Terms & Conditions

Last update and effective from : 13/03/2020    

By purchasing an Alliance Française Auckland (“AFA”) product, you tacitly agree to this updated version of Terms & Conditions and enter into a contract with AFA.

 

PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW CAREFULLY
Your AFA’s status

If you have some interest with the Alliance Française d’Auckland, you may become a member and/or a learner. A member may not be a learner; a learner may not be a member.
Definitions
Member

  1. Any person who agrees to pay the membership fees, whatever the category of member (single, student,family, etc.).The status of member is personal, individual and non-transferable. An adult member, except the associated members, will get the right to vote during the AFA’s AGMs.
  2. One must be aged 18 or older to become a member.
  3. The family card includes up to two children under 18 years old at the date of payment of the membership fees.
  4. The Membership:
    1. gives access to the Multi Media Library/Culturethèque;
    2. gives free entrance or low fee entrances for some cultural events; entitles the member to receive the e-newsletter of the Alliance and information on the organized events by the Alliance;
    3. entitles the member to discounts with the Alliance’s partners (for more information, please refer to website or ask at the reception desk);
    4. allows to follow tuitions at the Alliance Française d’Auckland with reduced enrolment fees.

Learner

  1. Any person, child, teen or adult, following tuitions at Alliance Française d’Auckland is a learner.
  2. Apart from following tuitions provided by AFA, a learner :
    1. Has access to the Multi Media Library/Culturethèque;
    2. receives the e-newsletter of the Alliance and any information on the organized events by the Alliance;
    3. may be entitled to some discounts with the Alliance’s partners and/or cultural events if explicitly specified (for more information, please refer to website or ask at the reception desk).

Tuitions

  1. Tuitions may be  in-class and/or distant learning and/or home-based. They include:
  2. Group classes : means any course with 5 or more learners, adults or teenagers (+14 years old). These include (non-exhaustive list):
    1. Regular courses : 2 hours per course and one course a week.
    2. Twice a week courses : 2 hours per course and 2 courses a week.
    3. Intensive courses : Mainly during holidays, 2.5 hours per course and 4 courses a week.
  3. Private or semi-private courses : means any courses up to 4 learners, adults, teenagers or children.
  4. Educational workshops: any workshop directly linked to the French learning, such as Grammar or Pronunciation workshops, survival kit for travellers, Café causerie/ Les causeries de Germaine, Senior classes, Games of Frogs, etc.; are excluded any special workshop preparing to exams .
  5. Children courses : courses specifically fitted for children from 2 to 13 years old; are excluded the Children Holiday Programs.  

Corporate and Institute courses

  1. Corporate and Institute courses : any group courses bought by a Corporate or Institute on the basis of a contract between the concerned structure and the Alliance for its agents or students or users : the contract will specify the location of the courses, the number of purchased hours and the pace of the courses, the content of the course (specific curriculum, specific vocabulary, etc.). No individual learner enrolment fees are required for those courses but one learner enrolment fees paid by the Corporate or the Institute will be included on the invoiced fees.

Activities

  1. Activities are organized by the Alliance Française d’Auckland, for which the learner enrolment fees are not required.
  2. They concern any activities which are not “Tuitions”. These include :
    1.  Children Holiday programs,
    2.  Entertainment workshop : any workshop other than educational workshop,
    3. DELF/DALF Preparation courses and/or other exams preparations,
    4.  DELF / DALF and exams or any other exams or tests organised by Alliance Française d’Auckland,
    5.  Any other activities which could be proposed by AFA and which is not included in tuitions.
  3. The “BookClub” has a specific status as this activity requires the attendant to be a member, to enable her/him to borrow books from the Media-Library and have access to Culturethèque.

Other definitions

  1.  In-class : Courses held in AFA’s premises or antennas or premises rented by or made available to the Alliance.
  2. Distant learning: For learners who may not be physically present at the Alliance’s premises : that means online education.
  3. Home-based : Concern only private or semi-private courses, and Corporate / Institute courses, based in the learner/Corporate/Institute ‘s premises.
  4. Batch : a package of 20 hours of any courses, on a specified day at a specified hour.
  5. Session : the time required to complete 20 hours of regular courses, namely a term for regular courses.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

  1. Once paid, the membership fees are not refundable.
  2.  A member card will be delivered on payment of the membership fees, valid for one year from the payment date. For any payment on line through the website, the member will ask for her/his member card at the reception desk of the AFA’s headquarters, 9A Kirk Street in Grey Lynn.
  3. This card is personal, individual and non-transferable.
  4. A member card mentions at least the member’s full name, the expiry date and the member number. In case of a family membership, the member card will mention the parents’ names, and the children’s names and respective ages.
  5. Membership fees will open rights for a period of one year from the payment date.
  6. Being a member do not exempt one to pay the learner enrolment fees if required.

LEARNER ENROLMENT FEES

  1. Any learner must pay learner enrolment fees to benefit from a valid learner registration. These fess covered a period of one year from the date of payment.
  2. Any learner must have a valid learner registration, acquired by paying the learner enrolment fees, up to the end of her/his tuitions and will receive a registration number.. The membership card is not mandatory for learners.
  3. Once paid, the learner enrolment fees are not refundable.
  4. A learner number will be delivered on payment of the learner enrolment fees, valid for one year from the payment date. For any payment on line through the website, the learner will ask for her/his learner number at the reception desk of the AFA’s headquarters, 9A Kirk Street in Grey Lynn.
  5. This number is personal, individual and non-transferable.
  6. The learner enrolment fees are reduced (-50%) for AFA’s members being up to date with their membership fees. In such a case, the membership must be valid until the end of the concerned tuition(s). If not, the member has the choice between paying the full enrolment fees, or paying simultaneously the reduced enrolment fee, the tuitions’ fees and the fees for a renewed membership card.
  7. Learner enrolment fees will open rights for a period of one year, irrespective of the period and the length of the selected tuition.
  8. Any learner must have a valid learner number up to the end of the followed tuitions.

OTHER FEES

Transfer of Batch during the same session

  1. Transfers from one batch to another are not encouraged. In exceptional cases, learners may apply for a transfer from a timing to another, for the same session (term).
  2. Such a transfer becomes effective only after :
    1. prior authorization by the Courses Coordinator,
    2. payment of the relevant “Transfer of Batch” Fees, which are 15% of the value of the initially purchased batch (excluding any discount such as early bird),
    3. and payment of any extra amount on account of an increase in admission, tuition fees or service tax or a difference in the number of hours or rates at the day of the transfer request.
  3. No extra amount will be refunded to the learner.
  4. Such transfers will be authorized subject to availability of seats in the desired batch. Alliance Française d’Auckland reserves the right to refuse such a transfer.

Transfer of Session

  1. Transfers of batch from one session to another are not encouraged. In exceptional cases, learners may apply for a transfer from one session to another.
  2. Such a transfer becomes effective only after :
    1. Prior authorization by the Courses Coordinator,
    2. payment of the relevant “Transfer of session” Fees, , which are 20% of the value of the initially purchased batch (excluding any discount such as early bird),
    3. and payment of any extra amount on account of an increase in admission, tuition fees or service tax or a difference in the number of hours or rates at the day of the transfer request.
  3. Full course fees may be transferred only once and to the session immediately following the session in which the learner has enrolled if an application is made at least two weeks before the commencement of the course.
  4. Such transfers will be authorized subject to availability of seats in the desired session. Alliance Française d’Auckland reserves the right to refuse such a transfer.
  5. Transfers of sessions are not allowed after the commencement of the class, except in exceptional cases such as grave illnesses or accidents of the learner, or unforeseen emergencies, and at the discretion of the Alliance’s management.

Concessions

  1. Learners who wish to repeat the level they already followed are given a concession of 30% in the course fees in the case where they register in the session immediately following the already followed session. This benefit is not extended to subsequent sessions.
  2. Such concessions will be subject to availability of seats in the desired session. Alliance Française d’Auckland reserves the right to refuse such a concession.

Home-based tuitions

  1. A learner may ask for some private courses on a location other than the Alliance’s premises. In such a case, some additional fees shall be charged, calculated on the base of a global price per kilometres between the Alliance’s premises, 9A Kirk Street, and the location of the courses.

TUITIONS & ACTIVITIES

  1. Tuitions & activities will run subject to a minimum number of participants. The Alliance Française reserves the right to cancel a class with less than 5 persons registered.
  2. The status of a course – Group course or Private/semi-private courses – depends on the number of registered students. In case of a modification of the number of students during a session, the status of this session won’t change and will remain the one agreed at the start of the session.
  3. Learner and person participating to an activity are expected to contact the office for information regarding the date of commencement of a course in which they have registered or the date of the activity. Alliance Française d’Auckland will not be liable for missed classes/activities.
  4.  Alliance Française d’Auckland will refund the entire course/activity fees if a class is cancelled on account of insufficient registrations or if the starting date is delayed by more than two weeks. No other refund is allowed.
  5. All prices published by AFA are the total course cost and include Goods and Services tax of 15%.
  6. The tuitions fees do not include the cost of textbooks. The prescribed textbooks are compulsory and are to be purchased by learners from the Alliance Française d’Auckland or any other means.
  7. The learner enrolment fees are not included in the mentioned tuitions’ prices. 
  8. Tuition/activities fees are not refundable for any reason and are not transferable to a third person. In other terms, only the person registered for the class/activity is allowed to attend, no substitute by another person is allowed.
  9. Everyone should handle with care all equipment and facilities provided by the AFA, and are liable to pay for any damage caused.
  10. Learners are expected to attend classes regularly and to be punctual.
  11. Mobile phones are to be switched off or kept in silent mode during classes.
  12. Classes/activities may be cancelled and class time may be reduced due to force majeure, emergencies or other unexpected contingencies.

PAYMENT & COURSE CHARGES

  1. All lessons must be arranged and paid for in advance. Instalments may be accepted; in such a case, the first instalment will be 80% of the total amount, upon enrolment, and the second and last instalment of 20% is due 2 weeks later. For lack of payment of the second instalment, the learner will be excluded from the class at the day of non-payment, and the first instalment won’t be reimbursed.
  2. For persons under 18 years of age at the time of enrolment, all bookings must be confirmed in writing by the learner’s parent or legal guardian. In such a case, the age of the minor shall be specified.
  3. Payment may be effected online, in person by EFTPOS, cash, personal cheque or credit card. Direct credit via internet banking may also be accepted. The registration shall be effective at reception of the payment by AFA.
  4. AFA applies a strict no credit policy.

WITHDRAWAL, CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

  1. AFA applies a strict no refund policy for any sold product.
  2. There will be no make-up or refund for classes that are cancelled due to adverse weather condition, earthquake, adverse external conditions (general strike with no transportation, blocked roads hindering seriously the traffic, health and safety issues or any other reason beyond our control and which may impact our students, visitors and/or staff, etc...).
  3. In the case of private/semi-private lessons or distance learning lessons, learners may notify AFA in writing including by email not less than 48 hours before the scheduled lesson time requesting a postponement of the lesson and AFA may at its sole discretion and convenience endeavour to.
  4. Failure to respect this 48 hours cancellation notice will result in the counting the missed lesson as billable.
  5. In case of a semi-private course, each concerned learner must give her/his agreement for a cancellation at least 48 hours before the class. Learners must talk to each other about the cancellation and the re-schedule of the class, and inform the teacher or the course coordinator.
  6. Failure to attend or obtain a rescheduling will result in forfeiture of course fees. In case the course was provided to the present learners, the course won’t be caught up for the absent ones unless additional courses bought for that purpose.
  7. If a learner is late for a scheduled private or semi-private learning, the lesson time will not be extended beyond the pre-arranged finish time and the full lesson fee shall be charged.
  8. Any pre-paid private or semi-private lessons are valid for one year from the original date of purchase. AFA applies a strict no-refund policy for unused hours. 

ADDITIONAL TERMS & CONDITIONS FOR PRIVATE DISTANCE LEARNING LESSONS

  1. Should AFA experience technical disruption at the time of a lesson preventing provision of the scheduled session, a “make-up” lesson will be arranged at the earliest convenience for the learner and AFA but no refund shall be available.
  2. AFA is not responsible for the quality of learner’s internet connection, equipment quality or related issues.
  3. Distance learners are required to correctly install Skype or other Distance Learning application as specified and agreed with AFA, and provide the relevant details to AFA’s administrator in advance of the lesson (mailto: information@alliance-francaise.co.nz).
  4. Distance learners are responsible for ensuring they have a working high-speed internet connection, relevant user account and ID, and suitable headset and microphone for each Distance Learning session.
  5. Should a distance learner be located in a different time zone from NZST, the learner is responsible for ensuring they are available at the correct prearranged time relative to NZST.
  6.  A Distance Learning session shall be considered terminated by force majeure should the session be disrupted by very bad audio quality, internet disruption on either side of the session or instability of the Distance Learning application’s platform.
  7. In case of force majeure, if more than 75% of the session has been completed, the whole lesson is deemed completed. If less than 75% of the session has been completed, any shortfall of time will be made up by a credit on account.

CLASS AVAILABILITY, LEARNER PLACEMENT & ACADEMIC PROGRESSION

  1. AFA shall determine class placement of a learner and learner academic progression at its sole discretion. The availability of places in any advertised course is subject to enrolment, on a first come first served basis.
  2. AFA proposes to the learner and recommends a language level test to determine class placement.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

  1. Subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act, 1993, personal information collected by AFA either during the application process or subsequently may be stored and used for the purpose of administration, shared with AFA organisations and exploited for the purposes of promotion and publicity. AFA may use photographic images taken during AFA classes and activities for publicity purposes.
  2. AFA is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our members’ and lerners’ personal information. To read our Privacy Policy in more detail, please click here.

ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS & CONDITIONS, SCHOOL RULES

  1. By applying for membership, learner registration or enrolment to an AFA program, one accepts these terms & conditions and any rules published or subsequently amended by AFA, or any additional regulations established by AFA.
  2. Breach of any of these terms & conditions, or any AFA rules or regulations by the member or learner, or failure to comply with New Zealand law may result in suspension or expulsion of the member or learner by AFA and consequential forfeiture of fees. No refund shall be given.

PROBLEM RESOLUTION AND GOVERNING LAW

  1. If a dispute arises, an AFA Problem Resolution form is available for AFA reception. It is the responsibility of a member/learner to seek to resolve the matter with the staff member concerned. Such discussion should not be conducted during any lesson.
  2. If the member/learner feels the matter remains unresolved, an appointment may be requested with the AFA Director.
  3. In the event that the AFA Director is unable to resolve the matter, the member/learner may contact her/his solicitor.
  4. These terms and conditions shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of New Zealand and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New Zealand for the resolution of any disputes that may arise.
  5. AFA does not accept liability in contract or in tort nor will pay any compensation in respect of any person or property for any injury, damage, loss, delay, additional expense or inconvenience caused directly, or indirectly by events beyond its control, whether at AFA’s premises or during any AFA social or cultural event of activity. You indemnify us against any claim made against ourselves which may arise as a result of your actions. AFA is not responsible or liable for breach of any law or regulation by the learner or the member.

RIGHTS RESERVED

  1. AFA reserves the right to vary courses and event details, prices and dates without notice and shall not be liable if scheduled courses or contracted services cannot be delivered.
  2. AFA may alter any of these terms and conditions without notice at any time, and deny enrolment to any person without explanation.