General Terms and Conditions (GTC) of the Language and Education Institute Bonn
Preamble The Language and Education Institute Bonn (SBIB) offers courses in German as a foreign language as well as in other foreign languages. The courses aim to provide linguistic qualification to participants, including preparation for academic exams and the acquisition of language certificates. These General Terms and Conditions govern the contractual relationship between course participants and SBIB.
§1 General Provisions
These General Terms and Conditions (GTC) govern the contractual relationship between the Language and Education Institute Bonn (hereinafter referred to as “SBIB") and the course participants. The version valid at the time of contract conclusion applies.
The institute reserves the right to amend or supplement the GTC with reasonable notice. Changes will be communicated to course participants via email to the address provided at the time of contract conclusion. If no objection is made within four weeks of sending the email, the new GTC take effect. In case of a timely objection, the previous terms continue to apply for the respective participant, whereby individual contractual agreements take precedence over the general terms and conditions according to §305b BGB.
§2 Contract Conclusion
Course participants register by entering into a training contract. Registration can be submitted by post or email and must be sent to:
Language and Education Institute Bonn
Michaelstrasse 2
53111 Bonn
or as a PDF via email to: info@sprachinstitut-bonn.deRegistration is only possible for courses offered by the institute.
Registration constitutes a binding offer by the participants to conclude a training contract. The institute has the right to accept this offer within five working days after receipt. A lack of response from the institute does not constitute acceptance of the contract. In case of rejection, the institute is not obligated to provide reasons.
Contract acceptance occurs through explicit confirmation by the institute to the email address provided during registration. The contract becomes effective once the participants sign the training contract manually or digitally. Upon this acceptance, the training contract between the institute and the course participants becomes valid.
§3 Subject of the Contract Types of Courses: The contract covers either a German language course or a specialized course. Participants are distinguished based on their course selection:
German Language Courses: The goal is to provide linguistic qualification according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The instruction prepares specifically for the desired language level. In the DSH course, preparation is provided for the German language university entrance exam.
Specialized Courses: These courses prepare participants for the external assessment exam of the District Government of Cologne. Depending on the focus area (T, W, M, M+T, G), relevant exam subjects are taught.
Exam Success: The institute does not guarantee passing the exams.
Course Organization:
There is no entitlement to a specific instructor, course location, class schedule, or specific teaching method.
The course content, organization, and assignment of teachers are determined solely by the institute.
The institute may make changes according to §3 sections 1 and 2, provided they do not conflict with the legitimate interests of the participants.
§4 Class Times and Course Location Class Times:
Classes are generally held from Monday to Saturday.
Adjustments to the schedule may be made depending on the weekly course flow or instructor availability without altering the total number of teaching hours.
The duration, scope, and teaching method of the courses will be communicated to participants in advance via email.
Course Location:
Classes take place either at the Language and Education Institute Bonn premises or online.
The institute alone determines the specific course location unless otherwise agreed upon.
§5 Duties of the Institute The Language and Education Institute Bonn commits to the careful execution of the following measures and ensures that:
The curriculum is properly followed.
A suitable substitute is arranged in case of an instructor's absence.
All necessary knowledge required to achieve the course objectives is imparted.
Only qualified instructors with appropriate training and professional experience are employed.
The required premises and necessary equipment for instruction are provided.
However, the institute does not guarantee the individual learning success of participants.
§6 Minimum Number of Participants per Course Each course has a set minimum number of participants. If this is not reached, the Language and Education Institute Bonn reserves the right to postpone the course to the next possible date.
German Language Courses:
The minimum number of participants is four.
The institute may adjust the course structure according to the number of participants, with teaching hours per month varying between 48 and 80 UE depending on class size and level. Payment terms remain unchanged.
If only up to three participants register, the course will be postponed by one month or to the next possible date.
Specialized Courses:
The minimum number of participants is eight.
If this is not met, the institute may postpone the course by one semester or to the next available date at no additional cost.
§7 Duties of Course Participants Payment of Tuition Fees:
Upon contract conclusion, course participants are obligated to pay tuition fees in full and on time as per §8.
Visa Requirement:
If necessary, participants must apply for a visa of the appropriate category in due time and submit all relevant documents to the respective authorities on time.
Language Requirements:
Before the course begins, participants must provide proof of the required language level according to CEFR.
The institute is not obligated to modify the contractual subject if the required language skills are not met.
German Language Courses:
A placement test according to CEFR is recommended to determine the appropriate course level.
Specialized Courses:
Participants must have at least a B1 language level.
It is recommended to prove this through a B1 certificate.
Placement Tests:
Before the course begins, a placement test is conducted to assess language and subject knowledge.
If participants fail the placement test, the course start may be postponed to the next possible date.
Participation Obligation and Engagement:
Participants must attend classes regularly and actively strive to acquire the necessary skills.
Assigned tasks must be completed diligently to support individual learning success.
Assessment of Educational Progress:
If applicable, participants must take part in assessments of their current educational progress.
Compliance with Instructions:
Participants must follow the instructions of the teaching staff and the institute.
Recognition of School Diplomas (Specialized Courses):
Participants of the specialized course must have their school-leaving certificates reviewed by an official recognition authority.
The institute assumes no responsibility for rejection of admission to the assessment exam if the submitted qualifications are insufficient or do not meet admission requirements.
§8 Tuition Fees
Cost Overview: After contract acceptance according to §2 para. 4, course participants receive a cost breakdown of the tuition fees. The amount of the fees is based on the current price list of the Language and Education Institute Bonn, which is published on the institute's website.
Due Date of Fees: The tuition fees are due upon receipt of the cost estimate.
Payment Deadline: The fees must be paid in full within 14 days of contract acceptance. Timely payment is a prerequisite for participation in the course.
Payment Method: The total amount, including all bank fees, must be transferred in euros (€) to the institute's account:
Sparkasse KölnBonn
IBAN: DE91 3705 0198 1934 4279 70
SWIFT-BIC: COLSDE33XXX
Consequences of Late Payment: If payment is not made within the deadline, the institute may terminate the training contract extraordinarily.
Installment Payment: In individual cases, an installment payment may be offered, subject to the institute's approval. An administrative fee of €185 is charged for installment payments. If agreed installments are not paid on time, the course participant receives a reminder. If the reminder deadline is also not met, the institute may terminate the training contract extraordinarily.
§9 Course Rescheduling
(1) If a rebooking or postponement of the course is requested, it must be submitted in writing with a valid reason at least four weeks before the planned course start.
German Language Course: Postponement must be made no later than four weeks before the start of the language course. Postponement is only possible to the date offered by the SBI. If a participant wishes to postpone the language course during the course, the service already used will be charged, which may result in additional costs.
Specialization Course: Postponement must be made no later than four weeks before the semester start of the specialization course. In exceptional cases and considering special circumstances, a postponement may be granted after this deadline. If a participant wishes to postpone the specialization course, this must be coordinated with the GRB, and the service already used will be billed monthly. Additional costs may also arise.
(2) The first rebooking is free of charge. A fee is charged for all further rebookings.
German Language Course: The second and each further rebooking of the language course will incur a fee of €45.
Specialization Course: The second and each further rebooking of the specialization course will incur a fee of €150.
(3) If the course is postponed, the withdrawal period expires, and a refund at a later date is no longer possible. If postponement is requested due to a visa refusal, the provisions of §10 para. 5 of the GTC apply.
§10 Course Cancellation/Termination
(1) During the withdrawal period, the provisions of §13 GTC apply. If a cancellation is made during this period, it is considered a withdrawal, and the withdrawal provisions of §13 GTC apply. If course participants wish for the service to start during the withdrawal period, they must pay the SBI a reasonable amount corresponding to the service used up to that point plus the registration fee.
(2) A cancellation must be made in writing. Additional documents, such as a rejection notice from the German embassy, may be required.
(3) For cancellations submitted after the withdrawal period but at least four weeks before the course starts, SBI charges a cancellation fee. The registration fee is non-refundable in any case.
German Language Course: A cancellation fee of €150 per level is charged. If the cancellation occurs after the withdrawal period but later than four weeks before the course start or after the course has begun, a refund is no longer possible.
Specialization Course: A cancellation fee of €1,500 is charged. If the cancellation occurs after the withdrawal period but later than four weeks before the course start or after the course has begun, a refund is no longer possible.
(4) If course participants do not attend the course without prior notice or arrangement, SBI reserves the right to consider them present. There is no entitlement to a refund of fees.
(5) If course participants cannot attend the course due to a rejected visa application for study preparation or application purposes, a refund is possible. An official visa refusal from the German embassy must be presented. The reason for rejection must be related to the Language and Education Institute Bonn. Visa refusals based on §10 para. 6 and 7 of the GTC are excluded from refunds.
§11 Extraordinary Termination of the Training Contract
Both contracting parties have the right to terminate the training contract extraordinarily for good cause. A good cause exists, in particular, if:
(1) There is a justified suspicion that the course participants have violated or could violate German law, especially criminal or residence regulations.
(2) There is a justified suspicion that the course participants behave in a manner inconsistent with the ethical conduct standards of the preparatory college and are unacceptable, especially through obscene, offensive, defamatory, morally objectionable, violent, pornographic, harassing, racist, inciting, xenophobic, far-right, or otherwise reprehensible behavior.
(3) Cheating during an exam is detected. In this case, the participant is immediately excluded from the exam, and the exam performance is not evaluated. SBI reserves the right to dismiss the participant from the training immediately and extraordinarily in cases of severe cheating attempts.
(4) Participants fail to meet their obligations under §7.
(5) Despite reminders, installment payment deadlines are not met.
In these cases, a refund of fees is excluded.
After an exmatriculation due to misconduct or at the participant's own request, re-enrollment in the same course is not possible.
§12 Data Protection
The data protection information informs course participants about the type, scope, duration, and purpose of the collection, processing, and use of their personal data. It also explains the right to free information about stored personal data and the right to correction, deletion, and blocking of this data.
(1) Access Data When visiting the website, only access data is stored if no personal information is provided. This includes, for example, the date and time of access, the page from which access was made, the web browser used, and the name of the service provider. These data are not evaluated personally but are used only for statistical purposes.
(2) Personal Data Personal data are all information that can directly or indirectly identify a person, such as name, address, email address, date of birth, occupation, or account details. Such data are only collected if provided voluntarily during booking or customer account registration. These data are used only for the duration of contract processing and are deleted after fulfillment unless explicit consent for further use has been given.
(3) Cookies The website of the Language and Education Institute Bonn uses cookies to facilitate access during future visits and optimize offers. Browsers can be set to automatically accept, notify, or block cookies.
(4) Right to Information All participants have the right to free information about stored personal data, as well as the right to correction, blocking, or deletion.
(5) Data Disclosure for Delivery and Payment Required personal data is shared only with consent and solely for contract fulfillment.
(6) Contact for Data Protection Inquiries For questions regarding data collection, processing, or use, inquiries can be directed to: info@sprachinstitut-bonn.de.
§13 Right of Withdrawal
(1) Right of Withdrawal
Course participants have the right to withdraw from the contract within fourteen days of concluding the contract without providing any reason. The withdrawal period is 14 days from the day the contract was concluded. To exercise their right of withdrawal, course participants must inform SBI in writing with a clear statement that they are withdrawing from the contract. This can be done by mail to the following address: Michaelstr. 2, 53111 Bonn, or by email to info@sprachinstitut-bonn.de. The attached model withdrawal form may be used, but it is not mandatory. To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient that the notification of withdrawal is sent before the deadline expires.
(2) Consequences of Withdrawal
In the event of a withdrawal, SBI must refund all payments made by the course participant without delay and no later than fourteen days from the day on which SBI received the notification of withdrawal. The refund will be made to the bank account specified by the course participant. No fees will be charged for the refund. If the service has already commenced during the withdrawal period, a reasonable amount must be paid, corresponding to the portion of the services already provided up to the time of withdrawal in comparison to the total scope of services provided in the contract.
(3) Model Withdrawal Form
If course participants wish to withdraw from the contract, they can complete the following form. The completed form or an equivalent form prepared by the course participant must be sent either by mail or email to the specified address.
§14 Dispute Resolution/Consumer Arbitration Board
(1) Online Dispute Resolution Platform
The EU Commission provides an online platform for dispute resolution (ODR platform), which is available at the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/
(2) Participation in Dispute Resolution
GRB is neither obliged nor willing to participate in a dispute resolution procedure before a consumer arbitration board.
§15 Severability Clause
(1) Governing Law
The law of the Federal Republic of Germany applies. For consumers who enter into the contract for non-professional or non-commercial purposes, this choice of law applies only insofar as the protection granted is not overridden by mandatory provisions of the law of the state in which the consumer has their habitual residence. The provisions of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods do not apply.
(2) Validity of the Contract
If any provision of this contract is or becomes invalid or unenforceable after the conclusion of the contract, the validity of the remaining contract remains unaffected.