Refund Policy

1. POLICY STATEMENT
   1. At Whitestone College, we are committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for students, staff and volunteers.
   2. This commitment includes the health and safety of staff and students when conducting curriculum activities in the school or in other locations. 
   3. The school also had a passion of fair treatment of all stakeholders that form part of its operations; this is why Whitestone College allows the parents to get a refund of the school fees payment provided the reason for refund is genuine and acceptable.
2. RATIONALE
   1. To ensure there is a fair and equitable refund system in place at Whitestone College following payment for Camps, Registrations, Levy, essential student learning items and extra-curricular activities which have not been fully accessed.
3. AIMS
   1. This policy is developed to provide guidelines and outline circumstances in determining eligibility for a full or part refund for charges paid to the school for essential student learning items, materials, camps, registrations and extra-curricular activities and to ensure that the provision of optional services do not incur direct costs to the school.
4. GUIDELINES
   1. Registration Fee / Deposit 
      1. All monies paid in respect of registration fees, books, student card and uniform is strictly non- refundable.
   2. Examination Fee
      1. Examination fee is non-refundable. 
      2. Examination fee will only be refunded if the learner cancels registration before the said learner has been registered with the examination body/center.
   3. Tuition Fee
      1. The applicant/student has the right to cancel this registration within 14 working days of registration in which event, notwithstanding the provisions of clause 4.1.1 above, the registration fee will be non-refundable but all other fees paid will be refunded in full.
      2. Learners who completely withdraw will have a percentage of tuition and fees refunded in accordance with Whitestone College refund schedule. 
      3. Whitestone College will only refund prepaid tuition, i.e. tuition paid in advance. 
      4. Learners who receive financial aid will have their unearned monies returned to the appropriate funding agency. 
      5. The amount of the refund is in direct correlation to the learner’s approved date of withdrawal as determined by the Registrar’s Office.
   4. Unregistered Learners for Final Examinations
      1. Unregistered learners or learners who miss an examination with a valid reason will be awarded a chance to redo the whole course without any further payment.
      2. No refund will be entertained as the learner will have been given tuition for the course in concern.
5. REFUNDS OR EXEMPTIONS OF FEES MAY BE CONSIDERED IN THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES 
   1. For learners who have overpaid the tuition/administration fee;
   2. When Whitestone College cancels the course
   3. Where the learner’s application for enrolment is refused Whitestone College agrees to refund all fees within 30 days, without deduction;
   4. If the learner advises Whitestone College in writing, prior to class/traineeship/apprenticeship commencement, that they are withdrawing from training then Whitestone College will refund the full tuition fee paid in advance;
   5. if, in Whitestone College ’s opinion, the learner would be unreasonably disadvantaged if not granted a refund, for example, a learner meets with a serious misadventure and is unable to continue their enrolment, then Whitestone College  will refund the full tuition fee and any other fees and charges paid by or on behalf of the learner; and
   6. If a learner withdraws from only part of a course, or if only part of the course is cancelled, Whitestone College will only refund the portion of the tuition fee and materials fee applicable to that part of the course.
   7. If the student is an international student who is unable to secure a visa or political or civil event prevents the student to attend classes.
6. THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES ARE INDICATIVE OF APPROPRIATE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR GRANTING A REFUND:
   1. Extended hospitalizations or illness (two week period minimum), supported by a medical certificate and resulting in extended absence from training;
   2. Job change;
   3. Change in work hours;
   4. Inconvenience of travel to class;
   5. Found another school;
   6. Moving interstate and;
   7. Retrenchment. 
7. GUIDELINES
   1. All refunds requests must be made in writing by the payee.
   2. A request for a refund does not automatically equate to a full refund of monies paid.
   3. The policy will ensure that the provision of optional services do not incur direct costs to the school
   4. All monies paid in respect of registration fees, books, student card and uniform is strictly non- refundable.