Term and conditions

By enrolling, you accept the contract and travel terms and conditions of ESL Education SA (ESL – Language studies abroad). Once we have received your enrolment via email or post, we will confirm your language stay within 7 days. If the course you have chosen is full, we will inform you as soon as possible and offer an alternative course. We recommend that you book your flight/train ticket once you have received your booking confirmation from our admissions centre. In the case of a late enrolment (less than 2 weeks prior to your departure), a last-minute fee of EUR/USD/CAD/GBP 30 is invoiced.

An enrolment fee of EUR/USD/CAD/GBP 60 is not included in the price of the course. The deposit amount of EUR/GBP 300 USD/CAD 500, as well as the insurance fee (if booked, see point 6) must be paid by credit card at the time of enrolment. Any flights booked by ESL must be paid for upon confirmation. An invoice will be sent to you for the remaining total balance, which must be paid 4 weeks prior to the course start at the latest. If the booking is made less than 4 weeks prior to the beginning of the course the remaining total balance must reach us prior to your departure, according to your enrolment confirmation deadline. 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). If you book through a consultancy agency, we are only bound to fulfil the contract once your payment has been transferred to us. Young participants can book an unaccompanied minor service for their flights with the airline company. If booked, the partner schools welcoming the participant must be informed of this at the time of registration. Additional fees may be charged by the schools for this service (see price list in your destination under „options and extras“).

Prior to your departure
For every change to your booking made prior to your departure (e.g. change of course type, accommodation), we invoice an administration fee of EUR/USD/CAD/GBP 30. A change of school is considered as a cancellation in accordance with the conditions specified in point 4.
 
Following your departure
Following your departure, if you decide to shorten or change the course initially booked, you will not be entitled to a refund. If you would like to change your type of accommodation or make any other change, please contact our admissions department. Please note that change of booking fees may apply.
 
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.

Concerning Language studies abroad
Concerning Language studies abroad
 
a) potential cancellation needs to reach us by registered letter. If the cancellation occurs more than 30 days prior to your departure, a fee of EUR/GBP 300 USD/CAD 500 (+ insurance fees) will be invoiced to you. 
b) If your cancellation occurs less than 30 days prior to your departure, you will be charged cancellation fees of a minimum of EUR/GBP 300 USD/CAD 500 (+ insurance fees) or the following fees:
 
Concerning flights
In the case of a cancellation in booking after the ticket confirmation, tour operators' or airline companies' change fees will be invoiced to you in full.

ESL – Language studies abroad is a member of the Guarantee Fund of the Swiss travel industry. This Guarantee Fund will refund you the package cost of your language study stay in the case of failure or bankruptcy of the service provider prior to your departure. If bankruptcy were to occur following your departure, the Guarantee Fund would cover the return travel fees if the service provider does not fulfil its obligations. 

All students partaking in a language stay with ESL – Language studies abroad should be covered by an insurance policy during their time abroad. If you are interested in contracting insurance through our trusted provider, who offers all types of insurance, please tell us at the time of enrolment. Available insurance policies include cancellation insurance: in the case of inability to travel prior to your departure (illness, accident, death of a relative, employment or loss of a job, stolen passport, etc.), fees will be charged as usual but the client will be responsible of seeking reimbursement from the insurance provider.; Assistance insurance (early return, hospital transport, repatriation, etc.); and accident and health insurance. It is also necessary to announce your departure abroad to your health insurance/social security provider (or additional mutual insurance company).

All the conditions required by the trip abroad (obtaining a visa, valid insurance, customs formalities, etc.) are the responsibility of the client. We will provide the client with the information given by the embassies and help you in the steps towards obtaining a visa. You are responsible for complying with the entrance requirements for your destination country. Please, be aware that in some cases you may be required to fill in a minor authorisation form to travel abroad. We recommend to check with your local authorities if this form is required in each case. If you fail to do so, the fees, especially the cancellation fees, will be at your own expense, except if due to incorrect information or to the non–transmission of information from ESL – Language studies abroad.

ESL – Language studies abroad and our partner schools reserve the right to refuse an enrolment or to expel a participant if their behavior detracts from the smooth running of the program, if it contradicts the rules of the establishment or if it breaks the law of the host country. All fees, including the return journey, fines, etc. are at the expense of the participant or of the parents. The participants, or their legal guardians, are also responsible for any damages or losses caused during their stay.
 
Changes to programme by partner school
 
The student acknowledges and agrees that the partner school may change the structure and content of an advertised programme in order to comply with local rules around health and safety and in order to protect the health, safety and well-being of students. These changes may include, but are not limited to:

• Changes in how a particular programme is delivered, for example moving from classroom-based teaching to online teaching;
• Reducing class sizes; or
• Cancellation or substitution of specific activities

 
ESL- Language Travel will not be liable for any changes made by a partner school.

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. ESL – Language studies abroad assumes no responsibility for compensation requests linked to airline agreements. The passenger is notified that ESL – Language studies abroad does not organize 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 shall not be in breach of this agreement nor liable for delay in performing, or failure to perform, any of its obligations under this agreement if such delay or failure result from events, circumstances or causes beyond its reasonable control including but not limited to: fire; natural disaster; acts of government; failure of partner schools, suppliers or sub-contractors; labour disputes or civil unrest; criminal, terrorist or threatened terrorist activities of any kind; pandemics and other public health emergencies; any negligent or wilful act or failure to act by any third party; or any other cause beyond the direct control of ESL – Language studies abroad (each a “Force Majeure Event”).
 
Where any programme is cancelled by the organiser or partner school as a result of a Force Majeure Event, it is acknowledged that:
 
-        ESL – Language Travel or the organiser (as applicable) has the right to retain a pro-rated amount of any fees paid where services have been partially provided. Any fees retained will be proportionate to the services provided;
-        ESL – Language Travel shall be entitled to deduct any irrecoverable fees it suffers from the amount of any refund, for example cancellation fees or similar;
-        the organiser or partner school shall have the right to provide the cancelled programme through alternative means, including online and virtual programmes.
-        Any third party services procured by ESL – Language Travel on behalf of the participant, including but not limited to flights or insurance shall remain subject to the terms of the respective provider’s terms and ESL – Language Travel shall not be liable for such third party services or any act or omission of such third party.

The contact details of the host family (name, telephone, full address) will be communicated to you by email around 7 days prior to your departure. It is possible that a last-minute change can take place for reasons beyond our control. Requests concerning the distance from the school, the presence of children and the presence of domestic animals are not guaranteed. If your child is on a special diet, follows medical treatment or suffers from any allergies, our Admissions Centre must be informed before the start of the programme so that the school can guarantee suitable accommodation.

When it comes to accommodation, ESL is committed to asking the schools for all the students’ preferences. However, we cannot guarantee them in all cases, since we depend on the availability of families, residences and apartments at the time of booking. ESL will try by all means that there are not two students who have the same mother tongue in the homestay accommodation. However, during high season periods (June, July and August) it cannot be guaranteed.
 
Similarly, the distance between homestay accommodation and the school may be greater than the average indicated in our catalog or our website, during high season or in reservations made shortly before the beginning of the course.
 
Some accommodations may have supplements for students with special diets (food intolerances, celiac disease, etc.), as well as for stays that include holidays or certain periods such as Christmas, New Year, etc.

The student must adapt to the way of life and customs of the visiting country.
The student agrees to respect differences, considering race, culture, religion, sex, beliefs, or even disabilities. Not only is it important in an increasingly globalized world, but it prepares us to be in solidarity, to value and learn from others, to be tolerant and respectful, and to avoid making decisions based on prejudice and stereotypes. The consumer agrees to respect the laws of the destination country.
 
Upon registration, you agree to attend class and respect the prohibitions of consumption of tobacco, alcohol and drugs.
 
In the event you do not comply with the laws of the destination, the school reserves the right to expel you from the program. In such case, the student will assume the expenses originated by the early return.

The organizer may cancel a program in the case of unforeseeable circumstances, by order of local authorities, a strike, natural disaster, unrest or other restrictive reasons. The total amount paid for the course will be immediately returned; however, in all cases, the organizer reserves the right to keep compensation for the services partially provided.

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 10 days of receiving our confirmation. 

The Junior program start and finish on fixed dates. In the case of an early arrival or a late departure, a charge for the extra nights as well as the airport transfer will be invoiced. Please note that a change of booking fee may be charged.

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

The activities presented in our brochure or online are given by way of example and may vary according to circumstances. Please note that 1-week program may not include weekend activities. A written release/authorization from the legal guardian may be requested for special activities, including diving, surfing, sailing, horse riding, paragliding, canoeing, etc. If the required form is not issued at the latest 10 days before the start of the program, ESL Language Studies reserves the right to cancel the activities in question. No refunds will be granted.

ESL – Language studies abroad reserves the right to keep and/or use pictures or photographs taken in its partner schools or during the language course for promotional purposes, with the agreement of the parents or legal guardians. In return, ESL – Language studies abroad agrees to respect the privacy of its participants in order to preserve the rights of its clients, in accordance with the current legislation. 

ESL – Language studies abroad agrees to process your personal information in accordance with the current laws on the protection of privacy. Your personal information may be shared with the partners of ESL – Language studies abroad for the sole purpose of executing the contract. The data may also be used in order to contact and inform you about the programs and services provided by ESL – Language studies abroad. You have the right to object to the use of your personal information for marketing purposes, on request and free of charge, and you have the right to object to and rectify your personal information. Minors must be represented by their parents or legal representatives. To exercise your rights, you can contact ESL – Language studies abroad, Escaliers du Grand-Pont 7, 1003 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Organizations of our respective partner schools.

Only the rulings of Swiss law are applicable in subsequent communication between you and ESL – Language studies abroad. The place of jurisdiction is Lausanne.
 
ESL Education SA
 Escaliers du Grand-Pont 7
1003 Lausanne
Switzerland
T: +41 (0) 21 962 88 80
F: +41 (0) 21 962 88 81
E: [email protected]