispute resolution, and program improvement.

Information submitted in support of a refund, withdrawal, deferral, or appeal will be handled confidentially and shared only with individuals who have a legitimate need to know for decision-making, administration, audit, or compliance purposes.

21. Non-Retaliation and Good Faith Use

Learners will not be penalized for making a refund, withdrawal, deferral, transfer, or appeal request in good faith. However, submitting false information, fabricated documents, misleading statements, fraudulent payment claims, or abusive chargebacks may result in denial of request, administrative sanctions, suspension of access, credential review, or referral under applicable academic integrity or conduct policies.

22. Summary

GPHCB is committed to fair, transparent, and learner-centered refund and withdrawal practices. Learners who wish to withdraw from a course or program must submit a written request through an official GPHCB communication channel. Refund eligibility depends on the timing of the request, whether course access has been granted, the level of learner participation, the type of program, applicable partner or sponsor rules, and any documented exceptional circumstances. Certain fees, including application, administrative, payment processing, credentialing, digital material, and third-party platform fees, may be non-refundable. Learners may request deferral, transfer, or appeal where appropriate. GPHCB reviews refund and withdrawal requests carefully and maintains records in accordance with learner privacy and academic governance requirements. Send us email at [email protected]