Terms & Conditions

Study Group Digital Learning: Digital English Programmes:

Pre-Sessional English Language Preparation Online (PELPO)

English Language Preparation Online (ELPO)

In these Terms and Conditions, ‘we’ or ‘us’ means Study Group Limited (‘Study Group’). Study Group is the provider of Pre-Sessional English Language Preparation Online (”the Programme”) through its Study Group Digital Learning division. Study Group is incorporated in England and Wales (company number 02325576) with its registered office at 21 Station Street, Brighton, BN1 4DE.  References to the  ‘University’ for PELPO are to the university you may ultimately progress to. References to the ‘University’ for ELPO are to the International Study Centre you may ultimately progress to.

Please ensure you read these Terms and Conditions carefully and make sure you understand them before signing your final acceptance of a place to study on the Programme. These Terms and Conditions, along with any offer letter received from us and the policies referred to below form part of a wider agreement between you and us which will become legally binding once you confirm your acceptance of our offer.  

These Terms and Conditions only relate to the following Study Group Digital Learning Digital English Programmes:

  • Pre-Sessional English Language Preparation Online (PELPO)
  • English Language Preparation Online (ELPO)

Technical Requirements

Your attention is drawn to the need for appropriate equipment to participate on the Programme and for completing Programme assessments:

International Student

Please note that these Terms and Conditions assume that you are an international non-Home fee paying student. If you hold dual nationality, you will NOT be permitted to enrol with Study Group as an international student and progress to the University with the status of a UK student in order to take advantage of lower university tuition fees.

Student Protection Plan

Your attention is also drawn to our Student Protection Plan at the following link that contains important information about how we will mitigate risks affecting your ability to study:

View the Student Protection Plan

These Terms and Conditions were updated on 28th November 2024.

Application and confirmation payment

If your application is accepted, a written offer of a place will be made. To accept this offer payment must be made in accordance with the instructions in the offer letter.

Deferral, Cancellation and Refund Policy

You may defer your Programme prior to commencing your study by using the following link:

https://www.studygroup.com/request-deferral

You have a right to cancel your place and receive a full refund of any amounts paid by informing us in writing within 14 days of the date you accept the offer. Please note, if you defer your initial offer of a place after the 14-day period has expired you will NOT be able to cancel your deferred place at a later date to take advantage of a full refund. You may wish to cancel using the following link:

https://www.studygroup.com/request-withdrawal

Refunds in other circumstances

You will also be eligible for a full refund of all amounts paid to us in the event that you are denied a UK student visa to enable you to progress to your studies at the University. A refund will NOT be issued in these circumstances to students who progress to an online-only programme at the University or in cases where a visa is refused on the grounds of:

  • student/agent fraud.
  • visa application conditions not being met or failure to achieve all points required.

A copy of the full refusal notice will be required within 28 days of it being issued and, in some circumstances, an administrative review might be requested to be lodged prior to being eligible for a refund.

Refunds will only be made to the same card/bank account of the individual from whom Study Group received the original payment. Where eligible, refunds will be made within 90 days of the date of cancellation/withdrawal from the Programme or the date a visa is refused.

Study plan changes

All students’ English skills will be assessed at the start of the Programme. If your results differ materially from the results submitted for admission to the Programme, for example as a result of not having been tested for a long time, the Programme team may discuss an alternative study plan more appropriate to your English level. We would rather you succeed on an appropriate study programme than struggle on a programme beyond your levels of English.

Tuition fees

Admission to the Programme is dependent on tuition fees having been received by us in full before the first day of teaching.  

Reasonable efforts are always made to keep fees to the minimum that is consistent with the provision of a modern and efficient teaching programme. However, fee increases may become necessary from time to time in order to maintain educational and location standards, updated research, or following a change in law or regulation. You will be notified in advance of any increase, but we will not increase fees during the course of the Programme.

Options for progression PELPO programme

Requirements for progression to your chosen university programme should be specified in the offer letter you received from the University. Transcripts are only issued to students after the Programme Assessment Board.  The transcripts are also shared with the University by Study Group. The transcript must demonstrate that you have achieved the English language requirements in your offer letter to progress to the University.  We are not responsible for the University admission decisions based on the transcript results.

Options for progression ELPO programme

Requirements for progression to your chosen university programme should be specified in the offer letter you received from the University. Transcripts are only issued to students after the Programme Assessment Board.  The transcripts are also shared with the University by Study Group. The transcript must demonstrate that you have achieved the English language requirements in your offer letter to progress to the University. The Programme team will support students with identifying alternative options with Study Group Admissions and Sales teams if you do not achieve the English language requirements in your offer letter.

Provision of tuition

Pre-commencement

Study Group will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver the Programme as described in our prospectus and other marketing materials. However, circumstances may change due to factors beyond our reasonable control and it may be necessary to vary the content of the Programme. We will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that any changes are kept to a minimum, but if we are required to make material changes to the Programme before you begin studying, we shall inform you as soon as possible. If you reasonably believe that the changes will affect you adversely, you may transfer to an alternative programme with Study Group for which you are qualified or withdraw your application for a full refund as set out above.

Please also be aware that the Programme may have limited spaces available, therefore it is important that you confirm your place as soon as possible after receiving an offer. Failure to do so may result in your being unable to join the Programme.

If there are not sufficient applicants either to make the Programme viable or to deliver a quality student experience, we may cancel or withdraw the Programme. If we discontinue or withdraw that programme prior to your registration you will be eligible for a full refund of any fees paid to us.

Online digital delivery

The Programme is:

  • Delivered solely online. The online digital delivery includes:
  • timetabled synchronous, live sessions. These sessions are usually delivered during the mornings (UK time) Monday – Friday.
  • asynchronous self-study tasks and assessment preparation. These may be completed during weekdays or at weekends.
  • A full-time study commitment.

Recording of sessions

Programme sessions may be recorded and you will be reminded of this at the beginning of your study and before each session.  You may at any time tell us that you do not wish to be recorded by notifying the Study Group Digital Learning Student Support team. Please note that if you do not consent to the recording of an assessment, this may adversely affect your right to appeal and/or the outcome of any later appeal.

Academic criteria

Acceptance on the Programme is subject to students having a conditional offer from their University. This offer will include defined English Language proficiency entry requirements.

There are no late arrivals for the Programme. Students must have met all conditions and paid in full before the first teaching date. Students arriving late or not meeting conditions may be refused entry to the Programme.

Students are accepted onto the Programme on the strict understanding that progression through the Programme is conditional upon satisfactory attendance and engagement as well as the attainment of prescribed performance targets as outlined to you at the beginning of the Programme. 

Students are not permitted to use simultaneous language translators during synchronous live sessions.

If you fail to meet attendance, engagement or Digital Student Behaviour Charter requirements, and as stated in the Programme policies, your studies may be terminated and you will have no right to a refund.

Digital Assessments

You will complete formative and summative assessments on the Programme. These may include coursework, digital examinations, or other types of assessment activity.  Any suspected academic misconduct, including any that is identified through integrated plagiarism and generative Artificial Intelligence detection software, will be dealt with in accordance with the Programme policies. 

Digital Examinations will be:

  • delivered via a proctored examination platform or viable alternative;
  • delivered via a platform where student identity is checked at the start and during each examination.

Re-sits

If you do not pass the required Programme summative assessments or fail to meet the University progression criteria, you will be given further opportunities to re-sit the assessment, in line with the Programme Assessment Regulations, at no further cost within the Programme delivery dates.  If after the approved resit attempts you fail to meet the University progression criteria as outlined in your University conditional offer, you will not be entitled to further repeats of the Programme or assessments.

Accounts procedures

  • Payments

Admission to the Programme is dependent on tuition fees having been received in full before the first day of teaching. 

Payment can be made to us using a number of payment options via our payment platform. Access to this platform can be found on the Student Payment Portal page using your unique student access code.

Please note that we are NOT able to accept cash payments for fees.

If you choose to pay in your local currency a foreign exchange rate will apply. The applicable exchange rate can be viewed online as at the time and date of the payment. Bank charges and commission for both the sending and receiving banks should be paid by the sender of funds or they will be applied to your account.

Accounts communications will be sent both to you and the person responsible for paying the fees unless written instructions are received to the contrary.

  • Local Taxation charges

Please note that in certain markets, students enrolled on the Programme may be subject to a local taxation charge levied on the net price of the Programme. This will be indicated in your personalised payment plan.

  • Other charges

No other incidental costs will be charged to your account unless you agree to them separately. Fees relating to sponsor reporting and additional support classes for sponsored students are included in the tuition fees set out in your personal statement and are not charged separately.

Data protection

Any information provided to us may be held on computer and shall only be used by Study Group as permitted under any applicable data protection legislation. Your information will be held and processed for the purpose of administering your application, and we may share your information with Study Group's offices around the world. This information may be carried forward to your official student record, which holds data in electronic and paper form on your personal details, academic and administrative history and on relevant financial transactions.

With your consent or where a legitimate interest, we may also disclose appropriate personal data or sensitive personal data (as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation) to relevant third parties outside of Study Group including, but not limited to, your agent, sponsor, the university to which you progress or an external debt collection agency during or after your period of study. This personal data may include information about your performance, progress and examination results at Study Group.

We will not disclose information about you to any other third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, for example when the health and safety of you or others is at risk or where the law requires information to be shared. Throughout we will always comply with our obligations under all applicable data protection legislation. For more information, please refer to our Student Privacy Notice.

Please note that we reserve the right to update the Student Privacy Notice from time to time.

Variation

These Terms and Conditions will apply to you from the date on which you accept our offer of a place on the Programme and for the duration of your study with us. No variation to these Terms and Conditions shall be made unless it is in your favour or is with your consent.

Complaints

It is recognised that students, their parents or their representatives may sometimes need to make a complaint about the services received during the application and admissions process. Study Group has a complaints service for this purpose. If you wish to make a complaint at any time, in the first instance you should refer the issue to your Study Group admissions contact who will discuss the problem with you and attempt to resolve it. If we are not able to resolve an issue in this way, you should formally raise a complaint by email to: UKEUISCQUERIES@studygroup.com. Please include the following information in your email:

  • State explicitly that you wish to make a formal complaint
  • Include your name and student identification number or Admissions case number
  • Give a general description of the complaint and the dates on which any events occurred
  • Provide the names or positions of any members of staff or third parties directly relevant to the complaint
  • We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 48 hours, and we aim to formally respond within 5 working days.

Post-registration Complaints and Appeals

Our study centres seek at all times to provide the highest possible level of service and quality of student experience. However, there may be occasions when a student feels that the level has not been good enough. For those, we have a Complaints and Appeals Policy that sets out how a student can formalise a complaint if it cannot be resolved less formally. The policy also sets out the procedures for making an academic appeal. This document makes clear the criteria against which an appeal can be lodged and what a student needs to do if she or he wishes to pursue an appeal.

Please refer to the Student Complaints & Appeals Policy for more information: https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/95d47d95-36b6-00af-a24c-b886ecdfc4a2/be42c285-b739-4285-a9a3-47562bb03424/SG_Student-Complaints-and-Appeals_24-25.pdf

Communication

Please provide us with your personal e-mail address and mobile telephone number before beginning your studies so that we can communicate with you if needed.  You will also be issued with a Study Group student email address and are required to check your student emails daily Monday – Friday during the Programme dates. You should advise of any changes to your personal contact details as soon as they occur.

External Educational Oversight

Study Group is regulated in the UK by the Office for Students (OfS). UKPRN 10008098.

Important

These Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings made after 28th November 2024.