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Terms and Conditions

Important

In these Terms and Conditions, ‘we’ or ‘us’ or ‘Study Group’ means Study Group Limited – Holland Branch, the owner and provider of the Holland International Study Centre (the ‘Centre’). Study Group Limited – Holland Branch is registered with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (CCI no. 69415358) as an overseas branch of Study Group Limited (‘Study Group’), a company incorporated in England and Wales with company number 2325576 whose registered office is at 21 Station Street Way, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 4DE, UK. Study Group is responsible for all student payment collections. The place of business of Study Group’s branch in the Netherlands  is at Amsterdam Arena Boulevard 65-71, Amsterdam, 1101 DL, Netherlands. References to ‘University’ are to the degree-awarding university to which you intend to progress after completing your studies at the Centre.

This website's Terms and Conditions were updated on 1 December 2022.

Application and confirmation payment

If your application is accepted, a written offer of a place to study will be made. To accept this offer a confirmation payment is required comprising an administration fee of €260 and €1,000 security deposit and the total of your tuition fees. You must pay both these sums no later than the date set out in your offer: Non-payment by this deadline may put your place at risk. You will also be required to pay the balance of all fees before the set visa deadline as set out in your offer letter. 

The security deposit is primarily held against any damages incurred to Centre property and related expenses. If, at the end of a programme, there are any monies left these may also be offset against debts incurred by you in relation to expenses such as programme-related travel or extra-curricular activities, otherwise an invoice will be issued for any damages/outstanding fees in excess of the deposit. Any monies left will be refunded within 90 days of completion of the final term less any deductions made for any amount outstanding at that time.

Blended learning and technology requirements

Please note that you will learn through a mixture of as many live teacher-led classes as possible, as well as interactive activities and resources delivered in a virtual learning environment (‘blended learning’).

To access course materials on a Learning Management System/Virtual Learning Environment or platform and undertake assessments, it is important that you come prepared with the appropriate technology. While it is possible to access and interact with most course content using tablets and smartphones such as iPads, iPhones and Android devices, these devices will NOT work for assessments. Therefore you must have a PC or Mac based computer available for use. Please note that Linux and Chromebooks are not supported.

Minimum recommended specifications:

PC:

  • A Microsoft windows-based PC with at least 4GB RAM and 200 MB available free disk space (laptop or desktop, preferably running Windows 10 or 11)
  • Web browser: Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium version)

Mac:

  • An Apple Mac OS 10.12 and above based laptop or desktop with at least 4GB RAM and 200 MB available free disk space
  • Web browser: Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium version)

Online teaching sessions will be recorded and you will be reminded of this at the beginning of your course and before each session until the last date of admission to a programme. You may at any time tell us that you do not wish to be recorded by notifying the relevant member of staff. Please note that if you do not consent to the recording of an assessment, this may adversely affect your right to appeal and/or the outcome of any later appeal.

Deferral, cancellation and refund policy

You may defer your Programme prior to commencing your study by using the following link:

https://www.studygroup.com/request-deferral

You have a right to cancel your place and receive a full refund of any amounts paid by informing us in writing within 14 days of the date you accept the offer. To cancel your place within this 14-day period, please contact your admissions co-ordinator. Please note, if you defer your initial offer of a place after the 14-day period has expired you will NOT be able to cancel your deferred place at a later date to take advantage of a full refund. You may wish to cancel using the following link:

https://www.studygroup.com/request-withdrawal

Our cancellation and refund policies can be accessed at the links below. Your attention is drawn in particular to the circumstances in which the advance tuition fees will NOT be refunded:

  • If you cancel after a student visa has been issued;
  • If you cancel within 8 weeks of the programme start date; and
  • If your visa is rejected due to fraud.

Refunds will only be made to the same card/bank account of the individual from whom Study Group received the original payment. Refunds will be made within 90 days of the end of the relevant term.

Refunds will be made after calculating any damages, disbursements due or any other incidental fees or charges. Should you decide not to pursue your place on a programme after a visa has been issued, no monies will be refunded unless there are exceptional circumstances as set out in the refund policy below.

If you have been issued a visa, any applicable refund will only be made if you if you can provide sufficient evidence that may include, but not be limited to:

  • Proof that you have not used your visa to travel, such as a complete copy of your passport’s pages; or
  • Proof that you have returned to your home country, such as copies of relevant boarding passes and passport copies showing the appropriate entry/exit stamps.

View the full Pre-commencement Refund Policy here.

Special Special terms for students commencing studies online only (not applicable to students studying on 5 or 10-week OPSE English programmes):

Trial Period and cancellation

If you are given specific permission to commence your programme online only , you may cancel your place and receive a full refund of any amounts paid by informing us in writing at any time from the start date of your programme for a period of up to 21 days (the 'Trial Period'). 

To withdraw your place before commencement of your programme or withdraw from your programme before or during the Trial Period, please use the following link:

https://www.studygroup.com/request-withdrawal

If you decide to withdraw from your studies after the Trial Period has elapsed, you will not be eligible for a full refund of fees paid in advance. For further details, please refer to the Online Study Refund Policy at the link below.

If, after commencing your programme online, you transfer to face-to-face/blended delivery in Centre, we will contact you again in relation to applying for a visa.

The issuance of a visa is subject to meeting certain criteria including, but not limited to, your financial status and, in some cases, a satisfactory interview. In the event of an official visa rejection and you are unable to continue your study in Centre, refunds will be issued in accordance with our Online Programme Refund Policy. Please read the refund policy carefully and note in particular the circumstances in which advance tuition fees will NOT be refunded.

Centre tuition fees

Admission to programmes and your continued enrolment at the Centre is dependent on all fees having been paid by the required date.

If payments become overdue, we reserve the right to charge interest at the rate of 2% above the base rate of RBS per month or part thereof.

Reasonable efforts are always made to keep fees to the minimum that is consistent with the provision of a modern and efficient teaching programme. However, fee increases may become necessary from time to time in order to maintain standards or following a change in law or regulation. You will be notified in advance of any increase, but we will not increase fees during the course of an academic year.

Accommodation

Should you decide to book accommodation through Study Group, additional charges may also be made for such items as accommodation security deposits, bedding packs and accommodation-specific insurance. You will be advised of these charges under a separate accommodation agreement at the time of booking. Residential accommodation is subject to availability and early confirmation is advised. For more information on accommodation during your period of study, please contact: studentservices@hollandisc.com

For accommodation cancellations and refunds, individual tenancy agreements take precedence over the Accommodation Refund Policy below:

View the full Accommodation Refund Policy

Provision of Tuition

The Centre will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver programmes described in our prospectus and other marketing materials. However circumstances may change due to factors beyond our reasonable control and it may be necessary to vary the content of a programme. We will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that any changes are kept to a minimum, but if we are required to make material changes to a programme before your arrival at the Centre, we will inform you as soon as possible. If you reasonably believe that the changes will affect you adversely, you may transfer to an alternative programme at the Centre for which you are qualified, enrol at another International Study Centre (visa regulations permitting) or withdraw your application without any liability for fees (including the enrolment fee).

If there are not sufficient applicants either to make a programme viable or to deliver a quality student experience, we may cancel or withdraw a programme. If you receive an offer for a programme and we discontinue or withdraw that programme prior to your registration at the Centre, we will notify you as soon as possible and you will be given the opportunity to either change your programme of study or withdraw from the Centre. In such circumstances you will be eligible for a full refund of any fees paid to us. Please also be aware that certain programmes are extremely popular and have limited spaces available, therefore it is important that you confirm your place as soon as possible after receiving an offer. Failure to do so may result in your being unable to register on your chosen programme and you may be offered an alternative programme of study.

Programme commencement date

You must ensure that you arrive on campus and are ready to start by the programme start date. You will not be admitted to your programme if you arrive after the programme start date, unless there are exceptional circumstances that have been agreed with Study Group in advance. If you are unable to arrive by the programme start date or are unlikely to obtain a visa in time to travel to the Centre by the programme start date, you must contact our Admissions Team who will advise on the options available to you.

Visa Information

Under Dutch law, a visa for degree preparation education is applied for by the degree-awarding university and not the Centre. However the Centre will coordinate the visa application, without liability, on behalf of you and the University. Visa fees and procedures are listed on the Centre website, but may change without notice. Some universities may require students to transfer both a confirmation payment as well as an amount to cover the cost of living before they apply for a student visa. The cost of living payment will be reimbursed to the student via a Dutch bank account in monthly stipends after arrival in the Netherlands.

Academic Criteria

Students who do not yet meet university criteria for English Language proficiency will be expected to take an appropriate English Language course at the Centre. Students are accepted into the Centre on the strict understanding that progression through the programme is conditional upon satisfactory and required attendance and successful attainment of prescribed performance targets as outlined to you at the beginning of the programme. Students are formally assessed at least twice a year. Students who do not meet the required English Language levels upon entry to the Centre will be required to take an IELTS test at the end of the programme and pass with an agreed result before being able to progress to their intended University.

Students may only progress to the degree programme if all requirements stipulated in the conditional offer letter provided by the intended progression University are met. Students who do not meet all these criteria will not be allowed to proceed with their intended degree course. The Centre will in this case explore alternative options within the Netherlands for the student, but visa limitations will require the student to return to their home country if no suitable alternative option is found. Please note that no progression possibilities exist in the Netherlands for students with an IELTS score below 6.0 and under Dutch visa regulations the duration of a Foundation level visa cannot be extended beyond the original duration. Please also note that no student will be admitted to study in the Netherlands with an IELTS score below 5.0.

Termination of studies

Your attention is drawn to the following non—exhaustive list of circumstances in which we may terminate your studies:

  • Insufficient attendance in line with our Attendance Policy
  • Failure to provide evidence of your eligibility to study in the Netherlands
  • Serious breach of required standards of conduct as further set out in our Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Policy
  • Multiple chargebacks in respect of any attempted payment of fees or any attempt to pay fees by fraudulent means by fraudulent means (including, but not limited to, the use of a stolen credit or debit card)

Study Plan Changes

All students’ English and numeracy skills will be tested on arrival. If your results differ materially from those in your home country, for example as a result of not having been tested for a long time, the Centre may discuss an alternative study plan more appropriate to your English and numeracy level. We would rather you succeed on an appropriate study programme than struggle on a programme beyond your levels of English and numeracy.

Personal Insurance

Accident and Medical Insurance

It is necessary that all students have appropriate accident and medical insurance. Students must either take out the AON insurance policy negotiated by Study Group or provide proof of adequate alternative cover at enrolment. Cover under the AON insurance policy does not commence until the insurance fees have been paid in full.

Personal Belongings and Contents Insurance

While the Centre takes all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety and security of students on campus we cannot accept responsibility, and expressly exclude liability, for loss or damage to students’ personal property (including computer equipment and software) or any financial or other consequential loss where such loss or damage is as a result of theft, fire, flood, computer virus or any cause relating to the Centre’s computing facilities except where such loss or damage is caused by the Centre’s negligence. The Centre does not insure students’ personal possessions and cannot be held liable for loss or damage should individuals fail to arrange their own insurance cover. All students are, therefore, strongly advised to take out a suitable contents insurance policy.

Withdrawal from the programme

Once you have commenced face-to- face/blended delivery (or after the expiry of the Trial Period mentioned above, if applicable), a minimum of one term’s notice (in writing) is required to withdraw from the Centre, whether or not you continue to attend lessons. Please refer to our Post-Arrival Refund Policy at the following link:

UK EU In-flight and Post-Arrival Refund Policy

Notice of withdrawal must be given in writing or by email to the Centre head and is effective from the date it is received. You may use the following link:

https://www.studygroup.com/request-withdrawal

Accounts Procedures

Payments: Payment can be made to the Centre using a number of payment options via our payment platform. Access to this platform can be found on the How to Pay page using your unique student access code.

Certain payment options will carry a processing fee of up to 3.5%, depending on the card issuer. Variations to such charges may be beyond our control.

Please note that we are NOT able to accept cash payments for fees. Cash payments may only be made to cover sundry charges that may arise during your programme of study.

If you choose to pay in your local currency a foreign exchange rate will apply. The applicable exchange rate can be viewed online as at the time and date of the payment. Bank charges and commission for both the sending and receiving banks should be paid by the sender of funds or they will be applied to the student’s account.

Accounts communications will be sent both to the person responsible for paying the fees and to the student unless written instructions are received to the contrary.

Other Charges

No other incidental costs will be charged to your account unless you agree to them separately. These may include, for example, field trips, text books and vacation accommodation. Fees relating to sponsor reporting and additional support classes for sponsored students are included in the tuition fees set out in your personal statement and are not charged separately.

Data Protection

Any information provided to us may be held on computer and shall only be used by the Centre as permitted under any applicable data protection legislation. Your information will be held and processed for the purpose of administering your application, and we may share your information with Study Group's offices around the world. This information may be carried forward to your official student record, which holds data in electronic and paper form on your personal details, academic and administrative history and on relevant financial transactions.

With your consent or where a legitimate interest, we may also disclose appropriate personal data or sensitive personal data (as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation) to relevant third parties outside of Study Group including, but not limited to, your agent, sponsor, the University or an external debt collection agency during or after your period of study. This personal data may include information about your performance, progress and examination results at the Centre. We will not disclose information about you to any other third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, for example when the health and safety of you or others is at risk or where the law requires information to be shared. Throughout we will always comply with our obligations under all applicable data protection legislation. For more information, please refer to our Student Privacy Notice.

Please note that we reserve the right to update the Student Privacy notice from time to time.

Variation

These Terms and Conditions will apply to you from the date on which accept our offer of a place at the Centre and for the duration of your study there. No variation to these Terms and Conditions shall be made unless it is in your favour or is with your consent.

Dutch Government and Education Bodies

The Centre is obliged to report any relevant information regarding visa status, attendance records and Dutch contact details to relevant Dutch government bodies and your intended progression University.

Complaints

It is recognised that students, their parents or their representatives may sometimes need to make a complaint about the services received during the application and admissions process. Study Group has a complaints service for this purpose. If you wish to make a complaint at any time, in the first instance you should refer the issue to your Study Group admissions contact who will discuss the problem with you and attempt to resolve it. If we are not able to resolve an issue in this way, you should formally raise a complaint by email to: UKEUISCQUERIES@studygroup.com. Please include the following information in your email:

  • State explicitly that you wish to make a formal complaint
  • Include your name and student identification number or Admissions case number
  • Give a general description of the complaint and the dates on which any events occurred
  • Provide the names or positions of any members of staff or third parties directly relevant to the complaint
  • We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 48 hours, and we aim to formally respond within 5 working days.

Post-registration Complaints and Appeals

Our study centres seek at all times to provide the highest possible level of service and quality of student experience. However, there may be occasions when a student feels that the level has not been good enough. For those, we have a Complaints and Appeals Policy that sets out how a student can formalise a complaint if it cannot be resolved less formally. The policy also sets out the procedures for making an academic appeal. This document makes clear the criteria against which an appeal can be lodged and what a student needs to do if she or he wishes to pursue an appeal.

Please refer to the Student Complaints & Appeals Policy for more information.

Communication

Please provide us with personal e-mail addresses and mobile telephone numbers before beginning your studies so that we can communicate with you at all times (for example, to send you student reports). Please also advise of any changes as they occur.

Acceptance and Indemnity

Your acceptance (or acceptance by your parent or legal guardian if you are under 18 years of age) of a place to study at the Centre, indicates that you:

  • Give consent to the administration of first aid and appropriate non-prescription medication to you, and give permission for medical, dental or optical and emergency hospital treatment when required
  • Have given full details of any medicines currently being taken by you or any ongoing medical condition.
  • Agree to the following indemnity: 'In consideration of the Head of Centre/Centre Director agreeing to make arrangements for and to authorise members of the staff of the Centre to take you from time to time on expeditions outside the premises of the Centre, you (or your parent or legal guardian as the case may be) hereby undertake to indemnify the Head of Centre/Centre Director and such members of the staff against:
    • any claims, damages or costs which they or any of them may be or become liable to pay in consequence of any injury/damage or illness occurring during or as a result of any of the said expeditions;
    • any claims by any third party which may be made against them or any of them in consequence of any act or default on your part during or as a result of any of the said expeditions.
    • any other costs and expenses reasonably incurred by them or any of them your behalf during or as a result of any of the said expeditions.

Provided that the indemnity herein shall not extend to any claims, damages, costs or expenses in respect of and to the extent to which the Centre and member(s) of the staff or any of them shall be entitled to be indemnified under any policy of insurance or as may arise as a result of negligence causing injury or death.

Without this indemnity, you may not take part in an expedition organised by the Centre.

Important

These Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings commencing after 1 December 2022. For bookings made prior to that date, please contact your admissions co-ordinator or Centre staff to obtain a copy of the relevant terms and conditions and refund policies which apply to your contract with us.