Terms and Conditions

Covid-19 Terms and Conditions apply until further notice. Please contact the school before confirming any travel arrangements.

Enrolling on a course     To enrol on a course applicants must complete the enrolment form and send to ACET by email.

A booking deposit of €250 must accompany all enrolments and can be paid via paypal or bank transfer into school account. Please add €10 for bank charges.

This deposit is non-refundable but is deductible from the total amount payable.

The balance of fees must be paid at least 2 weeks in advance of the course start date.

Accommodation details will be confirmed after we have received full payment.

Confirmation documents     ACET sends confirmation of booking on receipt of enrolment form and deposit. Confirmation documents must be passed onto the client. We accept no responsibility for cases arising from the failure to pass documentation to clients.

Age Limit    Minimum age limit is 16. Clients under 18 years of age must submit a signed parental consent form & copy of their passport wiith their enrolment.

Public Holidays     Monday is the starting day for all courses each week. When Monday is a public holiday, Tuesday is the starting day. There is no reduction in fees when a course includes a public holiday. Public holidays are non-refundable.

Client Holidays    Clients on long courses (except examination courses) may take a holiday break without losing their course fee, provided 4 weeks notice is given. Holidays must be taken for full weeks, commencing on a Monday and cannot be taken mid-week. Clients cannot return to class during the holiday period.

Course Fees  Bookings are non-transferable, i.e. they are specific to dates, courses and applicant. Clients are expected to attend classes regularly and on time. Clients forfeit tuition if they are late, absent or leave early.

If a client is not of sufficient level to join a course, we reserve the right to cancel, alter, or make arrangements on an alternative course for them.

If there are four or fewer clients in a class, the lessons will take place over a reduced number of hours as required.

Cambridge Examination Courses are subject to a level test and the examination fee is not included.

We may not have a separate FCE/CAE/CPE preparation class. We will have an examination preparation class. A separate FCE/CAE/CPE preparation class is dependant on bookings.

Four participants per examination are needed for the examinations to go ahead. ACET is not responsible should the examination not take place nor do we take any responsibility for other testing centres running the examination. Final number cannot be confirmed until the closing date of registration. ACET does not run the CPE examination. Students are responsible to make their own examination arrangements.

Cambridge Examination Course Dates:

PET / FCE and CAE for 2023

  • January 9 – March 9 (9 weeks)
  • April  10 – June 5 (10 weeks)
  • June 26 – July 26 (4 weeks & 3 days)
  • July 24 – August 23 (4 weeks & 2 days)
  • October 2 – Dec 8 (10 weeks)

Accelerated dates : (All 4 weeks)

  • Feb 13– March 9
  • May 8 – June 2
  • Nov 13 – Dec 8

Accommodation    Homestay fees are calculated per 7 nights, half board Monday to Friday, full board at weekends in a single room.

Clients should expect to travel for an average of 40 minutes from their homestay to ACET.

WiFi/internet access is available in most homestay but cannot be guaranteed.  We cannot guarantee a Nationality mix in the homestay.

Twin rooms can only be booked by clients travelling in pairs who wish to share a room. Special requests must be made at the time of booking. We will endeavour to fulfil these requests but they cannot be guaranteed.

Extra nights in host family / residence are subject to availability and an additional charge.

Accommodation details will only be sent once all fees have been paid in full.

Student Residence Apartments  University Hall / Victoria Lodge / Victoria Mills / University Place residences – 30 to 40 minute walk from ACET.

Clients have a single room with a private bathroom in an apartment which they share with other clients. Each apartment has a kitchen, a living room with a television and a bathroom. Bed linen is supplied. Clients must provide their own towels.

Accommodation in student residences is provided by a 3rd party. ACET acts only as an intermediary. ACET does not assume any liability for loss, delay or accident of any kind whatsoever which might occur due to fault or negligence during clients’ stay at the client residences.

Clients changing accommodation will not be refunded any difference in price. Accommodation costs are not refunded for part of a week. No allowance is made for absences from accommodation. Nationality / gender mix is not guaranteed in apartments or client residences.

Any damage caused by a student to homestay or residence preperty will be charged to the student or students responsible. ACET reserves the right to recover the costs.

Airport Transfers     Clients booking homestay accommodation can be collected free of charge from Cork airport, train or bus station on arrival.

Clients must confirm date and time of arrival to ACET one week in advance. Collection is organised from 09.00hrs to 22.30hrs.

In the case of a delay en route to Cork, clients must contact ACET or their hosts. We cannot guarantee collection in the case of a delay, UNLESS the client makes contact with ACET or their hosts.

Clients booking other types of accommodation can request a transfer on arrival at a cost of €60 (subject to availability only). The maximum waiting time for a transfer is 30 minutes.

Insurance    Clients are advised to insure against loss of fees and/or other expenses as a result of course cancellation or early departure from Ireland. Clients are also advised to take out full travel, health, money, baggage and personal effects insurance cover prior to travelling to Ireland. Clients from EU countries should bring their European Health Insurance card. Clients from non-EU countries are required by immigration to take out medical insurance.

Students are not insured by the school or by host families, against accidents, illness, theft or loss of personal effects. ACET accepts no responsibility in the event of such occurences.

Publicity Materials    Permission is given for use of students comments or testimonials and photographs / images of students in the official promotional material for ACET by the student or their parents or legal guardian with acceptance of these terms and conditions, unless otherwise specified at the time of booking.

Teacher Courses     A minimum of 6 participants is required to run the courses for Non-Native Teachers. In the event that there are fewer than 6 participants on scheduled dates, Standard English classes will be offered in the morning at the appropriate level with the teacher training afternoons /activities taking place.

Cancellation fees & Legal Notice  ACET reserves the right to change the details of its services, including courses, facilities/centre and course dates where circumstances are beyond our control. This also includes if there number of enrolments is not enough to operate a course viably. the right is also reserved to decline any person at any time without liability.

Notice of cancellation must be given according to the refund policy in order to qualify for a refund. If notice of cancellation is given in writing 15 working days or more before the start date, fees are refunded in full, less the deposit. If notice of cancellation is given in writing less than 15 working days before the start date, one week of the tuition fee and one week of the accommodation fee are refunded. If notice of cancellation is given on or after the first day in Cork, the accommodation fee and the course fee are not refunded. (Working days are Monday-Friday)

Documents sent to clients for visa purposes must be returned to the school upon cancellation. Fees can only be returned (less the deposit) after ACET has received the original visa refusal letter.

ACET is not liable for any extra costs incurred as a result of delays (flights, visas, personal etc.) These costs may include accommodation costs, transportation costs, dining, medical bills etc.

ACET is not responsible should an examination for Cambridge English or ETS not take place. A limited number of participants is needed for the examinations. The CPE examination does not take place at ACET.

ACET shall not be responsible for or deemed to be in default by reason of delays in or failure of performance of this agreement due to causes beyond its reasonable control and not being limited to civil war between nations, insurrections strikes, riots, fires, floods, explosions, earthquakes, serious accidents, any act of government, governmental priorities, allocations, regulations or orders affecting materials or facilities, acts of God or the public enemy, failure of transportation, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, or labour trouble causing cessation, slowdown or interruption of work and failure of suppliers and sub-contractors to furnish labour or materials within their contractual delivery times.

ACET reserves the right to close the school on certain days in the case of status red weather emergencies and /or if directed by the Department of Education. Classes missed in this instance are non-refundable.

Visa and Immigration    Students requiring a visa to study in Ireland should contact the nearest Irish embassy for detailed information and allow at least two months to process visa applications. We can assist with the application procedures for the visa when required. All fees must be paid in advance and an invitation letter with details of the transfer will only be issued once the funds have been received in full by bank transfer. Students who experience delays in having their visa issued can postpone their course.

Immigration Procedures     All non-EU students attending a course of more than 12 weeks (90 days) duration are required to register with the Immigration Bureau. A fee of €300 is payable to the Immigration Bureau by students on their initial registration and students will also be charged €300 for any extension of their immigration period. (This is subject to change).

All non-EU students registered for courses over 12 weeks in length are obliged to register, pay for and sit an approved English-language examination. 

We recommend that all non-EU students verify visa and Immigration requirements before booking their course (www.inis.gov.ie).

Holidays for long term students  Students are permitted to take holidays depending on the duration of their course. The following regulations apply:

Non-EU students must schedule all holidays before they register with the GNIB. Unscheduled breaks in study are not permitted except in exceptional circumstances. Once non-EU students have registered their holidays with GNIB they will not be permitted to change these arrangements.

Holidays cannot be taken during the first 8 weeks of a student’s course and cannot exceed 1/3 of the total weeks already studied.

Upon returning from a holiday, students may have to take a level test before being placed in a class.

In the interest of the student’s academic progress, only one holiday is permitted during any 12 week period.

Working while Studying    Non-EU nationals with permission to remain in the State for an Academic Year Programme (25+ weeks) are allowed to take up casual employment to supplement their income while studying in Ireland. During term-time and during scheduled vacation periods, students can work up to 20 hours per week. Students can work up to 40 hours per week only during specific periods from mid-December to mid-January and from June to September.

Complaints and Grievances    Students are advised to complete our Student Complaint Form to make a complaint in writing. The Student Complaint Form can be requested at reception or by email info@acetireland.ie. Any complaint received will be dealt with immediately and a resolution should be reached within 2 weeks of receipt of the complaint. 

ACET Sick Leave Policy   All sick leave of more than two days must be accompanied by a doctor’s certificate. If a student presents a valid doctor’s note for a certified sick leave period, their attendance will not be reduced for the period of the doctor’s certificate. Students must contact the school at info@acetireland.com or by telephone 021 4551661 on the first day of the sickness to inform us of the illness and the expected duration of the absence.

On return to the school, students must present a doctor’s certificate which covers the full period of the absence. Failure to follow these steps will mean that a student is absent without certification. Uncertified absences will be marked as absent from class and the student will receive a reduced attendance record.

ACET Expulsion Policy    If their conduct and/or attendance is unsatisfactory, a student will be subject to ACET’s disciplinary procedures. A serious breach of conduct can result in expulsion. Students will be given an oral warning, then a written warning and ultimately a second and final written warning. In the event of expulsion fees are not refunded. All issues relating to expulsion policy should be addressed to Joelle Coade, Managing Director, info@acetireland.ie