Payments

Payment is required in full at the time of booking.

The only exception is when you take advantage of one of our two finance packages or through our selected Payment Plan Options.

Please call Freephone 0800 999 2277 to speak with one of our Course Advisors for more advice on our courses and payment options available.

Please note we reserve the right to amend course prices or run promotions at any time, without prior notice. Once a booking is made, the price paid is final and no price difference can be refunded in the event of a later course price reduction.

Refunds

All course fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Deko Finance Courses Only: Those who book full priced courses only, paid for through Deko Finance only; are entitled to exercise their statutory right to cancellation through the ‘cooling off period’. This would need to be received for consideration; in writing within 14 days from the date of booking your course and prior to commencement of any part of the course. Should you fail to attend a booked training day without notifying us of your cancellation in writing, this will cease your cancellation period. Subject to meeting the requirements, any agreed refund of fees would be minus our reasonable costs. The ‘Cooling Off’ period does not apply to Last Minute Offers or promotional packages such as Quick Start packages regardless of payment method; or for any courses paid for through means other than Deko Finance.

In line with new legislation, consumers may wish to visit the following website in the event of any dispute European Online Dispute Resolution.

The Beauty Academy is unable to offer refunds for cancellations outside of our control, i.e. adverse weather conditions, terrorist attacks, flooding, industrial action or Visa refusals. An alternative training date will be offered. The Academy is not responsible for any loss of income, accommodation/travelling costs students may incur due to the cancellation of courses.

Cancellation or Transfer of Training Dates

Rescheduling Requests & Fees

In the event of a genuine reason for cancellation (proof of which may be required); of a confirmed training date notified prior to the booked training date, a request for a transfer will be considered at the discretion of The Beauty Academy (subject to availability).  If successful, an administration fee of £50.00 per course date will be charged. Non-attendance where no prior notice is given will be handled at the discretion of The Beauty Academy and may result in loss of course fees. This is applicable only to courses booked at full price only.

Should you be unable to attend a confirmed training date for medical reasons, a valid medical certificate covering the named student and day of the booked training will be required to waiver the fee to reschedule. Under medical or compassionate circumstances (proof of which may be required) and where immediate reschedule might not be possible; a credit for all or part of the course fee may be placed on file as a gesture of goodwill. Credits will be valid towards training courses only and run for a period of up to 6 months from the date of issue at which time the course fees would be forfeited. No refund of course fees can be issued.

Last Minute Offer Bookings

Courses booked as part of Last Minute Offers either online or by telephone, are by their definition intended to be attended on the specific course date/course/venue booked. In the event of a genuine reason for non-attendance of any Last Minute Offer course, (at the discretion of The Beauty Academy) we may agree to allow the course fees paid to be placed on file as a credit towards a further training course, however this credit would be minus the standard £50 rescheduling fee per training day booked regardless of the reason for non-attendance e.g. a cancelled last minute offer course booked at £150 would result in a £100 credit being placed on file. Credits will be valid towards training courses only and run for a period of up to 6 months from the date of issue at which time the course fees would be forfeited. No refund of course fees can be issued.

Named Student

Booked training is non-transferable to an alternative student. Please ensure the booking is made giving the correct name of the person attending the course at the time of making payment. Amendments to this will be chargeable at £50 per course date/person, where possible for a change to be accommodated and a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to the course date is required, in writing.

In the event that the Beauty Academy should have to cancel your course for reasons outside of our control; The Beauty Academy will endeavour to give students at least 24 hours’ notice of any cancellation by telephone and/or email. The Academy is not responsible for any accommodation/travelling costs students may incur due to the cancellation of courses.

General

All practical training must be completed within 6 months of booking your course, unless otherwise agreed in writing at the time of booking. Should you fail to attend your original training dates for any reason and the course later be retired or amended in content, no refund or difference in courses fees will be offered. You may however, look to use the course fees on file as a credit towards payment for an alternative course of your choosing within 6 months of the original date of booking. Students who fail to book, attend or reschedule training within 6 months of enrolling upon their course (taken from date of making first payment) will forfeit any course fees paid. We cannot offer any refunds, credits or substitute training in such circumstances.

Course Times

Please arrive at the training centre for 9.45am for a 10.00am start. Courses finish at approximately 4.00pm.  If you arrive late you will be refused entry to the training. This is to avoid disruption for other students on the course. In the event that you are refused entry, please contact our Bookings Team to reschedule by emailing [email protected] – Please note a fee of £50 will apply to reschedule your training.

Please therefore ensure you allow sufficient time for travelling. Make use of Google maps on smart phone or print map/directions from our website when planning your journey, to assist you to locate the centre on the training day.

All students must attend the full training day until 4pm. Should you choose or need to leave a course before the approximate end time of 4pm, you will forfeit any course fees and may not achieve your diploma.

Confirmation of Bookings

Once you have booked a training course you will receive an email within 24 hours to confirm the booking (for bookings made within office hours. Outside of these hours; confirmation will be sent on the next working day).

If booking a course online, please note that your booking is not confirmed until a Confirmation Email has been sent by our Booking Team to acknowledge your booking. The online payment receipt does not form a guaranteed or confirmed booking.

If booking last minute courses or courses scheduled for within less than 48 hours, please call to book so that we can confirm availability to you prior to payment. Where a course booked online outside office hours is unavailable or cancelled, an alternative date will be offered or a refund of the course fee paid will be given within 5 days.

No reimbursement will be made for travel/accommodation/childcare costs for cancelled/unavailable courses booked at last minute online. Where booking online less than 24 hours prior to a scheduled course date, please call us at 9.00am on the day of the training to confirm your booking has been received and chosen training is available.

Diploma Certificates

Diploma certificates are issued by email within 2 working days of attending your training course. Certificates are provided as a digital certificate to meet the needs of insurance providers & reduce our carbon footprint. Students are responsible for ensuring they contact us by email within 30 days of attending their training course, should they fail to receive their diploma certificate for any reason or should their be any error in the certificate received. Beyond this time, the below fees for replacement certificates would apply. If you require your certificate to be reissued in a new name, we would require evidence for the reason for change of name plus the standard replacement certificate fees.

Students wishing to purchase a replacement certificate or hard copy of their diploma may do so by emailing [email protected] to request the Diploma Request Form.

For hard copies, please note the diploma will take the identical format as the PDF diploma provided to you by email and will be simply a printed copy on plain card for your convenience. For this reason many students will find it more economical & quicker to print their diplomas at home where required for display purposes etc.  Many beauty insurers prefer to receive the digital diploma supplied by email.

• Replacement certificates by email only, for training completed within the last 18 months is £15 per certificate
• Replacement certificates by email only, for training completed over 18 months ago is £25 per certificate
• Hard copies are available for £10 extra per certificate, in addition to the reissuing fee above
• Replacement certificates for courses completed prior to January 2013 cannot be issued. We would recommend such students to contact their insurance provider to see if they hold a copy on file or would recommend completing some refresher training to gain an up to date certificate for which you may like to look at Last Minute Offer courses

Once we have received the completed Diploma Request Form from you, along with payment details, we will be able to process your request. Diplomas are emailed or posted out within 5 days of receipt of your request, as applicable.

Online Courses / Student Portal

Students who book online beauty courses will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of booking which will include details of how to access the Student Portal & unique login information. We recommend students to access the portal and download/save a copy of any additional reference documents available for your course including course manuals/assignments/workbooks etc. as soon as possible as access period is limited depending upon the course booked.

By accepting the terms presented when first logging in to the Student Portal, you confirm acceptance that this will expire your cooling off period immediately (if applicable). Once you have accessed the Student Portal, no changes will be possible to make to your enrolment. Please check the details given on your first login and update these as required before accessing the portal to ensure all details are correct on our system for you.

Online courses require completion of theory assignments and some case studies at home (for which you will need to work on friends/family and have access to basic products at home). Once you have completed all assignments, you will be issued with the diploma. You will need to submit all theory assignments through the portal and post your case study treatment evidence to The Beauty Academy, William James House, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WX. Our support team are on-hand by email to assist you throughout your studies and beyond.

During your training

During your training you will be required to give and receive treatments.

The only exceptions to this are Acrylic and UV Gel Nail Extension Courses where you will be working on a Nail Trainer Hand; or Eyelash Extension Courses and Bridal Hair Courses you will be working on a Mannequin Head.

Please note courses may be mixed sex groups. Male students are required to provide a female model for waxing courses. If you have personal or religious reasons where you require training in a same sex environment only, please discuss this with our Course Advisors before booking.

All courses are taught only in English. All students are therefore required to have a good command of the English language, both written and spoken. This is essential so that the tutor is able to assess a student’s competence of all required aspects to achieve The Beauty Academy Diploma. Students must advise of any language issues at the time of booking as we may recommend one to one training as a more suitable training option (for which additional cost applies, see below).

Should a student be unable to demonstrate the required level of English to participate fully within the course, they may be refused the diploma and would unfortunately forfeit any course fees paid. Therefore it is important to discuss this prior to booking if you feel this may be an issue affecting your learning and course participation.

Medical Conditions

Please make us aware of any health conditions and/or medications currently taken that may affect your practical training or assessment days. Due to health and safety reasons, we do not allow students who are under 12 weeks or over 32 weeks pregnant to partake in practical training or assessment days.

All students are required to disclose any medical conditions at the time of booking, which will be dealt in the strictest of confidence. Some conditions may impede ability to participate fully within a course. An important part of training is to deliver and receive treatments.

Adjustments will be made to accommodate medical conditions where possible and practical. A medical certificate may be required in line with our insurance obligations. Where students are unable to receive treatments for medical reasons, a female model may be requested to be provided by the student for each training day.

Failure to disclose known medical conditions at the time of booking or to provide a female model where requested, which later prevent participation in a particular course may result in forfeit of course fees.

Special Training Needs / Requirements

It is very important you make us aware of any special needs you may have in order to make your practical training or assessment days run smoothly.  Where possible we seek to include students with special requirements within our main course delivery.  However for some students this may not be possible. Many students with special training needs prefer and gain the most benefit from tailored training on a one to one basis. Feasibility depends upon the course you are wishing to study; however where possible adjustments or special arrangements will be considered. Please note an additional cost will apply for training on a one to one basis.

Waxing Courses

In consideration of other students participating in the course, you must be prepared to give AND RECEIVE the waxing treatment.  If you attend the course with less than 5mm of hair growth or are unprepared to receive the treatment, you will not be allowed to take part, resulting in the loss of all course fees. Male students are required to provide a suitable female model upon which to practice due to the nature of these treatments.

Manicure & Pedicure, Luxury Manicure & Pedicure and Gel Polish Courses

Please ensure any nail extensions or enhancements such as gel polish are removed prior to attending the course, as you will give and receive treatments working on the natural nails. Failure to remove such before the training day may result in being unable to participate within the course and a rescheduling fee being applicable.

Eyelash / Brow Tinting Courses

Prior to training for this course you will be required to complete a patch test for the tinting products at least 24 hours before your course commences.

If this is your only course you will be sent a patch test kit to your home address at the time of booking or if you are completing a course package you will be patch tested on your first training day. You are responsible for ensuring you have carried out a patch test at home or requested this on your first training day to enable full participation in the course.

Please ensure that eyelash extensions have been removed prior to your eyelash / brow tinting training day. If false lashes are to be learnt as part of your course also, please note the false lashes would be completed on a mannequin training head therefore no patch test with the glue will be required beforehand. Those who have undergone facial cosmetic procedures to include surgery, dermal fillers of any kind or semi-permanent make-up / facial tattooing or micro blading within the last 12 weeks will be unable to participate within these courses. Failure to disclose these treatments prior to booking your course may result in loss of course fees.

Facial Massage & Skincare and Electrical Facials Courses

Please ensure you have removed any eyelash extensions before attending these courses. You will be required to remove your make-up as part of giving/receiving treatments on these training courses. You must ensure you are able to receive treatments and have notified us of any medical conditions / medications which may prevent you receiving treatments. Those receiving certain treatments for acne (such as roaccutane) or who have undergone cosmetic procedures to include surgery, dermal fillers of any kind or semi-permanent make-up / facial tattooing or micro blading within the last 12 weeks will be unable to participate within these courses. Failure to disclose these treatments prior to booking your course may result in loss of course fees.

Starter Kits

All equipment and products are provided for you to train with on the day. However, if you are studying for a VTCT or City and Guilds Qualification you will be required to purchase products for your home study section of your course and Assessment days.

Starter kits are available for our students to purchase at reduced prices versus when students purchase individual items or kits from suppliers directly.  They also guide you in purchase of the minimum basic items you will require to begin practising, however there may be additional items you will look to add beyond the starter kit(s) once you begin practising to enhance your treatments. Further details of Starter Kits available can be found on our website. Kit orders will only be processed where the student has already booked or attended to complete the relevant training course with The Beauty Academy, as we provide kits only for the purposes of training, practice and gaining qualifications to our own students. Orders from those who have not completed training with us may be refused and result in cancellation / refund of the kit fee paid.

Kit prices quoted on the website include £5.00 for postage and packaging.  We only ship products to UK Mainland addresses.  Unused kits which do not meet your requirements may be returned within 5 days of receipt, at your own expense and a re-stocking fee of 25% applies to any refund.

All kit shortages or damages should be reported by email to [email protected] within 48 hours of receipt. You will then be advised of the process to return the kit or for kit collection by the supplier. Returned kits must be sent by recorded post or collection by the supplier will need to be made possible. Refunds or replacements will only be issued upon receipt of the returned kit(s).

Equipment and products are also available from online wholesalers. We do not insist that you buy from us, we recommend Ellison’s, Beauty Express and Salons Direct.

Discount Cards

Many of our students gain discount cards with leading beauty wholesalers and cosmetic brands following completion of our training courses using The Beauty Academy diploma along with proof of valid insurance being held; or on presentation of the qualification certificate (e.g. VTCT certificate) as proof of their eligibility to purchase professional products. However we can accept no responsibility and have no control over individual student eligibility or ability to acquire these discounts. We make no guarantee over eligibility and this is at the discretion of the individual supplier / wholesaler.

Beauty Insurance (Public Liability Insurance)

Following your practical training, you will receive The Beauty Academy diploma by email (as discussed above) which will allow you to apply for beauty insurance to allow you to begin working on members of the public. This will allow you to begin working on a self-employed basis (mobile) and to take payments should you wish. Our courses are covered by a number of insurance providers including ABT insurance and Balens insurance. You must ensure you register with HMRC regarding any tax/national insurance applicable to any income earned on this basis.

We recommend Balens insurance with a discounted cover available for The Beauty Academy students. See the link to insurance at the bottom of our homepage for details and to obtain a quote online. Alternatively you may obtain insurance through ABT insurance and receive a 10% discount off your policy when you quote ACADEMY99 at the time of policy purchase.

Please note if you wish to obtain cover with a specific insurer, you must check with the insurer prior to booking your course that they will accept our Diploma. Most insurers will however accept the qualifications including NVQ, VRQ and City & Guilds awards. Insurers work to their own discretion over preferred training providers and this is beyond our control.

If you hold an existing policy, you are responsible to ensure the insurance provider will extend your cover to include the new treatment(s) and for covering any cost to make changes. The Beauty Academy cannot accept responsibility for issues resulting with insurance companies where students fail to check this prior to booking. Previous Advanced Learner Loan Students will not receive The Beauty Academy diplomas as standard as this is not covered by the funding and so are unable to apply for insurance until they complete their full qualification award.

Refresher Training

Following training, students should begin practising treatments as soon as possible while the knowledge and skills are freshly learnt. Students are recommended to ensure they put public liability insurance in place before taking on paying clients. Students are advised to refer to the Practical Training notes provided with the Booking Confirmation email following training to refresh your knowledge and assist you with the treatment routines etc. Students are welcome to contact the Support Team with any questions. Should you be unable to practice your skills and/or require additional training at a later stage, please note additional fees apply per training day required.

Qualifications

Once booked, you have 12 months to fully complete the qualification including training, coursework and assessments from the date of booking. You would be unable to complete or resume any studies, outside of this period. All course fees are non-refundable. This does not apply to Advanced Learner Loan Funded Students who follow a fixed programme duration (as agreed within your application form). In accordance with your agreement with The Student Loans Company, you would remain liable for repayment of your loan in the event that you do not complete the qualification, for any reason.

It is important students keep their knowledge and practical skills up to date by refreshing their knowledge using their training notes and continuing to practice their treatments ready for assessment days. Additional fees will apply should you require further training at a later stage, beyond your initial training days. You should ensure you revise and prepare thoroughly ready for assessments.

Qualification Programme Structure

Written modules (coursework) should be submitted by email to [email protected] only once fully completed and within 12 weeks of booking on to the programme. The portfolio of treatments should be submitted within 24 weeks of booking onto the programme as all training should be completed within 6 months of the date of booking. All students must arrange assessments within 36 weeks of booking on the programme and only once they have submitted their portfolio of treatments. Failure to arrange and attend assessments within this time, will require additional treatments to be submitted to update your portfolio. The portfolio of treatments is required to demonstrate you have taken time to develop your confidence and competence within your practical skills, to the required level to achieve the assessment standards. The Beauty Academy will support you with your studies however cannot accept responsibility for learners who fail to complete their qualification(s).

Support for existing students is available from our Support Team by emailing [email protected] – Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.30pm. All emails are responded to within 48 working hours. You may also request a call back by email if preferred.

Assessments

Assessments are offered at our London Kings Cross, Cambridge, Birmingham and Manchester Training Centres only. Attendance of assessment days is required in addition to practical training and completion of home study (coursework).

For assessment days, should you need to retake (where the required pass mark is not achieved) or to reschedule an assessment day once booked/confirmed, there is a fee. Additional assessments (resits) are currently charged at £25 per written paper, £120 per practical day. Rescheduled assessments, due to non-attendance or cancellation by the learner, are charged at £120 per day. The fee to reschedule can only be waivered in the event of medical emergency of the named student only where a medical certificate would be required. All learners are required to arrange their own female models to attend practical assessment days. The Beauty Academy can accept no responsibility for learners who are unable to arrange such, to achieve their qualification.

Qualification Certificates

Your Qualification certificate will be claimed from the awarding body (VTCT or City & Guilds) only once you have successfully completed your final day of practical assessment and have been confirmed as fully complete. Certificates can take up to 12 weeks to be issued by the awarding body. Once received, you will be notified and asked to confirm the full address where you wish your certificate to be posted. Certificates are sent by 1st class recorded post so must be signed for upon delivery. Qualification certificates can only be issued in the name given at the time of submitting your Assessment Request Form when booking onto your assessment days. A fee will apply to rectify any errors beyond submission of the Assessment Request Form. Replacement certificates are chargeable and can only be ordered by contacting the Awarding Body directly after 30 days have passed since receiving your certificate from The Beauty Academy.

Portfolios

Portfolios submitted towards assessment will be retained on file for a period of 6 months. Where the student fails to progress to assessment within 20 weeks of submitting the portfolio (and therefore where the portfolio is no longer valid evidence), we reserve the right to dispose of the portfolio through confidential waste collection without further notification; unless the student contacts us to make payment for its return within 6 months of its submission. Following completion of your award, portfolios must be retained awaiting internal verification by the awarding body as required and periodic external verification visits (where portfolios are sampled). Once your portfolio is released, it will be returned to you by courier provided you have indicated your wish to receive it back and made payment of £15 to cover handling/postage. Alternatively, portfolios will be disposed through confidential waste; should you fail to include payment details when confirming the address for your qualification certificate to be sent.

Complaints

In the unlikely event your training course with us does not meet your expectations, in the first instance please email [email protected] with the details of your feedback or complaint. This email must be received in writing within 5 days of your training course. We take all feedback and complaints very seriously and this will be investigated as required. You will receive a response in writing within 5 working days.

For all other enquiries please contact:

For existing student support regarding coursework or assessment related issues/queries: [email protected]

For all queries relating to existing bookings, cancelling/rescheduling dates, diploma certificates or kits: [email protected]

Code of Conduct:

To ensure all learners are given the best opportunity to learn, we would ask the following code of conduct is adhered to at all times:-

• Punctuality is essential with all learners to arrive for 9.45am prompt and training to finish at 4pm. Allow adequate time to travel to the training centre. You will be refused entry if you arrive late for training. There is a transfer fee of £50 per training date to reschedule your training if you arrive late.
• Attendance of training days is compulsory. Failure to attend scheduled training can result in removal from your programme. Genuine reasons will be subject to the discretion of The Beauty Academy and handled under our above policy on rescheduling of training. This may be subject to rescheduling fees.
• Learners are required to purchase at their cost & wear a suitable beauty uniform (tunic) to training / assessment dates. Nails should be short, hair tied back. Eyelash and Nail extensions should be removed (where appropriate to the training course being attended). For health and safety, all jewellery should be removed except a plain wedding band and small stud earrings.
• All learners are expected to fully participate including giving and receiving treatments. Any exceptions (e.g. medical reasons) to this must be agreed at the time of booking and a female model may be required to be provided by the student in order to participate.
• Please ensure an enrolment form is handed to the tutor. Please make the tutor aware of any medical conditions or learning difficulties which may impact your learning (these should previously have been discussed at the time of booking to ensure suitability for the training). This can be discussed with the tutor upon arrival at the centre, in confidence. This will allow the tutor to best support you throughout the training day and make any adjustments possible to assist you to gain the most from your training.
• Use of mobile phones is prohibited during training and should be turned off outside of agreed breaks.
• No smoking, use of e-cigarettes/vaporisers or chewing of gum within the training centre.
• Students must not consume or be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at any time during attendance of the training or assessment day(s). You may be asked to leave the centre where we have reason to suspect such influence, and the police may be contacted if appropriate.
• The training centres operate a mixed sex basis for training days and you must be prepared to give and receive treatments from students of the opposite sex. If there are any reasons of belief, faith or religion which prohibit this, please advise before booking. Male students will be required to provide a female model for the waxing courses and assessment days.
• Be courteous and respectful to tutors and other learners. No use of foul language. Abuse of any kind including racism will not be tolerated.
• Verbal, physical or written abuse will not be tolerated and will result an immediate verbal warning from the tutor. Should the conduct continue, you will be asked to leave the training immediately. You will not receive your diploma and will forfeit all course fees paid.
• Should an issue arise on your training day in relating to other learners on the course or if you are experiencing difficulties with the course, please immediately notify your tutor so action can be taken or advice given to support you as required as it is sometimes difficult to rectify issues later and this will allow you to gain the most from your training day experience. Any issues will be handled in the strictest confidence but will not be permitted as grounds for any refund of course fees or for additional training, where this is not raised on the training day to enable remedy.
• Learner feedback forms are to be completed at every training session and are compulsory where requested.
• Photographic ID must be shown to the tutor at every training day to gain admission to the centre, if requested. Entry may be refused without this.