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Rules and Regulations

Payment Options

You have a number of payment options including Transfermate, Bank Transfer or Credit Card.

Whatever type of payment you choose, proof of payment of fees must be sent to us. Please quote your Student Reference Number on all correspondence. Your Student Reference Number is essential to track your payments. Please email a scanned copy of your payment type to us.

We have chosen TRANSFERMATE as our preferred option because:

  • It is secure and efficient and is done online.
  • You can pay online by bank transfer or by credit card.
  • You can pay in your own local currency and see the euro amounts due to us.
  • Bank charges do not apply.
  • Both you, the student, and we, the school, can very easily track your payments from beginning to end.
  • There are additional options for specific countries which you can see on https://www.transfermate.com/

Payment 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

PLEASE NOTE

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.

Bank Transfer

Please contact the school directly if you wish to get our bank account details.
All bank charges are the responsibility of the student.
Failure to quote YOUR STUDENT NUMBER as the payment reference number will mean that we cannot track your payment.

Payment by credit card

Payment by credit card is subject to an additional 2.5% charge of the total fee due.
Failure to quote YOUR STUDENT NUMBER as the payment reference number will mean that we cannot track your payment.

PLEASE NOTE
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.

Terms & Conditions of Registration

To enrol on a GBS programme complete all sections of the GBS registration form and send it with a non-refundable deposit of €300.00 euro by Bank Transfer or credit card.  Student must fulfill the course entry requirements with regard to education and language requirements. We require copies of all relevant documentation. Starting dates vary depending on chosen programme.  There are limited places on some courses. Upon receipt of your registration form we will confirm your place and send you a full invoice. Full settlement of the account must be made prior to your course commencement date. Proof of payment of fees must be sent to us. Please email a copy of your bank transfer and quote your student reference number and name on all correspondence. Failure to do so may result in your place being forfeited.  Should you apply past the registration date a late registration fee of €100.00 will apply providing there are still places available on your chosen course. Books and materials are not included.

Cancellations and Changes to Bookings 

For cancellations up to 28 days before course commencement full fees will be refunded except the non-refundable deposit of Euro €300.00. Notification of cancellations must be received in writing. For cancellations of 28 days or less the deposit will be retained and the following percentages of the course fees will be refunded:

14 - 28 days before: 50% of course fees will be refunded.

Less than 14 days: 30% of course fees will be refunded.

Students cannot change between one course and another except at the discretion of the directors of the school. GBS reserves the right to change any of the details given in any course brochure or the composition of the lecturing team and that the course commencement is dependant on student demand and that the courses’ fees will not be refunded once a course has commenced as it is the school policy not to refund fees irrespective of the circumstances.  

Insurance and 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. 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 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 facilitate the specific condition, 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 skin, bronchial, stomach or other conditions that might infect others or are such that you cannot be in a school situation. You will need a doctor’s letter to confirm that you are now 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 30 minutes by bus depending on traffic. Accommodation is only organised for students attending a course at GCI or GBS. Half board is provided in host families from Monday to Friday and full board at the weekends. The majority of families are non-smoking.

Special requests with regard to pets, children, allergies, location of accommodation, diet (vegetarian, vegan, halal, coeliac, etc.), incur additional supplements. These requests must be made at the time of the initial booking. Please note that these requests cannot be guaranteed. If the preferred option is unavailable, the next best option will be allocated. 

Extra nights are possible in a host family at an extra cost subject to availability. Staying over Christmas in a host family is not possible. Residences are reserved from Saturday to Saturday. 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 Deposit Form agreeing to abide by the rules and regulations of GCI / GBS residential accommodation. A security deposit for residential accommodation is payable in advance or on your first day at school. This can be paid by direct debit or by laser card on arrival. Credit cards can also be used (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 administrative fee will apply. Extensions to accommodation must be done through the school and not through the host family or through the landlord.

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. We can organise a Meet & Greet Service for you on your arrival. A GCI / GBS representative meets you at Arrivals, brings you to the bus and you are met in Galway by another school representative and brought to your accommodation. A Meet & Greet Service is obligatory for under-18 year olds.  (This is required according to Irish law)

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

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.gobus.ie; www.citylink.ie. If you choose to travel by train from Dublin to Galway, you will need to transfer to the Hueston Train Station first. Buses from Shannon, Cork and Knock airports are with www.citylink.ie or with www.buseireann.ie. If we organise your transfer for you, we need your mobile number in case of any delay or change.

English Only & Attendance 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 (minimum 85% required), as is participation in class.
These policies ensure that all students gain the maximum benefit from their course and from their ability to communicate and interact with other students and personnel within the school.


Failure to adhere to these policies will result in students being asked to leave the class or the school.
Persistently speaking a language other than English or persistent absence or late arrivals will result in a student being asked to leave their course permanently. There will be no exceptions.

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 €300) 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. 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 INIS (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.

Visa Process in Galway

To land in Ireland as a non-EU citizen, you will need the following to present to Immigration:
-    your passport 
-    confirmation from GCI / GBS of your course booking
-    confirmation of your accommodation address in Galway
-    proof of purchased medical insurance
-    confirmation of payment to GCI / GBS
When you arrive at the airport, Immigration usually stamps your passport with a visa for one month.

You can, in certain circumstances, use a bank statement from your home country but it must be an original document from the bank with the amount shown. You can also use alternative insurance to the GCI product but it must be regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and it must have your Irish address on it.

For all academic year courses due to begin after 1 July 2023, you must show evidence that you have immediate access to at least
Once you arrive in Galway you will need to:
• Open a bank account and deposit €3,000 in that bank account (we bring you to the bank in your first week)
• Get letters from the bank, the school, proof of address and proof of medical insurance (we help you with this process)
• Go to Immigration (GNIB, Galway) with your passport and all the necessary documents (we help you with all the documentation and the process).
• You will need €300.00 to pay for your IRP card.
• All this must be done in the first four weeks of your stay.
The GNIB Immigration Officer has the final authority to decide whether these documents are acceptable.

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 of IALC. 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.