Terms and Conditions

1.0 We offer virtual classroom group courses with a teacher on a digital platform. Our regular meetings are held twice or four times a week and last 3 lesson hours each. All lesson hours last 45 minutes each.

1.1. About other online courses: We offer 3 types of individual online courses:

One-to-one access to an online teacher with face-to-face Zoom-meetings.
Online Dutch course packages with access to a program of digital resources and a bundle of face-to-face online teaching hours on Zoom.
Online Dutch courses (self-study) with teacher’s follow-up in the program that can be supplemented by buying one-to-one Zoom meetings with an online teacher.

1.2. If you have booked a course with one-to-one access to an online teacher, you have access to your online teacher only during the course period. The Zoom-meetings and the written exercises must therefore be completed during this course period.
1.2.1. For the writing course and the preparation courses, the course period will be 6 weeks from the date you receive the “Welcome to your course” e-mail from your teacher. In addition to 3 Zoom-meetings (30 minutes each), you can contact your online teacher with questions related to the course or meetings by e-mail during this period.
1.2.2. You have access to interactive e.learning resources during the purchased period of time from the date you receive your user account information.
1.2.3. For the one-to-one interactive online Dutch program with teacher, you have access to your online teacher for 4 to 20 weeks depending on your purchase from the date you received the “Welcome to your course” e-mail from your teacher. In addition to 4 Zoom-meetings (45 minutes each), you may contact your online teacher with questions related to the course or meetings by e-mail in the course period.
1.2.4. You have access to an interactive learning program for 4-24 weeks. The length is depending on your purchase and your access starts from the date you receive your user account.
1.3. If you wish to extend your access to the online resources, have additional Zoom-meetings and/or written exercises, you must contact Dutchfirst.
1.4. About Zoom-meetings: The duration of the Zoom-meetings varies for the various online courses. The duration of our virtual classroom group courses is described in 1.0.
For the one-to-one online courses, the preparation courses and the writing courses, the meetings are a minimum of 45 minutes. You can schedule longer Zoom-meetings with your online-teacher.
1.5. Our virtual classroom group courses follow a preselected fixed schedule. All other, one-to-one Zoom-meetings must be scheduled in the period 08:00 – 20:00 (GMT+1, Dutch standard time), Monday to Friday unless you and your online teacher have agreed otherwise.
1.6. About user name and password: On courses where you have access to digital resources you will receive a user name and password. This is your private user account and must not be shared with anyone. If you share this account with another person, you will lose access to the digital resource.
1.7. About prices and payment: The payment for the course must be registered before starting the course.
1.8. About cancelling or postponing an online course and online course meetings: You have full right of cancellation for 14 days from the day you buy the course in accordance with the Cancellation Act. If you want to cancel the course after this period, you will not be refunded the course payment. If your course has started, you will be charged for the days you participated in the course and this amount will be deducted from your refund.
1.9. For virtual classroom group courses, Dutchfirst allows resignations from the course free of charge when the resignation is received in written form 8 or more calendar days before the course start date. (Example: if a course starts on 15th January, the participant can resign from the course free of charge up to and including 7th of January.)
1.9.1. Registrants who decide to resign 8 or more calendar days before the course’s start date will get their full course fee refunded.
1.9.2. Registrants resigning from the course 7 calendar days or less before the course start date will not be charged the full course amount but WILL be charged a resignation fee (see regulation #1.10). (Example: if a course starts on 15th January and the participant resigns in the period 8th-14th of January, he/she will be charged a resignation fee.)
1.9.3. Registrants who decide to resign 7 calendar days or less before the course’s start date, will get their course fee refunded, minus a resignation fee (see regulation #1.10).
1.9.4. Resignations received on or after the first day of the course are not accepted. Registrants will be charged the full course fee as stated on the course invoice(s).
1.10. Dutchfirst’s resignation and change of course fees are as follows:
a) For all virtual classroom group courses: 30 % of the full course fee.
b) For all individual online courses: 20 % of the full course fee.
c) Other than regulation #1.9 and #1.16, the participant holds no right to any form of refund or compensation for the paid course amount or amount due in case he/she decides to leave/is forced to leave the course earlier than the course end date.
1.11. Our scheduled virtual classroom group courses will start when the required minimum number of participants has signed up and confirmed their participation. The school reserves the right to cancel or postpone a scheduled virtual classroom group course when the number of confirmed participants is lower than required. The school also holds the right to change/adjust start dates, times and teachers.
1.12. It is expected that you will be on time for scheduled Zoom-meetings with your online teacher. For one-to-one Zoom meetings, if you are more than 15 minutes late for the meeting, your lesson will be considered as a “no show” and lost. If your online teacher is more than 10 minutes late for the scheduled meeting, you can cancel the meeting and reschedule without any extra costs.
1.13. If you need to reschedule a one-to one Zoom-meeting, you must notify your online teacher or Dutchfirst in writing (by e-mail) at a minimum 24 workday hours (Saturday and Sunday are not workdays) before the scheduled meeting. If the notification is received less than 24 workday hours before the scheduled meeting, your meeting cannot be cancelled and will be considered lost.
1.14. You are responsible for the working order of your own equipment (such as pc, microphone, keyboard and internet connection). If there are problems with your equipment or internet connection, the meeting will be considered lost. If your online teacher has problems with their equipment or internet access, you can schedule a new online meeting without extra costs.
1.15. If you experience that your teacher does not follow you up adequately or you want to change your teacher, you must contact Dutchfirst or the pedagogical advisor immediately.
1.16. About sickness: If you are sick, you must notify your teacher and/or Dutchfirst in writing on the day of your illness. A doctor’s note in Dutch or English must be sent to Dutchfirst within a week from the date it was issued. Scheduled one-to-one online meetings will be rescheduled without extra costs. For virtual classroom group courses, please contact Dutchfirst.
1.17. About course certificates: To receive a course certificate for completing your online course, you must fulfil the following criteria:
1.17.1.  For virtual classroom group courses, you must attend a minimum of 80% of your scheduled sessions.
1.17.2.  For online courses with interactive learning programs: Complete written exercises (minimum 6 of 8 for level A1, 5 of 6 for A2, 3 of 4 for B1, and 2 of 3 for B2 and 2 of 2 for C1), attend minimum 3 of 4 Zoom-meetings and work a minimum of 2 hours every week with the digital resource.
1.17.3.  For the writing courses, preparation courses: Complete written exercises (minimum 4 of 6) and attend minimum 2 of 3 Zoom-meetings.
1.17.4. For our Online self-study courses, please contact Dutchfirst.

Version 1.0. - Last updated 30.03.2020.