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ETHOS Payment Policy:

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PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS, AND REFUNDS

A. THE “NO PAY – NO STUDY” RULE:

At ETHOS, we have a very strict payment policy for both classroom and online studies. All customers are required to pay the full amount for their study packages in advance.

ETHOS quotations include all charges for study materials, instruction, housing (when needed), internet service at school (and in ETHOS housing facilities), all required government taxes, and all processing fees.

There are no hidden fees in our quotations.

Once quotations are accepted, billing invoices are emailed to customers. Each invoice has an expiration date. If an invoice is not paid before its expiration date, another invoice may be requested.

Customers living inside the Philippines will be billed in Philippine Pesos. Customers living outside the Philippines will be billed in $US.

Online-study customers will receive a single invoice for the full amount.

Classroom-study customers will receive two (2) separate invoices; one for a non-refundable DEPOSIT and then a second one for the balance.

Customers may request more than one payment for the balance.

All balance payments must be paid at least 15 days before departure for ETHOS.

An official receipt (in Philippine Pesos) is written for each payment that is made by a customer.

B. EXPENSES NOT INCLUDED IN OUR QUOTATIONS:

All ETHOS quotations contain reasonable charges for study and housing. ETHOS also provides free airport transfers for arriving and departing customers. However, the following expenses ARE NOT included in ETHOS quotations.

1. IMMIGRATION EXPENSES

We will process all immigration work for the students FREE of any service charges, but students must pay all required immigration fees. These will include the Special Study Permit (SSP) and all visa extensions and an I-Card if necessary. The student will also pay the taxi cost to and from the immigration office for our staff member to process their visa work.

2. MEALS

Except for breakfast on school days for the “Home Stay” housing option, all customers must provide for their own food needs each day while they are at ETHOS. We do offer a meal program that is provided by an outside company. This meal program cost is not included in our quotation.

3. RECREATION

ETHOS can help customers arrange recreational activities during weekday afternoons, weekends, and on ETHOS holidays. ETHOS does not charge a service fee for this assistance. However, customers will have to pay for their own recreational expenses.

4. TRANSPORTATION

Except for the FREE airport transfers, all other transportation will be paid by the customers.

5. CELL PHONES

Customers must pay for their own cell phones and cell phone service while at ETHOS.

6. LAUNDRY

Customers must pay for their own laundry expenses. There are several laundry shops near the school.

7. MEDICAL CARE/INSURANCE

Customers must pay their own medical expenses. This also includes any pandemic related medical expenses for testing upon arrival, and expenses for possible mandatory quarantine stay that may be required by the Philippine government upon arrival, before the customer is allowed to come to ETHOS. All students should get international travel insurance before they leave their home countries.

8. ADDITIONAL DAYS OF HOUSING

If customers must arrive at ETHOS a day or two early, or, stay a day or two late because of flight schedules, they may be asked to pay for any additional days of housing that were not included in the original quotation.

C. THE ETHOS PAYMENT POLICY

ETHOS accepts payments using credit or debit cards, as well as by direct money transfer to our bank. Billing invoices are emailed from the ETHOS home office in Cebu City, Philippines. Invoices will contain instructions for making payments.

1. PAYMENTS FOR ONLINE STUDIES:

Customers paying for online classes will receive only one (1) payment invoice, for the total cost of the study time they wish to purchase. The invoice will remain active for seven (7) days after the creation date. If a customer fails to pay the invoice before it expires, that invoice can no longer be used for the payment. If the customer still wishes to pay for the class time, a replacement invoice can be requested.

2. PAYMENTS FOR CLASSROOM STUDIES:

Customers paying for classroom study programs will receive at least two (2) payment invoices. The first invoice will be payment for a NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT. ETHOS will not reserve space for the customer until the DEPOSIT has been paid. If a customer pays the DEPOSIT and then decides to cancel their study at ETHOS, the DEPOSIT will NOT be refunded. The billing invoice for the DEPOSIT will remain active for fourteen (14) days after the creation date. If a customer fails to pay the invoice before it expires, that invoice can no longer be used for the payment. If the customer still wishes to continue, a replacement invoice may be requested.

Once the DEPOSIT has been paid, ETHOS will send a second invoice for the remaining BALANCE of the of the total package cost. The invoice for the BALANCE will remain valid for thirty (30) days after the creation date. If a customer fails to pay the invoice before it expires, that invoice can no longer be used for the payment. If the customer still wishes to continue, a replacement invoice may be requested.

3. PAYMENT INVOICES:

All payment links have a deadline, and if payment is not made within the payment expiration date, the payment link will become invalid. If it becomes invalid, we will issue a replacement invoice. The payment deadline for the replacement invoice is 7 days.

4. OFFICIAL RECEIPTS:

Each payment made to ETHOS will have an Official Receipt. The Official Receipt will be in Philippine Pesos. The US Dollar amount will be converted to Philippine Pesos based upon the exchange rate that was given when the funds were converted. The receipt will be printed at ETHOS. Cash payment receipts will be available immediately upon receiving payment. Receipts for credit card and bank payments will be available five (5) days after start of the study at ETHOS.

D. CLASS CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

1. FOR ONLINE CLASS CUSTOMERS: (NO REFUNDS)

Once an online study has been purchased and started, there can be no refund. The customer must either attend the classes or forfeit the tuition. ETHOS can help students by changing schedules but there can be no refunds.

2. FOR CLASSROOM STUDY CUSTOMERS: (Only the BALANCE PAYMENT can be refunded)

While customers who have paid DEPOSITS and BALANCE PAYMENTS may cancel their study programs, the DEPOSIT is not refundable under any circumstances. ETHOS will only return BALANCE PAYMENTS and once a customer has arrived at ETHOS, there can be no refund of any BALANCE PAYMENT.

3. PANDEMIC CLAUSE: (NO DEPOSIT REFUNDS)

As mentioned earlier, the DEPOSIT is non-refundable. If a customer pays the DEPOSIT, or, pays BOTH the DEPOSIT and the BALANCE PAYMENT, and their study gets disrupted due to travel restrictions of a PANDEMIC disease, only a BALANCE PAYMENT can be refunded. The DEPOSIT is non-refundable. The only way a customer can avoid losing the DEPOSIT is to reschedule their study to a future date AFTER the pandemic travel restrictions are lifted.

Once a deposit has been paid, it is not refundable for ANY reason.

ETHOS will allow students who have had to cancel because of a pandemic travel resctictions to change their booking schedule for up to one (1) year after the travel restrictions have been lifted. ETHOS will keep the balance payments and recompute the new package cost using current study rates at the time of rebooking.

4. REFUND CHARGES

To receive a refund, customers must provide to ETHOS specific account and bank transfer details. If the refund process results in charges or fees for returning funds back to a customer, any and all of these charges and expenses will be paid by the customer. ETHOS will send the funds quickly and safely back to the customer. Any transfer charges of fees will be deducted from the total and the balance will be sent. ETHOS will send an accounting for all funds and charges. It should also be noted that the customer's receiving bank might also charge a receiving fee.

E. CANCELLATION OF ENROLLMENT AND LOSS OF TUITION DUE TO ABSENCES

1. FOR ONLINE CUSTOMERS

Online customers are allowed one (1) excused absence for every ten (10) lessons purchased.

An excused absence is one that happens as a result of the customer being involved in an accident or becoming too sick to attend class. It can also happen when a customer must miss a class because of a family emergency, such as a death in the family.

A customer can make an advanced request to be excused from a class meeting if ETHOS is notified at least two (2) days prior to the class meeting.

Once the allowed number of absences has been reached, no additional absences will be allowed. The customer must either attend the remaining classes at the regular scheduled time or lose the training fee for the missed classes.

2. FOR CLASSROOM STUDIES

Classroom customers are allowed one (1) excused absence day for every four (4) weeks of study at ETHOS.

An excused absence is one that happens as a result of the customer being involved in an accident, or becoming too sick to attend class, or having to deal with a family emergency, such as a death in the family.

A customer can also make an advanced request to be excused from class if ETHOS is notified at least two (2) days prior to the missed class meeting.

Once the allowed number of absences has been reached, no additional absences will be allowed. The customer must either attend all the remaining classes or be dropped from the program and forfeit any remaining tuition.

F. CANCELLATION OF ONLINE CLASS ENROLLMENT AND LOSS OF TUITION DUE TO CUSTOMER NEGLECT

1. FAILURE OF ONLINE CUSTOMERS TO BEGIN A STUDY SCHEDULE

Once a customer has paid for online class lessons, ETHOS will assign a teacher for the customer. The teacher will email the customer to set up a study schedule based upon the details chosen by the customer. If a customer fails to contact the assigned teacher and set a schedule within two (2) weeks after payment has been complete, ETHOS will attempt to contact the customer by email a total of three (3) times, using the email address provided by the customer during enrollment.

If the customer does not respond and set a schedule within this two (2) weeks, ETHOS will drop the customer from the program and the customer will forfeit all tuition.

2. FAILURE OF ONLINE CUSTOMERS TO CONTINUE A STUDY SCHEDULE

In addition, if a customer sets up a schedule with the assigned teacher, COMPLETES SEVERAL CLASS MEETINGS, and then suddenly stops, ETHOS will attempt to contact the customer a total of three (3) times at the email address provided by the customer during enrollment. If the customer does not respond and continue with the study within two (2) weeks, ETHOS will drop the customer from the program and the customer will lose all tuition.

G. CANCELLATION AND LOSS OF TUITION DUE TO CUSTOMER BEING EXPELLED

Any customer who is expelled from ETHOS for alcohol or drug violations, curfew violations, or conduct violations will be forced to leave ETHOS immediately. They must make their own arrangements for housing and transportation back to their home country. There can be no refunds given in cases of expulsion.

H. REGARDING PHILIPPINE HOLIDAYS

The Philippines celebrates many holidays throughout the year. Out of respect for our foreign students, ETHOS will only close for REGULAR HOLIDAYS, upon which the Philippine government requires all businesses to close for the day. On those holidays the school will be closed and those days will be skipped in the school calendar. No classes will be scheduled and there will be no make-up classes for those dates because there are no lessons that will be missed. Holiday closures are considered ad averaged into our rates.

* These details are subject to change. Last revised on 02/13/2024
** While Google Translate may provide translations of our “Terms and Conditions” into other languages, only the original posted English version is legally binding.

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