General Terms and Conditions ILS and MYTUTOR (GTC)

  1. Scope of application

These General Terms and Conditions apply to all offers made by ILS and MYTUTOR and on their premises.

  1. Registration

With your signature or your consent to our GTC (online or on site), you make a binding registration for the respective course. You accept these GTC (ILS and MYTUTOR) as an integral part of the contract for the respective course.

  1. Absences for private lessons or company courses

3.1 The agreed lesson times are binding. If the appointment cannot be kept as agreed, this must be reported to the secretary's office or the teacher at least 24 hours before the course date. The secretary's office or the teacher will then try to arrange an alternative date.

3.2 Absences reported after 24 hours before the course date cannot be taken into account and will be charged in full.

3.3 In exceptional cases, such as the death of a first-degree family member, the ILS will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be used for a new course. In the event of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the course costs will be charged in full.

  1. Absences from group lessons

4.1 If the student is unable to attend a group lesson, the secretary's office must be informed as soon as possible. The costs will be charged in full.

4.2 In exceptional cases, such as the death of a first-degree family member, the ILS will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be used for a new course. In the event of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the course costs will be charged in full.

4.3 Deductions from the invoice due to vacation or other absences of the participant from a group course can only be taken into account at the time of registration. No exceptions can be made for subsequent requests for absences by participants and the course costs will be charged in full.

  1. Deployment of teachers in group courses

5.1 In the event of a teacher's absence (e.g. illness), we reserve the right to organize a substitute. If this is not possible for organizational reasons, an attempt will be made to reschedule the course. If it is not possible to reschedule the relevant course date, you will receive a credit note for the missed lesson time. You can use this credit to make up the missed time in another course offered by us at the ILS or at MYTUTOR (at the same location).

5.2 The assignment of the teacher is the responsibility of the ILS and MYTUTOR. We reserve the right to change teachers or arrange team teaching if necessary.

  1. Course continuation

The course registration is not automatically renewed, but expires after the course duration you have booked. You should therefore register early for the next course if you would like to continue.

  1. Billing for lessons attended

If you attend further lessons at ILS or MYTUTOR after the end of your booked course, we reserve the right to charge you for the lessons you have attended, even if you have not registered.

  1. Cancellation of the course before the start of the course for group courses

8.1 Participants can cancel a booked course up to 7 days before the start of the course (the start date of the course on the registration confirmation is valid) at no extra cost. Cancellations must be made in writing by e-mail. Cancellations made after this deadline will not be considered and will be charged in full.

8.2 In exceptional cases, such as the death of a first-degree family member, the ILS will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be used for a new course. In the event of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the course costs will be charged in full.

8.3 Course participants from abroad must pay the course fees no later than 30 days before the start of the course. If the course fees are not paid, the course registration will be deemed invalid and the participant will not be able to take part in the course.

Exception: In the event of a negative visa decision, we accept course cancellations up to 7 days before the start of the course (the date on the registration confirmation is valid) and only charge a compensation fee of CHF 250. If you are unable to attend the course due to a rejected visa, please contact us immediately and provide us with the negative visa decision from the responsible consulate or authority.

Refunds and cash payments of payments already made are excluded in all cases.

  1. Course termination

9.1 In exceptional cases, such as the death of a first-degree family member, the ILS will issue a voucher valid for 1 year. The lessons can then be used for a new course. In the event of illness, relocation or other impediments, no exceptions can be made and the course costs will be charged in full.

  1. Special regulations for group courses with only one participant

If the number of active participants in an ongoing group course permanently drops to one, ILS reserves the right to continue the remaining lessons as private lessons. In this case, these lessons will be charged at the lowest current private course rate. The affected person will be informed of the change in advance.

  1. Trial lessons

11.1 You have the opportunity to attend a trial lesson of two 90-minute lessons each, both in group and private lessons. The trial lesson is non-binding and does not oblige you to register. If you do not continue with the course, the trial lesson is free of charge. If you book a private course, the trial lesson fee will be charged.

11.2 We offer a maximum of two trial lessons per person. If you decide not to book after the second trial lesson, you will not be able to attend any further trial lessons.

  1. Delays

Delays on the part of participants will not be taken into account. If the teacher is late, the lesson time will be made up individually by arrangement.

  1. Expiry date vouchers and other lessons

Vouchers are valid for a maximum of one year. Purchased and unattended private lessons expire three years after the date of purchase. After that, vouchers and unattended lessons can no longer be redeemed.

  1. Level completion

The regular completion of a course at the end of the booked course period does not guarantee a successful level completion. Please refer to our guidelines on the duration of a level completion of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). How quickly you complete a level depends on your individual performance and commitment. We accept no responsibility for this or for failure to pass examinations.

  1. ILS-Online

15.1 The same provisions apply to all online courses as to face-to-face instruction (see sections 3-11, in particular points 3, 4 and 8.3).

15.2 Teaching materials for courses that are held permanently online are purchased by the customers themselves. No costs for teaching materials are charged.

15.3 All ILS-Online courses are conducted online via the video communication portal Zoom.

15.4 The teachers are employed from abroad and mostly come from the countries of the respective language.

  1. telc exams

16.1 Cancellations before the registration and withdrawal deadlines are free of charge. Cancellations after this deadline will be charged in full. Examination fees vary depending on the level.

16.2 You can register up to 15 days before the exam. Registrations after the registration and cancellation deadlines will incur a late registration fee of CHF 30.

16.3 Participants who must withdraw from an exam after the withdrawal deadline for serious reasons such as illness, accident, or death in the family may submit a written withdrawal upon presentation of a medical certificate. In such cases, we reserve the right to decide on recognition and any refunds at our sole discretion.

16.4 In rare cases, the postal service may misplace shipments. We are not liable for checks lost in transit.

16.5 By submitting your booking, you also confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms and Conditions (ILS and MYTUTOR) and the Terms and Conditions of telc gGmbH. The Terms and Conditions of telc gGmbH are enclosed with each form.

16.6 ILS assumes no responsibility for missed or failed exams. Examination fees are payable in all cases.

16.7 Anyone who arrives late for the exam on the day of the exam will be excluded from the exam and will not be able to take it. The examination fees must be paid in full.

16.8 The outstanding invoice must be paid in full by the day of the exam at the latest. Participants who fail to provide proof of payment on the day of the exam or who fail to pay the exam fees on time will be excluded from the exam and are therefore not entitled to take it. The exam fees must be paid in full.

16.9 After the examination has been completed, it is not possible to discuss the telc examination with the telc experts.

  1. fide test

17.1 Cancellations made up to 20 days before the first day of the exam will not incur any fees. Cancellations made less than 20 days before the exam start date will require payment of the full exam fee.

17.2 The fide test is a progressive language test. ILS disclaims any liability for results that do not meet the target level.

17.3 In case of non-appearance or lateness on the day of the examination, the examination fee must be paid in full. Latecomers may be excluded from the examination.

17.4 Participants who must withdraw from an exam after the withdrawal deadline for serious reasons such as illness, accident, or death in the family may submit a written withdrawal upon presentation of a medical certificate. In such cases, we reserve the right to decide on recognition and any refunds at our sole discretion.

17.5 In rare cases, the postal service may misplace shipments. We are not liable for checks lost in transit.

17.6 By making your booking you confirm that you have read and understood our General Terms and Conditions (ILS and MYTUTOR) as well as the regulations for participation in the fide-Test (fide) agree.

  1. SVEB-Certificate courses

18.1 Participants may cancel a booked course up to 12 days before the start of the course (the start date on the registration confirmation is valid) without additional costs. Cancellations made after this deadline will not be considered and will be charged in full.

18.2 In exceptional cases such as illness, accident (upon presentation of a medical certificate), or the death of a relative, ILS will be happy to issue you a credit note. This can be used to make up the missed time in another course offered by ILS.

18.3 In all modules, attendance of at least 80% is required for the contact learning period. In the event of illness (with a doctor's note) or other justified absences beyond the candidate's control, individual days may be made up in another course group. If attendance falls below two-thirds, the entire module must be repeated.

18.4 Partial absences include, for example, lateness of 45 minutes or more, or when a participant has to leave the course early. These absences will be noted by the course instructor on the attendance list and deducted from the total attendance time. If the partial absences exceed the permitted number of absences of 20%, the requirements for passing the course are considered failed.

18.5 If the practical demonstration is not passed, the participants have the opportunity to repeat it in another SVEB -Course can be repeated once. This repetition is subject to a fee and is only possible once. A repetition of the entire course is possible at any time, for a fee.

Cost of repeating the practical demonstration: CHF 180.

In the event of a failing grade, a written appeal can also be lodged with the ILS training management within 30 days. The training management finally decides on:

Approval of the objection (proof of competence "passed" after all)

Repetition

Rejection of the objection

A written appeal against the decision of the ILS training management may be lodged with the Quality Assurance Commission of SVEB within 30 days. The commission will examine the correctness of the procedure. This procedure is free of charge.

  1. ILS-Junior

19.1 The same provisions apply to all ILS Junior courses as to classroom instruction (see in particular sections 3-11).

19.2 The same provisions apply to telc Junior and telc School as to telc examinations for adults (see Section 15).

19.3 Parents are liable in all cases for their minor children.

  1. Reservations

20.1 We reserve the right to dispose of course places that have not been paid for at the start of the course. For organizational reasons, ILS and MYTUTOR reserve the right to reschedule, reassign, and combine classes.

20.2 Group courses that do not have at least two participants per group by the Thursday before the course start date may be canceled at short notice by ILS and MYTUTOR. Registration for the corresponding course will be postponed or refunded in the form of a credit for the amount already paid. A refund of the amount can be made upon request.

20.3 ILS and MYTUTOR reserve the right to take photographs and videos of participants on ILS and MYTUTOR premises, as well as on excursions and trips. This may be used for promotional purposes on our website. If you do not wish this, please contact our office or management immediately. Your data will not be shared with third parties.

20.4 We take complaints of any kind very seriously. We always strive to find a solution that is satisfactory for both parties. However, in cases of dissatisfaction with the instructor or the lessons, there is no entitlement to compensation, refunds, or discounts. Restructuring of courses at the request of individual clients (e.g., changing instructors) will only be undertaken in particularly serious cases.

  1. Measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic

21.1 All ILS and MYTUTOR courses will continue online during officially ordered school closures. We use the video communication portal Zoom for this purpose.

21.2 In the event that participants do not wish to participate in the online course, we will issue a credit note for the remaining course time, which can be redeemed on-site once the face-to-face courses have resumed.

21.3 Cash payments or refunds for courses not attended during officially ordered school closures are excluded in any case.

21.4 Cancellations and refunds due to government-imposed protective measures are excluded. ILS and MYTUTOR are continuously adapting their protective measures to comply with applicable legal requirements. This may result in adjustments to the protective measures at short notice. By booking, you agree to this at any time.

21.5 Cancellations or refunds due to the official certification requirement or due to missing COVID certificates will not be accepted. The full invoice amount remains due.

  1. Enticement

22.1 ILS and MYTUTOR customers agree not to enter into an employment relationship with ILS or MYTUTOR instructors during ongoing courses with us and for one year after the completion of their last course. In the event of non-compliance with this policy, we reserve the right to charge the customer a transfer fee of CHF 2,000 per instructor.

22.2 ILS and MYTUTOR instructors undertake not to enter into any employment relationship with (former) ILS and MYTUTOR clients, both during their employment with us and for a period of one year after the termination of their employment with ILS and MYTUTOR. In the event of a violation of this policy, we reserve the right to demand compensation of CHF 2,000 per client.

  1. Terms of payment

23.1 If you wish, you can pay the course fee in installments. The payment date stated on the invoice is binding. In the event of late payment, we reserve the right to charge a penalty of CHF 20 for each of the second and third reminders.

23.2 After the fourth and final reminder, we will assign the claim to the debt collection agency Creditreform. By accepting our Terms and Conditions, you agree to this and undertake to pay the amount charged by Creditreform for additional expenses and late payment.

23.3 Fees for bank or payment transactions from foreign accounts are borne by the customer. These fees can be paid by bank transfer or on-site.

  1. Teaching aids and course materials

The costs for teaching materials and other course materials are not included in the course price, but will be charged separately.

  1. Placement test

If you have previous knowledge of German, we ask you to take a free and non-binding placement test via our website. The definitive course placement is made after the placement test or after a consultation. The ILS and MYTUTOR accept no responsibility for bookings due to incorrect level assessment.

  1. Telephone and e-mail communication

With your booking, you give us your consent to communicate with you via e-mail and (mobile) telephone number. Our teachers may contact you by e-mail for matters relating to course organization.

  1. Newsletter and marketing information

By registering for our language courses, customers agree to receive information about our offers, courses and news by e-mail (newsletter/marketing information). This consent can be revoked at any time with effect for the future by contacting us and informing us accordingly.

  1. Data protection

We take the protection of your personal data seriously and comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act. Please read our data protection regulations on our homepage. By agreeing to our terms and conditions, you accept that we may process and store all the data you provide when registering as part of our business processes.

  1. Disclaimer

For all courses, examinations and events organized by us, we exclude any liability for damages incurred. You are therefore responsible for taking out adequate insurance cover yourself. We accept no liability for theft or loss of items on the premises of the ILS and MYTUTOR. Parents are liable for their children.

  1. Place of jurisdiction

All other provisions of Swiss law apply. The place of jurisdiction is St. Gallen. As of January 2025.