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 without Registration .

  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. Trial lessons

10.1 In both group and private lessons, you have the opportunity to attend a trial lesson of 2 lessons (90 minutes). The trial lesson is non-binding and does not commit you to Registration. 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.

10.2 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 can be attended.

  1. Photography and videography

11.1 Photos and videos may be taken during the ILS Junior courses.

11.2 By Registration , the parents or guardians Registration to the use of photographs (e.g., for the website or social media), unless they indicate otherwise on the registration form.

  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 in-person classes (see sections 3–11, in particular points 3, 4, and 8.3).

15.2 Customers are responsible for purchasing their own course materials for courses that are held online on a permanent basis. No fees will be charged for course materials.

15.3 All ILS-Online courses are conducted online via the Zoom video conferencing platform.

15.4 Teachers are hired from abroad and are mostly from the countries where the respective language is spoken.

  1. telc exams

16.1 Withdrawals made before the registration and withdrawal deadline are free of charge. If you withdraw from an exam after this deadline has passed, the full exam fee will be charged. Exam fees vary depending on the level.

16.2 You may Register late up to 15 days before the exam. A late registration fee of CHF 30 applies to registrations submitted after the registration and withdrawal deadline has passed.

16.3 Participants who must withdraw from an exam after the withdrawal deadline for serious reasons, such as illness, accident, or a death in the family, may do so by submitting a written request accompanied by a medical certificate. In such cases, we reserve the right to decide, at our sole discretion, whether to accept the withdrawal and grant any refunds.

16.4 In rare cases, the postal service may misplace mail. We are not liable for exams that are lost in the mail

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

16.6 ILS assumes no responsibility for missed or failed exams. The exam fees are due in any case.

16.7 Anyone who arrives late for the exam on the day of the exam will be barred from taking the exam and will not be permitted to sit for it. The exam fees must be paid in full.

16.8 The outstanding invoice must be paid in full by the exam date at the latest. Participants who are unable to provide proof of payment on the exam date or who fail to pay the exam fees by the deadline will be barred from taking the exam and are therefore not eligible to sit for it. The exam fees must be paid in full.

16.9 Once the exam is over, it is not possible to discuss the telc exam with the telc experts.

  1. fide test

17.1 There is no charge for exam cancellations made up to 20 days before the first day of the exam. For cancellations made less than 20 days before the exam begins, the full exam fee must be paid.

17.2 The fide Test is a progressive language proficiency test. ILS accepts no liability for results that do not correspond to the target level.

17.3 In the event of a no-show or tardiness on the day of the exam, the full exam fee must be paid. Late arrivals may be barred from taking the exam.

17.4 Participants who must withdraw from an exam after the withdrawal deadline for serious reasons, such as illness, accident, or a death in the family, may submit a written request accompanied by a doctor’s note. In such cases, we reserve the right to decide, at our sole discretion, whether to accept the withdrawal and grant any refunds.

17.5 In rare cases, the postal service may misplace mail. We are not liable for exams that are lost in the mail.

17.6 By making your reservation, you confirm that you agree to both our Terms and Conditions (ILS and MYTUTOR) and the rules for taking the fide test (fide).

  1. SVEB certificate courses

18.1 Participants may cancel a booked course up to 12 days before the course begins (the date of the course start as indicated on the registration confirmation applies) at no additional cost. Cancellations made after this deadline will not be accepted and will be charged in full.

18.2 In exceptional cases, such as illness or accident (upon presentation of a doctor’s note) or the death of a family member, ILS is happy to issue you a credit. You can use this credit to make up for the missed time in another course offered by ILS.

18.3 In all modules, attendance is mandatory for at least 80% of class time. In the event of illness (with a doctor’s note) or other justified absences not attributable to the candidate, it may be possible to make up individual days in another class. If attendance falls below two-thirds, the entire module must be repeated.

18.4 Partial absences include, for example, being late by 45 minutes or more, or if a participant must leave the course early. These are noted by the course instructor on the attendance sheet and deducted from the total attendance time. If partial absences exceed the permitted number of missed hours (20%), the requirements for passing the course are considered not to have been met.

18.5 If participants fail the practical demonstration, they have the opportunity to retake it once in another SVEB course. There is a fee for the retake, and it may be taken only once. Participants may retake the entire course 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 SVEB Quality Assurance Commission 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 in-person classes (see, in particular, sections 3–11).

19.2 The same provisions apply to telc-Junior and telc-Schule as to telc exams for adults (see Section 16).

19.3 Parents are always liable for their minor children.

  1. Reservations

20.1 We reserve the right to cancel course registrations that have not been paid for by the start of the course. For organizational reasons, ILS and MYTUTOR reserve the right to reschedule, reassign, or combine classes.

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

20.3 ILS and MYTUTOR reserve the right to take photographs and record video footage of participants on the premises of ILS and MYTUTOR, as well as during field trips and excursions. This material may be used for promotional purposes on our website. If you do not wish this to happen, 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 to both parties. However, if you are dissatisfied with the instructor or the lessons, you are not entitled to compensation, a refund, or a discount. Changes to the course structure at the request of individual customers (e.g., a change of instructor) will only be made in particularly serious cases.

  1. Measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic

21.1 All ILS and MYTUTOR courses will continue online during government-mandated school closures. We will use the video conferencing platform Zoom for this purpose.

21.2 In the event that participants do not wish to attend online classes, we will issue a credit for the remaining course period, which can be redeemed on-site once in-person classes resume.

21.3 Cash refunds or reimbursements for courses not attended during government-mandated school closures are not permitted under any circumstances.

21.4 Cancellations and refunds due to government-mandated safety measures are not permitted. ILS and MYTUTOR continuously update their safety protocols to comply with current legal requirements. This may result in changes to the safety protocols at short notice. By making a booking, you agree to this at all times.

21.5 Cancellations or refund requests based on the government-mandated certificate requirement or the lack of COVID certificates will not be accepted. The full amount of the invoice remains due.

  1. Enticement

22.1 Customers of ILS and MYTUTOR agree not to enter into an employment relationship with any ILS or MYTUTOR instructors while they are enrolled in our courses or for one year following the completion of their last course. In the event of a breach of this provision, we reserve the right to charge the customer a transfer fee of CHF 2,000 per instructor.

22.2 Teachers employed by ILS and MYTUTOR agree not to enter into any employment relationship with (former) clients of ILS and MYTUTOR, either during their employment with us or for a period of one year following the termination of their employment with ILS and MYTUTOR. In the event of a violation of this provision, we reserve the right to claim compensation in the amount of CHF 2,000 per client.

  1. Terms of payment

23.1 Upon request, you may pay the course fee in installments. The payment due date listed on the invoice is binding. In the event of late payment, we reserve the right to charge an administrative fee of CHF 20.00 for each of the second and third payment 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 fees.

23.3 Fees for bank or payment transactions involving foreign accounts are the responsibility of the customer. These fees may be paid by bank transfer or in person.

23.4 Refunds: A refund is only possible if the designated form is completed in full and submitted within three months. After this period has expired, there is no entitlement to a refund.

  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 Registration 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 at Registration 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

The provisions of Swiss law shall apply to everything else. The place of jurisdiction is Bern. Status: January 2025