Cancellation & Refund Policy

1. Scope and agreement

This Cancellation & Refund Policy applies to tuition and related fees for group and private Arabic language courses operated by Hong Kong Arabic Language Institute Limited (the Institute, we, us) in Hong Kong, together with any written confirmation, invoice, or enrolment form we issue for your booking.

Where this policy refers to a course start date, it means the date of your first scheduled class after your place is confirmed unless we specify otherwise in writing.

Nothing in this policy is intended to exclude, restrict, or modify any right or remedy under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region that cannot lawfully be excluded, including where applicable provisions of the Consumer Goods and Services Ordinance (Cap. 626) and related subsidiary legislation. If there is any inconsistency, the non-excludable provision prevails.

2. How to cancel your enrolment

You may cancel your enrolment by written notice sent to the email address shown on our website (including contact@arabic.hk) or by any other written channel we designate. The date of receipt of a complete notice on a Hong Kong business day counts as the notice date.

Verbal cancellations alone may not be processed; we may ask you to confirm details for record keeping and fraud prevention.

3. Refund schedule before the course starts

Unless a different schedule is expressly agreed in writing for your booking, the following refund principles apply to standard course fees paid for classes that have not yet taken place:

(a) If we receive your written cancellation at least 14 clear days before the course start date, we will normally refund all fees paid for undelivered classes less a reasonable administrative charge of up to 10% of the course fee or HK$500, whichever is lower, to cover fixed processing costs.

(b) If notice is received between 7 and 13 clear days before the course start date, we will normally refund 75% of fees paid for undelivered classes.

(c) If notice is received fewer than 7 clear days before the course start date, we will normally refund 50% of fees paid for undelivered classes, reflecting late reallocation of teaching capacity and venue commitments.

(d) If you withdraw on or after the course start date, or fail to attend the first scheduled class without prior written notice at least 48 hours in advance (except for documented emergencies), fees for the course block already commenced are generally non-refundable, subject to section 5 below.

We aim to process approved refunds within 30 Hong Kong business days using the same payment method where practicable. Third-party payment processing charges that have already been incurred may be deducted where permitted by law and by the processor’s rules.

4. Absence, lateness and make-up classes

Language training depends on regular attendance. If you miss a scheduled lesson, arrive late, or leave early, the scheduled time is normally forfeited and no cash refund is payable for the missed portion.

Where a teacher is available and classroom capacity allows, we may, as a courtesy and without obligation, offer one make-up session or digital catch-up materials for occasional absence if you give at least 24 hours’ written notice before the affected lesson, excluding same-day illness with reasonable supporting information.

Repeated unexplained absence may lead us to treat your place as withdrawn and apply the refund rules in section 3(d).

5. Cancellation or changes by the Institute

We may cancel, merge, reschedule, or relocate a class where minimum enrolment is not reached, where a venue becomes unavailable, where a teacher is unexpectedly unavailable, or for health and safety reasons.

If we cancel a course before it starts, or cannot restart it within a reasonable period, you will normally receive a full refund of fees paid for undelivered classes.

If we cancel a single session after the course has begun, we will normally credit or reschedule that session. If we cannot provide a reasonable substitute within 60 days, we will refund the pro-rated fee for that session.

6. Force majeure and government measures

If performance is prevented or materially hindered by events beyond our reasonable control (including severe weather warnings, public health measures, civil emergencies, or failures of utilities or transport systems affecting Hong Kong), we may suspend classes and extend the course schedule, deliver lessons online where reasonably equivalent, or cancel with a pro-rated refund for undelivered sessions. We will communicate available options promptly.

7. Misconduct and payment disputes

We may terminate instruction without further performance if a student engages in abusive, discriminatory, or unsafe conduct, or repeatedly breaches reasonable classroom rules after written warning. In serious cases no refund may be payable for the balance of the course where permitted by law.

If you dispute a card or e-wallet charge with your bank, we may suspend class access until the dispute is resolved and may offset lawful fees charged by payment networks.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The version on our website with the latest last updated date applies to new bookings. Material changes to confirmed bookings will be communicated where the law requires.

For questions, contact us using the details in the website footer (including contact@arabic.hk).