Another story to illustrate the principle that it's always worth making a phone call.
My daughter was scheduled to spend this fall semester studying abroad, in a program that cost $5000. She was told when she was accepted that the fee was non-refundable for any reason.
Well, man proposes.... She decided to enter the convent this fall instead of going back to school, so she withdrew from the university. We received her last bill, showing the fall tuition charges cancelled, but not the study-abroad fee. Figuring there's nothing to lose, I called and asked if they could cancel it, and they did!