Easy Languages

Easy Languages is a Belgian language travel agency with its head office in Brussels. Easy Languages follows Belgian legislation concerning travel agencies. In accordance with law, Easy Languages is authorized to organise trips and to offer trips as an intermediary. We adhere to la Commission de Litiges Voyages asbl. All our programmes are covered by insolvency insurance (a European company) which protects customers in the case of bankruptcy or insolvency of the organisation. The clauses written below represent the specific conditions of our organisation. Enrolling in one of our programmes implies the understanding and acceptance of the terms and conditions laid out in full here.

1. Terms of Enrolment and Payment

1.1 General terms of payment

Enrolments and delays of payment

1. By enrolling, you accept the general conditions of Easy Languages. Enrolment can be sent by mail, fax or e-mail via our enrolment form which is downloadable via our site or available in our brochure. For stays in a host family for 12 weeks or longer, please include (or send via email) a letter of introduction in the target language including three photos with descriptive captions as well as two passport photos.
2. After receiving your form, we will send you a confirmation of receipt and an invoice. Confirmation of your enrolment on the course will not be fully confirmed until we have received a deposit of €250 (stays of 1 to 3 weeks) or of €1000 (stays of 4 weeks or longer) + travel costs if requested. The enrolment will be valid and confirmed, and the conditions of the stay will be considered understood and accepted by the participant from the reception of the confirmation and the payment of the initial deposit.
3. For a stay of 1 to 11 weeks, the balance and all related fees should be paid no later than 6 weeks before departure (please see the terms of point 1.b if your stay is 12 weeks or longer). If a participant enrols less than 6 weeks before the date of departure, the balance should be paid in the week after the receipt of the invoice, or immediately, if the departure is within a fortnight.
4. We undertake the enrolment with the school, the reservation of travel (if selected), the organisation of transfers (optional, upon request) et accommodation, as well as all other related services (for example assistance in obtaining a visa) without additional administrative fees. In the fortnight before departure, and only after the payment of the complete balance of the stay, you will receive the details of your host family or information concerning your residence , practical information about the town, important contacts, what to bring, etc, and if applicable, the details of reserved transportation.

Type of payment

We accept payments by cash, bank transfer, by check (for France only) or credit card (Mastercard or Visa). Payments are received by the head office in Brussels.

In the case of credit card payments a 3% card processing and handling fee is added. It is possible to pay only the deposit by credit card, and the rest of the balance by bank transfer.

Late Enrolments

Late enrolments (between 03/06 and 05/09 - less than 4 weeks before departure; rest of the year - less than 2 weeks before departure) are accepted depending on availability. In cases where the desired programme is no longer available, we will highlight other equivalent options. In the case of late enrolments, the full amount should be paid immediately. A late fee of €70 will be added if a visa is necessary in order to cover the express mail courier fees. The accommodation address and other useful information will be given to you before departure by telephone, fax or e-mail.

1.2 Terms of payment for stays of longer than 12 weeks

Balance:

Unless otherwise indicated and individual design of your confirmation, the balance of the program is payable in three equal installments on the following dates: for departures between June and October: 15 January 15 March and 15 May before departure. For departures between November and May: 15 June 15 September and 15 December prior to departure.

The balance may be paid in one payment in the case the amount is less than € 3000. The final balance of each trip is due not later than 8 weeks before departure.In the case of late registration (less than 8 weeks before departure), the balance is due immediately. Residence documents are sent after receipt of the balance.

On-site Accommodation fees:

For the enrolment in classes, the travel and the insurance, the payment is made in advance, as well as for the entire or partial booking of accommodation. For certain programmes, accommodation fees can be paid directly during the stay, to the host family or the local accommodation officer, by arrangement with the hosts. The participant is therefore free to discontinue their accommodation by forfeiting their deposit or by giving advanced notice (generally 2 to 4 weeks). These terms will be further defined upon enrolment.

English Interview before full confirmation

For stays which require an interview in English (High School, academic stays, etc), a sum of €70 is payable at the very latest on the day of the interview if no deposit has already been paid. This fee is not reimbursable and is deducted from the balance in once the student is fully enrolled upon the programme.

2. Prices of stays: best price guarantee and prices in other currencies

For all stays of 4 weeks or longer, if during the 15 days after your enrolment you find exactly the same programme including exactly the same features for the same dates (same school, same town, same course, same accommodation and same duration) offered by a different language travel agent, from the agency’s official catalogue in the same currency (this excludes all promotional offers, internet promotions or individualized offers) at a lower price than at Easy Languages, we will reimburse the difference. This guarantee is also valid for all Individual Home Stay (private teacher) programmes, and includes stays of a one-to-three week duration.

Prices for stays outside the European Union (USA – Canada – Australia – New Zealand)

Easy Languages offers you complete transparency when it comes to prices, by avoiding including the fees connected to exchange rates and working with original currencies where possible (except Junior programmes whose rates are fixed in euros). Our prices for these destinations are therefore closed, defined and are expressed in dollars (American, Australian, Canadian or New Zealand, depending on your destination) which becomes the currency of reference for the cost of your stay.

You have the choice between:

• Paying in dollars the sum that is featured in our price tables (by bank transfer or credit card to our specific account noted in the confirmation and invoice we send you, with the symbol $). This sum does not fluctuate before departure.
• Paying the sum at an equivalent figure using the day’s currency in Euros. This sum will be fixed if the total amount is paid in one installment within 10 days following the dispatch of our confirmation and invoice (email or fax). Beyond this time it could vary (rising or falling). In this case, we will send you another calculation from the receipt of the balance.

Payments that are made in another currency other than the reference currency will be increase by 4%. If the prices of the stay to be paid in several installments, these installments must be made in the same currency.

Validity

The prices are valid for the year in which the participant began their enrolment. If a participant enrols for a departure in the following year, the price are guaranteed if the prices are paid in full before the 15th of November of the current year.

Discounts

1. Family and loyalty discount for the 2nd inscription (and any more thereafter) per family in the same residence
2. Minigroup discount when 3 or more participants enrol together for the same programme. This reduction is cumulative with the previous discount.

The rate for these two discounts vary according to the duration of your stay:

• €15 (stays of 2 to 4 weeks)
• €25 (stays of 5 to 11 weeks)
• €75 (stays of 12 weeks or more)

3. Travel and Programme Organisation

Travel Documents

All participants are assumed to have arranged travel documents. For nationals of European Union members, identity card is sufficient for stays within Europe. A passport and a visa are necessary in principal for stays outside Europe. You will receive the necessary documents for obtaining a visa once the deposit has been paid. Please take care to make sure that give yourself enough time to complete the visa and passport processes – these can take several weeks. No reimbursement of the programme is possible in cases where the visa is refused or the visa process was not completed on time, except for those who have taken out a cancellation guarantee with us (see point 4 for the conditions of reimbursement).

Transport

Our ‘travel agency’ department (licence A5034) is in charge of the organisation of transport and tickets if you have asked us to arrange it, or if this service is a part of the programme reserved. We are not responsible for cases of services running late, accidents, strikes, loss, or other travel service related incidents (including bus, ferry, railway or airline services). We will however intervene in order to limit the consequences that these events can cause. The additional fees arising from these unforeseen events remain completely the responsibility of the participants.

Arrangements of the school of the college

The participant will make sure they understand and respect the rules of the place of study that they are attending, particularly regarding attendance (compulsory) of all lessons and punctuality. Participants are not allowed to miss lessons, except by the permission of the centre’s director for medical or other extreme circumstances.

Dates of programme, timetable and duration of lessons

By default and unless otherwise mentioned, stays run from Sunday to Saturday. In the case of arrival before or after these dates, fees for additional nights will be added. If the reserved programme includes a transfer only on fixed dates, transfer fees could also be increased. Lessons can take place in the morning or the afternoon depending on the language level of the participants and the specific course type. The duration of lessons is specified in minutes in every programme description. Each class is generally somewhere between 40 and 60 minutes of teaching (the most common duration is 45 minutes). Attendance of all classes is compulsory.

Vacations and public holidays

Classes do not take place during official holidays in the host country (list available upon request). Except from individual lessons and Individual Home Stay (private teacher) programmes, these lessons will be neither rescheduled nor reimbursed.

Host family accommodation

Host families are not necessarily ‘traditional’ families: all type of families (traditional families, remarried families, retired couples, single parents, etc) can host our students. The description of the family and/or the accommodation given before departure is for information only, and is not contractual.

Special diet

A supplement of 45 € per week will be charged for any requests for special dietary needs (vegetarian, halal etc). However, we can not guarantee availability at all locations and at any time of the year. In case the special diet is not available for the chosen placement of the student, the supplement will be fully reimbursed without this entitlement to any compensation or indemnity.

Age of participants

The ages mentioned in the brochure are for information only. A younger or older participant could be allowed to participate in a programme depending on their motivation and/or places available.

Problems and disputes arising during the stay

In the case of any problems during the stay, the participant should without hesitation inform our office in Brussels and the local coordinator, so that we are able to investigate and intervene immediately. If a problem arises which cannot be resolved on-site, all information regarding the complaint should be sent to us by post in the 15 days following the discovery of a point which could be contentious. In the case of serious disputes, only the courts of Brussels or Namur are capable of addressing the issues.

Student Status

For all stays, if the occasion arises, the participant retains student status and is enrolled full time in a fully established teaching institution. Easy Languages can send participants, by request, a certificate that may allow them to receive family allowance, for Belgian residents in particular.

On-site changes to the programme

If after arrival, the academic or linguistic level of a participant is confirmed to be wrongly allocated, the academic management and/or Easy Languages reserve the right to direct the enrolment to a more appropriate programme, without compensation or reimbursement. The possible difference in prices between an old and new programme, including supplementary language lessons if necessary, will then be the responsibility of the participant.

4. Changing programme and Cancellation

4.1 Changing a reservation

Before departure:

For each change of the reservation before departure, we will factor in a minimum fee of €70 (except for an extension of the duration of the course or of the number of hours of lessons). A change of school before the departure is considered like a cancellation.

During the stay:

A change of school during the stay is considered the same as a cancellation. Once the stay has commenced, no reimbursement will be accorded for an early return home, either voluntarily decided upon, or as a result of expulsion. In the case of an early end to the programme due to exceptional circumstances, and only after written agreement with the local and Belgian management, the only reimbursement or credit notes that will be dispensed will be for the remaining complete months, and could be subject to administrative fees. For all other changes in courses and the programme (type of accommodation, intensity of lessons, etc), please contact our head office in Brussels.

Extension of a programme:

All requests for an extension of the programme will be accepted according to availability and without alteration fees, but will be confirmed at the normal rates, rather than at the derived ‘supplementary week’ rate. Any arising alternation fees for travel remain the responsibility of the participant.

Changing transportation:

For all travel reserved by Easy Languages, in the case of a change in reservation after the confirmation of tickets, alteration or cancellation fees for plane or train tickets will be calculated.

4.2 Cancellation by the participant

All cancellations by the participant should be notified by mail or by email, and will lead to cancellation fees. The date from which the fees due will be calculated will be from the next working day following the date that the letter or email is received.
If the cancellation also concerns a travel reservation, the amount charged will not be reimbursable in any case, and will not be covered by the optional cancellation guarantee. The sum for insurances and guarantees contracted with Easy Languages will remain owed to the company.

Cancellation of the whole language programme:

• More than 45 days before departure: 100% of the deposit
• Between 45 and 20 days before departure: 30% of the total sum of the programme (or the sum of the deposit if this is more)
• Between 19 and 8 days before departure: 60% of the total sum of the programme
• Between 7 and 5 days before departure: 80% of the total sum of the programme
• Less than 5 days before departure : 100% of the total sum of the programme

Cancellation of academic programmes

The following conditions for cancellation are applicable to all programmes which include academic classes for all or part of the programme (High School, UK College, American College or University, etc). Once the deposit has been paid, and after the checks for language / academic level have been passed, Easy Languages will send a more comprehensive enrolment file which will need to be completed and sent back before an arranged deadline. If this file is not sent back before the deadline, the enrolment is cancelled. A conventional cancellation fee equal to the deposit will be owed to Easy Languages to cover the administrative and document fees.

In the case of cancellation by the participant after the Easy Languages has received the enrolment file, the contract is considered rightfully terminated. A conventional and unalterable cancellation fee will be owed to Easy Languages by the participant.

• More than 180 days before the departure : 20% of the total sum of the programme
• Between 180 and 46 days before departure : 50% of the total sum of the programme
• Between 45 and 15 days before departure : 80% of the total sum of the programme
• Less than 15 days before departure : 100% of the total sum of the programme

Cancellation due to a second exam sitting

At the exception of a sum of €50 to cover administrative fees, the entirety of the programme fees (except for transport) will be reimbursed, as long as an official confirmation of results is provided to us within 2 days following the posting of results. This clause is valid for programmes in Europe from the 14th of July until the 31st of August.

Cancellation Guarantee

You are able to purchase a cancellation guarantee which will cover a participant who has to cancel their programme before departure due to serious illness who has been ordered to stay in bed by a doctor, or has had an accident, or has failed at school (see our page Insurance and Guarantees for full information).

4.3 Cancellation by Easy Languages

In the event of cancellation of a programme on our part, the entirety of the amount charged will be reimbursed and a credit note of €100 valid for all other programmes will be awarded, with the exclusion of all other compensation.

5. Responsibilities of the participant and Easy Languages

5.1 Responsibility of the participant

• All participants are expected to have arranged travel documents. See our point about Travel Documents.
• All participants are expected to have arranged adequate insurance (medical feels, civil responsibility…)
• All participants are responsible for their travel documents and are obliged to arrive on time at the arranged meeting. For all stays, Easy Languages takes no responsibility for lost or stolen luggage including accidents taking place during the stay. Participants are expected to thoroughly respect the laws and rules of caution which are implied in such a stay – particularly when going out at night and travelling.
• All participants should follow the rules of the programme or the language stay. All serious or repeated poor behavior which goes against the spirit of the programme, including prejudice against the school, the host family, or the organisation, or necessitating the intervention of the local police, will result in the immediate expulsion and return of the participant to their home country, at the expense of the participant, and without any compensation for the remaining uncompleted part of their stay.

5.2 Responsibility of Easy Languages

• Easy Languages reserves the right to refuse an enrolment or to expel a participant if their behavior has a detrimental effect on the functioning of a programme, if they go against the rules of the institution or if they infringe upon the laws of the host country. All related fees (return travel, fines, etc) are the responsibility of the participant or of their parents if the occasion arises. The participant and their parents are also held responsible for all damages or losses incurred during their stay.
• Easy Languages reserves the right to refuse an enrolment or to immediately expel all participants who present a medical or mental condition not already notified in writing at enrolment and which requires specific treatment and routine follow-up.
• Easy Languages cannot be held responsible for being unable to ensure the continued provision of the service initially arranged in the case of failure of its service providers, serious conflicts or troubles outside its control. Easy Languages cannot be held responsible for losses, damages suffered to the person or goods of the person regardless of the cause. Only the responsibility of the service provider (school, airline company…) can be addressed.
• Easy Languages reserves the right to change pre-notification the contents of its catalogue and its chosen service providers.
• Easy Languages reserves the right to keep and/or use promotionally the testimonials and photographs that are taken from within its partner schools or during a language stay. Personal information contained in the application file will remain completely confidential, as in accordance with law.

6. Special Conditions for underage participants and accompanied programmes

Lateness or Loss of Documents

In the case of lateness on the participant’s side which prevents them from taking part in an activity or an organised trip, no reimbursement or compensation will be given. In the case of lateness or loss of tickets or other events which prevent the a underage participant from completing their return trip on the date organised, the responsibility of Easy Languages beyond the duration of the reserved programme is limited to informing the parents or, in the case of absence, the emergency contacts indicated on the enrolment form. These will have the choice of either intervening personally or asking the organisation to intervene. In this second case, the organisation will fully assist the participant, for example in arranging a new return ticket, after which the supplementary fees for accommodation/meals/travel/communication and other possible fees will be charged to the guardians of the underage participant and will be paid in full.

The responsibilities of the participants, the group leaders, the host families and the organisation

During supervised stays in Bournemouth, the role of the group leaders consists of supervising the trip, organising the activities and promptly aiding participants in the event of problems. The participants are generally placed in host families – neither the group leaders nor the organisation have a measure of control over the comings and goings of individual participants or are able to monitor their journeys or what they do when they go out, outside the organised activities. We require that participants, particularly underage participants, who enrol in our programmes to show sufficient maturity and self-discipline especially regarding curfews as well as politeness and courtesy towards the host family.

Underage participants

For evenings out, we anticipate the following times of arrival back at the host family: Under 15 years old : no individual evenings out allowed; 15 – 16 years old : return home 22.30 at the latest; 17 years and over : return at 23.30 at the latest.

We insist that participants stay with their host family or residence in the evening. If you would like a different arrangement we ask that you communicate your request in writing before departure : the internal rules of the host family/residence will always be prioritized in the case of late nights out authorized by biological parents. We repeat these agreements to participants during the group travel at Easter and in the summer and relate to the parents all indications of violations of this agreement which we will also pass onto the school or the host family, so that they can intervene directly with the participant concerned.

For Junior programmes: unaccompanied nights out are not allowed, and all evenings are spent with the host family or at the school. Outside Europe, unaccompanied nights out for underage participants are not allowed, except when participating in an organised activity within a supervised group.

7. Insurance and guarantees

To complement your existing insurance, we offer the following additional coverages:

1. Cancellation Guarantee

For all our stays, you can purchase an optional cancellation guarantee with Easy Languages. The cancellation guarantee amounts to 3% of the total sum of the programme for stays of 12 weeks or more, and 4% of the total sum of the programme for stays of less than 12 weeks. If you wish to purchase this guarantee, you should sign up for it at the time of enrolment.

This guarantee applies to the total fees of the programme, with only the exclusion of travel. It covers the insured person who has to cancel their programme before departure due to serious illness (with medical authority advising bed rest), accident, exam resits, and visa refusal. In the case of an event causing cancellation, the participant must inform the organiser in writing within 3 days, and submit the required supporting evidence. In the case of cancellation supported by a medical certificate, the company reserves the right to request a medical exam of the insured participant.

For stays require a student visa, the insurance covers the non-issuance of visa. In case of visa refusal, the letter from the school (original) and proof of refusal is sent to us by letter, stating your full details for the refund. Reimbursement will be madeby bank transfer then to the account specified, net of an excess of the deposit and the amount of insurance.

If cancellation insurance is issued, the total price is refunded, minus the deductible and the amount of security. If the stay does not require a visa, the franchise is 90 € for stays of less than 12 weeks and 1,000 € for stays of 12 weeks or more. Cancellations for visa refusal, the deposit is deductible (250 € for stays of 1 to 3 weeks, € 1,000 for stays of 4 weeks or more).

2. Additional medical insurance

All participants are held responsible for ensuring they have sufficient travel insurance which covers medical fees, repatriation costs and accident coverage.

If you do not currently have such insurance, Easy Language can offer you a complete insurance covering illness, accidents, hospitalization, repatriation, etc.

In Europe, citizens of the EU are covered by social security and the school staff are at your disposal if you need to consult a doctor or a dentist. Your insurance company or your social security organisation will send you the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

For programmes outside the EU, participants should take out medical and accident insurance and repatriation insurance. For programmes within the EU, this complementary coverage is optional.

Our insurance policy covers residents around the world for the following conditions:

Participants who are EU citizens (Schengen area*):

• Living in Europe: 15 € / week, 45 € / month in the annual limit of € 280.
• Stay outside Europe: 20 € / week, 60 € / month in the annual limit of € 360.
• If the limit is reached: coverage for 12 months for a stay of up to 6 consecutive months.

Participants who are non-EU citizens:

• 20 € per week, 60 € per month (no annual limit).
  

* Europe: Germany - Andorra - Austria - Baleares - Belarus - Belgium -Bosnia-Herzegovina-Bulgaria - Cyprus - Croatia - Denmark - Spain except Canary- Estonia - Finland - France except overseas - Gibraltar - Greece + islands -Hungary - Ireland - + islands Italy - Latvia - Liechtenstein - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Macedonia - Malta - Monaco - Norway - Netherlands - Poland - Portugal except Azores and Madeira - Romania - UK - San Marino - Slovakia - Slovenia - Sweden - Switzerland - Czech Republic - Turkey (European part) - Ukraine - Vatican.

Medical Insurance for Australia

Students who are participating in programmes in Ausralia with a student visa should purchase a special medical insurance for foreign students. The amount of this “Overseas Student Health Cover” varies according to the length of the stay.