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Terms & Conditions

Course Confirmation and Payment

All tuition and fees must be paid in full before you start classes at CISL. Upon receipt of your application and payment, we will send you a letter confirming your acceptance. Payment may be sent by any of the following: international money order, electronic bank transfer (wire transfer), credit card (MasterCard or Visa only), Pay to Study and Western Union. We cannot process your application unless we receive your payment.

Bank Transfers

CISL will provide the school’s bank information for wire transfers upon request. Please include the student’s name and student ID as part of the bank transfer information. The payment must include all sending and intermediary wire transfer charges. CISL will pay all receiving fees.

F-1 Student Visa

CISL is authorized to issue a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) to qualifying full-time students. The I-20 form is used when applying for a student visa (F-1) and will only be issued for the number of weeks that your tuition is paid. You can extend your course at CISL, and a new I-20 will be issued. The visa must be obtained at the U.S. Embassy in your home country before your departure. If you are denied a student visa, you will receive a refund of all prepaid tuition (minus the $150 registration fee or other non-refundable fees) when you (i) give the school a copy of the denial letter from the U.S. Embassy and, (ii) return the original I-20 form issued by the school as well as a copy of your passport. If you require an I-20 form, you must provide CISL with documents showing that you have enough money to pay for all of your tuition and living expenses while you are studying at CISL as well as a copy of your passport. Please send these documents with your application. Financial means can be demonstrated with:

  1. Evidence of financial means (e.g. a copy of a recent bank statement) to pay your tuition and living expenses for the duration of your stay, or
  2. A letter of financial responsibility from your parent or legal guardian accompanied by evidence of their financial means (e.g. a copy of a recent bank statement); or
  3. A letter of sponsorship from your company or organization together with evidence of their financial means.

Students taking any 20-lesson per week course and who are requesting an I-20 for a student visa will also need to take either an Afternoon Elective or attend a 1.5 hour Study Hall session each week in order to meet the 18-hour per week minimum requirement for the student visa. There is no extra charge for the 1.5 hour/week Study Hall. Students who choose the Study Hall option will have the designation “Plus” on their confirmation (e.g. “Standard Plus”). Failure to adhere to our minimum 85% attendance policy may result in termination of I-20 and dismissal from the school.

Accommodations

A deposit of $250 is required for all accommodations. If you cancel your accommodations after they have been confirmed, the deposit is not refundable. Please read the Refund Policy carefully. If you are requesting homestay accommodations, please make flight reservations so that you arrive no later than 21:30.

Course Extension

You can extend your course after you arrive. The additional course fee must be paid before the start of the extension. You can pay the school directly or through your official CISL representative in your country.

Airport Transfers

Please send us your flight information as soon as possible. If you are requesting homestay accommodations, please make flight reservations so that you arrive before 21:30.

San Diego: If you are staying with a host family, the airport transfer is free if you arrive between 9:00 and 21:30 on the weekend. Your host will meet you at the airport in the baggage claim area; holding a sign with your name on it. Please be sure to carry your “Airport Transfer Confirmation” with you so that you have the emergency assistance number to call in case of a problem. If your flight is delayed to after 9:30pm, you will need to take a taxi or shuttle van to the host’s home. If your flight will arrive Monday- Friday, please contact the school in advance to make arrangements for getting from the airport to your host family’s home. For students not staying with a host family (or those arriving late or on weekdays) a private transfer service is available for $80 (one-way).

Medical Insurance

The school does not provide medical insurance. However, we strongly recommend that you purchase medical insurance for travelers to the United States, or that you ensure that your current policy in your country is also valid in the United States. You should do this before departing your country. Medical treatment in the United States is very expensive. You are responsible for any medical expenses incurred, so please be sure that you review the terms of your insurance policy, including covered services, deductibles, co-payments, length of coverage, etc., prior to arrival.

Photos & Video

Students agree to allow photos and video taken during the program to be used for CISL publicity and recruitment purposes.

Liability

CISL, its staff, and its representatives will not be liable for loss, damage or injury to persons or property however caused, except where liability is expressly imposed beyond exclusion by statute. Students agree to allow photos and video taken during CISL programs to be used for publicity purposes.

Holiday Schedule

Converse International School of languages is only closed on certain national holidays if it is on a week day. Except for private lessons, no credit or make-up time will be granted for lessons lost because of holidays.

  • January 1 (New Year’s Day)
  • February (President’s Day)
  • May (Memorial Day)
  • July 4 (Independence Day)
  • September  (Labor Day)
  • Last Thursday and Friday in November (Thanksgiving)
  • December 25 (Christmas Holiday)

Refund and Cancellation Policy

Registration Fee

A non-refundable registration fee of $150 is required for all courses.

Career English Program Cancellation Policy

$250 is non-refundable if the student cancels or postpones the program prior to its commencement and before a company placement has been made. The entire fee is non-refundable if the student cancels the Career English  program after a company placement has been found or after it has started.

Tuition:

  • If you cancel your course prior to the first day of class, you will receive a full refund of all tuition charges minus your $150 registration fee or any other non-refundable fees (e.g. SEVIS, express mail).
  • If you cancel your course after the start date of your classes, you will receive a pro-rated refund minus the $250 cancellation fee.
  • If you cancel your course after the first four weeks and you stop your classes before you have completed 60% of your course, you will receive a refund for the unused portion of the tuition. A $250 cancellation fee will apply.
  • If you cancel your course after the first four weeks and you stop your classes after you have completed 60% of your course, you will receive a pro-rated refund minus the $250 cancellation fee.
  • All tuition refund calculations are based upon minimum units of one week. This means that a refund is only effective as of the first Monday of the period you are cancelling. Here is an example: If you tell the school on a Wednesday that you want to cancel your course immediately,
  • In the case of private lessons, one week prior notice is required to cancel your lessons. Here is an example: If you tell the school on a Tuesday that you want to cancel your private lessons, the cancellation will only be effective as of the following Tuesday and you will be charged for all of your scheduled private lessons from the day that you cancel (Tuesday) until the day that your cancellation becomes effective (the next Tuesday).
  • If the school cancels or discontinues a course, the school will make a full refund of all tuition you have paid for that course.(the next Tuesday).the cancellation will only be effective as of the next Monday.
  • If you change your course after it begins, there will be a $250 change fee. This does not include additions or extensions.
  • The school does not participate in the State of California Student Tuition Recovery Fund.

Accommodations

The accommodation deposit is $250. This deposit will be used towards the accommodation fee.

  • There is a $100 fee to change any accommodation after it has been confirmed if changed before move-in date.
  • If you cancel your accommodation less than 30 days before your
    scheduled check in, your $250 deposit will not be refunded.
  • If you want to cancel your accommodations after check-in, a thirty-day advance notice is required. If you do not give a thirty-day advance notice, you must pay for the accommodations for those thirty days.

Airport Pickup Fees

If you requested airport pickup, the airport pickup fee is not refundable unless you cancel the airport pickup in writing at least 10 days before your scheduled arrival.

Express Mail Charges

Express mail charges are not refundable.

Extension of Courses

If you extend your courses or accommodations, each extension shall be considered a new enrollment for purposes of this refund policy.

Payment of Refunds

Refunds will be paid within 30 calendar days of your request. We can only pay refunds to the person or company from whom the funds originated. To obtain a refund you must do all of the following:

  • Make a written request to the school; and
  • Return the original Form I-20 document issued to you by the school.