General Terms and Conditions

1. Acceptance of Terms

By submitting an enrolment form and accepting these terms, or by making a payment after being provided with these terms, the student agrees to the applicable General Terms and Conditions, subject to mandatory consumer protection legislation. Any specific conditions stated in the student’s written offer or invoice will also apply.

2. Course Fees and Included Services

Unless otherwise specified in the written offer, the course fee includes enrolment administration, a welcome pack, course materials or course book as specified for the programme, school and city information, selected cultural activities, Wi-Fi access at the school, academic guidance, and an attendance and level certificate subject to the conditions below. An additional registration fee of €50 applies only when expressly stated in the quotation or invoice.

Not included unless expressly stated: airport transfers, travel and medical insurance, optional cultural activities, external examination fees, and other personal expenses. An International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is not automatically included and is subject to availability and eligibility.

3. Registration and Payment

Students may enrol through www.paraninfo.com, by email at spanish@paraninfo.com, or by post to C/ Princesa, 70, 28008 Madrid, Spain. Following receipt of the application, PARANINFO will send written confirmation and a breakdown of applicable course, accommodation and additional service charges.

Any reservation deposit, its amount and whether it is refundable must be clearly stated in the individual offer before payment. Where a €200 reservation deposit is expressly agreed, it will be deducted from the final invoice. Payment instructions will be provided separately in the invoice; no bank account details are published in these General Terms and Conditions. Bank transfer charges imposed by the sender’s bank are the student’s responsibility, except where mandatory law provides otherwise.

The payment deadline and accepted payment methods are those shown in the invoice or written offer. For visa-related enrolments, the course fees and any other services needed for the visa documentation must be paid as specified in the written offer before the school issues its supporting documentation.

4. Courses, Placement and Conduct

PARANINFO places students in groups appropriate to their assessed language level. Requests for changes of level or timetable require approval from the Head of Studies and depend on availability. Timetables are communicated before the course starts and may be adjusted for justified organisational reasons, with reasonable notice.

The standard minimum age is 16, except for junior programmes or specifically organised closed groups. Students under 18 require written parental or guardian authorisation. Harassment, violence, discrimination or serious disrespect towards students or staff may lead to disciplinary measures, including expulsion, subject to applicable law and a proportionate assessment of the circumstances.

Group size and any adjustments to tuition hours will be specified in the relevant course offer. If a group cannot be formed, PARANINFO will propose an appropriate alternative or the applicable refund, as required by law and the agreed programme.

5. Historical Recognition and Course Certificates

PARANINFO was the first centre accredited by Instituto Cervantes.

Upon completion of the programme, students who have attended at least 85% of scheduled classes may receive a school-issued attendance and level certificate specifying the programme, level, teaching hours and dates. This is a private school certificate and is not an official academic qualification or an official Instituto Cervantes certificate.

6. Course Cancellation, Postponement and Interruption

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to spanish@paraninfo.com. The applicable cancellation terms, including any non-refundable reservation charge, must be disclosed before booking and will be subject to mandatory consumer protection law. Students who need to change their course start date may request this by emailing spanish@paraninfo.com. PARANINFO will arrange the requested date change without any problem and confirm the new dates in writing.

For standard non-visa enrolments, where cancellation is received at least 15 calendar days before the start date, the school will refund course fees paid less any valid, previously disclosed reservation charge. For cancellation received fewer than 15 calendar days before the start date, or after the programme begins, any refund will be assessed under the agreed conditions and applicable law. No provision in these terms excludes a refund or other remedy where the school fails to deliver contracted services or where mandatory law provides otherwise.

Students may request a change of course start date at any time by writing to spanish@paraninfo.com. PARANINFO will arrange the date change without any problem and confirm the revised dates in writing. No automatic refund is due solely because a student voluntarily stops attending, without prejudice to statutory rights.

7. Accommodation

Accommodation is an optional service, subject to a separate written confirmation of address or accommodation type, dates, price, security deposit, administrative charges and house rules. Any accommodation arrangement fee (historically listed as €45) applies only if expressly stated in the individual offer. Students must notify their approximate arrival time at least seven days before arrival.

PARANINFO may propose comparable replacement accommodation when reasonably necessary, without additional cost, and will notify the student as early as reasonably possible. Double rooms may be limited to students travelling together. Cancellation charges, including any charge of €100 for cancellation within 15 days, apply only where clearly agreed before payment and permitted by law. Any accommodation change requested by the student may incur an administrative fee of €30, if disclosed in advance, plus agreed additional costs. Accommodation changes are subject to availability.

Accommodation and insurance charges are generally separate from course tuition and are not included in the course-fee refund described in the visa clause. Their refundability depends on the specific booking, services already performed, and applicable law. Security deposits are handled separately under the accommodation agreement.

8. Airport Transfer

Airport pick-up or transfer service costs €60 per one-way transfer, unless a different price is expressly stated in the student’s quotation. The student must provide flight origin, arrival date, flight number and contact details in writing at least seven days before arrival. Any changes or delays must be reported promptly.

The school will provide contact details for the driver or transport coordinator. The included waiting period is up to 60 minutes after the agreed meeting or arrival time, as specified in the transfer confirmation. If the student does not contact the driver and cannot be located after that period, the transfer may be treated as a no-show. Any additional costs or refund limitations must be reasonable and disclosed in advance. The school is not responsible for losses caused by inaccurate flight information supplied by the student, except where applicable law provides otherwise.

9. Insurance

Students are responsible for obtaining medical insurance that meets any applicable Spanish visa or residence requirements. PARANINFO can offer optional assistance in arranging medical insurance, subject to a separate quotation and the insurer’s policy terms. Travel, cancellation, theft and personal property insurance are recommended where appropriate.

The school is not an insurer. Liability for illness, injury, loss or damage will be determined under applicable law; nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot legally be excluded.

10. Public Holidays

There may be no classes on applicable national, regional or local public holidays. The school will provide the relevant academic calendar or information before enrolment. Any make-up arrangements or changes to contracted teaching hours will be communicated in advance and handled in accordance with the agreed course and applicable law.

11. Student Visas and Supporting Documents

Students are responsible for checking visa requirements with the relevant Spanish Embassy or Consulate and for submitting accurate, complete and timely applications. The school may issue supporting enrolment documentation once the payment and registration requirements stated in the individual offer have been met. Courier charges, if applicable, will be quoted separately. Issuing school documentation does not guarantee a visa.

Where a visa is refused, the student must promptly provide an authentic, complete official refusal decision issued by the competent Spanish authority, identifying the applicant and the reasons for refusal, together with any additional documentation reasonably necessary to assess the request. The school may verify the authenticity of the decision through lawful means.

12. Visa Refusal: Course-Fee Refund Policy

If a student visa is officially refused for reasons attributable to PARANINFO or to an error or failure for which the school is responsible, PARANINFO will refund the amount actually paid for the course, less €350. This refund applies exclusively to course tuition fees, subject to any mandatory legal rights that may apply.

If the visa refusal is due to circumstances attributable to the student or otherwise unrelated to PARANINFO, including insufficient financial means, incomplete or incorrect personal documents, or failure to satisfy personal visa requirements, PARANINFO is not responsible for the refusal and the special visa-refusal refund does not apply. Mandatory legal rights remain unaffected.

If the student needs to change the course start date for any reason, including embassy delays, appointment availability or changes in personal circumstances, they should email spanish@paraninfo.com. PARANINFO will arrange the date change without any problem and confirm the revised dates in writing. An embassy closure or visa delay is not itself an official visa refusal.

The visa-refusal refund covers only the amount paid for the course, less €350. Accommodation, medical insurance, airport transfer and any other separately purchased services are independent of the course and are not included in the course-fee refund. Each separate service is governed by its own conditions and applicable law.

Where a course-fee refund is approved, the estimated processing period is approximately one to three months, depending on confirmation and verification by the relevant Spanish Embassy or Consulate. This is an estimate and does not override any mandatory legal refund deadline. The student will receive written confirmation of the decision and the amount to be refunded.

13. General Provisions

PARANINFO will provide the price and essential characteristics of each service before payment. Any change to a confirmed service or price will be handled in accordance with the contract and applicable law. Where a provision of these terms conflicts with mandatory law, that law takes precedence and the remaining provisions continue to apply.

For questions, complaints, cancellations or requests relating to these terms, please contact spanish@paraninfo.com. These General Terms and Conditions apply to new enrolments from the date they are published and do not retroactively alter previously concluded contracts without the parties’ agreement.