English Language Preparation Online Terms & Conditions

IMPORTANT: These Terms and Conditions apply to the following English Language Preparation Online Programmes only as set out in the table below. They are not applicable for students wishing to study on a Pre-Sessional English Online Programme:

Programme TitleDuration
English Language Preparation – Online10 weeks
English Language Preparation for Undergraduate Studies – Online6, 10, 16 week durations available
English Language Preparation for Postgraduate Studies – Online6, 10, 16 week durations available

In these Terms and Conditions, ‘we’ or ‘us’ means Study Group Limited (‘Study Group’). Study Group is the provider of the above English Language Preparation Online Programmes (each referred to below as the ‘ELPO’ or the ‘Programme’) through its Study Group Digital Learning division. Study Group is incorporated in England and Wales (company number 02325576) with its registered office at Britannia House, 21 Station Street, Brighton, BN1 4DE.

Please ensure you read these Terms and Conditions carefully and make sure you understand them before signing your final acceptance of a place to study on a Programme. These Terms and Conditions, along with any offer letter received from us and the policies referred to below form part of a wider agreement between you and us which will become legally binding once you confirm your acceptance of our offer.

IMPORTANT: In order to study the ELPO, you must have the necessary equipment.

Your attention is also drawn to our Student Protection Plan at the following link that contains important information about how we will mitigate risks affecting your ability to study:

View the Student Protection Plan

These Terms and Conditions were updated on 6 September 2023.

Application and fees

If your application is accepted, a written offer of a place will be made. To accept this offer you will need to pay your full tuition fees in advance as set out in your individualised payment plan. Non-payment by the fee deadline may put your place at risk.

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. 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

Withdrawal

Please note if you withdraw from the ELPO after the commencement date of the Programme, you will not be eligible for a refund of any amounts paid at to us by that time. To request withdrawal from the ELPO, you may use the following link:

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

Refunds in other circumstances

You will also be eligible for a full refund of all amounts paid to us in the event that you are denied a UK student visa to enable you to progress your studies in-centre at your chosen university after completion of the ELPO. A refund will NOT be issued in these circumstances in cases where a visa is refused on the grounds of:

  • student/agent fraud.
  • visa application conditions not being met or failure to achieve all points required.

A copy of the full refusal notice will be required within 28 days of it being issued and, in some circumstances, an administrative review might be requested to be lodged prior to being eligible for a refund.

Refunds will only be made to the same card/bank account of the individual from whom Study Group received the original payment. Where eligible, refunds will be made within 90 days of the date of the date a visa is refused.

Tuition fees

Admission to the Programme is dependent on fees having been received by us in full.

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 a Programme.

Provision of tuition

Pre-commencement

If there are not sufficient applicants either to make a particular Programme viable or to deliver a quality student experience, we may cancel or withdraw that Programme. If we discontinue or withdraw a specific ELPO prior to your registration you will be offered an alternative ELPO or will be eligible for a full refund of any fees paid to us. Please also be aware that a Programme may 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 join your preferred Programme.

Recording of sessions

ELPO sessions will be recorded and you will be reminded of this at the beginning of your study and before each session until the last date of admission to the 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.

Academic criteria

Students are accepted onto an ELP on the strict understanding that progression through the Programme is conditional upon satisfactory and required engagement and successful attainment of prescribed performance targets as outlined to at the beginning of the Programme. You will be assessed during and at the end of your Programme and your assessment will take into consideration:

  • Programme work assignments
  • Internal examination results
  • Engagement (platform participation)
  • Commitment to study (attendance to ‘live classes’)

Your attention is drawn in particular to the fact that you must achieve an engagement & commitment to study rate of at least 80% in order to successfully complete your Programme. If you fail to meet engagement & ‘commitment to study’ requirements during the course of your Programme, your studies may be terminated and you will have no right to a refund.

Important: If you fail to meet the English language exit requirements of the ELP or the engagement criteria set out above you will not be eligible to progress to your main academic programme of study.

How will we ensure test security?

  • An online proctoring platform or viable alternative will be identified and relevant licences obtained for exam delivery.
  • Online exams will be invigilated remotely via the online proctoring platform or through web conferencing facilities
  • Student identity will be checked at the start of each online assessment
  • Different versions of the online exams will be prepared for students in different time zones
  • Written work will be submitted via the platform with integrated plagiarism detection software, as in standard delivery
  • Any suspected academic misconduct will be dealt with in accordance with standard Centre / partner university procedures

Re-sits

If you do not pass all summative assessments at the end of your Programme, you will be given one further opportunity to re-sit the assessments or examinations at no further cost. If you fail to pass all summative assessments on a second attempt, you will not be eligible to progress to your main academic programme of study.

Accounts procedures

Payments

Payment can be made to us using a number of payment options via our payment platform. Details can be found in your offer letter.

Please note that we are NOT able to accept cash payments for fees.

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 your account.

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

Local Taxation charges

Please note that in certain markets, students enrolled on the ELPO may be subject to a local taxation charge levied on the net price of the Programme. This will be indicated in your personalised payment plan.

Other charges

No other incidental costs will be charged to your account unless you agree to them separately. 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 Study Group 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 UK GDPR) to relevant third parties outside of Study Group including, but not limited to, your agent, sponsor, the university to which you progress 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 Study Group.

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 at: https://digital.studygroup.com/privacy-policy.

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 you accept our offer of a place on the ELPO and for the duration of your study on the Programme. No variation to these Terms and Conditions shall be made unless it is in your favour or is with your consent.

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

Study Group seeks 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.

For more details, including your right to refer complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), please refer to our In (and Post) Residence Complaints and Appeals Policy at the following link: https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/95d47d95-36b6-00af-a24c-b886ecdfc4a2/cf2b6046-3f9d-43e1-83ca-715dc035e14e/Study_Group_ISCs_In_and_post_Residence_Complaints_Appeals_Policy_Aug_2019.pdf .

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 to your contact details as soon as they occur.

External Educational Oversight

Study Group is regulated in the UK by the Office for Students (OfS). UKPRN 10008098.

Important

These Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings made after 6 September 2023.