Terms & Conditions (T&C)
1. Scope of Application
These General Terms and Conditions apply to all offers and services provided by ILS Swiss, as well as within its premises in Dubai. By registering for any course or service, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions in their entirety.
2. Registration
By signing the registration form or providing your consent to these T&C (online or in person), you are bindingly registering for the respective course. You accept these Terms and Conditions as an integral part of the contract for the respective course. Contracts are governed by UAE Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 (Civil Transactions Law) and applicable Dubai commercial regulations.
3. Absences – Private Lessons or Corporate Courses
3.1 Agreed lesson times are binding. If a scheduled appointment cannot be attended as agreed, this must be reported to the secretariat or the teacher no later than 24 hours before the scheduled lesson. An attempt will then be made, with the help of the secretariat or teacher, to arrange a replacement date.
3.2 Absences reported less than 24 hours before the scheduled lesson cannot be accommodated and will be charged in full.
3.3 In exceptional cases such as the death of a first-degree family member, ILS Swiss will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be applied towards a new course. In cases of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the full course fees will be charged.
4. Absences – Group Lessons
4.1 If a student is unable to attend a group lesson, this must be communicated to the secretariat as early as possible. The full cost will be charged regardless.
4.2 In exceptional cases such as the death of a first-degree family member, ILS Swiss will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be applied towards a new course. In cases of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the full course fees will be charged.
4.3 Deductions from invoices due to holidays or other absences from a group course can only be considered at the time of registration. No exceptions can be made for subsequent absence requests and the full course fees will be charged.
5. Deployment of Teachers in Group Courses
5.1 In the event of a teacher’s absence (e.g. illness), we reserve the right to arrange a substitute. If this is not possible for organisational reasons, an attempt will be made to reschedule the lesson. If rescheduling is not possible, you will receive a credit note for the missed lesson time, which can be used to make up the time in another course offered by ILS Swiss at the same location.
5.2 The assignment of teachers is at the sole discretion of ILS Swiss. We reserve the right to change teachers or arrange team-teaching as required.
6. Course Continuation
Course registration does not renew automatically and expires upon completion of the booked course duration. Please register early for the next course if you wish to continue.
7. Charging of Attended Lessons
Should you attend further lessons at ILS Swiss after the expiry of your booked course, we reserve the right to invoice the attended lessons even without a formal new registration.
8. Cancellation of Group Courses Before Course Start
8.1 Participants may cancel a booked course without additional charges up to 7 days before the course start date (as stated on the registration confirmation). Cancellations must be submitted in writing by email. Cancellations received after this deadline will not be accepted and the full course fee will be charged.
8.2 In exceptional cases such as the death of a first-degree family member, ILS Swiss will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be applied towards a new course. In cases of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the full course fees will be charged.
8.3 International participants must pay the full course fees no later than 30 days before the course start date. Failure to pay will render the course registration invalid and participation will not be permitted.
Visa Refusal Exception: In the event of a negative visa decision, ILS Swiss will accept course cancellations up to 7 days before the course start date and will charge only an administrative fee of AED 750. If you are unable to attend due to a refused visa, please contact us immediately and provide proof of the negative visa decision from the responsible consulate or authority.
Refunds and cash reimbursements of payments already made are excluded in all cases.
9. Course Discontinuation
9.1 In exceptional cases such as the death of a first-degree family member, ILS Swiss will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be applied towards a new course. In cases of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the full course fees will be charged.
10. Special Provision for Group Courses with Only One Participant
If the number of actively participating persons in a running group course permanently drops to one person, ILS Swiss reserves the right to continue the remaining lessons as private lessons. These will be charged at the lowest current rate for private courses. The affected participant will be informed in advance of the change.
11. Trial Lessons
11.1 Both group and private course participants have the option to attend a trial lesson of 2 units (90 minutes). The trial lesson is non-binding and does not obligate you to register. If you do not continue with the course, the trial lesson is free of charge. In the case of a booking for a private course, the trial lesson will be charged.
11.2 We offer a maximum of two trial lessons per person. If you do not decide to book after the second trial lesson, no further trial lessons may be attended.
12. Lateness
Lateness on the part of participants will not be compensated. If the teacher is late, the lesson time will be made up individually by mutual agreement.
13. Expiry of Vouchers and Remaining Lessons
Vouchers have a maximum validity of one year. Purchased but unused private lessons expire three years after the date of purchase. After these periods, vouchers and unused lessons can no longer be redeemed.
14. Level Completion
The regular completion of a course upon expiry of the booked course duration does not guarantee a successful level completion. Please refer to our guidelines regarding the duration required for level completion under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The speed at which you complete a level depends on your individual performance and commitment. We accept no responsibility for this, nor for failure to pass examinations.
15. ILS Online
15.1 All online courses are subject to the same provisions as in-person instruction (see Sections 3–11, in particular Sections 3, 4 and 8.3).
15.2 Teaching materials for courses conducted permanently online are to be purchased independently by the student. No costs for teaching materials will be charged by ILS Swiss for online courses.
15.3 All ILS Online courses are conducted via the video communication platform Zoom.
15.4 Teachers may be employed from abroad and typically come from countries where the respective language is spoken natively.
16. Language Examinations (External Certifications)
16.1 Cancellations submitted before the registration and cancellation deadline will result in a refund of the examination fee, subject to an administrative fee of AED 100. Cancellations must be submitted by email only. Cancellations after the deadline will result in the full examination fee being charged.
16.2 Late registrations are accepted up to 15 days before the examination date, subject to a late registration fee of AED 100.
16.3 Participants who must withdraw from an examination after the cancellation deadline due to serious reasons such as illness, accident or bereavement may submit a written request with supporting documentation (e.g. medical certificate). In such cases, we reserve the right to decide at our own discretion on recognition and any refunds.
16.4 In rare cases, postal deliveries may be lost or misplaced. ILS Swiss accepts no liability for examination documents lost in transit.
16.5 By making a booking, you confirm that you have read and agree to both the ILS Swiss T&C and the terms and conditions of the relevant examination body.
16.6 ILS Swiss accepts no responsibility for missed or failed examinations. Examination fees are due in all cases.
16.7 Participants who arrive late on the examination day will be excluded from the examination and may not sit it. The full examination fee remains due.
16.8 All outstanding invoices must be settled in full no later than the examination date. Participants who cannot present proof of payment on the examination day or who have not paid the examination fees on time will be excluded from the examination. Certificates will only be issued and dispatched after full receipt of all outstanding examination fees. Until full payment is received, certificates will remain in the ILS Swiss archive.
16.9 Discussion of examination results with examiners or experts is not possible after the examination has been completed.
17. ILS Junior
17.1 All ILS Junior courses are subject to the same provisions as in-person instruction (see in particular Sections 3–11).
17.2 For junior examinations, the same provisions apply as for adult examinations (see Section 16).
17.3 Parents are liable in all cases for their minor children, in accordance with UAE Federal Law.
18. Reservations and General Rights
18.1 We reserve the right to reallocate course places that have not been paid for by the course start date. For organisational reasons, ILS Swiss reserves the right to reschedule, reassign or merge classes.
18.2 Group courses that have not reached a minimum of two participants per group by the Thursday before the course start date may be cancelled by ILS Swiss at short notice. The registration will be deferred or refunded in the form of a credit note for the amount already paid. A cash refund may be issued upon request.
18.3 ILS Swiss reserves the right to take photographs and video recordings of participants on the premises and during excursions or events. Such material may be used for marketing purposes on our website and social media channels. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please notify our secretariat or management immediately. Your data will not be shared with third parties. This is in accordance with the UAE PDPL (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021).
18.4 We take all complaints very seriously and always strive to find a mutually satisfactory solution. However, dissatisfaction with a teacher or the instruction does not entitle participants to compensation, refunds or discounts. Restructuring of courses at the request of individual customers (e.g. change of teacher) will only be carried out in particularly serious cases.
18.5 Participation in language courses is reserved exclusively for registered participants. Children may not be present in the classroom during lesson times.
19. Force Majeure and Extraordinary Circumstances
19.1 In the event of government-ordered closures, public health emergencies, or other force majeure events (as recognised under UAE Civil Transactions Law, Federal Law No. 5 of 1985), all ILS Swiss courses will be continued online via Zoom where possible.
19.2 Should participants not wish to attend online instruction during such periods, ILS Swiss will issue a credit note for the remaining course time, redeemable once in-person courses resume.
19.3 Cash refunds or reimbursements for courses not attended during government-ordered closures are excluded in all cases.
19.4 Cancellations and refunds due to government-ordered protective measures are excluded. ILS Swiss continuously adapts its health and safety protocols to applicable legal requirements. By making a booking, you agree to such adaptations at all times.
20. Non-Solicitation
20.1 Customers of ILS Swiss undertake not to enter into any employment relationship with teachers of ILS Swiss during ongoing courses and for a period of one year after the end of their last course. In the event of a breach of this provision, ILS Swiss reserves the right to charge the customer a transfer fee of AED 7,500 per teacher.
20.2 Teachers of ILS Swiss undertake not to enter into any employment relationship with (former) customers of ILS Swiss during their employment and for a period of one year after termination of their employment. In the event of a breach, ILS Swiss reserves the right to claim compensation of AED 7,500 per customer.
21. Payment Terms
21.1 Course fees may be paid in instalments upon request. The payment date stated on the invoice is binding. In the event of late payment, ILS Swiss reserves the right to charge an administrative fee of AED 75 for the 2nd and 3rd payment reminders respectively.
21.2 After the fourth and final reminder, the outstanding claim will be referred to a registered debt collection agency operating in the UAE. By accepting these T&C, you agree to this and undertake to pay any additional costs charged by the debt collection agency for additional effort and delay.
21.3 Any bank or transfer fees arising from international payments are to be borne by the customer. These fees may be settled by bank transfer or in person.
21.4 Refunds: A refund is only possible if the designated refund form has been fully completed and submitted within three months. After this period, no refund claims will be accepted.
22. Teaching Materials and Course Materials
The costs for teaching materials and additional course materials are not included in the course price and will be charged separately.
23. Placement Test
If you have prior knowledge of a language, we ask that you complete a free, non-binding online placement test via our website. Final course placement is determined after the placement test or a consultation. ILS Swiss accepts no responsibility for bookings made on the basis of incorrect self-assessment of language level.
24. Communication by Telephone and Email
By making a booking, you consent to communication via email and (mobile) telephone. Our teachers may contact you by email for course-related organisational matters, in accordance with UAE telecommunications regulations.
25. Newsletter and Marketing Information
Upon registration for our language courses, customers agree to receive information about our offers, courses and news by email (newsletter/marketing communications). This consent may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future by contacting us and informing us accordingly, in accordance with the UAE PDPL (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021).
26. Data Protection
We take the protection of your personal data seriously and comply with the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL). Please refer to our Privacy Policy on our website for full details. By accepting these T&C, you agree that we may process and store all data provided at registration within the scope of our business processes, in accordance with applicable UAE data protection law.
27. Limitation of Liability
For all courses, examinations and events organised by us, we exclude all liability for damages incurred, to the extent permitted by UAE law. You are therefore responsible for ensuring adequate insurance coverage. ILS Swiss accepts no liability for theft or loss of items on its premises. Parents are liable for their minor children. This limitation of liability is subject to the mandatory provisions of UAE Federal Consumer Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2023).
28. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates, in particular UAE Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 (Civil Transactions Law) and UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2023 (Consumer Protection Law). The place of jurisdiction is Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Any disputes shall be subject to arbitration under the rules of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).
Last updated: April 2026 These Terms and Conditions apply to ILS Swiss (Dubai).
