Kopanyo Investments t/a Adam Kok Institute

Refund Policy

Document Name
Refund Policy
Document Number
AKIPOL-AP-309
Approved Date
01 April 2025
Next Revision Date
01 April 2028

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviation Meaning
CEO Chief Executive Officer
FLC Foundational Learning Competence
MIS Management Information System
PoE Portfolio of Evidence
QAS Qualification Assessment Specification
QCTO Quality Council for Trades and Occupations
SDP Skills Development Provider
SOP Standard Operating Procedure

Definitions

Refund:
Repayment of fees, part-fees or deposits paid by a learner when withdrawal or cancellation conditions are met.
Learner:
A person registered for an occupational qualification, part-qualification or skills programme.
Deposit:
Advance payment to secure a training place; may be partially or fully non-refundable.
Withdrawal:
A learner's voluntary exit or the Institute's cancellation/postponement of a programme.
Cooling-Off Period:
Fixed period after enrolment when the learner may withdraw with minimal financial penalty.
Forfeiture:
The portion of fees or deposits retained by the Institute to cover administrative costs, materials, or external expenses.

Document Control

Policy Title Refund Policy
Organisation Kopanyo Investments t/a Adam Kok Institute
Accreditation Role Skills Development Provider (SDP) under QCTO
Effective Date __________________
Next Review Date __________________ (three years from Effective Date)
Version Number 1.0
Approved By Chief Executive Officer

1. Purpose

To outline procedures for fee refunds, withdrawals, cancellations and forfeitures in a manner that is fair to learners and sustainable for the Institute, while ensuring compliance with QCTO requirements.

2. Scope

Applies to all learners enrolled in QCTO-accredited occupational qualifications, part-qualifications or skills programmes, covering course fees, deposits, materials, and assessment-related costs.

3. Principles of Fairness

  1. Learner Fairness: Learners are provided clear information on fees, deposits, refund eligibility, cooling-off periods, and consequences of withdrawal prior to enrolment.
  2. Provider Fairness: The Institute retains the right to recover costs already incurred for training, assessment, materials, or external fees to maintain operational sustainability.
  3. Transparency: All fee, refund, and forfeiture conditions are communicated in enrolment agreements.
  4. Equity: Refunds will not discriminate and will account for learners' circumstances where possible, while balancing institutional obligations.

4. Fees, Deposit, Payment and Forfeiture Terms

Deposit

1. Deposit Requirement A deposit is required to secure a learner's place.
2. Cooling-Off Period (5 calendar days) Deposit is fully refundable if the learner withdraws within 5 calendar days of enrolment (cooling-off period).

Withdrawal Before Programme Commencement

1. Withdrawal 6–14 calendar days after enrolment 50% of deposit forfeited, remaining fees refunded.
2. Withdrawal 15–30 calendar days after enrolment 100% of deposit forfeited, remaining fees refunded.

Withdrawal After Programme Commencement

1. Within first 5 calendar days of programme start 25% of total programme fees forfeited to cover administration and materials; remainder refunded.
2. 6–15 calendar days after programme start 50% of total programme fees forfeited; remainder refunded.
3. 16–30 calendar days after programme start 75% of total programme fees forfeited; remainder refunded.
4. After 30 calendar days from programme start No refund; full fees forfeited.

External Costs (EISA/Registration Fees)

1. Non-refundable External Fees Any external fees already paid to Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) or QCTO are non-refundable once registration is submitted.
2. Learner Notification Learners are informed of these non-recoverable costs at enrolment.

Cancellation by the Institute

1. More than 5 calendar days before programme start Full refund of all fees paid.
2. Less than 5 calendar days before start Pro-rata refund for unused learning hours, minus any non-recoverable external costs.

Processing Time

Refund Processing Refunds are processed within 20 working days of the Institute acknowledging the withdrawal request.

Fairness Principles

  1. Learners are given clear, prescriptive rules upfront in enrolment agreements.
  2. Forfeiture is proportionate to administrative and external costs incurred by the Institute.
  3. The policy balances learner rights to refund with the Institute's operational sustainability.

5. Cooling-Off and Withdrawal Procedure

  1. Submit written notice of withdrawal to the Quality Assurance Officer within the stipulated period.
  2. Refunds will be processed within 20 working days of approval.
  3. Disputes about refund calculation may be escalated through the Institute's Complaints and Appeals Policy.

6. Cancellation by the Institute

  1. Prior to programme commencement: full refund of fees paid, or transfer to alternative programme at equivalent value.
  2. After commencement: pro-rata refund for remaining learning hours, minus any non-recoverable costs and reasonable administrative fees.
  3. Learners will be notified as soon as possible; refund processing within 15 working days.

7. External Costs and EISA

  1. Fees paid for external assessment registrations (EISA) may be non-refundable once submitted to the AQP.
  2. Learners are informed of all non-recoverable costs at enrolment.

8. Record Keeping and Reporting

  1. Maintain records of all refund requests, approvals, payments, and forfeitures for 5 years.
  2. Data used to monitor trends, improve policies, and report to QCTO as required.

9. Roles and Responsibilities

Role Responsibility
Learner Submit withdrawal/refund requests timely; provide required documentation.
Quality Assurance Officer Log requests, communicate decisions, monitor adherence to timelines.
Finance Department Verify payments, calculate refund/forfeiture, process payments.
Programme Manager Ensure learners are informed of policy, monitor compliance.
CEO Approve exceptional cases, ensure policy enforcement and fairness balance.

10. Continuous Improvement

Annual review of refund trends, forfeiture fairness, and learner feedback to enhance policy transparency and institutional sustainability.

11. Communication of Policy

Published in learner handbook, enrolment agreements, on the Institute website, and explained during induction.

12. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed every three (3) years, or sooner if required by QCTO policy, legislation, or operational changes.

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