Is there a fee for changing course after I enrol?

It depends on the school. CEGA states a handling fee per change, and Curious World states a registration fee of 1,000 pesos for a course change after arrival. Of the 12 schools we read, these two were the only ones to state an amount.

Do I need a new SSP if I change schools?

BI’s SSP page and FAQs do not say. Ask the new school and BI to confirm in writing.

What happens to refunds if I leave partway through?

It differs by school. HELP accepts refund requests after enrolment only from students with at least 12 weeks of study, and 3D Academy splits refunds by how much of the program has been used. The original wording is in the table in this article.

Changing or Leaving a Philippines School

After enrolling, some students want to change course, move to another school, shorten the stay or leave early. We set out what schools and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) publish on procedures and fees, quoting the original wording. For the overall process, see our guide to studying English in the Philippines. Checked on 31 October 2026.

In short
Conditions for changes and refunds after enrolment are written differently from school to school. Some schools state a fee for changing course, and the only transfer procedure we found was between HELP’s two campuses. BI’s pages do not say whether an SSP is tied to one school. Before you apply, ask the school office to confirm the conditions in writing.

Changing course: fees and when it takes effect

These are the schools whose official pages mention changing course. For conditions on cancelling before you start, see seven points to check before you apply.

CEGA says on its fee page and FAQ that it accepts course changes partway through (our translation of the Japanese). It charges a handling fee per change and settles the price difference between the current and new plans. A change takes effect from the Monday of the second week after the request.

Curious World Academy says that a course change after arrival carries a separate registration fee of 1,000 pesos, paid locally (our translation).

The student regulations of HELP English Academy say: “No adjustments to teachers or classes will be made until the current 4-week term ends.”

The terms of Merise English Academy say that after applying you may ask to change the service (Article 3, paragraph 2). They add that a change may not be accepted depending on timing and content, and that any extra charge must be paid promptly (our translation).

Transferring schools: only HELP’s two campuses are covered

HELP’s student regulations describe transfers between its Clark and Baguio campuses: “Students are permitted a one⁠-⁠time transfer to the other campus. Once a transfer is processed, you cannot return to your previous campus.”

To move to the Longlong campus for advanced courses, a student sits a qualifying exam in the third week of the current term.

In the official pages of the other 11 schools we read (fees, terms and FAQs), we did not find a procedure for moving to a different school. Not finding one does not mean it cannot be done. If you want to move, ask both your current school and the new one to confirm in writing.

Is the SSP tied to one school? What BI’s pages say

BI’s SSP page describes who can apply as: “Foreign nationals who do not qualify for a Student Visa may still avail themselves of special study permit.” Neither this page nor BI’s FAQs says whether an SSP is tied to one school, or whether you must apply again if you change schools.

BI’s published checklist (PDF) lists “Letter request addressed to the Commissioner from the representative of the petitioning school” and “Certificate of Acceptance issued by the learning institution accredited by the Bureau of Immigration” among the documents. School⁠-⁠issued documents are part of the application, but the checklist does not say how a change of school is handled.

If you are thinking of changing schools or taking a long break, ask the new school and BI first whether a new application is needed. For the basics of the SSP, see our article on the SSP and language schools.

Lengthening, shortening or pausing the stay

HELP sets out conditions for deferring a program (Program Deferral) on its own page.

The student has studied at the school for at least 12 weeks continuously
At least 4 weeks of the study period remain at the time of deferral, and the deferral is a minimum of 4 weeks in multiples of 4 weeks
The reason is valid and approved by school management (“The reason for deferral must be valid and approved by the school management.”)
The maximum deferral is 6 months, and the student gives the school and agency the expected return date at least 2 weeks before re⁠-⁠enrolling
If a student defers mid⁠-⁠program, the remaining weeks of the current program cannot be deferred
Local fees already paid are refundable when deferring, with “all the actual expenses” deducted

Other ways schools handle length changes and extra nights

Merise says on its course page that the enrolment fee is waived if you extend your period during your stay (our translation).

The refund policy of 3D Academy covers shortening the study period after enrolment but before classes begin: 50% of the unused weeks is refunded, and the other 50% is not.

The terms of QQ English (Article 10) say that a change of start date cannot be accepted. To change it, you cancel the contract and apply again, unless the company sets a separate rule (our translation).

Schools also state the cost of staying on after graduation. HELP charges 2,000 pesos a day (full board included), and Curious World charges 2,000 pesos for an extra night before or after.

Leaving partway through: the original wording after the start

Here are four schools that state conditions after enrolment. The calculations and wording differ, so the totals cannot be compared with one another.

HELP also says that a student who leaves before the end of the course for personal reasons “will not be permitted to reschedule or front⁠-⁠load their classes”. It says refund requests are handled through the agency you applied with.

HELP

Conditions after enrolment (as the school words it): “Once a student has enrolled, refund requests are only accepted for those with a minimum study period of 12 weeks. In this case, the current program will not be refunded; the next program will be refunded at 30%, and subsequent programs at 50%.” One program is 4 weeks from the enrolment date. After the request, the refund can be received through the agency within 15 days

3D Academy

Conditions after enrolment (as the school words it): If less than 50% of the period has been used, 30% of the remaining unused weeks is refunded. Beyond 50%, no refund. The refund covers only the remaining weeks, not the total paid. With documents, serious illness, or illness or death in the family, 50% of the unused portion may be refunded regardless of time used. No refund if expelled for serious rule violations

QQ English

Conditions after enrolment (as the school words it): In the schedule to its terms (applied from 1 Oct 2023), the cancellation fee after the start is 50% of the remaining study⁠-⁠period fee when 28 days or more of the program remain, and 100% when fewer than 28 days remain (our translation). Cancellation is requested in writing (Article 13)

Merise

Conditions after enrolment (as the school words it): If you stop with at least half of the study period remaining (for a 12-week stay, 6 or more weeks), the refund is the prepaid program fee less the consumed period, less 50% of the remainder and a fixed cancellation fee. For arranged accommodation, the unused weeks are refunded less an arrangement fee. No refund if you leave for breaking the rules (Article 7, paragraph 3; our translation)

Costs that do not come back, and what pages did not say

Some schools name costs that are outside refunds.

3D Academy lists the registration fee, SSP issuance cost, ACR I⁠-⁠Card, visa extension fees and textbook fees as “Non⁠-⁠Refundable Items”
Merise says the enrolment fee and local costs are not refunded “for any reason”, apart from a cancellation by the company itself (our translation)
CEGA’s FAQ answers a question on cancelling after classes start with “under certain conditions there is a refund system; please check the school rules for details” (our translation). We could not find the school⁠-⁠rules page
B&D sets out its cancellation fees by days before arrival. Conditions after the start are not on that page. It says classes missed on public holidays are not refunded or rescheduled
Paradise English says the 20% deposit due 4 weeks before the start date and school closures beyond its control are “non⁠-⁠refundable”. Conditions after the start are not on the page
On the pages we read for Target, Well, English Fella and Enderun, we found no conditions for changing course or refunds. When you apply, ask whether there are written terms or a contract

Next step: confirm in writing

You can open each school’s page from the list of schools in the Philippines and compare. For the whole process, see our guide to studying English in the Philippines. You can ask about conditions after enrolment before you apply. Ask by email or another form you can reread later, and cover these four points.

The fee for changing course, and the day a change takes effect
The procedure for moving to another school, and how the SSP is handled
Conditions for shortening, extending or pausing the stay
How a refund is calculated, how it is paid and how many days it takes if you leave partway

Sources

Government and public bodies

Official information from each company