Terms and Conditions

Key Facts

• Galway Business School & Galway Cultural Institute share the same campus in Salthill
• All courses run on a full-time / day basis and part-time / evening basis
• Students must meet the minimum entry requirements in English language for entry - 6.0 IELTS or equivalent for year 1; 6.5 IELTS or equivalent for entry into all other years. Should you wish to take an international examination GCI is a Cambridge and IELTS exam testing centre / venue. Many exams take place on Saturday
• A Placement Test is obligatory for all non-native speakers of English and a minimum of three weeks pre-sessional English language is obligatory for non-native speakers of English who join a degree programme.
• Books and materials for English classes are extra.
• Classes usually start at 13.00 for full-time students, and at 18.30 for part-time students.
• Insurance is obligatory for non-EEA and must be issued by a body regulated by the Irish authorities.

On your first week, you will have orientation and induction, when your ID card will be processed and this gives you access to GCI / GBS facilities, discounts in Ozone café, and in shops and restaurants locally. Updated timetables for lectures, workshops, assessment schedules; study tips etc. are given at this time as well as a link to the Student Handbook Students get access to our Virtual Learning Environment, Moodle, our online library resource, Turnitin system as well as access to all physical and virtual resources in the school. 

GCI / GBS have an English only policy and failure to speak English may result in a student being asked to leave the school on a temporary or permanent basis. Class attendance is obligatory.
GCI / GBS have a no-smoking policy.

Respect for property, people, other nationalities and customs must be shown at all times.

WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY NUMBER 24/7 - +353 87 2478128

How to Book

Book online at HERE and send it with a non-refundable deposit of €700.00 within 7 days. 

For visa requiring students, you must use our Transfermate escrow account.

You must also send us the following:
• copy of your passport
• statement of purpose
• any previous academic certificates to include final high school certification or university / college certificates
• completed CV

Upon receipt of your registration form we will confirm your place and send you a full invoice and will issue you with a unique student number which you must quote on all communication with us. Full settlement of the account should be made 30 days in advance of course start date. Should you register late, full fees must be sent on receipt of invoice.

Proof of payment of fees must be sent to us and please email a scanned copy of your bank transfer, and quote your STUDENT REFERENCE NUMBER on all correspondence.

Full fees must be received before accommodation details are sent. These are usually sent two weeks prior to your arrival.

Attendance & Code of Conduct Policies

GCI and GBS operate an English ONLY policy both in class and in the school building and grounds. Attendance is obligatory and is monitored daily (minimum 85% required), as is participation in class. GBS has a strict policy on active learning and engagement. These policies ensure that all students gain the maximum benefit from their course and from their ability to tackle their assessments and enhance their future careers.

Failure to adhere to these policies will result in students being asked to leave the class or the school.  Persistent absence or late arrivals will result in a student being asked to leave their course permanently. There will be no exceptions.
GBS has a very strict Academic Code of Conduct which includes conduct in class, assessment submission, conduct for exams and use of all the facilities on campus including the library. All these policies are in the Student Handbook which is given at Induction.

Payment Options 

You have a number of payment options. We have chosen TRANSFERMATE as our preferred option because:
- it is secure and efficient and is done online.
- you can pay by bank transfer or by credit card.
- you can pay in your own local currency and see the euro amounts due to us.
- you, the student, and we, the school, can very easily track your payments from beginning to end.

PAYMENT STEPS USING TRANSFERMATE
To pay your fees:
i) You can log on directly to our page on TRANSFERMATE to begin the payment process.
ii) Choose your country & select your course
iii) Enter the total amount to pay in €Euro and select the payment method
iv) Next, follow the steps and enter your details (Name, surname, Date of birth, etc)
v) Confirm your booking

PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD
Payment by credit card is subject to an additional 2.5% charge of the total fee due.

VISA REQUIRING STUDENTS
You must pay through TRANSFERMATE Escrow Account where your fees will be held on behalf of the student and GCI/GBS pending the VISA Decision.

Failure to quote YOUR STUDENT NUMBER as the payment reference number will mean that we cannot track your payment.

We will send your accommodation details and arrival information approximately two weeks before departure. These are subject to receipt of full payment of your fees into GCI / GBS bank account. 

Cancellations & Changes to Bookings

For cancellations up to 2 weeks before course commencement, full fees will be refunded except the non-refundable deposit of €700.

For cancellations of 14 days or less, the deposit will be retained and the following percentages of the course fees will be refunded:

• 7–14 days: 50% of course fees will be refunded
• Less than 7 days: 30% of course fees will be refunded

Once the course has commenced fees will not be refunded irrespective of the circumstances. This includes late arrival/early departure or days missed during the course.

Additional Administration Fee
Additional services that are added after the initial booking.
There is an additional administration fee of €35.00 charged for each booking change after the initial booking. This applies but is not limited to changes of dates, changes of accommodation & of courses (for example, special diet, halal, vegetarian, coeliac, special preferences, additional or reduced number of nights, health insurance etc.) will incur this fee. Fees / tuition weeks are non-transferable and non-refundable irrespective of the circumstances.

Insurance & Health

All students should be in a fit state of health to reasonably carry out the course and accommodation type they have booked.

All participants should provide their own health and travel insurance, including EEA nationals. Participants from EEA countries should obtain a EHIC Card from their local Social Welfare Office before departure – see http://ec.europa.eu This only entitles you to free emergency hospital care and attendance at certain doctors. It does not cover elective medical or dental treatment.

We strongly advise you to insure against loss of fees, personal effects, flights etc. that you may incur due to cancellation or early arrival or late departure. Any person undergoing any type of medical treatment should bring a medical certificate and should bring sufficient medicine to cover their stay in Ireland.

Important health or psychological problems must be brought to the attention of GCI/GBS before enrolling so that the school can approve the booking and make reasonable accommodations for you, where possible.  Failure to do so may result in the booking being cancelled even after the course has commenced and the student being sent home.

These include illnesses or conditions that may manifest themselves during the stay that may be deemed to be in any way contagious, whether real or imagined, and include, but are not limited to viral, bacterial, skin, bronchial, stomach or other conditions that might infect others or are such that you cannot be in a school situation.

Once you have recovered, you will need a doctor’s letter to confirm that you are fit to return to the school. In serious situations, you may be asked to return home.

All costs associated with such conditions, including medicines, fumigations, laundry etc. either of you, the school, or the accommodation, are the sole responsibility of the student. We have a duty of care to you and to all other students and staff members in our care and have to take the necessary steps to ensure the best outcome for everyone.

Accommodation

Accommodation is reserved on a weekly basis – i.e. 7 nights either for host family or residential accommodation. The minimum stay is one week.

Distance from accommodation to school is between 5 minutes’ walk to 45 minutes by bus depending on traffic.

Accommodation is only organised for students attending a course at GCI or GBS.

IF THE PREFFERED OPTION IS UNAVIALABLE, THE NEXT BEST OPTION WILL BE ALLOCATED.

Residences are reserved from Saturday to Saturday and are subject to price increases throughout the year. Accommodation assigned at booking may be subject to change.

Residential apartments are self-catering and are for students of 18+. All residential accommodation is non-smoking.

Extra nights are not available in residence and alternatives (B&B or Host Family) are subject to availability.

Students are required to fill in and sign a Residential Student Contract agreeing to abide by the rules and regulations of GCI / GBS residential accommodation. By signing the form, you are agreeing that you abide by the rules and regulations, respect the property, other tenants, and pay for any breakages, rules infringements, damage caused, lost keys, antisocial behaviour, noise including causing annoyance to neighbours in a disapproval manner. Parties are strictly forbidden.

A security deposit for residential accommodation is payable for long stay students and it will be on your invoice. Credit cards can also be used for deposits (and a 2.5% fee applies). Cash is not accepted for residential deposits.

Accommodation fees are non-refundable. For more than one change to accommodation an additional registration fee will apply to each change.

Transfers

It is easy to travel to Galway from all airports in Ireland - Dublin, Shannon, Knock & Cork airports. You can either take a bus or the train. We can book your preferred transfer option for you once you send us your flight arrival times. 

You can travel by bus directly from Dublin Airport to Galway city centre. Buses are quick, cheap and are the best option, in our view. We can book it for you. 

Two bus companies that you can use are www.citylink.ie; www.aircoach.ie 

If you choose to travel by train from Dublin to Galway, you will need to transfer to the Heuston Train Station first. Buses from Shannon, Cork and Knock airports are with www.citylink.ie or with www.buseireann.ie

We can also organise a Private Taxi Transfer from Dublin, Cork or Shannon airports directly to your accommodation in Galway.

A Meet & Greet Service is an additional service we provide for students on arrival at the airport. A GCI / GBS representative meets you at Arrivals in the airport (with a sign with your name), brings you to the bus to Galway. The representative does not travel with you. On arrival at Galway Coach Station you are met by another school representative and brought to your accommodation. Included in the price of the Meet & Greet is the Bus Ticket to Galway and the Taxi Transfer to your accommodation. You can choose to have this service on Arrival only, or on Arrival and Departure. A Meet & Greet Service is obligatory for ALL under-18 year olds. (This is required by Irish law) In order to organise your transfer, we need your flight details and mobile phone number in case of any delays or changes.

Visa

We can assist you in your application for a VISA should you require one. Please allow a minimum of 6+ weeks to process your VISA application. We recommend that long stay students apply for a D-VISA.
All fees must be paid in advance and are refundable (except for the deposit of €700.00) in the case of a visa being refused unless false documentation has been submitted. This includes a minimum of four weeks accommodation and medical insurance.
For Visa Requiring Students: You must pay through Transfermate Escrow Account where your fees will be held on behalf of the student and GCI/GBS pending the VISA Decision.

Delays in issuing visas will mean that a course is postponed to the next course starting date and additional charges may apply.

Fees will not be refunded if a visa is denied due to submission of false or inaccurate information.

Visa applications are available from http://www.inis.gov.ie/ There is a fee of €300 each time a visa is issued or extended by IRP (Irish Immigration).

Visa requiring and all non EEA students must have adequate health insurance to cover their stay in Ireland and is available for purchase from the school.

Students, particularly long stay non-EEA students, are required to sit an international examination while they are in GCI as part of their visa conditions.  When you arrive at the airport, Immigration usually stamps your passport with a visa for one month.

PPS Number

PPS number is a Personal Public Social Number and is required if you wish to work in Galway.

It is also required if you are undertaking a Department of Education (QQI) degree or certificate. Find out how to apply here. 

You will need your passport, proof of address (i.e. bank letter) and a letter from the school. Students who require a visa to stay in Ireland cannot get a PPS number if they are staying here for less than 25 weeks.

You should have an offer of a job before applying for a PPS number.

General Conditions 

GCI / GBS cannot accept responsibility for flight delays or changes in timetables by other third parties outside of our control.

We reserve the right to change without notice the contents, dates, times or any other detail of a course brought on by strikes, political events, natural disasters or any other event considered by Management to be pertinent.
GCI & GBS reserve the right to change any of the details given in any course brochure or website or the composition of the lecturing team.

In the event of a dispute, GCI / GBS will endeavour to resolve the issues in a fair and ethical manner. Once this process has been exhausted, GCI / GBS will follow the Dispute Resolution Procedure/Complaints Procedure of IALC/EAQUALS, and the complaint will be referred to the appropriate Ombudsman. In the event of legal action, the court case must be taken where the bulk of the service provided by GCI / GBS has taken place, i.e. Ireland.

The student is responsible for any damage or injury he/she may cause to buildings, furniture, fittings, individuals, families, other students, agents etc., while registered with GCI/ GBS.

Should a student behave in an unseemly and/or inappropriate manner that may bring the school or its agents into disrepute or to cause damage to its reputation or standing in any way, either real or imagined, he/she will be asked to leave the school immediately.
The Management / Directors will be the only arbitrators in any such event. A serious misdemeanour or any infringement of the laws of the land will result in instant dismissal from the school.

The contract between GCI / GBS or related companies and any of its students or agents shall be terminated in the following instances or any such instances as defined by the Management / Directors at any given time:

a) Cause damage of any kind to the Institute / School, its good name either real or imagined, members of staff, host families, residences, other students or any other agent of GCI / GBS or their good name, either real or imagined.
b) If the student behaves in such manner that leads to a disturbance or nuisance.
c) If the student is suspected of or charged with any misdemeanour or crime against the laws of the land. Any costs incurred in any such events will be the responsibility of the student or his/her parents or guardians.

No liability of any kind shall be attached to GCI / GBS for any losses of any kind incurred by the student as a result of GCI / GBS terminating the Contract. It will be a matter entirely for the student to make arrangements for his / her return to their country of origin and to make good any loss suffered by GCI / GBS or its agents.