AGBs

ENQUIRIES, BOOKINGS, ENROLMENT & REGISTRATION

Once a booking is confirmed, we will issue a Booking Confirmation with the total amount due for the booking. This must be paid in full 2 weeks before the start of the booking. In the case of late bookings, full payment must be made as soon as the booking is confirmed by ELA.

All payments must be made in Euro (€) by bank transfer or debit/credit card.

• Bank Name: HSBC

• Bank Branch Name: Qormi

• Bank Branch Address: HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c., Commercial Branch, 80 Mill Street, Qormi, Malta QRM3101

• Account Name: ELA LTD

• Account Number: 043-020106-001

• IBAN Number: MT76MMEB44439000000043020106001

• Swift Code or Bank Identifier Code: MMEBMTMT

  All bank charges must be paid by the student or agent and NOT by ELA.
  All fees must be settled before the enrolment start date as no student will be allowed to start their enrolment with ELA until full payment has been received.
  STUDENT BOOKINGS AND FEES ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANOTHER STUDENT OR THIRD PARTY.

  MALTA GOVERNMENT ECO CONTRIBUTION TAX

  Every adult student (18 years+) staying in apartment or host family accommodation must pay an Environmental Contribution Tax of €0.50 per night to a maximum of €5.00 per stay. Students must pay this tax to ELA on their first day at school.

  UNDER-AGE STUDENTS (MINORS)

  Enrolments for unaccompanied students under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a signed Parental Consent Form.

  SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS

  Students with any medical condition, learning disability, or special needs and/or conditions must advise the School on registration providing as much information as possible to ensure the maximum safety and comfort possible

  CANCELLATIONS & POSTPONEMENTS
  Cancellations
  When a booking is cancelled after arrival, 100% of the total value of the booking is due to the School.
  When a booking is cancelled within 7 days of expected arrival, 75% of the total value of the booking is due to the School.
  When a booking is cancelled between 8 and 14 days of expected arrival, 50% of the total value of the booking is due to the School.
  When a booking is cancelled more than 14 days of expected arrival, a full refund is made but a €100.00 Cancellation Fee is due to the School. When a booking is cancelled due to a student visa not being issued by the relevant authorities, a full refund is made (provided the booking is cancelled more than 14 days of expected arrival) upon receipt of the visa rejection letter. A €100.00 Cancellation Fee is due to the School.
  No refund is made if a student is expelled from the School.
  No refund is made if a student fails to attend lessons.
  No refunds on any course or accommodation will be provided if a student’s study visa is cancelled due to the student’s absenteeism from school or any other student-related issue.
  Postponements
  Students can postpone their booking free of charge if the School is notified more than 14 days of expected arrival. If a student postpones less than 14 days of expected arrival then the Cancellation Fees listed above shall apply. However, any postponement request will be dealt with on an individual case-by-case basis and will be subject to availability of services.

  CHANGES TO BOOKING

  ELA reserves the right to change any part of a student’s booking due to circumstances beyond the School’s control. Changes may include (but are not limited to) moving classrooms, changing teachers, changing course type, changing from face-to-face to online lessons, and accommodation changes. In such cases, no refunds will be given.

  TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE

  Students must have adequate travel and health insurance to cover the period of time they will be in Malta. The insurance policy should include coverage for cancellations, loss and theft of baggage and personal belongings, medical or psychological conditions, emergency evacuation, and any other eventuality that may occur. ELA shall not be held liable for any costs incurred as a result of the student having no or insufficient insurance cover. ELA offers insurance for students via ‘guard.me International Student Insurance’ at €10.50 per week.

  If a student becomes ill and requires medical assistance, ELA will provide all assistance possible and refer the student to a qualified doctor at a local pharmacy. The doctor will charge the student directly (approximately €20.00). Prices for a home or school consultation are in the region of €20.00 to €30.00 per visit.

  STUDY VISAS

  Students are responsible for their study visas and must ensure that they apply for the required travel documents in due time before they travel. ELA will provide all necessary documents for students to apply for their visa once full payment has been received. The School must be advised immediately if a visa application is rejected. As visa and immigration regulations are constantly updated and modified, we strongly advise students to check the current rules and regulations with their local embassy.

  The latest requirements in Malta can also be viewed at https://www.identitymalta.com/unit/central-visa-unit/

Students must report at enrolment stage any psychological or physical illness, allergy, disability or condition that may interfere with their ability to successfully complete their study programme; that may affect the health and well-being of any other student, host or staff member; that may

require monitoring, treatment or emergency assistance of any kind; or that may require special accommodations.

FIRST DAY

On their first day students must check in with our Front Office staff at the School reception. They must complete a Registration Form and complete the Placement Test (if they have not already done so online). They will then have their photo taken for their student card according to Maltese law. Students must keep their student card with them at all times during their stay.

COURSES & LESSONS & LEVEL OF ENGLISH

Lessons of any type are always 45 minutes long. Lessons are usually held every morning from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:30 including a 30-minute break. Conversation classes are usually held from 13:00 to 14:30. During high season lessons may be held either in the morning or afternoon due to high demand.
The School is closed on national public holidays. Lessons missed due to School closure on public holidays will be made up on the other days whenever possible. This is NOT guaranteed!

Course material is provided free of charge. Books are available to purchase from the School at €40.00 each.
Students are encouraged to do the ELA Online Placement Test before they travel to Malta for their course so they can go straight to class on arrival. The Placement Test can be accessed via: ELA Malta Online Test (office.com)
Our courses are levelled in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference:

• Beginner (A1)

• Elementary (A2)

• Pre-Intermediate (A2 - B1)

• Intermediate (B1+)

  LESSON REDUCTION

• Upper Intermediate (B2) • Advanced (C1)
• Proficiency (C2)

If a group course does not have more than one student in a class in any particular week, lessons in that class will be reduced by 50%.

EXAMINATION FEES

Examination entrance fees are not included Examination Preparation Course fees. Transportation to and from the testing centre is also not included. Students taking examinations must take valid passports on the day as national identity cards may not be accepted. ELA recommends that students check with the examination board.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Students must attend a minimum of 80% of their lessons to qualify for a Certificate of Attendance. Students that are absent from their lessons without prior authorisation or a valid reason will not be awarded a School Certificate. Students that are regularly absent from their lessons could be expelled from their course. Students that cannot attend their lessons due to illness must submit a doctor’s note or a medical certificate to the School by email on the first day of their illness and bring the original on their first day back at school.

If students on a study visa are absent from their lessons regularly, ELA must inform the Malta Immigration Authorities. The study visa could be revoked and lead to the expulsion of the student from their course and accommodation. No refunds will be given if student’s study visa is cancelled due to lack of attendance as required by Maltese law.
Students are not allowed into their classroom if they are more than 15 minutes late for class. They will only be allowed to join the class following the next break. This is to minimize disruption to other students and the teacher. Lessons missed due to lateness are not replaced.

HOLIDAY BREAKS

Long stay students are entitled to a Holiday Break whilst studying at ELA for longer than 8 weeks.

• Students on courses from 8 to 23 weeks can apply for 2 weeks Holiday Break.

• Students on courses of 24 weeks and over can apply for 4 weeks Holiday Break.

  Students must notify the School at least 2 weeks before they take a Holiday Break and obtain authorisation from the Director of Studies. Students that do not notify the School will be marked as absent and will be reported to Malta Immigration Authorities if they are on a study visa. Students on a study visa must ensure that their visa start and end dates are correct to include any Holiday Breaks. Holiday Breaks cannot be taken at the end of a course.

  ELA will extend the student’s tuition course (if requested) free of charge. The School will NOT extend the student’s accommodation. Students wishing to extend their accommodation will have to pay the brochure price. The School can only extend the accommodation subject to availability. The School does not guarantee that any students returning from their holiday break will have the same class, teacher, or accommodation.

  AIRPORT TRANSFERS

  Students booking return airport transfers must provide arrival and departure flight details (including flight numbers and flight times) at least 7 days prior to their arrival in Malta. ELA will not be held responsible and no refunds will be given for missed airport transfers if details are not sent in time. The School must be advised immediately if there are late changes to flights. Our airport transfer drivers will wait for a maximum of one hour from time of landing

  STUDENTS THAT BOOK APARTMENT OR HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION MUST ALSO BOOK RETURN AIRPORT TAXI TRANSFERS.

  ACCOMMODATION

  English Language Academy offers accommodation in shared self-catering apartments (adults only) or at local host families (adults and minors). The School can also provide assistance to students that wish to book hotel accommodation of any star rating.

  ACCOMMODATION CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT

  Check-in time on arrival day is 14:00 unless otherwise stated. Students that arrive earlier and require immediate access to their room must book their accommodation to include the previous night.
  Check-out time on departure day is 10:00 unless otherwise stated. The School reserves the right to remove personal belongings of students that are due to check out if they fail to do so by 10:00. The School will not accept any liability for any items reported missing or damaged.

  ACCOMMODATION CHANGES

  All accommodation changes are subject to availability and require a 3-day notice period.
  No refunds are provided if the new accommodation is of a lower category and price. If a student changes to accommodation of a higher category and price, the difference in price must be paid before moving.
  ELA reserves the right to ask students to change their accommodation to a similar standard if required due to operational reasons.
  No refunds are made if a student wishes to cancel accommodation after arrival.

  MIXED NATIONALITIES

  ELA does not guarantee mixed nationality of students within its accommodation.

SELF-CATERING APARTMENTS SERVICES

Self-Catering Shared Apartments include water and electricity costs and are fully furnished with a communal kitchen/living/dining area, television, free Wi-Fi, fans (in summer), heaters (in winter), washing-machine and a weekly cleaning & change of linen service. TOWELS ARE NOT PROVIDED.

SELF-CATERING APARTMENTS RULES

The apartment must be kept clean and tidy. Extra cleaning will result in extra charges.
Rubbish bags must be properly tied and closed and taken out on the correct day at the correct time. Rubbish bags must not be left inside the common areas of the building.

• Sunday No Rubbish Collection

• Monday Mixed Rubbish (Black Bag) & Organic Rubbish (White Bag)

• Tuesday Recyclable Rubbish (Grey/Green Bag)

• Wednesday Organic Rubbish (White Bag)

• Thursday Mixed Rubbish (Black Bag)

• Friday Recyclable Rubbish (Grey/Green Bag) & Organic Rubbish (White Bag)

• Saturday Mixed Rubbish (Black Bag)

  Smoking inside the apartment or common areas is not allowed.
  Guests are not allowed inside the apartment at any time.
  Loud music, shouting or any other disturbance in the accommodation is forbidden at any time during the day or at night. PARTIES ARE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.
  Clothes and towels are not to be hung on the balcony.
  Furniture is not to be left out on the balcony.
  Any damage inside the apartment is to be paid for by all of the students unless an individual student accepts responsibility. Other beds in your room are not to be touched. Students that wish to change their bed or room must first ask the School. Windows are to be closed and locked before leaving the room and apartment.
  Possessions are to be kept safe and secure. Responsibility for lost or stolen personal items will not be accepted by the School. One set of keys will be given to students in their welcome pack. €30.00 will be charged to replace lost or damaged keys.
  Water and electricity are expensive! Lights and appliances are to be switched off when not in use.
  The School reserves the right to change allocated rooms at any time.

  APARTMENT DEPOSIT

  A €100 cash deposit is required from every student staying in self-catering apartments. This must be paid at the School reception on the first day of school and will be returned on the last day pending any issues related to the apartment.

  HOST FAMILIES

  Living with a Maltese host family gives students the opportunity to experience local family life. Living with a family is not like living in a hotel so students must always be respectful of the host family’s house rules.
  Food likes and dislikes must be discussed with the host family at the beginning of the stay to avoid misunderstandings later.
  The family is to be advised of the student’s social programme and leisure activities, especially if any meals are going to be missed or the student is going to be late.

  The host family’s permission is to be asked for before bringing other people to the house.
  A key to the house is provided by most host families. Replacement keys will be charged for.
  The student’s room, bathroom and common areas are to be kept clean and tidy at all times.
  The student’s room is cleaned and a laundry service will be provided for once a week.
  Fans, not ACs, will be provided by the family. IF an AC is in the student’s room it will be available at an extra charge payable directly to the host family.
  The host family must always be asked if the student wishes to borrow anything which is not provided in the bedroom.
  Snacks and drinks taken between meal times are to be bought at the student’s expense. Students should not help themselves to food or drinks from the kitchen.
  Water and electricity are expensive. Lights and appliances are to be switched off when not in use and water is not to be left running unnecessarily. Students are expected to pay the host family in full for any breakages/damages for which they are responsible.
  The School and host family will not be held responsible for any loss or damage of personal property.

  SCHOOL POLICY & RULES – STUDENT CONDUCT & BEHAVIOUR

  English Language Academy is an educational institution and expects its students to maintain decent and reasonable standards of behaviour at the school and in the accommodation. All students are bound to abide by the policies and rules of ELA and by the laws governing Malta. Students that regularly fail to observe school policies, guidelines, rules and regulations will be subject to any disciplinary action that ELA feels is appropriate. The School reserves the right to fine students in such cases. Students that continue to break school policies and rules could be expelled from the School with no refund.

  COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

  Students that have any complaint about any aspect of their ELA language stay must make a report immediately. ELA will do all it can to resolve any issue to the student’s satisfaction within 24 hours or receiving the complaint. Complaints that have not been brought to the attention of the School during the student’s stay will not be dealt with at a later date.

  LOSS OF PROPERTY

  English Language Academy will not be held responsible for loss or theft of any student’s property from the school or accommodation or any other location. Student’s property is the sole responsibility of the student at all times.

  FORCE MAJEURE

  English Language Academy cannot be held responsible for any failure to deliver its services due to unforeseen circumstances beyond its control brought about by force majeure. Nor shall the school be held responsible for any costs incurred by or on behalf of the student as a result of any such cause.
  Force majeure causes shall include, but not be limited to:

• Fire, flood, earthquake, extreme weather, pandemic, public health emergency, natural or man-made disaster.

• War, threat of war, act of terrorism, sabotage, riot, civil disorder, rebellion or revolution.

• Industrial action, labour dispute, failure of suppliers or subcontractors.

• Act of any local or foreign Government Entity or Authority with respect to any of the foregoing.

• Any event or occurrence which is beyond English Language Academy’s reasonable control.

PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMING

ELA occasionally takes photographs and makes videos for use in promotional material and campaigns. At registration on their first day, students are asked to sign a photographic consent form in line with GDPR regulations. It is therefore assumed that pictures taken during lessons or activities or any pictures given to the school or its staff can be used in ELA promotional material. Students that do not wish to be photographed or filmed must advise the School immediately.

DATA PROTECTION (GDPR)

In order to provide its services to students and uphold its obligations to said students, ELA must process and store students’ personal information. Such information shall include the following:
Name and Surname; Date of Birth; Nationality; Mailing Address; Mobile Number: Email Address; Medical Conditions (if any).
Any information or personal data passed on by students to ELA may be stored in an online or offline format and will be made use of in accordance with the relevant data protection laws, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation. ELA may disclose appropriate personal data to relevant school staff and third parties where there is a legitimate need or obligation to do so. Such personal information will only be disclosed by ELA in a manner which complies with national privacy and data protection laws, keeping the security of the personal data of students in mind at all times. ELA shall not share sensitive or personal information about students with any third party, including parents, legal guardians, caregivers, next of kin, or relevant government agencies without the student’s prior consent, unless there are reasonable grounds to believe the health, safety and/or welfare of the student and/or others is at risk, and where ELA is bound by a legal obligation to do so. A student can request to view, erase and access all the personal information that ELA holds on said student, at any time, by contacting ELA’s Data Protection Officer/Representative.