Tuition Fees Refund Policy

Please note that this page comes in complement to the clear financial conditions of tuition fees and their payment schedule detailed for each programme level “Admissions & Finances” pages. For the sake of completeness, they are:

Definitions: 

Admitted applicant:

the individual has successfully passed all the eligibility and admissibility processes and rules of Data ScienceTech Institute (DSTI) School of Engineering and has been offered a space in a DSTI programme where she/he would then become a student.

 Student:

short for “enrolled student”, who has started day 1 of a given DSTI programme in any mode (on-campus / online) or rhythm (full time, part-time, asynchronous).

Admission fees:

Processing fees of 250 € for any visa seeker’s application. The admission fees are never refundable and they are different from the “application fees” requested upon registering an application with DSTI.

Deposit:

25% of the first year’s tuition fees paid by the admitted applicant to secure his seat in the chosen programme.

Visa seekers:

A. Visa seekers must pay a deposit of tuition fees of an academic year in advance in order to obtain an admission letter, maximise their visa application chances and receive full support for preparing arrival in France from DSTI and its partners.

DSTI and its partners provide an extensive service to admitted applicants requiring a student visa to come to France (on-campus students). This service includes agent counselling and a “visa application valet service”, fully included in the tuition fees, must be followed to the letter by visa seekers. At each step of the process of the visa application, admitted applicants will receive information, advice, and guidance by humans (and not a simple repository of guidelines documents) and a dedicated platform to provide all necessary supporting documentation, which will be assessed. The platform keeps records of all documentation, all guidance and all verification received and provided.  We remind all visa seekers that the process of the visa application through the valet service provided by the school, should be started as soon as the Admission documents have been shared with them. Applicants who will voluntarily stall the procedure will be forced to defer to the next available cohort.

Visa acceptance  

Once the admitted applicant has obtained his visa, he cannot cancel his application, and the tuition fees are due in full without any exception. He may defer his entry to the next available cohort once.

Visa refusal – deferral

An admitted applicant who does not obtain their visa either upon first visa application or appeal thereof can defer her/his entry.   It is reminded that students deferring to the next available cohort cannot start the classes online.   It is also reminded that the tuition fee amount granted for a given cohort will not change in case of deferral to the next available cohort. It might be subject to change if the deferral is of two or more cohorts.

Visa refusal – cancellation

Admitted applicants who receive a visa application refusal (first application or appeal), who want to cancel their application and who:

  1. had fully committed to the provided support described above, can cancel their application. They will receive a refund of all tuition fees, excluding 250 € as a processing fee. Applicants must provide consulate-issued rejection documents.
  2. had not committed to the provided support described above and wish: 
    • to pursue their studies at DSTI: if on-campus, DSTI will kindly require to strictly adhere to the visa application support process, and everything stated in this policy applies.
    • To pursue live streamed or online (for tuition fees refer to point D hereunder)
    • to cancel their matriculation: the deposit remains due.

Withdrawal from Admission

Admitted applicants, who have paid their deposit, but change their mind before or after receiving their Admission Letter (and other documents) and before the due payment “before start of the classes” of their fees schedule, will be refunded, excluding 250€ as a processing fee. Moreover, those withdrawing after being served an Admission Letter must be aware that DSTI will systematically notify the French Diplomatic and Consular Services of said withdrawal.

B. In the event of exclusion from the programme or the School, or if the intended degree is not validated, the student remains liable for the full tuition fees and no refund is permitted.

C. Any refund of tuition fees will be made by direct bank transfer to the admitted applicant / student’s bank account within a 30-days end of month timeframe. The admitted applicant / student will be responsible for all bank charges, commissions, and losses related to the exchange rate.

D. Any change, notably from the admitted programme, and/or mode and/or rhythm is subject to approval of DSTI. If the student tuition fees are funded by a third party, said paying third party may also be involved in approving any change. Should a change be granted and a variation in the due tuition fees arises:

  1. New tuition fees are higher than the previous: the student and her/his paying third-party (when applicable) must settle the tuition fees balance according to her/his fees payment schedule before the changes are acted and notified by DSTI administrative services.
  2. New tuition fees are the same as previous: the changes are formally notified by DSTI administrative services.
  3. New tuition fees are lower than the previous: the changes are formally notified by DSTI administrative services, which will also refund fees to any due party, as per C above.

E. Force Majeure: In unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters or pandemics, tuition refunds will remain at DSTI’s discretion. The party that is subject to force majeure shall promptly notify the other party and submit to the other party a sufficient and valid proof of force majeure within a reasonable period after the end of force majeure. Otherwise, the corresponding liability shall not be waived.

Non-visa seekers:

(on-campus UE residents without visa requirements, Live Streamed, Online)

1. In the event that an admitted applicant decides not to participate in the programme and provided that DSTI is informed before September 1st at 23:59 (Paris time) for Autumn entries, or March 1st at 23:59 (Paris time) for Spring entries, DSTI will refund all tuition fees paid, except for the deposit.

If an admitted candidate decides not to participate in the programme after these stated deadlines, she/he will be liable for 50% of the total yearly tuition fees.

2. Students who decide to leave the programme on the first day or thereafter are liable for 100% of the tuition yearly fees. Similarly, if a student defers their place to the following academic year and then decides not to participate in the programme, 100% of the yearly tuition fees remain due.

3. If an admitted applicant has received a conditional acceptance but is unable to meet the required conditions before the start of the programme, DSTI will refund all tuition fees paid, except the deposit. However, the candidate may also choose to defer their enrolment to the next session of the programme, in which case the payments will be transferred.

4. In the event of exclusion from the programme or the School, or if the intended degree is not validated, the student remains liable for the full tuition fees and no refund is permitted.

5. Any refund of tuition fees will be made by direct bank transfer to the admitted applicant / student’s bank account within a 30-days end of month timeframe. The admitted applicant / student will be responsible for all bank charges, commissions, and losses related to the exchange rate.

6. Any change, notably from the admitted programme, and/or mode and/or rhythm is subject to approval of DSTI. If the student tuition fees are funded by a third party, said paying third party may also be involved in approving any change. Should a change be granted and a variation in the due tuition fees arises:

  1. New tuition fees are higher than the previous: the student and her/his paying third-party (when applicable) must settle the tuition fees balance according to her/his fees payment schedule before the changes are acted and notified by DSTI administrative services.
  2. New tuition fees are the same as previous: the changes are formally notified by DSTI administrative services.
  3. New tuition fees are lower than the previous: the changes are formally notified by DSTI administrative services, which will also refund fees to any due party, as per 5 above.

 

E. Force Majeure: In unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters or pandemics, tuition refunds will remain at DSTI’s discretion. The party that is subject to force majeure shall promptly notify the other party and submit to the other party a sufficient and valid proof of force majeure within a reasonable period after the end of force majeure. Otherwise, the corresponding liability shall not be waived.