{"id":2167,"date":"2026-10-04T15:08:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T13:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/startde.com\/?page_id=2167"},"modified":"2026-10-04T23:31:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T21:31:47","slug":"terms-and-conditions-for-language-courses","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/agb-sprachkurse\/","title":{"rendered":"Terms and Conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"2167\" class=\"elementor elementor-2167\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f560ae3 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-default-div e-89e8af6\" data-id=\"f560ae3\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"f560ae3\">\n    \t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-206a676 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"206a676\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1><b>General Terms and Conditions (GTC) for Language Courses<\/b><\/h1><p><b>StartDE Consulting<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business Address:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">K\u00f6nigsallee 19, 40212 D\u00fcsseldorf<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Language School \/ Essen Campus:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15A Mathildenstra\u00dfe, 45130 Essen<\/span><\/p><p><b>As of October 2026<\/b><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 1 Scope of Application<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These Terms and Conditions apply to the language courses offered by StartDE Consulting, including, in particular, intensive courses, evening courses, online courses, in-person courses, exam preparation courses, and career-related or medical language courses.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The specific course description and any individual agreements included in the course contract supplement these Terms and Conditions.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individual agreements take precedence over these Terms and Conditions.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 2 Registration and Conclusion of the Contract<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registration can be completed, in particular, via an online form, by email, in writing, or through another booking method provided by StartDE.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By signing the course contract or accepting a corresponding contract offer, the participant is considered to have made a binding registration for the respective course.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The specific course spot will be reserved on a binding basis upon receipt of the agreed-upon reservation deposit.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once payment is received, the participant will receive confirmation of their spot in the course or confirmation of registration.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 3 Down Payment and Course Registration<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For group classes, a <\/span><b>Reservation deposit of \u20ac150.00<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to be paid, unless otherwise agreed upon for the specific course.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u20ac150.00 will be applied in full toward the course fee and does not constitute an additional registration fee.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A spot in the course will not be firmly reserved until payment is received.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the deposit is not paid within the payment period specified on the invoice, StartDE may allocate the space to another party.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 4 Final Payment<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The remaining tuition fee is due no later than <\/span><b>14 calendar days before the course begins<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to pay in full.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For late registrations, the remaining balance is due on the date specified on the invoice.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In justified exceptional cases, StartDE may agree to a later payment on a case-by-case basis.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Payment upon arrival in Essen is permitted only if StartDE has expressly confirmed this in writing in advance.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If payment is not made on time, StartDE may grant the participant a reasonable grace period.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the grace period expires without payment, StartDE may assign the course spot to another participant and refuse admission to the course until payment is made in full.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 5 Cancellation up to 14 days before the course begins<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cancellation must be made in writing.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the expiration of any applicable statutory right of withdrawal, StartDE may, in the event of a cancellation by the participant, retain up to \u20ac150.00 of the reservation deposit as a flat-rate compensation for administrative, organizational, and reservation expenses incurred.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The participant is expressly permitted to prove that StartDE suffered no damages or significantly less damage.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any amounts already paid in excess of this total will generally be refunded if the cancellation is made in a timely manner.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 6 Cancellation 14 days or more before the start of the course<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a cancellation is made 14 calendar days or fewer before the course begins, the full agreed-upon course fee may still be due.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE takes into account the expenses saved as well as the successful reassignment of the course spot to another participant.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The participant is expressly permitted to prove that StartDE suffered no damages or significantly less damage.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same generally applies if you do not attend the course.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandatory statutory rights remain unaffected.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 7 Withdrawal from the Course and Absences<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Absences for personal reasons generally do not entitle the participant to a refund or reduction of the course fee.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This applies in particular in the event of illness, vacation, work commitments, appointments with government agencies, delayed entry, or other personal circumstances preventing attendance.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Withdrawal from a course after it has begun does not, as a general rule, entitle the student to an automatic full or partial refund.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statutory rights remain unaffected.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 8 Denial of a Visa<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it can be proven that the course was booked for the purpose of a visa application and the visa required for this purpose is denied by the relevant German diplomatic mission or government agency abroad, the participant may take advantage of the special visa cancellation policy.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do so, you must submit the written notice of denial to StartDE.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case, any course fees already paid in excess of the reservation deposit will generally be refunded, provided that no services have already been rendered or other costs incurred prevent such a refund.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE may withhold up to \u20ac150.00 from the reservation deposit to cover administrative and reservation costs already incurred.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case as well, the participant is entitled to prove that the damage was less than claimed or did not occur at all.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This special provision may not apply if the visa denial is based, in particular, on incomplete documentation, false information, a late application, a procedure abandoned by the participant, or other circumstances for which the participant is responsible.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 9 Minimum Number of Participants<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Group classes will be held provided that the minimum number of participants specified for that particular class is reached.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The minimum number of participants may be specified in the course description, the course contract, or the booking confirmation.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the minimum number of participants is not reached, StartDE may:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">postpone the course to a later date,<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">offer another suitable course,<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">offer a parallel course or<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cancel the class.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A significant change from in-person to online instruction\u2014or vice versa\u2014will only take place with the participant's consent.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the event of a final cancellation by StartDE, all payments made for the course in question, including the reservation deposit, will be refunded in full, provided the participant does not accept an alternative course offered.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 10 Class Times and Schedule Changes<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE is authorized to replace teachers when there is a substantive or organizational need to do so.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minor changes to class times are permitted, provided they are reasonable for the participants.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Significant changes will be communicated in a timely manner.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classes canceled due to reasons attributable to StartDE will generally be rescheduled or appropriately replaced.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 11 In-Person Instruction<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In-person classes are generally held at:<\/span><\/p><p><b>StartDE Consulting \u2013 Language School in Essen<\/b><b><br \/><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15A Mathildenstra\u00dfe<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">45130 Essen<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If necessary for organizational reasons, StartDE may designate another suitable classroom within Essen, provided this is reasonable for the participants.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 12 Online Instruction<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online courses are generally conducted as live classes, unless otherwise agreed.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Participants must have a suitable device, a reliable Internet connection, and the technical equipment required for the course.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technical problems on the participant's end generally do not constitute grounds for rescheduling individual class sessions.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Significant technical disruptions to classes for which StartDE is responsible will be made up or appropriately replaced.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 13 Class Sessions<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A class period (UE) generally corresponds to <\/span><b>45 minutes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A course with 160 teaching units therefore consists of 120 hours of instruction.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Break times are not considered class periods, unless otherwise agreed.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 14 Classification<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE may require participants to take a placement test.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it is determined that the chosen course level does not correspond to the student's actual level of knowledge, a switch to a more appropriate course may be recommended.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A change requires that a suitable spot be available.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 15 Course Materials and Learning Platform<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE can provide digital materials, exercises, tests, homework assignments, and access to a learning platform.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">External textbooks or other materials that require a fee are included in the course fee only if this is expressly stated.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Login credentials must not be disclosed to third parties.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 16 Examinations<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">External exam fees, particularly for exams administered by external testing providers, are not included in the course fee unless expressly agreed upon.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE does not guarantee that a candidate will pass an external language or technical language exam.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 17 Certificates of Participation<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE can issue a certificate of completion upon completion of the course.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In particular, full payment of the course fee and sufficient attendance at the course may be required for this purpose.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A certificate of participation is not a state-recognized language certificate, unless this is expressly stated.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 18 Certificates for Visa or Government Purposes<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once a binding reservation has been made and the specified payment requirements have been met, StartDE may issue a course or registration confirmation.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such confirmation does not guarantee that a visa, residence permit, or other official authorization will be granted.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The decision rests solely with the competent authority.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 19 Copyright and Recordings<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instructional materials may be used only to the extent permitted by law and for personal learning purposes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unauthorized publication, distribution, or commercial use is prohibited.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Audio, video, or photo recordings of classes are not permitted without the consent of StartDE and the individuals involved.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 20 Behavior in Class<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Participants must treat teachers, staff, and other participants with respect.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the event of significant or repeated disruptions, threats, harassment, discrimination, or similar serious misconduct, StartDE may take appropriate action.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the event of serious breaches of contract, participants may also be excluded from the course in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 21 Right of Withdrawal<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To the extent that a consumer is legally entitled to a right of withdrawal in connection with an online, distance, or other type of booking, the statutory provisions apply.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The statutory cancellation period is generally 14 days from the date the contract is concluded, unless a statutory exception or a different statutory provision applies.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE provides a separate notice of right of withdrawal, if required.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the participant expressly requests that StartDE begin providing the service even while the cancellation period is still in effect, the statutory provisions regarding early commencement of service, compensation for value, and, if applicable, the expiration of the right of cancellation shall apply.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These Terms and Conditions do not exclude any existing statutory right of withdrawal.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 22 Force Majeure<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a course cannot be held as planned due to an extraordinary event for which StartDE is not responsible, StartDE will make every effort to find an appropriate alternative solution.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In particular, this may involve rescheduling or making up for lost time.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Participants' mandatory statutory rights remain unaffected.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 23 Liability<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE is liable in accordance with statutory provisions for willful misconduct and gross negligence, as well as for damages resulting from injury to life, body, or health.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the event of a breach of material contractual obligations due to slight negligence, liability shall be governed by statutory provisions and, to the extent permitted by law, shall be limited to foreseeable damages typical for this type of contract.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">StartDE does not guarantee that students will reach a specific language proficiency level within a certain period of time, nor does it guarantee that they will pass an exam.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 24 Data Protection<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal data is processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information, please see StartDE Consulting's Privacy Policy.<\/span><\/p><p><br \/><br \/><\/p><h2><b>\u00a7 25 Governing Law and Final Provisions<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The laws of the Federal Republic of Germany shall apply, subject to mandatory consumer protection regulations.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individual agreements take precedence over these Terms and Conditions.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should any individual provisions be or become invalid, the applicable statutory provisions shall take their place. The validity of the remaining provisions shall generally remain unaffected.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Allgemeine Gesch\u00e4ftsbedingungen (AGB) f\u00fcr Sprachkurse StartDE Consulting Gesch\u00e4ftsanschrift:K\u00f6nigsallee 19, 40212 D\u00fcsseldorf Sprachschule \/ Unterrichtsstandort Essen:Mathildenstra\u00dfe 15A, 45130 Essen Stand: Oktober [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2167","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2167"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2167\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2171,"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2167\/revisions\/2171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/startde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}