Enrolment, Payment, Cancellations and Refunds
General Terms and Conditions
1. The school is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM. Closing times may vary.
2. Maximum class size: 10 students (September to May), 12 students (June to August).
3. Students must present their passport on the first day. A copy will be retained by the school.
4. By signing the registration form, students consent to Britannia English Academy keeping their personal data in computerized systems.
5. All new students are required to take a level test before booking the course. Students cannot choose their level; it will be determined by the School Manager.
6. A non-refundable registration fee of £65 is required before starting the course.
7. Course fees must be paid in full 4 weeks before the start date. Fees do not include course books, materials, travel expenses, social events with charges, or personal/health insurance.
8. Course fees are subject to change without prior notice.
9. Payments for international transfers must be made in GBP, with any additional fees (e.g., exchange rates, transfer costs) covered by the student.
10. Books cost £45 each. A new book must be purchased when changing levels or courses.
11. Second-hand books, subject to availability, are £30 each.
12. Students are responsible for paying any additional amounts due to international bank transfers or exchange rate fees.
13. Classes are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 7:20 PM. Each lesson lasts 50 minutes.
14. Students arriving more than 10 minutes late will not be allowed into class until the next break. Habitual lateness may lead to further consequences.
15. Students must attend at least 80% of their course to receive a leaving certificate or academic report.
16. If a student misses two consecutive classes without notifying the school, their place may be given to another student.
17. Students must inform the school at least 24 hours in advance if they will miss a class.
18. Missed classes can be recovered if valid reasons (e.g., health, visa-related) are provided with 24 hours’ notice. The recovery must occur within six months.
19. Holidays must be booked for full weeks (Monday to Friday) with at least 1 week’s notice.
20. Days off are not allowed unless valid justification (per attendance and punctuality policy) and 24 hours’ notice are provided.
21. Students requesting holidays must send an email to
[email protected].
22. The timetable cannot be changed without approval. Requests should be sent to
[email protected].
23. Level changes will be determined by the teacher. If approved, changes take effect the following Monday unless otherwise stated.
24. Certificates and progress reports can be requested via email. These will be returned within 10 working days.
25. Students taking an examination course will need to take a written test or obtain the School Manager’s approval.
26. Exam fees must be paid directly to the exam provider by the student. Britannia will notify students about payment deadlines.
27. The student is responsible for keeping Britannia English Academy updated about any changes in their home address, emergency contact details, or email address.
28. Students must inform the school of any medical conditions before the course begins. Failure to do so may lead to course termination without refund.
29. Group classes cannot be converted into private lessons after the course has started.
30. Students must provide 24 hours’ notice to reschedule or cancel one-to-one lessons. Failure to do so means no rescheduling or refunds will be provided.
31. The school is closed during the Christmas period. Exact dates will be communicated in advance.
32. The maximum number of students in a class may be increased to 12 during peak times (June-August).
33. Students are expected to treat staff and other students with respect. Any behavior causing inconvenience, offense, or distress may result in exclusion from lessons.
34. Students with persistent behavioral issues or involved in serious offenses may be expelled from the school with immediate effect, and no refund will be given.
35. Complaints must be made promptly or via email during the course. Complaints submitted after the course has finished will not be accepted.
36. Students attending social activities are responsible for their own safety and behavior. The school is not liable for any accidents, injuries, or loss of personal items.
37. Students who have low attendance or fail to meet course standards may be asked to repeat their level or remain at the same level until they are ready to progress.
38. Course abandonment is non-refundable, and students cannot transfer courses to other students.
39. External exam fees must be paid on time. Students are responsible for ensuring timely payment.
40. Accommodation bookings require an additional non-refundable fee of £65.
41. Online lessons follow the same attendance, holiday, and cancellation policies as in-person lessons.
42. The school is not liable for the safekeeping or delivery of any fax, mail, or personal items.
PAYMENTS
Britannia English Academy does not accept cheques.
Payments can be made via cash, card, bank transfer, or over the phone.
For card payments, surcharges apply: UK debit cards (no surcharge), non-UK debit cards (3% surcharge), credit cards (3% surcharge), and AMEX cards (4% surcharge).
If payment is made via bank transfer, the student is responsible for covering any associated fees. The academy will not bear any charges from the student’s bank or its own.
For payments processed over the phone, an additional 1% surcharge will be added on top of the card payment surcharges, and the student must sign the Card Payment Authorization Form.
In the event of a visa refusal, the student must provide an official document confirming the refusal. A refund will be issued, deducting a £335 administration fee. If accommodation was booked, the refund will deduct a £400 administration fee.
If an international transfer is needed for the refund, a further £40 will be deducted to cover international fees.
The school is not responsible for any bank charges incurred when processing refunds.
COURSE CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY
Britannia English Academy generally does not offer refunds under any circumstances.
COURSE REFUND POLICY (if the course has started)
No refunds will be given after the course has started, except in the following situation:
(ii) If the course is canceled and an alternative course at a different time cannot be offered.
COURSE REFUND POLICY (if the course has not started)
Refunds may take up to 30 days to process once cancellation notice has been given. Delays may occur depending on the reason for cancellation and the documents provided. If a refund is processed by bank transfer to a non-UK account, a £40 fee will be deducted from the refund.
Refund policy based on the timing of cancellation notice:
Less than 6 weeks before the start date: 0% refund
6 weeks or more before the start date: 100% refund, minus a £270 administration fee, a £65 enrollment fee, a £65 accommodation booking fee (if applicable) and £40 international transfer bank charges (if made to a non-UK bank account).
VISAS
No refunds will be given if a student withdraws their application after the visa letter has been sent.
No refunds will be given if a student decides to study at another school after the visa letter has been sent.
VISA REJECTION REFUND
In the event of a rejection of a Short Term Study Visa or Standard Visitor Visa, a refund will only be considered if the student provides evidence of the rejection. Without the official refusal letter, no refund will be processed.
Refund requests must be accompanied by clear scanned copies of the rejection letter in full, all documents from British immigration, and the original letter of enrolment sent to
[email protected].
All associated administration fees will not be refunded:
£270 visa administration fee
£65 course registration fee
£65 accommodation booking fee
£40 international transfer bank charges
If fraudulent methods are discovered in obtaining documents from BEA for a visa application, the UK Border Agency will be notified. The student will be expelled from the course, and no refunds will be issued.
Refunds granted will only cover course fees. Registration fees are non-refundable.
If a student is asked to leave the UK or is expelled from a course, no refund will be given.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation can only be booked for students of BEA who have paid their course fees. Accommodation will only be reserved upon receipt of a fully completed application form and full payment.
The minimum stay is two weeks if the course lasts two weeks or more. If the course is less than two weeks, accommodation for one week can be offered.
When extending accommodation, students must pay the school, not the host. If the student pays the host directly, they will be in breach of BEA Terms and Conditions, and their course may be suspended.
BEA reserves the right to cancel or change accommodation arrangements without prior notice.
Students are responsible for any damage caused to the host family’s property.
Accommodation services are only provided for students enrolled in a full-time course of at least 20 lessons per week.
No refund will be given if a student is removed from homestay accommodation due to bad behavior.
Students may not bring visitors to their accommodation without the host’s consent.
Students are expected to respect and follow the host family’s reasonable schedule and house rules. Failure to do so may result in removal from the accommodation.
A non-refundable accommodation booking fee of £65 is required before starting the course.
The cost of telephone usage is not included in the accommodation fee.
Students who do not request airport pickup must inform the school of their arrival time at the homestay.
Smoking is not allowed in the house without the host’s consent.
Homestay accommodation is not the same as hotel accommodation and does not offer the same services.
Students must always ask the host family’s permission before giving the homestay address for receiving post, especially for bank letters.
A late check-in fee of £40 will be applied for check-ins between 10 pm and 7 am.
CHANGE OF ACCOMMODATION
When extending accommodation, students must give two weeks’ notice. If they fail to do so, BEA reserves the right to charge a £50 accommodation booking extension fee.
If the student does not give proper notice, they may not be able to stay in the same accommodation.
The £100 change of accommodation fee will not be charged if there is a serious issue, such as a temporary problem with heating, hot water, or broken bedroom furniture.
BEA will attempt to resolve the issue with the host, and if it cannot be resolved, BEA will find alternative accommodation at no additional cost.
In either case, the student will not be refunded for the cost of the accommodation.
ACCOMMODATION REFUND POLICY (if the course has not started)
Cancellation of bookings already made:
Less than 6 weeks before the start date: 0% refund
6 weeks or more before the start date: 100% refund, minus a £270 administration fee, a £65 enrollment fee, a £65 accommodation booking fee and £40 international transfer bank charges (if made to a non-UK bank account).
LATE ARRIVAL/EARLY DEPARTURE/POSTPONING THE BOOKING DATE
No refund if the student leaves residential accommodation early.
If the student chooses homestay, the school will request 2 weeks’ notice.
The arrival date can be postponed (changed to a later date) if the school is informed at least 10 days (10 x 24 hours) before the start date.
One week’s accommodation fee will be charged if the school is given less than 10 days’ notice of a change in arrival date.
INFORMATION ABOUT STUDENT HALLS
Ensure all cooking equipment (e.g., gas cooker) is turned off after use. Clean the cooking equipment (gas cooker, microwave) after use.
Clean the toilet, washing basin, and bath after use.
Turn off all the lights before leaving the room.
Keep the post on the shelf at the entrance.
Recycle and dispose of rubbish properly: separate general waste, paper waste, bottles/tins/cans, and food waste from each other.
Follow the rules: no overnight guests, no pets, no shouting or disturbing neighbors.
Pay a £250 deposit, if applicable. The student halls will return the deposit at the end of the student’s stay if there is no damage or need for excessive cleaning. The cost of repairing damage or excessive cleaning will be paid from the deposit.
FORCE MAJEURE
BEA is not liable for failure to perform its obligations if such failure is due to Acts of God (e.g., fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, or other natural disasters), war, invasion, civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power, confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalization, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, lockout, or interruption or failure of electricity or telephone service. Refunds are not made in such cases.
PHOTOGRAPHS AND FILMING
Students may be photographed or recorded in moving images, which may be used in the School’s promotional/publicity material.
The School reserves the right to all photographs and videos, which may be used in any way the School sees appropriate to promote itself.
The copyright to all photographs belongs to the School.
It is the policy of the School not to divulge any personal details of students to third parties without the student’s prior consent, except to appropriate authorities.
The School has CCTV operating in the premises.
CLASSROOM RULES
These Terms are governed by the law of England and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England.
Smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is not permitted anywhere in Britannia.
Mobile phones must be switched off during lessons.
Consuming food and hot drinks in classrooms is not allowed.
Students must arrive on time for lessons. If more than 10 minutes late, you must wait until the start of the second half of the lesson to enter.
English is the only language to be used in the school.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE
BEA is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.
Discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by law is strictly prohibited.
If you experience or witness any form of discrimination, we encourage you to report it immediately to the administration. All reports will be taken seriously and investigated promptly. Confidentiality will be maintained as much as possible.
Any student found to have engaged in discriminatory behavior may face disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion from the course, without a refund under any circumstances.
This anti-discrimination policy will be reviewed regularly, and feedback from the school community will be considered in our ongoing efforts to promote equality and inclusion.
ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR
Abusive behavior directed towards students or staff is not tolerated at Britannia English Academy. Abusive behavior includes:
The use of foul language towards any individual
The use of racist language
The use of homophobic language
Physical aggression or striking of any individual
Intimidation
Inappropriate, invasive, or unwanted physical attention
Stalking
Deliberate abuse of health and safety procedures
Any abusive behavior observed by staff or reported by students to staff must be referred to the Academic Manager in writing.
At the discretion of the Academic Manager, a student engaging in any of the above behaviors may have their studies terminated with no refund given.
No student who abuses a staff member or another student in the described manners will remain in the school.
AIRPORT TRANSFER CONDITIONS
You must provide accurate arrival information, including arrival time, date, airport, airport origin, airline, terminal number, and flight number.
It is the student’s responsibility to inform the school of accurate arrival details. If incorrect details are provided, Britannia English Academy will not refund charges if the student is not met.
Upon joining the school and completing their registration, students will accept all terms and conditions listed above. Britannia English Academy typically arranges transport only from Manchester airport but may, on occasion, arrange transport from other airports (Liverpool or Leeds).
