FLS TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Age Restrictions
FLS offers programs for a wide range of students, however we do have the following age restrictions:
English Language Programs: Students must be at least 15 years of age to participate in these programs. There is no upper age limit. FLS can accommodate some younger students under special circumstances; please contact us if you have questions. These students will be required to purchase additional services such as the Unaccompanied Minor ($100.00) or Homestay Transportation ($50.00/week) services as a condition of their enrollment at FLS International.
Specialty Tours: Students must be at least 15 years of age for most programs, unless special permission is granted by FLS and with the following exceptions:
· Harvard STEM Camp is open to students 12 and older.
· Immersion and family programs are open to students 6 and older. Please contact your FLS representative for specific options and details.
The minimum age for homestay accommodation is 15. Exceptions can be made with prior approval.
The minimum age for student residences is as follows:
International Guest House, Boston Commons – 16
2. Airport Pick-Up and Drop-Off
Airport Pick-Up service includes being met at the airport by an FLS International representative, and transportation from the airport to the student's accommodation. FLS requires flight information at least 14 days before arrival in the United States. The Airport Pick-Up fee will not be refunded if a transfer is missed due to information received after this deadline or due to a failure to inform FLS of changes in the itinerary. Please note that an Airport Drop-Off service at the completion of the program is available for an additional fee.
Unaccompanied Minor Service: Upon request, FLS will provide the name and contact information of a specific designated driver to the student and airline for pick-up and provide chaperone service to airport security for airport drop-off. Any students requesting Unaccompanied Minor Service from the airline must also select the FLS Unaccompanied Minor Service. Cost is $100.00, one way.
3. Accommodation Check-In and Check-Out
We strongly recommend students use our transfer service. Students who use the FLS transfer service will be checked in to their accommodation upon arrival as part of this service.
Check in is the Sunday prior to program start. Student flights should arrive no later than 9:00 PM. Students booking flights to arrive later than 9:00 PM may be asked to book a hotel or alternative accommodation at their expense.
Check out is the Saturday after program end. Students should leave their homestay prior to 12:00 noon. Later check out is by request only, is not guaranteed, and will incur an additional fee.
If students choose not to use our transfer service:
For student residences, students must check-in at the FLS office during regular business hours.
For homestay, students are responsible for communicating their arrival time with the host family. Students should arrive between 2:00-9:00 p.m. on the Sunday before their program begins.
Students are expected to leave their accommodation by 12:00 p.m. on the Saturday after their program ends. Students who request to leave housing after 12:00 p.m. on Saturday should note that such requests are not guaranteed, and if granted will incur an additional housing charge.
4. Accommodation Policies
FLS’s general policy is not to place an individual student in a home with another student with the same native language unless specifically requested to do so. During periods of high enrollment FLS may, at its discretion, temporarily place students of the same language in the same home. In the case of group tour programs, group students will be placed in twin accommodations with students from their same group, unless other arrangements are agreed to by contract. FLS will not place students of opposite genders in the same family.
Housing Placement Fee This administrative fee of $200.00 is required to process the student’s FLS accommodation. This fee is non-refundable.
Change of Housing Fee: If students change their housing option from a lower cost option to a higher cost option (for example, when a student changes from twin room homestay to single room homestay or from no housing to student residence), students must:
A. Pay the $200.00 Housing Change Fee
B. Pay any supplemental fees (or the difference between supplemental fees) as noted on the current FLS price sheet.
Student Residence and Meal Plans
For students in student residences or who have a meal plan through the Host College or University, please note that the school cafeteria will be closed or have limited service during University vacation periods.
Homestay Policies
FLS offers two types of homestay accommodation. A ‘twin room’ placement refers to an accommodation in which two students share the same room. A 'single room' placement refers to an accommodation with two or more students, but where each student has their own room. Single room homestay is only available during specified times of the year. In each case, the student can expect to share a bathroom with other international students or family members.
Homestay Selection Process
FLS operates full 'in-house' homestay services. This means that we do not use outside homestay agencies in our careful selection process or in our homestay administration. FLS maintains a full-time, 'in-house' housing coordinator at each center to ensure direct and prompt attention to the concerns of homestay students and families. The pool of FLS families is maintained in a database that assists in matching a student's desired homestay conditions (e.g. pets or no pets, children or no children, smoking or no smoking, etc.).
Each new family must go through a strict selection process. The family selection process is as follows:
A. We obtain family applicants through referrals from existing FLS families, area churches, and community service organizations (e.g. Elks Clubs, Lions Club, PTA, etc.).
B. Families must complete a detailed application including reference information from relatives, friends, and employers. We contact these references to insure the family's solid community reputation as well as for student security and satisfaction.
C. The FLS Housing Coordinator visits the homestay applicant for an interview and home inspection. The homestay must be thoroughly clean, comfortable, and secure and the student's room furnished appropriately with a bed, dresser or closet, and a place to study. In addition, the homestay must be within 45 minutes to the school by public transportation.
Homestay Placement Process
Homestay placements are administered as follows:
A. At least two weeks in advance of the student’s arrival, the host family receives the student’s information and the student receives the host family profile.
B. Upon arrival, an FLS housing representative conducts a homestay orientation.
C. The homestay family and student thoroughly read an agreement outlining the conditions of the homestay including use of the laundry room, kitchen facilities, meals, telephone, and other details of day-to-day homestay life. Families and students also receive a 24-hour FLS contact number for any urgent situation requiring special assistance.
D. The first seven days of the homestay are a probationary period. Students can change homestay families during this period if they are unhappy or uncomfortable with any aspect of their experience without an additional charge.
Homestay Transfers: If a transfer to another homestay family after the first week is desired, notification to the original homestay family is required 15 days in advance. There is a $200.00 housing transfer fee that must be paid to FLS International prior to transfer.
5. Cancellations, Terminations and Refunds
Cancellation Prior to Program Start:
DO NOT SEND TUITION OR HOUSING PAYMENT TO FLS UNTIL YOU ARE SURE OF YOUR PLANS.
If an applicant accepted by FLS cancels prior to the start of their scheduled program, FLS will refund all monies paid, to the payer, less any actual housing costs, application fees, and other fees incurred by FLS. This refund will be given as transferrable credit.
Visa Denial
DO NOT SEND TUITION OR HOUSING PAYMENT TO FLS UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR VISA.
"Visa Denial” occurs when a potential student is denied an F-1 student visa by the U.S. consulate. Qualified students who are denied a visa should notify FLS and FLS will provide a letter of support for a second visa interview.
In cases where a student has sent payment to FLS prior to receiving a visa and the visa is denied, FLS requires proof of visa denial. If approved, FLS will retain payment for application, accommodation placement, housing, and other applicable fees for services rendered. Any remaining balance will be refunded, to the payer, as transferrable credit.
‘No Show’ Students: If an applicant enters the U.S. on an FLS I-20 and never attends class (‘No Show’), FLS will retain all fees paid.
Reporting: In order to be activated and registered in SEVIS, F-1 students must report to their FLS International campus in person, and enroll and register in classes. The enrollment process includes paying tuition and completing the student contract. Students who do not report in person, or who fail to complete their program, may have their I-20 terminated for ‘Failure to Enroll’ or ‘No Show Termination’.
Withdrawal:
No refunds will be given for the first four weeks of the student’s program. If 25% or less of the program has been completed 50% of the unused tuition will be refunded. If more than 25% and less than 50% has been completed, 25% of the unused tuition will be refunded. If 50% or more of the program has been completed, no refund will be made. FLS will refund the payer by with transferrable credit.
In regard to program extensions: No refunds will be given for the first four weeks of the student’s program extension. If 25% or less of the program extension has been completed 50% of the unused tuition will be refunded. If more than 25% and less than 50% of the program extension has been completed, 25% of the unused tuition will be refunded. If 50% or more of the program extension has been completed, no refund will be made. FLS will refund the payer by with transferrable credit.
Extensions are calculated as their own new program, rather than a continuation of the initial program.
Refunds will be issued in the form of transferrable credit, to be used by the student or a person the student designates for any future FLS program or service.
Students who are terminated due to violation of FLS’ written disciplinary and/or attendance policies, or local, state, or federal law are not eligible for a refund.
Early Withdrawal and SEVIS Status: F-1 students who withdraw from their program before their scheduled program end date will be Terminated in SEVIS for early withdrawal in accordance with SEVIS regulations. Students who provide documentation of acceptance to a college or university degree program are exempt from this provision.
Program Changes: If a student needs to shorten their FLS program, it is best that FLS is notified before a student leaves their home country. If FLS is notified before the student’s arrival in the US, students may shorten the program without penalty.
After a student has arrived in the United States they may shorten their program, but the FLS refund policy applies.
Students who have already started their FLS program and wish to change to a program with fewer hours of study per week (for example, from Intensive English to General English) are not eligible for a refund on any unused hours of tuition.
Health Insurance Refund: Health insurance fees can only be refunded for complete 4-week terms that are not begun. Health insurance fee refunds are not prorated on a weekly basis.
Homestay Refund: No refunds will be given for the first four weeks of accommodation. If 25% or less of the program has been completed 50% of the unused accommodation portion will be refunded. If more than 25% and less than 50% has been completed, 25% of the unused accommodation portion will be refunded. If 50% or more of the program has been completed, no accommodation refund will be made. FLS will refund the payer with transferrable credit.
Student Residence Refund and Cancellation Policy:
FLS contracts with the International Guest House (IGH) in Boston for housing for our English Language Program. All fees for housing are payable from the students directly to the IGH and are not invoiced by FLS. Students should consult with the IGH regarding their current refund policies.
For Tour programs FLS sells housing at the IGH has part of the package. Please note that since Tours are fewer than four weeks, there is no housing refund.
6. Force Majeure
FLS shall not be responsible for any failure to comply with any of its obligations if the failure is occasioned by any cause beyond FLS’s reasonable control and despite the exercise of reasonable diligence and without incurring additional costs, cannot be prevented or avoided. Force majeure events shall include but shall not be limited to, act of government, war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, general labor disturbance, such as a boycott, strike, lockout, or ‘go slow’ directives’, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, unusually adverse weather conditions, infectious diseases, viruses, plague, epidemic or pandemic health crises (caused by viruses such as Ebola, H1N1, H5N1, Zika, COVID-19, and other communicable diseases), or any action taken by a government or public authority, including prohibition of entry into a country or region of a country, promulgation of quarantine measures, ordering the “lockdown” of the whole or part of a country. It is acknowledged that the epidemic health crisis in connection with COVID-19 and any related quarantine and actions of a governmental authority shall be considered a force majeure event for the purpose of these FLS Terms and Conditions, even though the health crisis has arisen prior to the effective date.
Without prejudice to the foregoing, FLS will do its utmost to provide the necessary care of students affected by causes beyond its control; however extra accommodation, transfers, repatriation and any other expenses resulting from such causes are to be borne by the student. If, notwithstanding that it has no obligation to do so, FLS covers any costs for which the student is responsible, FLS shall be refunded such costs in full.
7. Insurance
All international students must hold medical insurance during their stay in the United States. If an applicant cannot provide documentation of insurance before arrival, that student must purchase medical insurance through FLS for the duration of his or her stay.
8. Payments
Please make all fees payable to FLS International and mail them to: 680 East Colorado Blvd., Suite 180, Second Floor, Pasadena, CA, USA, 91101. Wire transfers should be sent to: FLS International Account # 325119985911 Transit # 026009593 Swift Code# BOFAUS3N Bank of America, 222 Broadway, New York, NY TEL: 704-386-5681.
Please indicate the student's number, student’s name, the date, the amount of the transfer, and the invoice number on the wire.
We also accept VISA, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards as a form of payment.
9. Student Behavior
FLS realizes that it can be difficult for students to adjust to new environments. Our advisors are experienced in dealing with these issues and will make every effort to help students cope with stressful circumstances. However, FLS International reserves the right to discipline students for disregard of school regulations or behavior policies, illegal activities, or inappropriate or illegal use of drugs or alcohol, as defined by FLS International and the Center Director or Program Coordinator at the site.
Students who disobey or disregard FLS and/or host campus rules and regulations will be counseled. Depending on the severity of the offense, the student will receive a verbal or written warning, probation, suspension or expulsion from the program. The Center Director will make the determination based on the severity of the offense and the student’s behavior record. Please note that in case of severe behavior problems, the Center Director may skip one or more steps in the disciplinary process.
In addition, F-1 students are advised that engaging in any criminal or unauthorized conduct, such as unauthorized employment, will be grounds for termination in accordance with U.S. SEVIS regulations.
The decision of FLS International in such matters will be final and no refunds will be issued in such cases.
Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress or fail to meet attendance requirements will be placed on probation and may be terminated from the program if their performance or attendance does not improve.
10. Textbooks
Core class textbooks are included in the tuition price. Other textbooks are provided on loan at no charge. If students wish to purchase their elective class book, FLS will quote a price for purchase.
11. Damage to Property
Students must pay the full cost of any damage they cause to property. Damage deposits may apply to certain accommodation options. These are payable upon arrival at FLS.
12. Photography and Filming
Students agree that photographs, videos, artworks, or other works, as well as recorded or written testimonials may be used, stored or transferred internationally by FLS, or by third party agents, for promotional purposes including printed and online marketing materials and on any social media network without further consent or notification. If students do not wish to participate, FLS will respect their wishes, but it is the student’s responsibility to absent themselves from photography or filming sessions.
13. Transportation
Students in the English Language Programs aged 15 and older should expect to use public transportation to travel to and from school. On occasion, FLS may accept a student under the age of 15 for our programs. In this case, FLS policy is not to permit students under the age of 15 to use public transportation without supervision. These students will be required to pay the Homestay Transportation fee of $90.00 per week. Transportation is included with all specialty tour programs.
14. Family Visitations
For minor students (under the age of 18) who intend to arrange a visit with relatives during their FLS program, the student’s parent or guardian must complete and sign a Family Visit Authorization form. This form may be obtained upon request from any FLS staff member.