Terms & Conditions

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS WITH LANGUAGE STUDIES OVERSEAS (LSO):

LSO:Language Studies Overseas (hereinafter referred to as LSO) act as booking agents for our overseas partner schools, who provide tuition and accommodation for students and others wishing to pursue a language course abroad. LSO does not own or operate any of the advertised schools.

Making a Booking: The minimum age of enrolment for most of our courses is 16 (with the exception of junior courses). An enrolment can be made by phone, fax or via our website, where students should complete an on-line booking form. Once LSO has received a completed booking form and deposit, either on-line or in writing, this agreement is legally binding. This includes bookings made by telephone. As soon as either the deposit or full payment is received by LSO, written confirmation of this will be sent to the student. Any information which is submitted by the student on the booking form which is false or inaccurate may render the booking invalid.

The Agreement: This agreement is made by the student and LSO. The student is considered to be the person making the booking or for whom the booking is made. The agreement is bound by the laws of England.

Payment by the Student: Full payments are due prior to the student’s arrival. In order to secure a place on a chosen course, the student will need to return the Enrolment Form together with a non-refundable deposit of £150. Please note that full payment is required to be received by LSO 8 weeks before the start of a course. If full payment is not received more than 8 weeks before the course is due to begin, LSO reserves the right to cancel the course and accommodation booked. In such cases, the deposit remains non-refundable and the student may be subject to cancellation charges (see below). In the unlikely event that the partner school cancels a student’s course, LSO will either refund any fees already paid or seek a suitable alternative. Please note that the latter option may be subject to an additional fee.

Payment Procedures:

Cheque Cheques should be made payable to ‘Language Studies Overseas’. Please send your cheque and enrolment form to: Language Studies Overseas, PO BOX 52247, London SW16 4WP. Please note that we can only accept bankers’ cheques or drafts. Personal cheques are not accepted.

Bank Transfer We are happy to receive payment by bank transfer. Please note that the client is responsible for any bank charges that may be incurred . Please contact us for our bank details.

Confirmation of Booking: We will confirm all bookings as soon as possible. Students are advised NOT to make travel arrangements until their booking has been confirmed by LSO. Accommodation details for residential stays will usually be sent with the booking confirmation. However, information for Host Family stays will be sent approximately 2 weeks prior to the student’s arrival.

Cancellation by the Student: All cancellations need to be made in writing by e-mail, fax or by post. The date of cancellation will be taken as the date of receipt of your letter of cancellation.

A) Cancellations prior to the start of your course:

1. Cancellation received up to 50 days prior to departure: loss of non-refundable deposit of £150.

2. Cancellation received between 49 and 30 days prior to departure: 25% of the remaining cost of course and accommodation fees are due plus non-refundable deposit .

3. Cancellation received between 29 and 15 days prior to departure: 50% of the remaining cost of course and accommodation fees are due plus non-refundable deposit .

4. Cancellation received between 0 and 14 days prior to the start of your course:

100% of the remaining cost of course and accommodation fees are due plus non-refundable deposit.

5. No show: 100% of course and accommodation fees are due plus non-refundable deposit.

0 days is considered to be the day of departure.

B) Cancellations after the start of a course: Once a course has started, no cancellation can be made.

Please note that if one or more students who have made a booking with LSO as part of a group decide to cancel, they will still be subject to cancellation conditions and will be normally be charged at a rate that is equal to the one that they would be subject to if they had booked as an individual.

Courses and accommodation are booked together and provided by the partner school. As such, we are not able to treat courses and accommodation options as separate entities. Therefore, courses and accommodation cannot be cancelled individually.

Activities and excursions: Many of our partner schools offer their own programme of extra-curricular activities and excursions. In most cases, the school will charge extra for these. Please note that these activities may be changed or withdrawn at short notice due to student numbers and staffing. LSO has no control over this and will not offer any compensation for cancelled activities and excursions.

Insurance and Liability : Please note that we do not offer insurance to our students. We therefore strongly recommend all students to take out adequate insurance before their departure. LSO is an independent agent and is not liable for any risks you may be exposed to during your trip and or while staying at the partner school. These risks may include, but are not limited to: personal injury, property damage, sickness, natural disasters, strikes, hurricanes, earthquakes, accidents, terrorism, war and changes to transport arrangements made by third parties. By submitting the enrolment form, you are assuming all risks and agreeing to indemnify and hold LSO and its employees harmless of any and all liability that may arise in LSO courses abroad. Refunds will not be given for disruptions to courses as a result of the above.

Missed Classes: Students are advised that where a public holiday falls on a day when they are meant to have lessons, schools will normally be closed. In some cases, schools will make up the missed time or provide an excursion free of charge. This cannot, however, always be guaranteed. LSO will not refund or reimburse missed classes due to public or National holidays. Where possible, we have tried to indicate on our price list where these holidays are likely to fall. However, please note that these dates are at best only a guideline, as dates may be changed at short notice by local authorities.

Please note that on the first day of arrival, the partner school will normally give students an evaluation test. This is so that the student can be placed in the correct level of class. Classes may be missed as a result of this, but LSO considers these activities an integral part of the course and as such, we will not refund classes missed due to level testing and evaluation.

Travel arrangements: Students are reminded that they are responsible for their own travel arrangements. Our prices are for language courses and accommodation only. We are happy to arrange airport transfers for an additional fee. However, we can only do this if we receive travel details 14 days in advance of departure.

LSO is not responsible for arranging visas for students who require them, although we will of course supply the necessary documentation to obtain a visa for language courses. If students are forced to cancel a booking with LSO due to not obtaining a visa in time, the student may be subject to cancellation charges.

Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he/she has a valid passport (and visa, if applicable) for travel. Students are advised to check with their GP if they require any travel vaccinations.

Complaints: If a student feels that he or she has a reasonable complaint to make, this must be communicated to the partner school and to LSO as soon as possible after starting the course. LSO will be unable to deal with or resolve any complaints received after the student has completed the course.

Acceptable Standards of Behaviour: LSO students are expected to comply with the rules and regulations of our partner schools. The use of drugs, antisocial behaviour and excessive drinking will not be tolerated under any circumstances. If a school decides to terminate a student’s course and accommodation due to unacceptable conduct, LSO will not refund any missed classes or any other additional costs incurred.

Accuracy of Information and Prices: We make every effort to ensure that the information contained in our website is accurate. LSO does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. Our partner schools will occasionally change certain details concerning courses or prices. As such, our prices are subject to alteration and subject to change without notice. When this happens, however, we will try to update the information as soon as possible. Please note that advertised prices may be subject to surcharges due to fluctuations in currency rates. Please contact us for the most up to date information regarding the course or courses you are interested in or if you have any specific questions.

LANGUAGE STUDIES OVERSEAS
PO BOX 52247
LONDON SW16 4WP
UK

Tel/Fax: +44 (0) 20 8679 7605
E-mail: info@languagestudiesoverseas.co.uk
Website: www.languagestudiesoverseas.co.uk
Office Hours: Mon- Sat 10am-5pm.