Tuition Fee Refund and Withdrawal Policy

1. Purpose

Jokings International Business College ("the College" or "JIBC") is committed to providing students with a high-quality educational experience and administering tuition fees fairly, consistently, and transparently.

The College recognises that a student's circumstances may change after accepting an offer or enrolling in a programme. This policy explains:

• How a student may formally withdraw from a programme.
• The circumstances in which a refund may be granted.
• How refunds are calculated.
• Which fees are non-refundable.
• How refund requests are submitted, reviewed, and paid.
• The procedure for requesting a review of a refund decision.

By accepting an offer, registering, or paying fees to the College, the student and any person paying on the student's behalf agree to the terms of this policy, subject to applicable law and any written agreement issued by the College.

2. Scope

This policy applies to students enrolled in the College's Pre-University Pathway Programme and to any parent, guardian, sponsor, employer, organisation, or other person who pays fees on a student's behalf.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, this policy applies to tuition fees paid directly to the College. Payments made to third parties are subject to the terms and refund policies of those third parties.

3. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

• Applicant means a person who has applied for admission but has not completed enrolment.
• Student means a person who has accepted an offer, registered, or enrolled in a College programme.
• Payer means the individual or organisation that paid fees on behalf of the student.
• Programme start date means the official commencement date stated in the student's offer letter, enrolment documents, or published academic calendar.
• Withdrawal means the formal termination of a student's registration in a programme.
• Effective withdrawal date means the date on which the College receives a complete written withdrawal request, unless a later date is specified in the request and accepted by the College.
• Tuition fees means fees charged for teaching and academic delivery. Tuition fees do not include separately identified application, registration, materials, activity, visa-processing, accommodation, or third-party fees.
• Working day means a day on which the College's administrative offices are officially open, excluding weekends and public holidays.

4. General Conditions

A student seeking a refund must formally withdraw from the programme in accordance with this policy.

The following general conditions apply:

• A refund is not automatic upon ceasing attendance.
• Verbal notification does not constitute formal withdrawal.
• The refund calculation will be based on the effective withdrawal date.
• Refunds will be calculated on tuition fees actually paid and received by the College.
• Any outstanding debt owed to the College may be deducted from the refund.
• Non-refundable fees and charges will not form part of the refundable amount.
• Where a student's fees were paid by a sponsor or another person, the refund will normally be returned to the original payer.
• The College may request evidence of identity, payment, sponsorship, or authority before processing a refund.
• A refund will not be paid in cash unless expressly approved by the College.

Nothing in this policy limits any refund or remedy to which a student is entitled under applicable law.

5. Refund Eligibility

6. Non-Refundable Fees

Unless required otherwise by applicable law or expressly agreed by the College in writing, the following fees are non-refundable:

• Application fees.
• Registration or enrolment fees.
• Materials, books, laboratory, or equipment fees already incurred.
• Activity, excursion, or event fees already committed or used.
• Visa-processing or immigration-support fees.
• Assessment, examination, or certification fees already committed.
• Bank, transfer, payment-processing, or currency-conversion charges.
• Charges paid by the College to a third party on the student's behalf.
• Any deposit expressly identified in writing as non-refundable.

A fee will not be treated as non-refundable unless it was identified as such in the applicable fee schedule, offer documents, enrolment terms, or another written agreement.

7. Formal Withdrawal Procedure

To withdraw from a programme and request a refund, the student must submit a written request to the Admissions Office through:

• The designated College email address.
• The online student portal.
• The official withdrawal or refund form.
• A signed letter delivered to the College's administrative office.

The request must include:

• The student's full name.
• Student identification number.
• Programme title and intake.
• Contact details.
• Reason for withdrawal.
• Requested withdrawal date.
• Payment receipt or other proof of payment.
• Bank or payment details where requested.
• Relevant supporting documents.
• The student's signature or authenticated electronic confirmation.

Where a representative submits the request, the College may require the student's written authorisation and proof of the representative's identity.

The College may delay its decision until all required information and documents have been received.

8. Effective Date of Withdrawal

The effective withdrawal date will normally be the date on which the College receives a complete written withdrawal request.

The following will not, by themselves, constitute formal withdrawal:

• Failure to attend classes.
• Failure to access online learning.
• Informing a lecturer or another student verbally.
• Leaving accommodation.
• Non-payment of an instalment.
• Failure to complete an assessment.
• Failure to participate in programme activities.

A retrospective withdrawal date will be accepted only in exceptional circumstances and at the College's discretion, supported by credible evidence.

9. Non-Attendance and Abandonment of Studies

Failure to attend or participate in a programme does not automatically cancel enrolment and does not create an entitlement to a refund.

A student remains responsible for applicable fees until a formal withdrawal request is received and accepted.

Where a student stops attending without notifying the College, the College may initiate an administrative withdrawal in accordance with its academic regulations. An administrative withdrawal does not necessarily entitle the student to a refund.

10. Exceptional Circumstances

A student who does not qualify for a refund under the standard schedule may request an exceptional review where serious and unforeseen circumstances materially prevented continued study.

Such circumstances may include:

• A serious medical condition.
• Bereavement involving an immediate family member.
• A significant personal or family crisis.
• A serious accident or emergency.
• Other exceptional circumstances outside the student's reasonable control.

The request must:

• Be submitted in writing.
• Explain the circumstances and their effect on the student's studies.
• Include appropriate supporting documentation.
• State the remedy being requested.

Supporting documents may include medical evidence, an official report, a death certificate, or other independently verifiable information.

• A full or partial refund.
• A fee credit.
• A deferral to a future intake.
• A payment adjustment.
• Another reasonable arrangement.

Exceptional refunds are not automatic. The College will consider each request individually, fairly, and consistently. It may approve:

The College may refuse a request where the evidence is insufficient, the circumstances were reasonably foreseeable, or the request is substantially delayed without adequate explanation.

11. Visa-Related Withdrawals

Visa-processing fees and third-party immigration charges are non-refundable once the relevant service has been provided or the cost has been incurred.

Where a student is unable to commence the programme because a visa application has been refused, the student may submit a refund request with:

• A copy of the official visa-refusal decision.
• Evidence that the visa application was genuine, complete, and submitted within a reasonable time.
• Proof of tuition-fee payment.
• Any other information reasonably requested by the College.

Any refund will be determined under the applicable enrolment terms, this policy, and the circumstances of the case. A refund may be refused where the visa application contained false or misleading information or where the refusal resulted from the student's failure to follow relevant requirements.

12. Refund Application and Decision

Upon receiving a complete request, the College will:

• Confirm receipt of the request.
• Verify the student's identity and payment records.
• Confirm the effective withdrawal date.
• Determine the applicable refund percentage.
• Deduct non-refundable fees and any outstanding amounts.
• Review any exceptional-circumstances application.
• Notify the student in writing of the decision and calculation.

The written decision will normally state:

• Whether the request has been approved, partially approved, or refused.
• The amount approved for refund.
• Any deductions made.
• The reasons for the decision.
• The expected payment timeframe.
• How to request a review of the decision.

13. Processing Time

An approved refund will normally be processed within 30 working days from the date on which:

• The refund is approved; and
• The College has received all documents and payment information required to complete the transaction.

The College will notify the student or payer if additional time is required because of verification procedures, banking restrictions, third-party requirements, or circumstances outside the College's reasonable control.

The processing period refers to the time required for the College to authorise and issue the refund. Additional time may be required for the receiving bank or payment provider to credit the funds.

14. Method and Recipient of Refund

Refunds will normally be returned:

• To the original payment method.
• To the bank account from which the payment originated.
• To the person or organisation that originally paid the fees.

Where the original payment method is unavailable, the College may approve an alternative method after completing appropriate identity, ownership, fraud-prevention, and financial-control checks.

The College will not normally redirect a refund to an unrelated third party.

Any transaction, intermediary-bank, currency-conversion, or payment-provider charges may be deducted from the refund where permitted.

15. Outstanding Balances

Before issuing a refund, the College may deduct any amount properly owed by the student, including:

• Unpaid tuition fees.
• Accommodation charges.
• Library fines.
• Charges for lost or damaged College property.
• Unpaid materials or activity fees.
• Other confirmed debts owed to the College.

The refund statement will identify any deduction made.

16. Programme Cancellation by the College

If the College cancels a programme before its official start date, affected students will be entitled to:

• A refund of all tuition fees paid for the cancelled programme; or
• A transfer to another suitable programme or intake, subject to the student's agreement.

Where the College cancels a programme after it has commenced, it will consider the circumstances and offer an appropriate remedy, which may include:

• A full or proportionate tuition-fee refund.
• Transfer to another suitable programme.
• Completion through an approved alternative arrangement.
• A fee credit for a future intake.

The College will also consider whether other fees paid directly to it should be refunded. Costs paid to third parties, including travel, accommodation, visa, or personal expenses, will not normally be reimbursed unless the College has expressly accepted responsibility for them in writing or applicable law requires otherwise.

17. Programme Changes

Reasonable changes to teaching schedules, lecturers, rooms, delivery methods, assessment dates, or programme content do not automatically entitle a student to a refund, provided the College continues to deliver the programme substantially as described.

Where a significant change materially affects the nature or delivery of the programme, the College will assess any request for withdrawal, transfer, or refund fairly and in accordance with applicable obligations.

18. Deferral or Transfer

Instead of withdrawing, a student may request:

• Deferral to a later intake.
• Transfer to another eligible programme.
• A credit toward future tuition fees.

Approval is subject to programme availability, academic requirements, immigration conditions, applicable fees, and the College's written agreement.

A deferral, transfer, or fee credit is not a cash refund. The College will notify the student in writing of any conditions, validity period, or additional charges that apply.

19. Review of a Refund Decision

A student who believes a refund decision was incorrectly calculated or did not properly apply this policy may request a review.

The request must:

• Be submitted in writing within 10 working days of receiving the refund decision.
• Identify the decision being challenged.
• Explain the grounds for review.
• Include any relevant evidence not previously considered.
• State the outcome being requested.

The review will be conducted by a senior member of staff who was not responsible for the original decision. The College will normally issue a written review outcome within 10 working days.

Where the student remains dissatisfied, the matter may be raised under the College's Complaints Policy and Procedure.

20. Fraudulent or Misleading Information

The College may suspend or refuse a refund where there is reasonable evidence of:

• Fraud.
• Impersonation.
• Altered or falsified documents.
• Misrepresentation of material facts.
• Unauthorised payment activity.
• An attempt to direct funds to an unrelated third party.

The College may refer suspected unlawful activity to the relevant financial institution, payment provider, regulator, or law-enforcement authority.

21. Records, Privacy, and Confidentiality

The College will maintain appropriate records of:

• Withdrawal requests.
• Supporting documents.
• Refund decisions.
• Calculations and deductions.
• Approvals and payments.
• Reviews and complaints.

Personal and financial information will be handled securely and used only for legitimate administrative, legal, safeguarding, audit, or regulatory purposes.

Information may be shared with authorised staff, banks, payment providers, sponsors, regulators, or public authorities where necessary and lawful.

22. Amendments to This Policy

The College may amend this policy to reflect changes in its programmes, procedures, partnership arrangements, or legal and regulatory obligations.

Material changes will be communicated through appropriate College channels before taking effect.

Unless required by law or expressly agreed with the student, an amendment will not retrospectively reduce a refund entitlement that had already arisen under the version of the policy applicable to the student's enrolment.

23. Contact Information

Questions, withdrawal notices, and refund applications should be directed to:

24. Conclusion

This policy is intended to ensure that withdrawals and refund requests are handled clearly, consistently, and fairly. Students and those paying fees on their behalf are encouraged to read this policy carefully before accepting an offer, enrolling, or making payment.

Students who require clarification should contact the Admissions Office before making a financial commitment.