DEGeneral Terms and Conditions of Swiss Language Academy (SLA Basel) for group courses
(valid from 01 January 2022)
With your registration, you accept the following terms and conditions of SLA Basel. 1. General
The costs of the course material are not included in the course fees. These will be listed separately on the invoice. The fixed price for the material is CHF 50.-. As a rule, course participants receive one coursebook. Additional material is provided in photocopies.
2. Registration and terms of payment
By registering, course participants confirm that they have read and accepted the present terms and conditions. For all other cases the regulations of the Swiss Code of Obligations shall apply.
The registration is binding. After the participants have registered for a course, they receive a confirmation of registration from SLA Basel.
As soon as the desired group course is organised, the participants receive the course schedule and the invoice, each of these separately, via e-mail. The payment deadline specified on the invoice is binding. Upon request, the course fees can be paid in instalments. In case of payment by instalments, the first instalment is due by the course start date. The following instalments are due monthly, according to the payment deadline. The registration and the course schedule sent separately via e-mail bind the course participant to payment of the course fees. Failure to pay the course fees does not count as deregistration. In case of delayed payment, SLA Basel reserves the right to charge CHF 20.- each for the 2nd and 3rd payment reminders. If after that no payment is made, SLA Basel reserves the right to press legal charges.
Registrations with the Caritas KulturLegi are accepted for courses with three of more participants. For course groups with the voucher issued by the canton Basel-Stadt, separate terms and conditions apply.
3. Materials belonging to Swiss Language Academy
If SLA Basel provides materials by way of lease or loan, these remain property of SLA Basel during the entirety of the subscription period. Allowing third parties a right of retention of these materials is expressly prohibited. In case of seizure, retention or attachment, participants are required to immediately inform SLA Basel and report the lost property of SLA Basel to the competent enforcement authority. In the event of termination of the service terms, participants are obliged to return the materials to SLA Basel undamaged and within the period stipulated. If the course participant fails to comply with these obligations, SLA Basel reserves the right to invoice you for the materials which were not returned.
4. Placement test and consultation
In case of previous knowledge, participants are requested to come to our front office for a placement test and a subsequent consultation. SLA Basel also provides a placement test on our website. The test and consultation are free of charge and non-binding. The definitive course arrangement will take place after consultation with our course advisors.
5. Entering after course start
If there are free positions available, and after consultation, participants may enter an ongoing course at any time. In this case, all liabilities refer to the rest of the duration of the course, according to the programme, and the course price is reduced and calculated from the date of entrance.
6. Continuation of the course
Before the end of the course, participants may receive a course continuation form for the next level. The courses will, if possible, be continued at the same time.
7. Shorter attendance in a course
Shorter attendance in a course is possible if there are free positions in a course, as long as the plan to exit earlier has been noted down in writing at the moment of registration.
8. Withdrawal from or postponement of a group course before course start
For withdrawals received by SLA Basel more than 14 days before course start, an administrative fee of 200,- CHF will be charged. Withdrawals must be informed in writing by letter or e-mail. The date of arrival of the communication at SLA Basel counts as the effective date. Withdrawals informed later than 14 days before course start will not be accepted. In this case, the participant will need to settle the course fee, as the course, teachers and rooms will already have been arranged. With this in mind, according to art. 404, § 2 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, SLA Basel expressly reserves the right to claim compensation for damage (lost course costs) in case of a withdrawal received fewer than 14 days before course start.
9. Withdrawal from a group course after course start
Group courses have a set duration and are generally non-cancellable after course start. The course fee must be paid by due date and there will not be any refunds for already paid course fees. In case of long-term sickness, credit for a later course may be approved, given that a medical certificate is presented. The credit issued may not be refunded, and is valid for one year after the date of issue, for an identical course at SLA Basel.
10. Absences in group lessons: holidays, illnesses and other reasons for absence
If a group lesson cannot be attended by the participant, the office must be notified as early as possible, per e-mail or telephone. The office is reachable at the phone number 061 554 47 21 or the e-mail address info@sla-basel.ch from Monday to Saturday. The missed lessons can neither be compensated nor refunded. This applies also in case of illnesses or otherwise justified hindrances which are not encompassed by the school’s area of responsibility. The student will be billed as usual, as the course teacher and the classroom will have been arranged.
11. Course organisation and conduct
Group courses have a maximum and minimum number of participants. In case of insufficient number of participants, the course will be postponed. For organisational reasons, SLA Basel may postpone or merge existing and planned courses. If the participant misjudges their language level and the group teacher notices that his/her level is too low or too high for the group for which they have registered, SLA Basel has the right to change their course (in consultation with the participant), or to remove them from the course. In case of a course alteration of this sort, caused by an inaccurate enrolment on the participant’s part, they will be required to pay for the course for which they have registered.
The duration of one lesson is 45 minutes. For didactical reasons, a minimum of two lessons per appointment is required.
Participants are not entitled to define the structure of the lesson; they are, however, welcome to suggest improvements.
Participants are not entitled to choose the course teacher. As a rule, the entire group course is taught by the same teacher. If a teacher is ill or in exceptional cases, a substitution of the course teacher may take place.
12. Reservations
SLA Basel reserves the right to claim course spots that have not been paid by course start. Due to organizational reasons, SLA Basel reserves the right to reschedule, rearrange, or merge classes.
13. Confirmation of attendance
If desired, SLA Basel will gladly issue participants with a confirmation of attendance, provided that participants have attended a minimum of 80% of the lessons.
14. Data protection
SLA Basel takes the protection of participants’ personal data seriously and adheres to regulations
according to the data protection act. Participants’ personal data will be used exclusively for internal purposes, such as correspondence and information about new offers. On no account will participants’ personal data be sold or given away to any third party.
15. Insurance and liability
SLA Basel bears liability for damages caused intentionally or by gross negligence, maliciously concealed flaws, bodily injuries and unforeseeable shortcomings, which considerably affect the economical purpose of the legal transaction, in connection to the courses and activities organised by the school. We are hereby expressly released, insofar as legally possible, from all liability in case of other damages, in particular consequential damages. Course participants are therefore responsible for an adequate insurance cover. Any liability for theft or loss of personal objects is hereby excluded.
16. Court of jurisdiction
Where no mandatory legal norm states otherwise, the exclusive court of jurisdiction is Basel-Stadt.
