Study Abroad terms and conditions

Before you submit your online application, please read the terms and conditions below carefully.

1. Introduction and interpretation

1.1 These terms and conditions ("Terms") apply to your online application as well as all courses and services provided by University of the Arts London (“University”, “UAL”, "we" or "us") in connection with its Study Abroad Programmes (as defined below).

1.2 In these Terms, the following expressions have the following meanings:

"Academic Regulations" means our rules and regulations as amended from time to time which can be viewed at https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/academic-regulations;

"Application" means your application for a place on the Course, made by submitting your Application Form and whatever supporting evidence we require from time to time;

"Application Form" means the online application form supplied by us and submitted by you for the purpose of making an Application;

"Brochure" means our brochure in relation to the Course which has been made available to you in a paper format and/or online on our Website;

"Colleges" means the colleges we operate and known as Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts, and the Creative Computing Institute;

"Course" means such of the courses of study available under our Study Abroad Programmes as you apply via the Application to undertake or, if different, such alternative course as you and we agree that you will undertake;

"Credits" means the credits available in relation to the Course, as further explained on the Website;

"Data Protection Laws" means the European Union Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, any national laws or regulations implementing that Directive, the General Data Protection Regulation EU 2016/679 ("GDPR") (when applicable) and any national laws or regulations constituting a replacement or successor regime to GDPR;

"Electives" means those parts of the Course (if any) which are not compulsory and are chosen by you;

"Event Outside Our Control" means any event or circumstance beyond our reasonable control such as:

(a) strikes, lock-outs or other industrial action by third parties
(b) the unanticipated and/or unavoidable absence or departure of key members of staff or specialist staff;
(c) civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack, war (whether declared or not) or threat or preparation for war, fire, explosion, storm, flood, earthquake, adverse weather, subsidence, or other natural disaster or “act of god”;
(d) failure of public or private telecommunications networks;
(e) pandemic, epidemic and any restrictions or requirements that might be imposed by any Government or relevant authority; and/or
(f) decisions made by any Government or relevant authority or regulator that impact on our ability to perform our obligations under the Contract, including, for example, any changes made by any Government regarding examination results;

"Fees" means the tuition fees and administration fees payable by you in relation to the Course;

"Home Institution" means the college or university at which you normally undertake your studies;

"Offer" means our written offer to provide you with a place on the Course;

"Personal Data" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable person ("data subject"); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person;

“Provider” means a third party organisation facilitating a study abroad experience at UAL;

"Sensitive Personal Data" means data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation;

"Services" means the teaching services and related teaching materials that we will provide in relation to the Course;

"Study Abroad Office" means the administrative office for the College named on the Website as delivering the Course, the address of which is set out on the Website;

"Study Abroad Programmes" means the programmes of study we offer at our Colleges which are referred to by us on our Website and in our marketing materials as Study Abroad Programmes and which are usually made available to students resident overseas;

“VLE” means the online virtual learning environment that we use to deliver part of our Course(s) from time to time; and

"Website" means the pages of our website dedicated to Study Abroad Programmes which can be found at arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/study-abroad.

2. About us and how to contact us

We are University of the Arts London, a higher education corporation and exempt charity for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011. Our main place of business is at 272 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EY. You can contact us at this address or via the ‘contact us’ link on the Website.

3. Applications

3.1 We cannot accept your Application unless you are aged 18 or over on the date of the start of your Course. By submitting your Application for any Course, you warrant that you are aged 18 or over. If this turns out to be incorrect, we will be entitled to cancel the Contract on written notice to you.

3.2 Whether or not we make you an Offer in response to your Application will be at our discretion and subject to you meeting our requirements in relation to the Course.

3.3 Our Offer is an offer to provide the Services to you, subject to you, or where applicable your Home Institution or Provider, paying the Fees and you accepting our Offer in accordance with the time limits set out below.

3.4 To accept our Offer you must do so via the UAL SITS online admissions office portal as further described in the Offer within 14 days of the date of our Offer of a Course.

3.5 When you accept our Offer in accordance with paragraph 3.4 above, you are accepting our Offer and a contract between us in relation to the Course and the Service will start (the "Contract"). By accepting our Offer in accordance with paragraph 3.4, you are agreeing to enter into the Contract and (where your Home Institution or Provider is not responsible for paying your Fees) to pay the Fees.

3.6 You should check that you are happy with the contents of these Terms and the Offer before accepting our Offer in accordance with paragraph 3.4. If you think that there is a mistake in the Terms, your Application Form or the Offer or that they don't contain relevant information, please notify us and ask us to agree changes in writing by emailing studyabroad@arts.ac.uk before accepting our Offer.

4. Our services

4.1 We will use our reasonable endeavours to ensure that the Services meet the description set out on the Website in all material respects.

4.2 We will use our reasonable endeavours to comply with the timetable for the delivery of the Course which is set out on the Website or agreed in writing between us. However, you agree that dates, modes and locations for the delivery of the Services and the tutors and lecturers teaching the Course may be subject to change from time to time.

4.3 We may make any changes to the Services and/or any Course as further described at paragraph 8 below.

4.4 All intellectual property rights in or arising out of or in connection with the Services (including intellectual property rights in any training materials created by us and provided to you) shall be owned by us.

4.5 Electives are subject to availability. We will use our reasonable efforts to ensure that your first choice electives are available but may require you to choose alternatives.

5. Your home institution or provider

If the Course will form part of a course requirement set by your Home Institution or Provider then you are responsible for making arrangements with your Home Institution or Provider to determine the suitability of the Course to meet any such requirements and whether or not the recommended credit value of your Course (if any) will be recognised by your Home Institution or Provider. We do not make any promises or representations about how participation in the Course will affect the course provided by your Home Institution or Provider.

6. Your obligations

6.1 You agree to:

(a) comply with the Academic Regulations as they apply to you, and excluding the Fees Policy;
(b) maintain an immigration status that entitles you to undertake the Course;
(c) attend classes for the Course regularly and on time;
(d) refrain from using any audio or visual equipment during classes or practical sessions, unless we have agreed that you may do so (and our agreement will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed);
(e) comply with our health and safety rules as notified to you from time to time, including by wearing suitable clothing and footwear for practical classes;
(f) conduct yourself in a professional and courteous manner and refrain from causing offence or nuisance to us, our staff or other students;
(g) provide the equipment and materials that we advise you on the Website or Brochure or subsequently advise you in writing that you will need in connection with the Course and you agree that failure to provide them may limit your progress on the Course; and
(h) only use the facilities and equipment provided by us during the hours notified by us to you.

6.2 You acknowledge that we will not provide you with any insurance cover and you will be responsible for taking out any insurance you might need for the duration of your Course, including health and accident insurance.

6.3 We are not obliged to provide you with any financial or legal assistance or advice and if you experience any legal or other issues while in the UK, you will need to obtain independent advice at your own expense.

7. Immigration

7.1 You will need to demonstrate in accordance with UAL’s admissions and enrolment procedures, either before or at the point of enrolment, that you have a valid immigration status to undertake your Course. If you fail to demonstrate that you have a valid immigration status you will not be entitled to enrol at UAL and we reserve the right to end the Contract on written notice to you and withdraw you from your Course (without liability to you) and we shall not be responsible for any related or ancillary costs or losses you incur.

7.2 If you have a visa issued by UK Visas and Immigration, you must take responsibility for ensuring that you comply with the conditions of your visa. You must also ensure that you support UAL in its immigration control obligations by following any policies and procedures relevant to international students and visa holders whilst studying at UAL. This includes responding to any communications from UAL in relation to your immigration status and producing in person copies of documents when requested.

7.3 You are required to inform UAL promptly of any communications, events, or notifications regarding your current or prospective immigration status.

7.4 We may refuse to sponsor you or withdraw sponsorship of your Student visa if you do not comply with either the UK Home Office rules or UAL’s policies and procedures in place at any time, including but not limited to:

(a) failing to obtain and/or maintain a current immigration status that allows you to study throughout the duration of your Course;
(b) failing to produce in person copies of documents relating to your immigration status when requested by UAL at any point during your studies;
(c) failure to meet UAL’s minimum attendance requirements;
(d) failing to attend and engage with your Course;
(e) failing to pay Course fees and any additional charges as and when they fall due;
(f) failure to inform UAL of a change to any immigration bail conditions;
(g) your enrolment has been terminated, or you withdraw or commence an interruption of studies;
(h) you leave the UK for an extended period of time and UAL decides that sponsorship is no longer necessary;
(i) if you successfully complete your Course in a shorter period than originally planned, are granted an exit aware or are unable to progress;
(j) failure to enrol with UAL for your Course; and
(k) failure to comply with the conditions of your visa.

7.5 If you choose to withdraw from your Course or if your study is terminated by us, this could affect the validity of your visa and your ability to enter and/or remain in the United Kingdom.

7.6 If your visa is revoked for any reason, UAL will interrupt or end the Contract.

7.7 UAL may need to contact the UK Home Office to clarify details on outstanding visa applications and previous immigration history. This may involve us giving information about you to the UK Home Office. We are also required to hold certain information about all visa holders and produce that to the UK Home Office when requested to do so.

8. Changes to the Contract

8.1 We will always try to minimise making changes to the Contract (including changes to our facilities and the Course). However, there may be times where changes are needed. UAL will be entitled to make reasonable changes to a Course or to related educational and other services and facilities where that will enable UAL to deliver a better quality of educational experience to students enrolled on the Course, including:

(a) to ensure that we are continuing to provide the Course to you lawfully and/or to maintain academic standards and quality;
(b) to reflect changes and developments in pedagogy or academic research to ensure that your Course is relevant and up-to-date;
(c) to improve the quality of our educational and pastoral services or in response to student or external examiner and assessor feedback, or to reflect best practice across the higher and further education sectors; or
(d) in response to relevant professional or accrediting body requirements or guidance.

8.2 Examples of the types of changes which might be made include changes to:

(a) the timetable for delivery of your Course;
(b) the number of classes/lectures and/or other teaching activity relating to the Course;
(c) the methods by which the Course is delivered and/or assessed (e.g. by moving from an in-person to virtual format);
(d) the content and/or syllabus of the Course;
(e) the structure and/or timing of the academic year;
(f) the way that we teach, supervise and/or assess a Course;
(g) the location of your Course teaching or facilities;
(h) additions and/or withdrawals of certain modules on your Course or to placements, work experience or residencies;
(i) reading lists to deal with changes in the relevant subject area relating to your Course.

8.3 The changes that we might make might be:

(a) Minor i.e. do not in our view materially change how the Course and related services are provided to you; or
(b) Major i.e. will have a more significant impact on the way that we teach and make available the Course and other services to you.

8.4 For minor changes, we will notify you of any amendments by email, providing you with as much notice as is in our view appropriate in the circumstances. Where possible, we will provide this notice to you in advance, but this may not be possible if we are required to make changes at short notice.

8.5 If we need to make any major changes which will, in our reasonable opinion, have a more significant impact on your Course or on the Contract, we will notify you as soon as we reasonably can in the particular circumstances, and will let you have details about the changes and how they will impact you. As with minor changes, we might not always be able to give you much notice.

8.6 You should let us know as soon as possible if you have any issues or concerns with any such major change. We will consider the matter under the relevant internal UAL procedures to reflect the nature of the issue you have raised.

8.7 If we make major changes to your Course or the services we provide and you are not satisfied with the changes, you will be offered the opportunity to withdraw from the Course or move to another course. Depending on the relevant circumstances, you may be entitled to an appropriate and proportionate refund of the fees you have paid to us.

9. Your Legal Cancellation Rights

9.1 You have a legal right under the Consumer Contract (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 to cancel the Contract within 14 days (the “Cancellation Period”) without giving any reason. The Cancellation Period starts on the date of Confirmation and ends 14 days later. To cancel you must inform us by a clear statement, by emailing StudyAbroad@arts.ac.uk.

9.2 We will not start providing the Services to you during the Cancellation Period unless you expressly request us to do so.

9.3 If you cancel in accordance with paragraph 9.1, we will refund the Fees you have paid within 14 days of the date on which you inform us that you wish to cancel. However, if you have expressly requested that we start providing the Services (which can be at any time from the point of pre-registration and onwards) before the end of the Cancellation Period then we will be entitled to charge you a reasonable sum for the Services based on the proportion of the Course you have undertaken and the overall cost of the Course.

9.4 The other paragraphs of these Terms set out your other rights to cancel the Contract which are in addition to and do not affect your rights under this paragraph 9.

10. Your other Cancellation rights

10.1 You may cancel the Contract before the first day of the Course by emailing StudyAbroad@arts.ac.uk.

10.2 If you tell us about your cancellation after expiry of the Cancellation Period referred to in paragraph 10.1 but 28 days or more before the first day of the Course we will refund to you the Fees for the cancelled Course, but we shall be entitled to retain from those Fees a cancellation fee of £500.

10.3 If you tell us about your cancellation fewer than 28 days before the first day of the Course and the reasons for cancellation are other than those provided in paragraph 10.4 below, or if you do not arrive to take the Course, you will not receive any refund of the Fees unless we are able to fill your place on the Course, in which case we will refund to you the amount you have paid, less a cancellation fee of £500.

10.4 If you tell us about your cancellation fewer than 28 days before the first day of the Course and where the reason for cancellation is for reasons that we deem not to be within your control, we will refund to you any Fees you have paid, less a cancellation fee of £500.

10.5 Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 9.3 and 19, if you cancel your place on the Course after the Course has started, you will not be entitled to any refund or credit of the Fees.

10.6 You may cancel the Contract if we break the Contract in a material way and do not correct the situation within 14 days of you asking us in writing to do so, in which case we will refund any Fees that you have paid.

11. Postponement

You may not postpone your Course or any part of it.

12. Course transfers

After you have started a Course, you may not transfer onto an alternative Course.

13. Our cancellation rights

13.1 We may cancel the Course no later than 4 weeks before a Course starts if there is low demand for that Course in which case you can either:

(a) transfer onto an available alternative course (and pay any applicable additional fees or receive a partial refund if the fees for the alternative course are less than the Fees you have paid) (you acknowledge that not transferring onto an alternative course could affect the validity of your immigration status); or
(b) cancel the Contract and receive a full refund of the Fees you have paid.

13.2 We may cancel the Contract or suspend you from the Course if:

(a) your attendance falls below 90% at any time during the Course (other than for reasons outside your reasonable control);
(b) you do not pay the Fees when you are supposed to;
(c) your actions are in breach of the Regulations, including the Disciplinary Code for Students and/or the rules regarding academic misconduct, including plagiarism;
(d) it comes to our attention that you do not have an immigration status entitling you to undertake the Course; or
(e) you break the Contract in a material way and, where the situation is capable of being corrected, you do not correct it within 14 days of us asking you in writing to do so.

14. Fees and payment

14.1 The Fees payable for your Course are as published on the Website and set out in your Offer letter and are payable in GBP.

14.2 The following paragraphs 14.3 and 14.4 shall be applicable only to those Students whose Home Institution or Provider are not responsible for paying the Fee.

14.3 You must pay the Fees in the following instalments at the following times:

(a) a deposit of £500 (the “Deposit”) must be paid within two weeks of the date of our Offer, and
(b) the balance of the Fees must be paid no later than the payment deadline listed at https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/study-abroad/dates-deadlines-and-fees.

14.4 If you do not pay the Fees in accordance with these Terms you will not be entitled to start the Course and our Offer may be rescinded.

14.5 Payment of the Fees must be made in full, on the UAL online portal. Payment of the Fees can be made by credit card or bank transfer, payable to "University of the Arts London". For the avoidance of doubt, in the event that UAL is not able to accept your booking for any reason, we will reimburse you the Fees you have paid in accordance with this paragraph 14 without undue delay.

14.6 Where your Home Institution or Provider is responsible for paying your Fees, they must pay your Fees within the stipulated timeframe, of if they fail to do so you must pay your own Fees, otherwise you will not be entitled to complete the Course.

14.7 If your participation in the Course requires you to purchase any additional goods or services from us (for instance in relation to excursions), then the costs of these additional goods or services will be set out on the Website.

14.8 Upon completion of course, we will issue a soft copy of record of ‘Study and Achievement’. Up to two further copies can be issued upon request and will be charged at £10 each.

14.9 If you miss teaching time because of absence, illness, because you are late starting the Course or because a public holiday falls on a teaching day, you will not be entitled to any extra tuition or a reduction or refund of the Fees.

14.10 Subject to paragraph 19.3, you are not entitled to a refund of Fees if you withdraw from the Course part way through.

15. Our liability to you

15.1 If we fail to comply with the Contract, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach of the Contract or our negligence, but we are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if they were an obvious consequence of our breach or if they were contemplated by you and us at the time we entered into the Contract.

15.2 We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability for:

(a) death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors;
(b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
(c) any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

16. Online delivery

16.1 Your Course may be delivered online using the VLE (“Online Course”). You understand and accept that when you register to access the VLE for the first time, you may be required to accept the VLE's terms of use. We will provide you with information on how to access the VLE prior to the commencement of the Course.

16.2 You acknowledge that you may only use the content on the VLE for your own personal learning and you are not permitted to adapt or use it for any other purpose other than for your own learning of the Course. You understand and accept that you are not allowed to distribute any of the content to anybody else or use it for any other purpose.

16.3 You acknowledge that the cost of any equipment and internet access are not included in the Fees and will be your own responsibility.

16.4 You accept that it will be your responsibility to check that any materials and equipment, or other devices you intend to use for the purposes of undertaking the Course are compatible with the specification requirements of the Course as set out in these Terms.

16.5 If there are problems with your connection to the VLE which disrupt other students who are enrolled on the Online Course, UAL reserves the right to remove you from the Online Course until you have been able to resolve the issue.

16.6 UAL will use reasonable endeavours to make an Online Course available but cannot guarantee uninterrupted, timely or error-free availability or that defects will be corrected. UAL reserves the right to suspend access to the VLE and Online Course for the purpose of scheduled or emergency maintenance, repairs or upgrades to improve the performance or functionality of the VLE. UAL will use reasonable endeavours to give you reasonable notice in the event of any suspension or withdrawal of the VLE of which UAL is aware. You accept and acknowledge that providing UAL has complied with the provisions of this paragraph 16.6, UAL will not be held responsible for any technical problems you encounter following the purchase of an Online Course, and accepts no liability to the extent there are errors, defects, interruptions and periods of suspension relating to the VLE.

16.7 You should always keep separate copies of work you upload onto the VLE. To the extent permitted by law, UAL accepts no liability whatsoever for loss, destruction or corruption of or to data or content uploaded onto the VLE.

17. Data protection

17.1 We will process Personal Data, including Sensitive Personal Data, in accordance with the Data Protection Laws. You understand and accept that we will use your data as set out in our Privacy Policy.

17.2 We will not give your Personal Data to any other third party except as set out in our Privacy Policy and:

(a) we may share your Personal Data with other companies in the same group of companies as us;

(b) if your booking has been made through an agent we may share information with them; or

(i) have a Student route visa and you do not enrol for the Course when you are supposed to;
(ii) have a Student route visa and you withdraw or are expelled from the Course, take time out from the Course or exceed the number of permitted unauthorised absences;
(iii) have a Student route visa and you transfer to a Course of a shorter length; or
(iv) break the conditions of your permission to stay in the UK.

17.3 You must inform us promptly if:

(a) there is any change to your immigrations status; or
(b) your contact details change.

18. Disability and reasonable adjustments

UAL is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment and strives to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate individual needs. Notification of disability early in the Application process enables UAL to engage with you and discuss your support needs more effectively. All Offers are conditional upon UAL being able to implement the specific adjustments reasonably needed for you to complete your Course. UAL is more likely to be able to implement such adjustments in a prompt and timely fashion if you notify of any disability early in the Application process and you engage in any necessary discussions or health assessments as required by UAL.

19. Events outside our control

19.1 We shall not be responsible for any failure to perform or delay in performing our obligations under the Contract that is due to an Event Outside Our Control. If an Event Outside Our Control takes place that impacts how we comply with our obligations under the Contract:

(a) we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible to notify you;
(b) we will make any such changes to the Course, our facilities or to the Contract as we deem necessary or to otherwise mitigate the impact of such an event on you;
(c) we will take all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption caused to you; and
(d) our obligations under the Contract will be suspended and the time for performance of our obligations will be extended for the duration of the Event Outside Our Control.

19.2 If you are not satisfied with any such steps to mitigate the disruption caused by an Event Outside Our Control, you may make a complaint under UAL’s complaints handling policy at https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/course-regulations/making-a-student-complaint.

19.3 Where an Event Outside Our Control occurs and UAL is unable to take steps to minimise the resultant disruption to students then neither UAL nor you will be liable for breach of the Contract nor for continued compliance with the Contract including the provision of further Services, payment of further Fees, making refunds of Fees paid or other loss or damage of any kind.

20. Complaints

20.1 If you have any complaints about your Application to the Course, you can raise these with us by emailing studyabroad@arts.ac.uk.

20.2 If you have any complaints about the Services, you can raise these with us by emailing studyabroad@arts.ac.uk.

20.3 If you have a complaint about UAL, you can access UAL’s complaints handling policy at https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/course-regulations/making-a-student-complaint. You acknowledge that you are required to familiarise yourself with the details of UAL’s complaints handling policy and accept that there may be separate procedures for the handling of academic and non-academic complaints.

21. Your rights as a consumer

As a consumer, you have legal rights in relation to the Contract which are not affected by these Terms. Advice about your rights may be available from your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.

22. Other important terms

22.1  We may transfer our rights and obligations under any Contract to another organisation, and we will always notify you in writing if this happens, but this will not affect your rights or our obligations under the Contract.

22.2  You may not transfer your rights or obligations under the Contract to any other person.

22.3  The Contract is between you and us. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of its terms.

22.4  Each of the paragraphs of these Terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.

22.5 If we fail to insist that you perform any of your obligations under the Contract, or if we do not enforce our rights against you, or if we delay in doing so, that will not mean that we have waived our rights against you and will not mean that you do not have to comply with those obligations. If we do waive a default by you, we will only do so in writing, and that will not mean that we automatically waive any later default by you.

22.6 The online application and the Contract is governed exclusively by English Law and the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to them as well as any and all claims related in any way to the Study Abroad Programme or any services provided in relation to it, except that if you live in Scotland you acknowledge that you can bring legal proceedings in either the Scottish or the English courts. Similarly, if you live in Northern Ireland you acknowledge that you can bring legal proceedings in either the Northern Irish or the English courts.