When leaving a private academy, parents are sometimes told "there are no refunds." In fact, refunds of academy fees are governed by the act on the establishment and operation of private teaching institutes and extracurricular lessons and its enforcement decree. It is not for the academy to decide at will.

The standard turns on when you leave. The proportion refunded depends on whether tuition has begun and, if so, how far it has progressed.

Before tuition begins, it is the full amount

If you enrolled but never attended a class, the entire tuition fee paid is returned. The same applies where the cancellation is for personal reasons. Materials already supplied, such as textbooks, are settled separately.

After tuition begins — courses of a month or less

For courses lasting a month or less, the split is based on the tuition time elapsed.

• Leaving before one third of the total tuition time has passed — two thirds of the fee is returned
• Leaving before one half has passed — one half is returned
• Leaving after one half has passed — nothing is returned

The measure here is the tuition time elapsed, not the number of sessions actually attended. Time missed through absence still counts as elapsed.

Courses running longer than a month

Three-month and six-month packages are calculated differently. The month in which the grounds for refund arose is calculated using the one-month rule above, and the fee for the remaining months not yet begun is returned in full.

So a long enrolment is not automatically a loss. Be aware, though, that a discount is sometimes offered on condition of signing a no-refund clause, and terms less favourable to the user than the statutory refund standard are difficult to uphold as written.

If the academy closes or cannot teach

Where tuition stops for reasons on the academy's side, the entire amount corresponding to the remaining period is refundable. The proportional calculation above does not apply, because the cause does not lie with the user.

If the academy has closed and contact is lost, you can report it to the district office of education. Registered academies are subject to supervision by the education authorities, so the first step is to check whether the academy is registered at all.

Three things to check before enrolling

• Posted fees — academies must display tuition and related charges where learners can readily see them. Check that the posted figure matches what is actually billed
• Charges beyond tuition — textbooks, mock exams and transport must be itemised separately. If all you are told is "everything is included", settlement later becomes difficult
• Receipts — these are the basis of any refund claim. If you pay cash, ask for a cash receipt

Whether an academy is properly registered, and what fee it has declared, can be checked on the academy information disclosure service. A gap between the declared figure and the amount billed is itself worth querying.

How to request a refund

1. Give notice that you are leaving by text or in writing. A verbal notice leaves no date
2. Gather the payment receipts and the information sheet given at enrolment
3. Work out the refund yourself and present it. Setting out the basis alongside shortens the conversation
4. If it is not resolved, seek advice from the district office of education or the consumer counselling centre on 1372

Most cases end at step three, because simply establishing that a standard exists is usually enough to settle it.

Frequently asked questions

The contract says "no refunds". Does that hold?

Terms less favourable to the learner than the statutory refund standard are difficult to uphold as written. Having signed does not by itself extinguish the right.

Are textbook costs refunded?

Textbooks already supplied and used are generally excluded from the refund. Unopened or undelivered items are settled separately.

Do short holiday courses follow the same rule?

The standard for courses of a month or less applies. Deciding before half the total tuition time has passed works in your favour.