Terms and conditions

1. Enrolment & confirmation

By enrolling, you accept the terms and conditions of the contract and travel of ESL - Language Studies Abroad. The enrolment can be handwritten/ sent by fax (enrolment form), made by telephone/orally or through our website. Once we have received your enrolment, we will confirm your language stay within 7 days. We inform you quickly and propose an alternative course if the courses you have chosen are full. In the case of a late enrolment, from 2 weeks prior to your departure, express postal fees of CHF 50.– / EUR 30.– are invoiced.

2. Payment

The enrolment fees of CHF 90.– / EUR 60.– are not included in the price of the course. The enrolment fees, the ELVIA insurance (if booked, cf. pt. 6) as well as a deposit of CHF 250.– / EUR 200.– are to be paid following reception of the confirmation of enrolment. The balance is due at the latest 4 weeks prior to the course start. If the enrolment is made less than 8 weeks prior to the course start, the total sum is to be paid following reception of the invoice. You must manage to make the full payment prior to your departure. In the case of non-payment of the deposit and/or balance of your invoice, your booking will be cancelled by ESL - Language Studies Abroad (according to the conditions of cancellation mentioned in point 4). Your file is sent to you following reception of the full payment (around 10 days prior to your departure). If you pay your consultancy agency, we are only bound to fulfill the contract once your payment has been transferred to us.

3. Changes to booking

Prior to your departure
For every change in booking taking place prior to your departure, we invoice a levy of a minimum CHF 50.– / EUR 30.– and a maximum CHF 150.– / EUR 100.–. A change of school is considered as a cancellation in accordance with the conditions specified in point 4.
Following your departure
Following your departure, any change in the initial arrangement does not bring about a reopening of your file. Contact the school directly if you are leaving the school prematurely, wish to change your accommodation option or want to ask for any other change. if the change is with regard to a complaint, refer to point 14.
Concerning flights
In the case of a change in booking after the ticket confirmation, tour operators' or airline companies' change fees will be invoiced to you in full.

4. Cancellation

Concerning language studies abroad
a) An eventual cancellation needs to reach us by registered letter. If the cancellation occurs more than 30 days prior to your depart, a fee of CHF 250.– / EUR 160.– is invoiced to you
b) If your cancellation occurs less than 30 days prior to your departure, the following cancellation fees are invoiced on top of the total sum of the invoice:
from 29 to 15 days prior to the departure 20%
from 14 to 8 days prior to the departure 40%
from 7 to 1 days prior to the departure 80%
From the 1st day of your stay or in the case of an early return, no refund is granted.
Concerning flights
In the case of a change in booking after the ticket confirmation, tour operators' or airline companies' change fees will be invoiced to you in full.

5. Travel guarantee

ESL is a member of the Guarantee Fund of the Swiss travel industry. This Guarantee Fund refunds you the package costs of your language study stay, in the case of failure or insolvency of the service provider prior to your departure. If the insolvency were to occur following your departure, the Guarantee Fund would take charge of the return travel fees, insofar as the service provider does not fulfil its obligations.

6. Insurance

Cancellation assistance insurance  (CHF 75/EUR 45)
A travel-cancellation fees insurance can be taken out for all of your language study stays with our partner ELVIA. In the case of an incapacity to travel (illness, accident, death of a close one, stolen passport etc.) occurring prior to your departure, this insurance covers you personally against cancellation fees. This insurance also covers assistance guarantees (early return, transport to hospital, repatriation, etc.) during your stay. By opting for this insurance during your enrolment, you accept the insurance terms and conditions of ELVIA. Contractual clauses available on request.
ELVIA

Accident-health insurance
You are obliged to be covered against the risks of illness and accidents aborad. It is necessary to announce your departure to your health insurance/social security provider (or additional mutual insurance company).

7. Conditions of admission into the destination country

General remarks
All of the conditions imposed by your trip abroad (obtaining a visa, valid insurance, customs formalities, etc.) are your responsibility. We provide you with the information given by the embassies and help you in the steps towards obtaining a visa. Conditions often vary for the Swiss, French or for people coming from other countries. If you are refused authorisation to enter a country for reasons independent of the will of ESL - Language Studies Abroad, your trip is cancelled according to the conditions under point 4.
USA - Australia - Canada
The various compulsory administrative formalities to travel to the United States, Australia or Canada take into account the legislation in force. We advise you to keep yourself informed of eventual changes which could be brought about by the authorities of these respective countries. ESL will not be held responsible in the case of any changes.

8. Reserved rights of the organiser

ESL - Language Studies Abroad and our partner schools reserve the right to refuse an enrolment or to expel a participant if his/her behaviour detracts from the smooth running of the programme, if it contravenes the rules of the establishment or if it breaks the law of the host country, All of the fees, including the return journey, fines, etc. are at the expense of the participant or of the parents. The participants, or their legal guardian, are also responsible for any damages or losses caused during their stay. Our partner schools generally ask the parents, or a legal guardian, of the participant to sign one or several discharges concerning the authorizations and the understanding of the rules in force. ESL will send you the respective forms. If the required documents are not signed and sent back - 10 days prior to the trip - to ESL - Language Studies Abroad, the booked programme will be automatically cancelled (according to the cancellation conditions mentioned in point 4).

9. Responsibility of the organiser

ESL- Language Studies Abroad cannot be held responsible for the impossibility of assuring the services initially planned by reason of failure of its service providers, conflicts, or serious problems outside of its control. ESL - Language Studies Abroad is responsible as a language travel agent for the authenticity of its brochure, the accuracy of its content, the conscientious choice of the service providers as well as the passing on of travel documents to the point of sale/client. ESL - Language Studies Abroad can in no case be held responsible in the case of an accident in the place of the stay or during the journey. Only the responsibilty of the service provider (school, airline company...) can become involved. ESL - Language Studies Abroad assumes no responsibility for compensation requests linked to airline agreements. The passenger is notified that ESL does not organise airline journeys and only intervenes in the matter as an intermediary. In this regard, we attract your attention to the terms and conditions of the partner travel agency. ESL - Language Studies Abroad cannot be held responsible for any eventual changes to the programme (courses, classes, accommodation details, etc.) which its partner schools may be forced to make. ESL - Language Studies Abroad reservds the right to change, without prior notice, the content of its brochure as well as the chosen service providers.

10. Accommodation and host family

The contact details of the host family (name, telephone, full address) will be communicated to you by post around 7 days prior to your departure. It is possible that a last-minute change can take place for reasons beyond our control.

11. Cancellation of a programme

The organiser may cancel a programme in the case of unforeseeable circumstances, orders from the authorities, a strike, unrest or other restrictive reasons. The total amount paid for the course is immediately returned, however, in all cases,  the organiser may keep a compensation for the services partially provided.

12. Price modifications

ESL- Language Studies Abroad reserves the right to modify the prices in the case of unpredictable changes, such as monetary fluctuations, an increase in transport costs, the introduction or increase of State taxes like airport taxes or VAT. If the increase is more than 10% of the rate confirmed by ESL- Language Studies Abroad, you have the right to terminate your contract with ESL - Language Studies Abroad, without paying any charge, by registered post, within the 10 days following our confirmation.

13. Arrival and departure dates

The Juniors programmes start and finish on fixed dates. In the case of an arrival or departure before or after these dates, the charges for extra nights as well as the airport transfer will be invoiced.

14. Bank holidays

If teaching does not take place on bank holidays and if the classes are not made up for by our partner schools, the missed hours are not reimbursed.

15. Complaints

Any complaint must be made directly to the school and during the duration of your stay. If your approach to the school is not effective, contact ESL - Language Studies Abroad. It the problem cannot be solved directly, you can demand a written report from the school and address it to us with your complaint, at the latest 30 days following your return. Any complaint made after this deadline is inadmissible.

16. Discharge for optional activities

 A written discharge/authorisation of the legal guardian may be requested for special activities, including diving, surfing, sailing, horse riding, paragliding, canoeing, etc. If the required form is not given - 10 days prior to the departure - the booked programme will be automatically cancelled by ESL - Language Studies Abroad (according to the conditions of cancellation mentioned in point 4).

17. Responsible organisations

Organisations of our respective partner schools.

18. Place of jurisdiction

Only the disposals of Swiss law are applicable in subsequent relations between you and ESL - Language Studies Abroad. The place of jurisdiction is Montreux.