Diploma Program Tuition & Fees Refund Policy

1. Introduction

At AltSchool Africa, we strive to provide an exceptional educational experience for all Learners. However, we understand that there may be circumstances where a refund is necessary. This Refund Policy explains the terms and conditions under which refunds are available, the process for requesting a refund, and the timelines for receiving your refund. By enrolling in our programs, you agree to the terms of this policy.

Our goal is to ensure transparency and fairness in managing refunds while maintaining the quality and integrity of our Program offerings.

2. Application Fees

The application fees for any diploma program at AltSchool Africa are non-refundable and non-transferable in all circumstances. Learner (s) cannot transfer their application fees from one program cohort to another cohort and/or from one learner to another (prospective) learner. In other words, application fees paid toward an initial start semester cannot be transferred to another future start semester. For example, an application fee paid for a data analysis program that starts in the Karatu (Jan.-Apr. 2025) semester, cannot be transferred to a data engineering program or any other program that starts in the Baraka (May-Aug. 2025) semester.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that the application fee is non-refundable, even if your application is withdrawn, incomplete, or unsuccessful.

3. Tuition Fees

Tuition fees cover access to essential services such as the Learning Management System (LMS), live classes, academic support, and community support. A learner is eligible for a full refund of their initial tuition payment only if the request is made within 48 hours of the payment date. This 48-hour provision applies to the initial payment made for the program. All subsequent tuition payments are non-refundable.

A learner may request to transfer their full tuition payment to another course or cohort only if they have attended lessons in the current course or cohort for the first two weeks or less. Beyond the first two weeks, only the prorated portion of unused tuition may be transferred to a new program. For instance, if a learner enrolled in a front-end program has paid a year of tuition in advance and chooses to transfer to product management in their third month, only the nine months of unused tuition may be transferred to the new program. Any such transfer may be subject to additional fees if the new course or cohort has a higher tuition fee. In this circumstance, the learner will be required to pay the outstanding balance.

4. Program Discontinuation (Not Deferment)

A learner who discontinues their enrollment at AltSchool Africa cannot request that their already paid application fees be refunded or transferred to another learner or prospective learner. However, the unused, prorated portion of paid fees may be refunded upon the learner’s request and subject to AltSchool Africa’s discretion and approval.

5. Program Deferment

Learners who have received approval for a deferment request from the AltSchool Africa team will be required to pay the tuition fees applicable as at the time of the start of their new semester. If there is a difference between the old tuition fees paid prior to deferment and the new applicable fees, the learner will be responsible for covering the difference. A learner may defer their admission to a course only once, and only to the immediately following cohort, as deferments to later cohorts are not permitted. If a learner chooses to defer to another cohort, they must restart the program from the first semester, regardless of any semesters they may have previously completed. They cannot continue from a later semester simply because they completed it in their original cohort.

6. Nano-Diploma Programs

Payment for Nano-Diploma programs is non-refundable and non-transferable to other programs or courses. As learners enrolled in these programs are granted immediate and complete access to all proprietary digital content, resources, and services granted upon enrollment, the entire tuition fee is deemed utilised.

7. Scholarships

Scholarships awarded by AltSchool Africa are subject to specific terms and conditions, which will be communicated to the recipient upon acceptance. To be eligible for a scholarship after provisional selection, recipients must first pay the full tuition amount not covered by the scholarship upfront (prior to resumption). Consequently, the scholarship funds will not be applied until the recipient has completely utilized their out-of-pocket tuition payment. Once payment is made, scholarship recipients are subject to the same tuition refund provisions set out in Clause 3 above. Scholarships are non-transferable and can only be applied to the program for which they were awarded. They cannot be transferred to another learner or future cohort/semester. If a learner who has been awarded a scholarship discontinues their enrollment or changes programs, or chooses to defer to another cohort, the scholarship is automatically forfeited. AltSchool Africa will then transfer the unused portion of the scholarship to another eligible beneficiary. In such cases, the learner may be responsible for covering the remaining tuition costs. Any unused portion of the scholarship is not refundable or transferable.

8. Refund/Transfer Process

8.1 To request a refund or transfer of unused tuition fees, learners must follow the steps outlined below: 8.1.1 Submit a Written Request: Learners must email [email protected] with the subject line "Refund/Transfer Request." The email should include the learner’s full name, program details, reason for the request, and any supporting documentation. 8.1.2 Review and Approval: The AltSchool team will review the request and assess eligibility based on the Refund Policy. Approval is subject to meeting the conditions outlined in the policy and the discretion of AltSchool Africa. 8.1.3 Notification: If the request is approved, a notification will be sent to the Learner via email. Transfers will only apply to unused fees for the current program or cohort. The learner will be notified of the decision within 1 (one) month of sending the written request. 8.1.4 In the case of deferment, the tuition fees will be transferred to the new cohort, with any applicable differences in fees to be settled by the learner. Learners should note that any refunds or transfers are subject to AltSchool Africa’s discretion and approval.

9. Fees-Related Errors

We are committed to addressing any errors relating to fees as promptly and comprehensively as possible. Please contact our support team at [email protected] within at least 24 hours from the date of the transaction, if you believe your account was incorrectly charged. Our team will issue the refund, upon thorough investigation of your claim, using the same payment method you used for the original transaction. Please note that the refund timeline might be shaped by your financial institution’s processing timeline, after our team’s issuance of the refund.

10. Limitation of Liability

AltSchool Africa’s total liability to any learner for any claim arising out of or relating to this Refund Policy shall not exceed the total amount of fees paid by the learner for the applicable program.

11. Policy Updates

AltSchool Africa reserves the right to update or modify its Refund policy at any time without prior notice to learners. Such changes will be effective immediately upon its communication to learners via any of our channels, including but not limited to, our website. By enrolling in our programs, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined in this Refund Policy.