Terms & Conditions

Travelling Languages — Think Ahead Ltd T/A Travelling Languages — Last updated: March 2026

These Terms and Conditions govern the agreement between Think Ahead Ltd T/A Travelling Languages (“the School”, “we”, “us”, “our”) and any student, parent, guardian, or group organiser (“you”, “your”) who enrols in or books a programme offered by the School.

By completing the enrolment process — whether online, by email, or in person — you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions in full, together with our Privacy Policy. These Terms and Conditions form a binding agreement between you and the School from the point at which your booking is confirmed.

Travelling Languages holds ACELS accreditation (since 2014) and is an applicant for IEM (TrustEd Ireland) accreditation. Our programmes are delivered in accordance with the applicable regulatory requirements of the English Language Education sector in Ireland.

1. Admission Criteria

1.1 General English Programmes (long-term and short-term)

Travelling Languages welcomes students from all backgrounds and nationalities. To enrol on our General English programme, students must:

  • Be 18 years of age or over (individual enrolments). Students aged 16 or 17 may enrol only with the written consent of a parent or legal guardian.
  • Have a level of English sufficient to be assessed — our programmes run from CEFR level A1 (beginner) to C1 (advanced). A placement test is conducted on or before the first day of class.

1.2 Junior Group Programmes

Closed group programmes for students aged 14 to 17 are available subject to a separate group agreement and the additional safeguarding arrangements set out in section 11. Students aged 13 may be considered on a case-by-case basis at the School’s discretion. Individual junior enrolments are not accepted.

1.3 Travelling Programmes

Travelling programmes are available to students aged 18 and over and require a minimum CEFR level of B1. A placement test or confirmed prior level is required at enrolment.

2. Booking and Payment

2.1 Enrolment and confirmation

No enrolment is confirmed until the School has issued a written confirmation. Enrolments are subject to availability. The School reserves the right to decline an enrolment where the admission criteria are not met or where documentation is incomplete.

2.2 Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of €200 is required at the time of booking to secure your place. This deposit is deducted from your total course fee and is non-refundable except in the case of visa refusal (see section 5) or where the School cancels the programme.

2.3 Balance payment

The balance of course fees must be paid within 20 working days of the deposit, and no later than 30 days before the programme start date, whichever comes first. Where a booking is made within 30 days of the start date, the full fee is payable within 3 working days.

For students requiring an entry visa, full fees must be paid in advance before a letter of acceptance can be issued. Once full payment is received, the School will issue a visa support letter. Fees paid by visa-requiring students are held in a segregated account until the visa is approved and a copy provided to the School. Visa fee payments are processed via tl.paytostudy.com.

2.4 Methods of payment

  • Bank transfer: Think Ahead Ltd — AIB — IBAN: IE37 AIBK 9310 4741 7111 86 — BIC: AIBKIE2D
  • Credit or debit card via PayPal (a surcharge of 3.5% applies to PayPal payments)

All bank transfer payments should be notified to the School by email to drs@tl.ie, quoting your enrolment reference number. No surcharge applies to bank transfer payments.

2.5 Fees and additional costs

All programme fees and course options are published on tl.ie and communicated in your enrolment confirmation. Fees are reviewed annually. The following additional costs apply:

  • Medical insurance: €85 per student per programme (mandatory for long-term students; recommended for all)
  • Course materials (coursebook): €50
  • External examination registration fees: charged at cost, communicated in advance

There are no hidden charges. All additional costs are communicated at the point of enrolment.

3. Cancellation and Refunds — Student-Initiated

3.1 Dublin General English programmes

Cancellation notice Charge
More than 30 days before start date Deposit only (€200) — balance refunded
15–30 days before start date 30% of total course fee
7–15 days before start date 40% of total course fee
Less than 7 days before start date 50% of total course fee
After course has commenced No refund (including late arrival, early departure, or days missed)

3.2 Travelling programmes

Cancellation notice Charge
More than 30 days before start date Deposit only (€200) — balance refunded
15–30 days before start date 50% of total programme fee
7–15 days before start date 75% of total programme fee
Less than 7 days before start date No refund

Accommodation cancellations after arrival are non-refundable regardless of the reason.

3.3 Rescheduled programmes

If a programme has been rescheduled by the student once or more, the shorter applicable cancellation policy applies. Example: a booking made 6 months in advance, postponed 7 days before the original start date, and then cancelled 3 weeks before the new start date — the 7-day cancellation policy applies.

3.4 Individual lessons

At least 24 hours’ notice is required to cancel an individual lesson without charge. Lessons cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice will be charged at the full lesson price.

3.5 Amendments by the student

Changes to a confirmed booking incur the following fees:

  • 15 days or more before the programme start date: €150 amendment fee per booking
  • Within 15 days of the programme start date: 50% of the total booking cost

4. Refund Processing

All refund requests must be submitted in writing to drs@tl.ie. Refunds are processed by Rosanna Fiorenza (Director) and will be completed within 20 working days of receipt of all required documentation. Refunds are issued by the same method as the original payment where possible.

5. Visa Refusal

Where a non-EEA student is refused a visa or entry permission and provides the School with official documentation of the refusal:

  • The full course fee paid is refunded, less a processing fee of €200.
  • Refunds will be processed within 20 working days of receipt of the visa refusal documentation.
  • Refund requests must be submitted to drs@tl.ie (addressed to Rosanna Fiorenza) with a copy of the official refusal letter.
  • Where a letter for visa renewal has already been issued by the School, cancellation requests cannot be accepted.

The School does not accept liability for visa refusals and does not provide immigration advice. Students are encouraged to seek independent immigration guidance before enrolment.

6. Cancellation and Amendments by the School

6.1 Cancellation by the School

The School reserves the right to cancel a programme where there is insufficient enrolment or where circumstances beyond the School’s control prevent delivery. In either case, all fees paid will be refunded in full. The School has no further liability beyond the refund of fees paid.

In the event of a force majeure event affecting premises availability, the School may deliver classes from an alternative location or, as a last resort and subject to regulatory limits, via our online platform. Students will be notified of any such arrangement as early as possible.

6.2 Amendments by the School

In the unlikely event that the School needs to amend a confirmed booking, it will confirm this in writing in advance. If the student is not satisfied with the alternative arrangements, the School will refund all fees paid in full.

7. Attendance and Punctuality

7.1 Attendance requirement

Students are required to maintain a minimum attendance rate of 85% throughout their programme. Attendance is recorded daily and monitored by the Director of Studies. Students who fall below the required threshold without valid documented reason will receive a written warning and may ultimately be withdrawn from the programme.

For non-EEA students on a study visa or immigration permission, attendance compliance is a legal obligation. The School is required to report persistent non-attendance to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) and relevant immigration authorities.

7.2 Punctuality

Students are expected to arrive on time for the start of each lesson. Students who arrive more than 15 minutes late may be asked to wait until the break before entering the classroom. Late arrival may be recorded as partial absence for attendance purposes.

7.3 Sick leave

If a student is unable to attend due to illness, they must contact the School on the first day of absence and on each subsequent day, by email to drs@tl.ie or by phone. Up to two consecutive days of uncertified sick leave are permitted. Absence beyond two consecutive days requires a doctor’s certificate to be presented on the student’s first day of return.

7.4 Make-up classes

Students who miss classes for a valid and documented reason (illness or close family bereavement) may be offered make-up classes at the end of their programme, subject to availability and visa conditions. Make-up classes are at the School’s discretion and are not guaranteed.

7.5 Authorised breaks

Students may not request a break within the first 8 weeks of any course. Breaks must be completed within a 7-month window from the course start date. Unscheduled breaks are not permitted except in documented cases of certified illness or close family bereavement. All break requests must be submitted in writing to drs@tl.ie. For non-EEA students, breaks must comply with Department of Justice requirements relating to study permission.

8. Absenteeism and Expulsion

Where a student is absent for 3 consecutive days without explanation, the Director of Studies will attempt to contact the student by phone and email. If no satisfactory explanation is received within 2 weeks, the School will issue a formal written warning. Where no valid explanation is forthcoming, the student may be withdrawn from the programme within one month of the initial absence.

Absenteeism and expulsion procedures are implemented promptly. Non-EEA students will not be withdrawn towards the end of their programme in relation to issues identified at an earlier stage. All correspondence relating to absenteeism is retained and available to relevant authorities on request.

9. School Closures and Public Holidays

The School is closed on all Irish public holidays and over the Christmas and New Year period. The full academic calendar, including all closure dates, is published on tl.ie and communicated to students at induction.

10. Assessment and External Examinations

10.1 Placement and ongoing assessment

All students complete a placement test on or before their first day of class. Ongoing progress is assessed through bi-weekly tests, teacher evaluation, and end-of-rotation reports, all recorded in the School’s management system and available to students on request.

10.2 End-of-programme examination

It is mandatory for non-EEA students on a study visa to sit an external proficiency examination at the end of their programme. Students will be asked to sign an acknowledgement of this requirement at the start of their course. The School will register the student for the appropriate examination. The cost of external examinations is charged separately and communicated in advance.

10.3 Certificates and records

On successful completion of their programme, students receive a certificate acknowledging their attendance and final CEFR level achieved. End-of-programme documentation is provided on the student’s final day of study, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

11. Minors and Safeguarding

Travelling Languages is committed to the safety and welfare of all students, particularly those under 18:

  • Junior group programmes (students aged 14–17) are available as closed group bookings only. Individual junior enrolments are not accepted.
  • All staff working with minors have completed Garda Vetting and relevant safeguarding training in accordance with the Children First Act 2015.
  • A Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is appointed whenever minors are enrolled.
  • Parents or guardians of students under 18 must provide written consent for participation in all programme activities, including outings.
  • The School’s full safeguarding policy is available on request.

12. Learner Protection

Learner protection for long-term programme students is provided through Arachas, in accordance with Section 65 of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 as amended. Students enrolled on long-term programmes will receive written confirmation of this arrangement, including the Arachas cover details, at the time of enrolment.

Note: Following the introduction of IEM (TrustEd Ireland) accreditation, a new Provider Excess Liability (PEL) system administered by QQI will replace the current learner protection arrangements. These Terms and Conditions will be updated accordingly when the new system comes into effect.

13. Student Conduct

All students are expected to behave respectfully towards staff, fellow students, and the wider community at all times. The School’s Code of Conduct is communicated at induction and is contained in the Student Handbook. Breaches of the Code of Conduct may result in a formal warning, suspension, or immediate expulsion. In the case of expulsion for serious misconduct, no refund will be issued.

14. Complaints and Grievances

14.1 Informal procedure

Students are encouraged to raise concerns informally in the first instance by speaking with any member of staff, the Director of Studies, the Student Manager, or the Managing Director. Most concerns can be resolved quickly at this stage.

14.2 Formal procedure

Where a concern is not resolved informally, the student may submit a formal written complaint to drs@tl.ie. The complaint should describe the issue clearly, including dates, individuals involved, and the outcome sought. The School will:

  • Acknowledge the complaint in writing within 2 working days
  • Investigate and provide a written outcome within 10 working days
  • Where the complaint is upheld, confirm the remedial action to be taken

14.3 External escalation

Where the internal complaints procedure has been exhausted without a satisfactory resolution, the student has the right to refer their complaint to Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI):

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
26–27 Denzille Lane, Dublin 2, D02 P2V4
www.qqi.ie

Any complaints about services must be raised with the School while the complainant is present in Ireland, or as soon as reasonably practicable. Legal disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Republic of Ireland.

15. Data Protection and Privacy

Travelling Languages processes student personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. The School acts as Data Controller for all personal data processed in connection with your enrolment.

Personal data collected during enrolment and throughout your programme is used for the purpose of delivering your programme, managing your attendance and academic record, complying with regulatory and immigration obligations, and communicating with you about your studies. Your data is not sold to third parties.

Your rights under GDPR include the right to access your personal data, request correction or deletion, object to processing, and lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) at dataprotection.ie. For any data protection query, contact our Data Protection Officer at sf@tl.ie.

For full details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

16. Photography, Filming, and Marketing Use

Photographs and video recordings may be taken at the school premises and on programme activities for use in the School’s marketing materials, website, social media, and publications. At enrolment or induction, you will be asked to indicate your consent to photography and marketing use.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by notifying the School in writing at drs@tl.ie. Withdrawal applies to future use only. The School will not publish photographs of students under 18 without explicit written consent from a parent or guardian.

Note: The enrolment and induction form includes a consent tick-box for photography and marketing use.

17. Insurance

Travelling Languages holds public liability and employer’s liability insurance as required by Irish law. The School does not provide personal travel insurance, health insurance, or luggage insurance for students.

Students are strongly advised to arrange their own comprehensive travel and health insurance before arriving in Ireland, covering medical expenses, repatriation, personal accident, and loss of personal effects.

Medical insurance for the duration of the programme (€85 per student) is included in the enrolment fee for long-term students and is strongly recommended for all students.

18. Automated Enquiry Handling

Initial enquiries submitted to the School by email or through the website may receive an initial response from an AI-assisted system operating on behalf of Travelling Languages, designed to provide accurate and timely responses to common pre-enrolment questions. All substantive enrolment matters are reviewed and handled by the School’s office team. To request a direct response from a staff member, please state this clearly in your message or contact us at drs@tl.ie.

19. Emergency Contacts

  • School emergency (out of hours): +353 86 440 7044
  • School email: emergency@tl.ie
  • Medical / fire / police emergency: 112 or 999

20. General Provisions

20.1 Accuracy of information

The School takes reasonable care to ensure that all information on its website and in its marketing materials is accurate and up to date. The School reserves the right to correct errors and to revise fees, dates, and programme details at any time. The version of these Terms and Conditions in effect at the time of your booking confirmation governs your agreement with the School.

20.2 Language

While the School will endeavour to assist students in their preferred language where possible, the official language of instruction and of all formal communications and contracts is English.

20.3 Governing law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the law of Ireland. Any dispute arising from or in connection with these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Republic of Ireland.

Travelling Languages — Think Ahead Ltd, Docklands Innovation Park, Unit U14, 128–130 East Wall Road, Dublin, D03 A0X4 — Version 2.0 — March 2026