School Policy

The Alliance Française de Los Angeles is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-political, locally operated organization offering affordable courses. All our classes are open to everyone without discrimination on the basis of gender, race, religion, nationality and/or ethnic origin.

In view of our non-profit status and our commitment to our students and staff, the following rules apply. The Alliance Française de Los Angeles is committed to making sure that your experience with us is a wonderful one! Please note the important policies below.

Payments are required in full upon registration.

Online registrations: Payment must be completed by credit card (Visa, Master Card, and American Express) at the time of registration.

In-person registrations: Payment must be completed by check or credit card (Visa, Master Card, and American Express). A fee of $25 will be applied towards bounced checks.

Employer Tuition Reimbursement Procedures: A student must pay for a course at the time of registration. The Alliance Française de Los Angeles will not bill an employer directly. If an employer will reimburse a student for tuition of an Alliance Française de Los Angeles class, the Alliance Française de Los Angeles will provide the necessary documentation upon request.

For Private classes: Payment must be paid at least 24 hours prior to the first scheduled lesson.

The Alliance Française de Los Angeles does not prorate tuition.

To withdraw from a class, please send a written request by email at least five (5) business days prior to the first day of class to admin@afdela.org.

When you wish to withdraw from a class you have two options:

• A refund (less a $65 cancellation fee) issued to the original form of payment.
• A credit (valid 1 year) issued to your Alliance Française de Los Angeles account that can be used for another class, private lessons, or books. The cancellation fee is waived for this option.

Allow up to three weeks for refunds or credits to be issued.

No refunds will be issued after the first day of class.

Please Note:

• No refund or credit for books or exams such as TCF, DELF, etc.
• No refund for workshops or Cultural events (please read the Workshops and Cultural Events paragraph).
• No refund for private or corporate classes. You may reschedule/cancel your private class by informing us at least 24 hours in advance.
• No refund for a class where a previous credit was used as full or partial payment of lesson fees.

Refund Policy: No refunds will be issued after May 31. Before May 31, a $100 cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund amount. After May 31, you may withdraw any time before the start of the session for a credit minus the cancellation fee. No withdrawals are accepted after the start of a session. There are no allowances for absences, early withdrawals, or late starts. There is no pro-rating of fees.

Please read the full Summer Camp policy on the website: www.afdela.org (Summer Camp page).

All transfers from one group class to another group class or to private classes within the same season must be done within the first two weeks of class for an eight-week session and within the first week of class for a four-week session and must be approved by The Alliance Française de Los Angeles.

You may submit a written request in person at The Alliance Française de Los Angeles office or by email to: admin@afdela.org.

Transfers must be appropriate to one's level of French as determined by The Alliance Française de Los Angeles. Any difference in cost resulting from a class transfer must be paid at the time of transfer. Students may be subject to additional fees for private lessons depending on the date of transfer. Transfer from a private lesson package to a group class will not be accepted.

Alliance Française de Los Angeles reserves the right to cancel workshops, courses, adjust curriculum or change teachers at any time during the session.

Courses can be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment, unavailability of an instructor or inability to schedule appropriate instructional space.

New classes must reach a minimum enrollment of three students in order for the class to open. If there are two students in a class the class is cancelled, except if both students agree, in which case the class will continue from the second week and until the end of the session at the rate of 2 hours a week, instead of 3 hours. In this case you are paying a semi-private class at a group class rate. Without student agreement, we recommend you sign up for private lessons, or we can credit you for another class during the next session.

If your course is cancelled, you will be notified by telephone or email and given the option to transfer or to receive a credit.

Missed classes are non-refundable. Students who miss a class are eligible for a complimentary make-up in another group class of the same level and length, subject to availability. If no other group class is available at the same level during the same session, students may request one hour of private instruction with their teacher or another available teacher at a mutually agreed upon time. These private classes will be charged at an additional fee of $75.

Makeup classes and private sessions must be scheduled within the same session.

Important: To request a makeup class, students must contact the Alliance Française de Los Angeles by email ONLY at admin@afdela.org.

All make-up class requests must be approved in advance, and at least one month prior to the expected absence.

Limits:

• Children's group classes: maximum of 1 make-up class per semester
• Adult group classes: maximum of 1 make-up class per semester
• If a class is cancelled by the Alliance Française (e.g., teacher absence or weather), the teacher will offer a make-up session. No alternative will be provided for students unable to attend the scheduled make-up.

Only one discount at a time is applicable during the same session.

Private and corporate classes are non-refundable.

Private and corporate classes, once purchased, must be used within a 1 year period from date of purchase. Extra hours cannot be added to a package.

No-shows as well as cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead of time will result in a full class deducted from the student or the corporate package.

Student or corporate can reschedule a maximum of 1 hour from the 6-hour package, 3 hours from the 12-hour package, 5 hours from the 18-hour package, and 7 hours from the 30-hour package.

Workshops and Cultural Events are non-refundable.

For workshop only: a credit minus a $10 processing fee (valid 6 months) will be issued to your Alliance Française de Los Angeles account that can be used for another workshop with a three (3) business day cancellation notice prior to the workshop.

The Alliance Française de Los Angeles reserves the right to dismiss any student whose behavior is inappropriate or disruptive to the learning environment and to other students. If the Alliance Française de Los Angeles receives such a complaint from a teacher and/or fellow students about a student, a meeting will be called with that student to notify him or her of the complaint and to request a change if and when warranted. If after that warning, the student continues to be disruptive, the student will be dismissed, and, when appropriate, the Alliance Française de Los Angeles will issue a pro-rated refund for any classes not yet taken.

• Use of cellular phones is not permitted in classroom.
• Eating and drinking are not permitted in classrooms.
• Lost belongings: the Alliance Française de Los Angeles is not responsible for any lost belongings. A Lost and Found box is located at the front desk.
• Pets: Pets are not permitted in classrooms. This policy does not apply to service animals as defined by applicable federal and California law.
• Pictures: Students and attendees at events/cultural programs should be aware that their picture might be taken and used for marketing purposes.