Terms and Conditions

Registration

There are several ways for you to book your ACCORD course

Online at www.accord-langues.com
By post, just send us the registration form and the accompanying deposit or the full amount if you’re staying for less than 4 weeks (course and accommodation fees)
By fax or email (as an attachment). Please note that no registration is guaranteed until we have received payment.

For payment by bank transfer, please attach a copy of the bank transfer order to your registration form. However you choose to pay, don't forget to state the name of the student, the course dates and the school’s invoice number.

You must be at least 17 years old to book.
For under 18s, you must attach a parental authorisation form to the registration form, stating the contact details of the next of kin (in case of emergency), the hours allowed out in the evening, authorisation to proceed with any necessary medical and/or surgical intervention and insurance for the length of stay (see Insurance).

Accommodation Booking Fee

We charge 80 € for finding and organising your accommodation. This fee is payable on registration. In case of cancellation, this fee is non-refundable.
If you choose to change your accommodation during your stay, you must pay the 80€ booking fee again.
If you have not booked accommodation through the school and during your stay or on arrival in France you decide to make the most of ACCORD’s services to change accommodation, you must pay a 150€ administration fee.

Booking Confirmation

When you book, you will receive by email, post or fax your booking confirmation and an invoice detailing payment received and fees to be paid before arrival.
All courses and accommodation fees are due and must be paid in full on the first day of your course at the latest.

Visa

If you wish to stay for over 3 months and you are a national of a non-EU member country, you must request a long stay visa (or long term student visa). On receipt of your booking fee and payment, we will send you a pre-booking certificate and a letter of invitation which will allow you to request a long stay visa.
To receive a pre-booking certificate you must pay for all course and accommodation fees when booking. We only accept payment by bank transfer. Payment by credit card are not accepted.

Cancellation

If your visa is refused, the school will refund the amount received in full, minus 250€ in administration fees and 50€ in bank charges, after receiving the original document from the French Embassy.
Refunds will only be made by bank transfer. We only accept original documents from the French Embassy. Copies and photocopies will not be accepted.
If you cannot come for medical or professional reasons (we must receive a doctor’s certificate or a certificate from your company by post), we will postpone your stay for a period of 12 months on receipt of the certificate. No refund will be offered.

Cancellation Conditions

If you cancel your stay over 4 weeks before your course is due to start, ACCORD will refund you 50% of the payment received minus 250€ in administration fees, 80€ in accommodation fees and 50€ in bank charges (10€ for EU nationals).
If you cancel your stay 3 or 4 weeks before your course is due to start (Monday for the course, Sunday if you have requested accommodation), ACCORD will refund you 40% of the payment received minus 250€ in administration fees, 80€ in accommodation fees and 50€ in bank charges (10€ for EU nationals).
If you cancel your stay 1 or 2 weeks before your course is due to start (Monday for the course, Sunday if you have requested accommodation), ACCORD will refund you 20% of the payment received minus 250€ in administration fees, 80€ in accommodation fees and 50€ in bank charges (10€ for EU nationals).

Refunds will only be made by bank transfer.

No refund is available after the course start date (Monday if you have booked a course, Sunday if you have booked a course and accommodation with ACCORD).

If ACCORD has to cancel a course, you will be refunded for the payment received in full.

Lateness

So as not to disturb class, students who arrive over 10 minutes late will have to wait until break time to join their class. In case of absolute necessity and in exceptional circumstances, the Teaching Staff may allow students to join class.

Absence/Interrupted Training

By booking with ACCORD you commit to attending classes and respecting the school’s Rules and Regulations.
In case of absence during class time (excluding absence for medical reasons and on presentation of a doctor’s note) you will not be refunded or compensated for lessons you have missed. If you stop or interrupt your course and/or your stay in France of your own free will, you will not be refunded or compensated.

Behaviour

In case of bad or abnormal behaviour, ACCORD has the right to dismiss the student at any time, with no refund or compensation.

Personal Spending

We recommend that you get an international bank card and/or travellers cheques.

Image Use

ACCORD may take photos of the students to be included in promotional material (brochures, websites, catalogues, etc.) unless the student or his/her parents say otherwise. This refusal must be stated when booking.

Claims

Only the school’s management has the authority to make the decision to refund or postpone missed courses.
Any claims concerning services rendered by ACCORD and FORUM-ACCORD should be made by registered mail addressed to the headquarters of FORUM-ACCORD, 14 boulevard Poissonnière, 75009 Paris, France. Any claims should be made during the week following the end of the course.
In case of litigation the parties agree that the case shall be judged under the jurisdiction of the Paris Courts.

Insurance

ACCORD refuses responsibility for theft, damage or loss of students’ personal effects. Both parties agree that ACCORD will not be disturbed in this matter.
Before coming to France you must check that you have been insured. Any student under the age of 18 must attach a copy of his/her insurance policy to their booking form. For those who are not yet insured, ACCORD recommends AVI International, a company specialising in language stays abroad:

AVI International (Paris), Tel : 33 1 44 63 51 07, Fax : 33 1 40 82 90 35,
Email : avi-international.france@wanadoo.fr
When you contact them, please state that you are attending a course at ACCORD.

Prices

The prices stated on the website are applicable from 01/01/2013 to 31/12/2013.

Lessons will not take place on public holidays and are non-refundable: The school will be closed on April 1st, May 1st, May 8th and 9th, August 15th, November 1st, November 11th and from December 21st 2013 to January 5th 2014 included. The school will open on Monday, January 6th 2014.

Payment

To book with ACCORD you must return the registration form accompanied by the full course fee.
You will receive an invoice by post stating payment received and payment to be made before your arrival. If paying by bank transfer, please attach your registration form to the bank transfer form.
All courses must be paid for by the first day of the course at the latest.

Payment Methods

Payment must be made in Euros. You can pay by:

Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard or Eurocard)

Cheque or Eurocheque made out to FORUM-ACCORD

Bank Transfer

For payment by bank transfer please add 10€ to cover bank charges (50€ for non-European countries).

To organise payment by bank transfer, ACCORD Language School will send you an invoice including all necessary bank details.

Important : However you choose to pay, please don’t forget to state the name of the student, the course dates and the school’s invoice number.