General Conditions
- On formalizing enrolment onto a course (and accommodation), the student accepts the General Terms and Payment Conditions and Payment Method, as well as the norms, rules and guarantees of STUDY SPANISH LATIN AMERICA (SSLA) and the partner school.
- All bookings are strictly personal and non-transferable to other people.
- It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure that they are in good physical and mental health for the projects and activities in which they will be participating while abroad.
- SSLA always strives to achieve that programs are as outlined in the school factsheet, in the website descriptions and other marketing materials. However, we cannot be held responsible for changes (if the actual program is different than the one described).
- The minimum time commitment is one week, both for courses as well as for accommodation. Reservations for less than a week might be accepted, but additional fees will apply.
- The school always deserves the right to change a group course into private classes in case there are not enough students to form a group at the same level. If this happens, the number of private lessons may be fewer than the group course booked.
Travel and Arrival
- The student is solely responsible for arranging and paying for their own travel, specifically including all airfares or other transport costs to and from the host country as well as any local transport costs, unless it is specified in the program description that local transportation is included.
- Students must inquire about obtaining a visa at the Embassy or Consulate nearest to them. The responsibility of obtaining visas is the student’s.
- The proof of enrolment document which is required for the visa can only be issued if the enrolment form has been received and the advance payment of 50% of the total invoice sum has been made.
- If flight information is not given at least seven days before arrival, we cannot guarantee the airport pick-up.
Insurance and Medical Advice
- We strongly recommend that all students take out a travel or medical insurance policy in their home country. The student is solely responsible for evaluating and determining the type, extent and levels of any insurance coverage they need or desire for their planned study/travel period.
- If students are participating in adventure or sports programs, they have the responsibility to ensure that their travel or medical insurance policy covers the activity or sport in which they are participating. The student may be required to show a certificate of this insurance policy before commencement in the course.
- It is the student’s responsibility to seek medical advice regarding the vaccinations and inoculations that are appropriate for a visitor to your host country.
Accommodation
- In case the accommodation as booked is not available, participants may be placed in other types of accommodation of similar quality.
- Special requests and dietary restrictions will be accommodated where possible but cannot be guaranteed.
- The student may be charged for the replacement of items broken either intentionally or through negligence. If there is damage and no one is directly responsible, the cost of repairs may be divided among all the students in the flat.
- Neither SSLA nor the partner organization are responsible for any personal items left in the student accommodation premises or at the host families.
Classes
- Partner schools reserve the right to extend or change timetables.
- It is not possible to make up classes due to illness, unless personal arrangements are made directly with the school administration.
- There are no classes on national holidays; however, some partner organizations may replace the classes by a cultural activity or excursion.
- Classes cannot be recuperated and are non-refundable.
- The partner schools have different definitions of "an academic" hour and the duration can vary between 45 – 55 minutes.
Volunteer Projects
- If the student participates in a volunteer program, the final decision regarding the acceptance of the student (volunteer) in the volunteer project will be taken by the volunteer organization; all placements are subject to change.
- The volunteer is expected to work till the end of the placement; if the project is abandoned earlier, no refund on accommodation or the volunteer fee will be granted.
Payments
- SSLA requests a deposit payment of 50% of the total invoice sum, to guarantee the reservation.
- The remaining program costs are to be paid at least 30 days before the start of the program.
- In case the start of the program is less than 30 days away from invoice date, full payment is requested.
- Please inquire about our payment options upon applying for your program.
- Prices may be subject to strong currency fluctuations due to different currencies of our partner projects or if the client pays in another currency than the one used in the invoice.
- Transaction costs for bank wires are to be covered by the client; there is a surcharge for payments via PayPal and credit card.
Admission or Expulsion
- SSLA reserves the right to cancel the student’s place if 2 weeks before the start of the program, the student has not yet paid the total sum of the course, accommodation and other services contracted.
- In the case of a serious disciplinary offence, repeated bad behaviour or infringement of the code of behavior of the partner organization, and/or the laws of the host country, the student might be expelled from the program as well as from the accommodation contracted with SSLA and the partner organization.
- If due to the above stated reasons, the student is expelled from the program, he/she has no right to any refund.
- In the case where damages are caused to third parties, all the expenses claimed from the partner school that originate from the above-mentioned incident will be charged to the student, who will have no right to later claims.
Refund Policy & Cancellations
- All program changes must be made prior to the student’s arrival in regards to their initially established program. All changes are subject to availability.
- SSLA must be notified of all cancellations in writing.
- USD$250 or 30% of the deposit / program costs already paid (whichever is higher) is non-refundable.
- The remaining program costs may only be refunded if SSLA receives a written cancellation notice at least 3 weeks before the beginning of the program(*). Cancellation fees may apply.
- There will be no partial refunds for days of either the program or the accommodation missed, nor will the student be able to make them up at a later date, UNLESS the partner school accepts a settlement.
- For changes of any kind, a USD$50 change fee will be charged. All changes are subject to availability.
- Changes within 2 weeks before start of the project cannot be honored (*).
- Students, who, for any reason, withdraw from a program or any portion of it once the program has already started, do so at their own expense.
- Money for programs will not be refunded once the program has started (*)
except in cases of serious illness (of the student or a direct family member) or another serious situation (for example, work or examination in home country, pregnancy or the obligation of doing military service). In this case the following procedures are applicable:
- Cancellations will be accepted in writing only
- In case of illness or pregnancy, a medical declaration that will be evaluated, needs to be attached.
- In case of work, examination or military service, a declaration needs to be attached
- SSLA will evaluate the situation and will consider a refund of a maximum of 75% for weeks that have not yet commenced, in other words, for complete weeks left. Final refunding always depends on agreements between SSLA and the local partner organization.
- SSLA will refund this amount at the latest 30 days after the original ending date of the program, by bank wire transfer. Excluded from the cancellation procedures are the non-refundable part of the down payment, the registration fee, and the cost of services already utilized, such as the airport pick-up.