Terms and Conditions

1. Course Information

  • Starting day: most courses start on a Monday (Tuesday, when Monday is a public holiday) and finish on a Friday. On your first day you may miss one or more lessons because of the time needed to administer the entry test, complete registration and travel to your Frances King School.
  • Passport/ID card: all students are required to present their passport/ID card on their first day and the school will retain a copy.
  • Contact details: you are required to provide, and keep up-to-date, your contact details and next of kin contact details in your own country and any other changes of circumstance that would affect your visa.
  • Minimum age: 16, except Family Adult (FA), English for Work Skills, Topics and Tasks: age 21; Teenager Programmes (DTH): age 13; Family Junior Courses (FJ): age 8.
  • Location and course: Frances King cannot guarantee a particular course, timetable or Frances King School until you have finished the entry test at the school. Every attempt will be made, however, to place you in the school or course of your choice. In the event of insufficient enrolments for a course, the school reserves the right to offer an alternative course of equal value. Frances King also reserves the right to change course programmes and locations without prior notice in the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond our control or if in the best interests of the school.
  • Attendance: you are required to attend regularly and on time.
  • Timetable: in addition to timetabled classes, students should also expect to spend a minimum of 6 hours / week on homework and self-study activities.
  • Progress meetings: from time to time you will have a short, 5 minute meeting with your teacher. About 20-30 minutes per week of class time will be used for personal meetings, while the class carries on with work set by the teacher.
  • Student holidays: if you are on a course of more than 12 weeks, except examination preparation courses, you may take a holiday of two weeks every 12 weeks without losing your fee for this period, providing one week’s notice is given. Holidays may not be taken within the first 8 weeks of your programme. If you are staying in Frances King homestay accommodation and wish to take a holiday, you must give one week’s notice to the school. To leave your luggage at the homestay during your holiday you must pay a retainer fee of: €50 / week. In all other accommodation, you will be charged the full weekly rate during your holiday period and may leave your luggage in your room. If you book a programme of 12 weeks or more and need a visa to enter the country and wish to take a holiday either during or after your course, you should request extra weeks when you apply for your visa.
  • Academic Career Programmes: students need to plan their holidays in advance – students will not pay for holiday time. Students can take holidays as follows: 25 & 28 week week programmes: 4 weeks’ holiday; 36 & 42 week programmes: 6 weeks holiday; 48 week programme: 8 weeks’ holiday.. There is an extra 2 weeks’ holiday for those present from December 19, 2016 – January 3, 2017.
  • One-to-One sessions: requests for a change to your timetable must be made 48 hours in advance (during office hours, 9.00-17.00, Monday-Friday). Payment for One-to-One sessions must be made at the time of the booking.
  • Photography: sometimes Frances King or our representatives take photographs and videos during our programmes which may be used for promotional purposes. Please advise us at the time of booking if you do not wish to appear in any promotional material.

2. Accommodation Information

  • Arrival and departure: accommodation is booked from Saturday-Saturday or Sunday-Sunday (7 nights). Apartments, Studios and Hotels can be booked from other days, subject to availability.
  • First and second choice of accommodation: please always include a second choice of accommodation on the Enrolment Form. Where the first choice of accommodation is not available we will book the second choice.
  • Accommodation only: we are happy to organise accommodation for people who do not study with us (subject to availability). Accommodation only prices apply, inclusive of VAT.
  • Arrival times: it is not always possible to arrive at accommodation before 7.00 or after 22.00. Please check with us before making travel arrangements.
  • Location of Frances King accommodation: In Dublin, accommodation is located in Dublin 2, Dublin 4, Dublin 6, Dublin 6W and some parts of South County Dublin with a travel time of no more than 40 minutes to the school.
  • Homestay supplements: special diet: €30 / week (Dublin). Homestay bookings which include Christmas and New Year: €25 / week (Dublin).
  • Accommodation arrangements: in arranging accommodation Frances King will be acting as agent for the supplier, as principal or a sub-agent. The status of Frances King in relation to specific accommodation will be explained on request. Frances King is not responsible for payment of any tax claimed from students by UK, Irish or foreign authorities.

3. 16 and 17 year old students

  • Students age 16 and 17 study alongside adult students with minimal supervision outside class times. If closer supervision is required, we recommend our Teenager Programmes.
  • Students age 16 and 17 without a guardian in the country must stay with a homestay. They must book an arrival airport transfer unless a guardian (21 years and over) is meeting them at the airport.
  • Students age 16 and 17 should carry a letter of consent to travel alone and present it, if requested, on arrival in the country. We will send a form letter with the confirmation documents.

4. Complaints and Conduct

  • Complaints: problems and complaints with programmes, accommodation and other services should be brought to our attention immediately so that we can help.
  • Conduct: Frances King reserves the right to cancel a student’s programme and accommodation in the event of misconduct or unsatisfactory behaviour. Students will be responsible for all costs arising.

5. Cancellation Policy

a. Cancellation of courses:

Before arrival: if you want to cancel your booking before starting your course or before arrival in Ireland you must give notice in writing. We will refund all fees minus the Course Deposit: €200.

Before arrival when a student is refused a visa: if you want to cancel your booking before arrival in the country, you must send us a copy of your visa refusal letter issued by the Embassy/Consulate. All programme fees will be refunded less an administration charge of €100.

After arrival: if you cancel or curtail your course after arrival in the country there is no refund in any circumstances:

  • There is no credit for courses cancelled during the first 4 weeks. If the course is longer than 4 weeks, you must give advance notice to cancel or postpone your course. The course credit may be used within 1 year and cannot be transferred to another student. Course credits may be used to pay for group courses or One-to-One sessions, but may not be used to pay for accommodation.
  • To cancel One-to-One courses you must give 1 week’s notice in writing. You may apply for a credit for the unused part of the course. This may be used as part-payment towards any Frances King course within 1 year.
  • To cancel One-to-One sessions you must give 48 hours’ notice (during office hours 9.00-17.00, Monday-Friday). All late cancellations are charged at the full rate.
  • If you leave because you are ill or because of the death or serious illness of a close relative you maybe able to claim reimbursement of fees through your insurance. No refund will be given if a student leaves for what is an insurable risk.

b. Cancellation of courses made at a distance: for course bookings made ‘at distance’ (eg via our website, telephone, email), you have the right to cancel, with a full refund of monies paid, without giving a reason, within 14 days (the Cancellation Period) of our confirmation. Cancellation must be made in writing by post or email within the Cancellation Period. We will not start providing services to you during the Cancellation Period unless you request us to do so in writing. We will refund fees paid within 14 days of the date of your cancellation request. In the event that you have confirmed in writing that you wish us to start providing services within the Cancellation Period, we will deduct from the refund, a reasonable sum for the services provided, based on the proportion of the course undertaken.

c. Cancellation of accommodation:

Before arrival: if you want to cancel your accommodation before arrival in Ireland you must give notice in writing. We will refund all fees minus the Accommodation Deposit of €300. If the accommodation fees for the notice period exceed that amount you will be charged €300 plus the difference. This also applies to students whose accommodation has been confirmed by the school and have had their visa granted.

Before arrival when a student is refused a visa: if you want to cancel your booking before arrival in the country, you must send us a copy of your visa refusal letter issued by the Embassy/Consulate. All accommodation fees will be refunded less an administration charge of €100, provided notice to cancel accommodation is given. See notice period (below) to cancel accommodation.

After arrival: if you cancel or curtail your accommodation after arrival in Ireland, you will be charged a cancellation fee of €70. The notice period required varies according to your accommodation type. See Notice Period to cancel accommodation below. There is no refund for this period.

Notice period to cancel accommodation:

  • 2 weeks’ notice: Serviced Apartments (D201-D204, D901-D904); Aungier Street Residence (D601); Baggot Street Residence (D302);Budget Flatshares (D501-D503) – the notice period for some Budget Flatshares is longer than 2 weeks. Please enquire at the time of booking.  
  • 1 week’s notice: Homestays (D1-D9)
  • 24 hours’ notice: Hotels
  • Baggot Street Residence: (D302)No refund is given if a stay is shortened or cancelled after arrival.

d. In case of non-arrival on booked dates, when the school has not received notice of cancellation in advance, there will be no refund or credit of course or accommodation fees.

e. Course and accommodation refunds may take up to 45 days to process. Refunds cannot be processed until the school has been paid in full for all services booked. Refunds will only be made to the person or organisation that paid in the first instance.

6. Transfer Terms and Conditions

  • Flight details must be received in writing before 14.00 (Irish time) on the Friday before arrival.
  • To cancel or change an airport transfer you must inform us in writing 24 hours before the flight arrival or departure time or you will be charged for the transfer. For last minute changes or cancellations, please phone +353 (0) 83 450 2204.
  • A supplement of €25 will be charged for an airport transfer service between 23.00-05.00. A supplement will also be charged for airport transfers on public holidays (and during the Christmas period) – please ask for prices.
  • Waiting time of 1¼ hours is included in the transfer price. If you do not contact the driver within 1¼ hours of the flight arrival time, the driver will leave the airport and any request for a further transfer will be charged at the full rate. Waiting time starts from the scheduled time of arrival, unless the flight is early, in which case waiting time will start from the actual flight arrival time.
  • Please read your Airport Transfer confirmation documents carefully before departure for Ireland, as they include important arrival information.

7. Force Majeure

Frances King School of English is not liable in the event of the school being unable to supply services to which it is contractually bound resulting from causes outside the school’s control, such as, but not limited to, natural disasters, labour disputes, government action, pandemics and the like. Refunds will not be made in such circumstances.

8. Teenager Programmes

Different Terms and Conditions apply. Please visit the Teenager Programmes page on our website here.
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