Payment and Refund Policies

Payment and Refund Policy

For information about how to pay for your program and the payment methods HBS Online accepts, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

For Participants in Certificate Programs, Core Business Essentials, CDIS, and CLIMB (individually enrolled, independent of an employer or educational sponsorship)

Full payment is required to complete enrollment. If a participant has multiple failed payment attempts with a credit or debit card their account will be locked and they will not be able to continue with enrollment. Please note HBS Online does not provide refunds for the purpose of changing a participant’s payment method.

The cost of each Program (the "Program Fee") grants access to the content for each course Program from the first day of the Program until 60 days after the final Program deadline.

1. Withdrawal with Refund
   After enrolling in a Program, participants may request a withdrawal with refund up until 24 hours after the start of the Program. Please note, this is 24 hours after the course materials become available, not after the participant logs in. We encourage all Participants to log in to their Program as soon as it starts to confirm it will be a good fit for their learning needs. To request a withdrawal with refund, log in to your account and select “Change Program Status” for the relevant Program.

2. Please note, the cost of each Program Fee includes a nonrefundable $100 processing fee. If a participant requests a withdrawal with refund, HBS Online will issue a refund to the original payment method used during enrollment, minus the $100 processing fee.

3. Withdrawal without Refund
   If a participant withdraws more than 24 hours after the start of the Program, or if a participant is found to be in violation of the Agreements or any other Harvard Business School Online or Program-specific policy, the participant will not be issued a refund unless Harvard Business School Online elects to do so.

Stopping payment on a credit/debit card or other payment methods is not a valid means of withdrawing from a Program. If a participant stops payment without following the HBS Online process for withdrawal, the participant will remain responsible for paying the Program Fee and may be rendered ineligible to participate in future HBS Online programs.

For Participants enrolled in On-Demand Certificate Programs

For On-Demand Programs, once a participant's payment is successfully processed, an email granting access to the course content will be sent within 2 hours. Participants will also see access granted on their account dashboard. The full duration of access is indicated on their account dashboard. Access to the course begins the moment Program access is granted, not at first login to the Program.

1. Failure to complete enrollment after issuing a partial payment.
   For On-Demand Programs, all partial payments will be automatically refunded if the participant does not complete enrollment within 45 days after the initial partial payment. Full payment is required to complete enrollment. If a participant has multiple failed payment attempts with a credit or debit card, their account will be locked, and they will not be able to continue with enrollment. Please note, HBS Online does not provide refunds for the purpose of changing a participant’s payment method.

2. Withdrawal with Refund
   After enrolling in an On-Demand Program, participants may request a withdrawal with refund up until 24 hours after receiving access to the Program. Please note, this is 24 hours after the course materials become available, not after the participant logs in. We encourage all Participants to log in to their Program as soon as access is available to confirm it will be a good fit for their learning needs. To request a withdrawal with refund, log in to your account and select “Change Program Status” for the relevant Program.

   1. Please note, each Program Fee includes a nonrefundable $100 processing fee. If a participant requests a withdrawal with refund, HBS Online will issue a refund to the original payment method used during enrollment, minus the $100 processing fee.

3. Withdrawal without Refund
   If a participant withdraws more than 24 hours after being provided to access an On-Demand Program, or if a participant is found to be in violation of the Agreements or any other Harvard Business School Online or Program-specific policy, the participant will not be issued a refund unless Harvard Business School Online elects to do so.

Stopping payment on a credit/debit card or other payment methods is not a valid means of withdrawing from an On-Demand Program. If a participant stops payment without following the HBS Online process for withdrawal, the participant will remain responsible for paying the Program Fee and may be rendered ineligible to participate in future HBS Online programs.

For Participants enrolled in HBS Online Sprints

Once a participant's payment is successfully processed, an email granting access to the Sprint will be sent within approximately two hours. Participants will also see access granted on their account dashboard. Sprint access begins when access is granted, not when the participant first logs in. 

1. Payment
   Full payment is required to complete Sprint enrollment. Partial payments are not available for Sprint enrollments. If a participant has multiple failed payment attempts with a credit or debit card, their account will be locked, and they will not be able to continue with enrollment. Please note that HBS Online does not provide refunds for the purpose of changing a participant's payment method. 

2. Withdrawals and Refunds

   Sprint enrollments are not eligible for refunds. Once payment has been successfully processed and access has been granted, Sprint purchases are final. Sprint participants are not eligible for self-service withdrawals. 
   
   Stopping payment on a credit/debit card or other payment method is not a valid means of withdrawing from a Sprint. If a participant stops payment without following the HBS Online process, the participant will remain responsible for the applicable Sprint Fee and may be rendered ineligible to participate in future HBS Online offerings. 

For Participants engaged in a Corporate Learning Program

Participants in a Corporate Learning Program means any participant who is enrolled in a company-sponsored Program and enrolled in a Program through their employer, educational, or sponsoring entity. Full payment, if payment by the participant is required, is due at the time of enrollment. If a Participant has multiple failed payment attempts with a credit or debit card their account will be locked and they will not be able to continue with enrollment. Please note, HBS Online does not provide refunds for the purpose of changing a participant’s payment method.

After enrolling in a Program, prior to the start of the Program, and at the request of the employer or sponsoring entity, a participant may be withdrawn from the Program, which will result in the participant being refunded their original payment method. The participant may only be withdrawn from the Program if the request is made prior to the start of the Program.

Please note, each Program Fee includes a nonrefundable $100 processing fee. If a Participant is withdrawn with refund, HBS Online will issue a refund to the original payment method used during enrollment, minus the $100 processing fee.