Terms of Participation
General Terms and Conditions for German Courses
1. General Participation Requirements
The course participant must generally have reached the age of 18.
Special conditions apply to minors, which are to be agreed on a case-by-case basis between the parents or legal guardians and BBL Sprachschule gGmbH.
2. Payment Terms and Prices
2.1 Course Scope and Course Fees
The courses at BBL Sprachschule gGmbH comprise the following teaching units (UE) of 45 minutes each:
The course fees are due for payment upon registration.
A copy of the identity card or passport must be submitted upon registration.
Upon registration, the participant must make a deposit if the participant is in Germany at the time of registration:
- A1 and A2: €249.00 deposit
- B1 and B2: €279.00 deposit
- C1: €299.00 deposit
The remaining balance must be transferred no later than one week before the start of the course:
- A1 and A2: €300.00 remaining balance
- B1 and B2: €300.00 remaining balance
- C1: €200.00 remaining balance
Payment of the remaining balance in installments is generally possible by arrangement with the BBL office. Different conditions apply to participants who are abroad at the time of registration.
2.2 Bank Charges
The course participant bears all bank charges incurred in connection with the payment of the course fee.
2.3 Lessons Not Attended
Course fees for lessons not attended will not be refunded.
2.4 Processing Fee for Registrations from Abroad
For registrations from abroad, with the exception of EU member states, a processing fee of €150.00 is charged for preparing the necessary documents.
2.5 Advance Payment for Documents
However, if a course participant wishes to be issued a registration confirmation or an attendance confirmation in the form of a document, the course fee for the respective course level must be paid in full in advance.
3. Contract
3.1 Conclusion of Contract
The contract for participation in the language course is concluded upon confirmation by BBL Sprachschule gGmbH.
3.2 Sending of the Confirmation
This confirmation is sent by BBL Sprachschule gGmbH after the participant's registration form and the full course fee have been received in the account of BBL Sprachschule gGmbH.
3.3 Placement Test Before the Start of the Course
Every external participant must take a mandatory placement test on a date set by BBL Sprachschule gGmbH. If a course participant withdraws from the contract after the test has been announced and before the start of the course, the withdrawal conditions set out in § 4 apply.
3.4 Changes to Contract Data
If the course participant initiates a change to the data recorded in the contract and this causes administrative effort, the first change is free of charge. For each further change, a fee of €50.00 is due. This change fee is charged only once for all booked courses.
3.5 Course Cancellation, Merging and Postponement
BBL Sprachschule gGmbH reserves the right to cancel courses if the number of participants is too low, to merge courses of the same level, or to postpone them to the next date.
3.6 Online Teaching
The student agrees that his or her data may be forwarded to the respective course instructor for the purpose of fulfilling the contract and for online teaching. Without the student's consent and without the transfer of personal data to the teachers, online teaching is technically and legally not possible.
Online teaching takes place only if on-site classroom teaching is not possible due to official orders, a pandemic or illness.
4. Withdrawal
4.1 Form of Withdrawal
Withdrawal requires written form. It becomes effective at the time of receipt by BBL Sprachschule gGmbH. Unless the withdrawal declaration expressly requests otherwise, the withdrawal applies to all courses booked with BBL Sprachschule gGmbH.
In this case, the administrative fee is charged only once.
4.2 Withdrawal Up to Two Weeks Before the Start of the Course
If a course participant withdraws no later than two weeks before the start of the language training, BBL Sprachschule gGmbH retains an administrative fee of €150.00.
4.3 Withdrawal Later Than Two Weeks Before the Start of the Course
If a course participant withdraws from the contract later than two weeks before the start of the first booked course, he or she is entitled to a refund of the course fee only if the course place can be allocated to someone else. In this case, BBL Sprachschule gGmbH retains an administrative fee of €150.00.
4.4 Withdrawal After the Start of the Course Without Enrolment
If a course participant withdraws from the contract after the start of the course without having enrolled, he or she is not entitled to a refund of the course fee, unless there are demonstrably serious personal reasons, such as serious illness, a death in the family or the refusal to issue the entry visa.
These must be asserted within four weeks after the start of the first booked course. In this case, BBL Sprachschule gGmbH refunds the course fee, less the flat administrative fee of €150.00.
If a course participant wishes to postpone the course for the serious reasons stated above, BBL Sprachschule gGmbH must be informed of this no later than two weeks after the start of the first course he or she has booked.
4.5 Withdrawal After Documents Have Been Issued
However, if a course participant has been issued a registration confirmation or an attendance confirmation in the form of a document and then deregisters from the course or terminates the course, the participant is not entitled to a refund of the course fee paid.
5. Discontinuation
5.1 Discontinuation Without Serious Reasons
If the ongoing course is discontinued without demonstrably serious personal reasons, there is no entitlement to a refund of the course fees. For courses booked subsequently, the withdrawal conditions set out in § 4 apply.
5.2 Discontinuation With Serious Reasons
If serious personal reasons can be asserted for a discontinuation after the start of the course, BBL Sprachschule gGmbH refunds the course fee on a pro-rata basis, less the flat administrative fee of €100.00.
The written application for the pro-rata refund of the course fee, stating the reasons, must be received by the end of the course. Unless expressly requested otherwise, the discontinuation applies to all booked courses.
6. Arrival
6.1 Start of the Course
The day of official enrolment counts as the start of the course. Any delay must be reported to BBL Sprachschule gGmbH immediately.
6.2 Late Arrival
In the case of late arrival, more than one week after the start of the course, participation in the ongoing course is only possible if proof is provided that the course participant can be placed in the course without language difficulties. This prior knowledge will be verified by BBL Sprachschule gGmbH.
7. Course Placement
7.1 Provisional Course Placement
The provisional assignment to a course is made on the basis of the information provided on the registration form. It is the participant's responsibility to provide proof of the language skills necessary for direct entry into a course.
BBL Sprachschule gGmbH reserves the right to verify this prior knowledge.
7.2 Final Placement
The final placement is made after BBL Sprachschule gGmbH has verified the prior knowledge. The BBL certificate of the preceding proficiency level is accepted as a direct entry requirement.
7.3 Deviating Result
If the placement test produces a result that deviates from the provisional placement, the course participant will be assigned a place in a different course that corresponds to his or her level of performance.
7.4 No Certificate for the Placement Test
Course participants are not issued a certificate by BBL Sprachschule gGmbH, even if they take the placement test and pass it.
8. Obligations of the Course Participant
8.1 Lawful Residence
The course participant is responsible for ensuring that his or her stay in Germany is lawful. BBL Sprachschule gGmbH requires a valid entry and residence permit for the duration of the course.
8.2 Insurance
The course participant is responsible for taking out health, accident, liability and household contents insurance. BBL Sprachschule gGmbH assumes no liability in this area.
8.3 Course and House Rules
The course participant is obliged to comply with the course and house rules applicable at BBL Sprachschule gGmbH. This applies in particular to the attendance requirement.
If BBL Sprachschule gGmbH determines persistent and unexcused absence and the person concerned does not change his or her behavior despite a formal warning, he or she may be excluded from further participation in the course. In this case, no fees will be refunded.
8.4 Binding Registration
By my signature, I hereby register for the German course on a binding basis.
9. Liability
9.1 Failure of Services
BBL Sprachschule gGmbH is not liable for the failure of its services due to force majeure or other reasons for which it is not responsible.
9.2 Damage Caused by Participants
The course participant is liable for all damage that he or she culpably causes.
10. Data Protection
The course participant consents to his or her data, e.g. name, home address, address in Germany, nationality, date and place of birth, being recorded electronically by BBL Sprachschule gGmbH.
BBL Sprachschule gGmbH undertakes not to make any use of this data that is contrary to the contract.
11. Governing Law, Place of Jurisdiction
German law applies to the contract. The place of jurisdiction is Essen.