Terms of Service

The following constitute the terms and conditions to which applicants agree when booking any training or eLearning courses of Geistzeit Ltd (german-academy-zurich.ch). Throughout the terms and conditions the German Academy Zurich (GAZ) stands for Geistzeit Ltd. The GAZ reserves the right to review and update these periodically.

  1. Scope 
    The following terms and conditions shall be the basis of the contracts signed for all courses offered by German Academy Zurich on the website www.german-academy-zurich.ch. Valid from 01. November 2022.
  2. Course registration / Contract conclusion 
    The course registration in each case is in writing. Confirmation by email or by phone is considered as legally valid. The course fee is payable before the beginning of the course or in agreed monthly instalments. The course price will be charged from the date of entry. The payment method is determined by the customer upon receipt of the invoice: online transfer or payment by credit card. In the event of non-attendance or discontinuation with the course, no refund will be given.
    1. Terms of payment / Default / Overdue fees
      In principle, payment is due within 10 days of the date of the invoice. If no payment is made by the due date, you will receive a free payment reminder. If the customer fails to comply with this payment reminder, German Academy Zurich reserves the right to levy reminder fees of 20 CHF for each of the first and second reminders. In the case of non-payment after the third reminder, steps will be taken to initiate debt collection proceedings.  
  3. Course organization and implementation
    Group courses take place in our premises unless otherwise agreed. In order to conduct courses under optimal conditions, the minimum number of participants is set to three and a maximum of six participants per course are allowed. In the case of special workshops, the number of participants can vary. If the minimum number of participants is not achieved, the course will be cancelled. A continuation with the next level is only possible with the consent of the course participants with an increase in the course fee or adjustment / reduction of the number of lessons. We reserve the right to make changes to the course or to supply a substitute teacher, to postpone, to combine or to divide classes.
    1. Lesson duration
      One German Academy Zurich lesson lasts 45 minutes. 
    2. Commencing after the start of a course
      Admission to our courses is possible at any time by agreement when there are free places and appropriate prior knowledge. 
    3. Course cancellation 
      Cancellations up to 2 weeks before the start of the course are free of charge but must be in writing. Cancellations up to 1 week before the start of the course will be charged 50% of the course fee and for less than 1 week, 70% of the course fee. After the start of a course, a refund of the course fee will not be provided. In justified exceptional cases (such as a serious illness), a credit may be given at the discretion of the school management. This credit is valid for four months, after which it will expire. This also applies to group lessons with childcare.
    4. Cancellation / Postponement Group courses 
      The group courses cannot be rescheduled. If a lesson does not take place during the holidays marked out by German Academy Zurich, the lesson is cancelled, and the duration of the course is extended. Missed lessons due to illness or holidays cannot be retaken and there is no entitlement to a reimbursement of the course fees. Private lessons: Booked private lessons are to be cancelled 12hrs in advance (but before 19:00 the night before) in writing and postponed to a future date. Cancellations made after 12 hours are charged in full. In the event of illness of the teacher, the course may be cancelled and held at a later date or a substitute may be organized. Paid but unused lessons will not be refunded or compensated. 
    5. Germany Academy Zurich right to cancel 
      German Academy Zurich reserves the right to cancel the contract with the customer in the interest and for the good of the company and the existing clientele. 
  4. Course confirmation / Certificate 
    After attending at least 80% of the course, we will gladly provide you with a course confirmation. At your request, you can take an internal exam according to the Gemeinsamen Europäischen Referenzrahmen (GER) at German Academy Zurich and obtain a certificate.

  5. Exam Guarantee
    German Academy Zurich (GAZ) offers an exam success guarantee exclusively for students enrolled in the Standard or Premium course programs. This guarantee ensures that students who complete all required coursework are fully prepared for the official language examinations recognized by the Telc, Goethe, or Fide institutes.

    The following conditions apply for the guarantee to be valid:

    1. The student must have completed all chapters and lessons of the enrolled course.

    2. The student must have attended and participated in all scheduled language lessons as outlined in their course plan.

    3. The student must have attempted the official exam (Telc, Goethe, or Fide) within three months of completing their course.

    If a student who has fulfilled the above requirements does not pass their official exam, German Academy Zurich will refund the full course fee paid for the respective Standard or Premium course. To claim the refund, the student must provide:

    1. Proof of exam participation and official exam results; and

    2. Claims must be submitted in writing to felix.zeeb@german-academy-zurich.ch within 3 months of receiving the official exam results. GAZ reserves the right to review each claim individually. 

    This guarantee is personal to the registered participant and is non-transferable. It applies solely to the official exams recognized above and does not cover any other language proficiency assessments or internal evaluations

  6. Copyright 
    The course materials (copies, books, handouts) provided to the course participants by German Academy Zurich are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced or distributed. Violations of copyright can be prosecuted. 
  7. Changes 
    We reserve the right to change our prices, course offers (services) and T&C’s at any time. 
  8. Data Protection 
    The protection of your personal data and your privacy is very important to us. For this reason, we will strictly adhere to the legal requirements and data protection laws.
  9. Limitation of liability 
    German Academy Zurich does not accept responsibility for any loss, theft or damage to personal property. Customers are advised to take out the appropriate insurance as required. 
  10. Jurisdiction and applicable law 
    These terms and conditions are governed by Swiss law and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Swiss courts. Place of jurisdiction is Zurich, Switzerland.
 
If you have questions or comments about this Terms and Conditions or how we handle personal data, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with:
 
Geistzeit Ltd
 
Felix Zeeb
 
Im Bachofen 1
 
8304 Wallisellen
 
Switzerland
 
felix.zeeb@german-academy-zurich.ch
 
We aim to respond within 30 days from the date we receive your communications.