Terms and Conditions
These terms will become binding on you and us when we confirm your booking in writing to you, at which point a contract will come into existence between you and us.
- 1. Bookings
- 1.1 Bookings can be made by completing and submitting the enrolment form (found on our website or acquired by email).
- 1.2 Please ensure that you read these Terms carefully, and check that the details of your booking are complete and accurate, before you make your booking. If you think that there is a mistake, please contact us to discuss. We will confirm any changes in writing to avoid any confusion between you and us.
- 1.3 When you make a booking with us, this does not mean that we have accepted it. Our acceptance of the booking will take place by email once the registration fee of £150 has been received. If we are unable to confirm your booking, we will inform you of this.
- 2. Payment of Fees
- 2.1 Fees should be settled at least four weeks before the course starting date. Students will not be permitted to start the course unless full payment has been received.
- 2.2 All fees must be paid in Sterling (GBP). All bank charges are payable by you.
- 2.3 All refunds due under these Terms will be paid to the person from whom payment was originally taken, using the same method of payment as used by them.
- 2.4 Registration fees will be deducted from the final balance amount.
- 2.5 Registration fees cannot be exchanged for course fees and cannot be refunded under any circumstances.
- 2.6 Registration fees not used will expire after 2 years from date of payment.
- 2.7 Enrolments that are cancelled will incur a £150 registration fee.
- 3. Refunds
- 3.1 Parents or guardians must inform Country Cousins in writing of any cancellations. Cancellation fees are charged as follows:
- Cancellation received more than 14 days before the course begins: Refunded all fees less course registration fee of £150.
- 3.1.2 Cancellation received in writing 14 days or less before the course begins: Refunded 30% of course fees less course registration fee of £150.
- 3.1.3 Cancellation received more than less than 14 days before the course begins and After arrival/early termination of the course: No refund available. We will postpone your registration fee for 365 days.
- 3.1.4 If your visa has been refused, you need to send us a copy of the letter from the British Embassy.
- 3.2 Changes to enrolment/confirmation documents: We reserve the right to charge an administration fee of £40 each time course details are changed after confirmation documents have been issued.
- 3.3 Changes of accommodation during the stay, or less than 14 days prior to arrival: If students request a change of host family without a justifiable reason there is a charge of £210 providing we have another family available.
- 3.1 Parents or guardians must inform Country Cousins in writing of any cancellations. Cancellation fees are charged as follows:
- 4. Changes to Bookings
- 4.1 If you wish to change your booking by switching to another course, you must provide at least 14 days’ notice of such change to us in writing, otherwise you will be expected to attend the course originally booked. There will be a change fee of £40 after confirmation documents have been issued.
- 4.2 You may be required to pay any difference between the cost of the original booking and your revised booking at the time of your request.
- 4.4 We reserve the right to cancel a course or make changes to course arrangements without liability if obliged to by circumstances beyond our control or due to low demand.
- 5. Our liability to you
- 5.1 Unless and to the extent caused by our negligence, We will not be liable to you for any losses arising from any delays or failures relating to travel arrangements. We will, however, use our reasonable endeavours to defend your interests in the event of any breach of contract on the part of a travel organisation.
- 5.2 If we fail to comply with these terms, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach of the terms or our negligence, but we are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if it is an obvious consequence of our breach or if it was anticipated by you and us at the time we entered into this contract.
- 5.3 We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors, or for any liability which cannot be excluded or limited by law.
- 6. Medical and Heath
- 6.1 In case of medical emergency where the student become incapacitated, I understand that a reasonable effort will be made to contact their emergency contacts.
- 6.2 In the event that they cannot be reached, I hereby give permission to the physician selected by assigned guardian, group leader, personnel to hospitalize, secure proper treatment for, and to order injection, anaesthesia or surgery for my student.
- 7. Insurance, accommodation, students visas and study permits
- 7.1 You are responsible for arranging your own travel and medical insurance (including the costs of repatriation in the case of illness or accident) and student visitor visa, we will supply you with a visa invitation letter and host family documents and details to assist with the visa process.
- 7.2 Accommodation will begin on the Saturday before the course starts and will end on the Saturday after the course ends.
- 8. Your rights to cancel
- 8.1 To exercise your rights to cancel under clause 3.1, you must inform us of your decision by making a clear statement to this effect by notifying us in writing and receiving confirmation.
- 8.2 Once a course has begun, you may cancel your booking with immediate effect by giving us written notice if:
- 8.2.1 We break this contract in any material way and we do not correct or fix the situation within 30 days of you asking Us to in writing;
- 8.2.1 We go into liquidation or a receiver or an administrator is appointed over our assets;
- 8.2.1 We are affected by an Event Outside Our Control.
- 9. Our rights to cancel
- 9.1 We will not be liable or responsible for any failure to perform, or delay in performance of any of our obligations under these terms that is caused by an Event Outside Our Control.
- 9.2 An Event Outside Our Control means any act or event beyond our reasonable control ncluding but not limited to strikes or other industrial action, civil commotion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack, epidemic/pandemic, adverse weather conditions or other natural disasters.
- 9.3 If an Event Outside Our Control takes place that affects the performance of our obligations under these Terms, we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible to notify you.
- 9.4 We reserve the right to refuse your attendance on the course if you are suffering from any illness, medical condition or mental or physical disability which was not disclosed at the time of booking.
- 9.5 We expect students to behave reasonably at all times towards other students, school staff and host families and to respect cultural, racial and religious differences. If we have to ask your child to leave the school because your child’s behaviour is unacceptable, you will not be entitled to any refund of fees. Unacceptable behaviour includes unsatisfactory attendance or work, aggressive physical or verbal behaviour towards other students or members of staff, drug abuse, dishonesty, criminal behaviour or deliberately causing damage to the school premises or accommodation. We expect all students to adhere to the standards and rules we set. If we deem your child’s behaviour unacceptable or have asked your child to leave the school your child will not be allowed to remain in accommodation we have arranged.
- 10. How we use your information
- 10.1 We will use your personal information as outlined in our Privacy Policy
- 10.2 We may take photographs and videos of classes or other school activities during the student’s time with us, which may be used for promotional purposes. We will take group photos, we will not take close head shots. If the student does not wish to appear in any promotional materials please advise us at the time of booking. Quotes from feedback will similarly be used in promotional material, these will be published anonymously unless we are contacted and requested not to do so.
- 11. Student conduct/standard of behaviour
- 11.1 We reserve the right to terminate without notice the course of any student who persistently misconducts himself/herself in their classes or accommodation. There is no refund of fees to students whose courses are terminated like this. Additional travel costs must be paid for.
- 11.2 We reserve the right to issue disruptive students with a warning letter and, if there is no improvement in behaviour, to send them home at their parents’ or guardians’ expense.
- 11.3 We further reserve the right to send home without a warning letter any student committing a serious offence, especially offences involving the police, including theft, smoking in any school building and the possession, purchase or consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs.
Please check Discipline and Exclusion policy for more information.
- 12. General
The original text of the Terms and Conditions is in English and any interpretation of them will be based on the original English text. If the Terms of Use or any documents or notices related to them are translated into any other language, the original English version will prevail. By signing the application form, the parent or guardian:
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- 12.1 Grants the student permission to participate in the full programme of calls and leisure activities.
- 12.2 Authorises Country Cousins to act in loco parentis for the duration of the child’s stay, and to take appropriate action in the case of any medical or other emergency, and accepts responsibility for any resultant cost.
- 12.3 Accepts responsibility for any wilful damage caused by the student and any resultant cost for repair or replacement.
First revised on 28th September 2021
Last revised on 28h September 2022