Privacy Policy
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How to Register
The easiest and most convenient way to register is online, by clicking the “Register” button of the class description that interests you. When your registration has gone through, the website will automatically issue a confirmation. Please check your spam/junk folder as these automatically generated emails could end up there. Also please make sure you add us to your Safe Senders’ list. If you do not receive an immediate confirmation and have looked at your spam/junk folder, please feel free to send us an email.
As we get closer to the starting date of your class, you will again here from us. If your class is online, you will also receive an email from your instructor with a zoom link and instructions to join the first class.
You may also register in person, by check, at one of our open houses; by mail by sending a registration form and check made out to The Language Exchange to 217 Commercial Street, Suite 304 – Portland, ME 04101.
If you sign up by mail you will need to download and fill out this registration form.
You are considered registered when we have received your registration form AND payment.
Registrations for group classes or workshops will be accepted on a first come first serve basis until we reach our maximum number of students. The maximum number of students per group class is 10 to 12. Special workshops may accommodate more students. This will be determined on a per case basis.
Registrations – online, by mail, in person – must be received before classes begin. Late registrations may result in the cancellation of classes or workshops, or in your not receiving on time the link you need if your class is online.
Payments can be made by local checks, and credit cards (Visa, MC, Discover). We do not take American Express.
If you have any questions, feel free to email us.
Low enrollment
The minimum number of students per class is 4. The Language Exchange reserves the right to cancel classes or workshops for extraordinary circumstances. If a class or workshop is canceled, we will notify you before the class is scheduled to begin.
In the event that a class has only 2 registered students, students will be given the option to switch to a semi-private tutoring model (10 hours for two students with one instructor for $350/student); in the event that a class has only 3 registered students, students will be given the option of paying an extra fee (TBD based on the class) for the class to be held as a regular group class.
Discount for early registration
You will receive an early registration discount on group classes if – AND ONLY IF – you register on or before the early registration deadline indicated in all class descriptions for a particular session
A registration consists of both a registration form AND your payment.
If you sign up online, the discount will be automatically applied when your payment is processed if we received your registration within the imparted time. If you pay by check or cash in person, please apply the early registration discount only if you sign up before or on the early registration deadline. If you sign up by mail, the post office stamp determines whether you signed up within the allocated time to receive the discount.
There will be NO DISCOUNT if you register after the early registration deadline has expired for the upcoming session.
Also please note that the early registration discount DOES NOT apply to workshops, private or semi-private tutoring – unless otherwise stated in the workshop description.
Scholarships
At times a student will write us a check and say “This is for someone who can’t afford to participate” and at other times, we collect money at a social event that far exceeds our expectations and our expenses particularly when the event presenter donates his/her time. When this happens, the money we collect goes to a special scholarship fund. We are then able to give full or partial scholarships to deserving students.
If you would like to be considered for a full or partial scholarship, you must:
- be 22 to 32 years-old
- write a 250-word essay explaining who you are and why you are pursuing the study of a foreign language as well as what your expectations are, and send this essay to the school director for review at info@immersionprograms.com
- attend a brief interview
Refunds
If you decide to withdraw from a class BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS, we will refund your tuition minus a $30 processing fee.
THERE WILL BE NO REFUND AFTER THE FIRST NIGHT OF CLASS. In rare instances, you might be offered a credit valid for 6 months only.
Tuition for workshops is non-refundable (unless the workshop was canceled for insufficient enrollment).
Tuition for private or semi-private tutoring is also non-refundable.
Books
Unless otherwise indicated, books are your responsibility. Class prices do not include books or other types of materials unless otherwise noted. We recommend that you investigate book prices prior to registering for classes if you are concerned about the additional cost. We do recommend certain books because they make your learning experience easier, fuller, more satisfying, and help you follow the structure of the class.
We advise that you acquire your books prior to the first day of class but if no title has been announced in the class description, please wait until the first day of class to obtain this information.
We do not sell books. They can occasionally be purchased and/or ordered at local bookstores but most of the time we will indicate Internet resources in the class description of the course selected.
For French books, you may contact Albertine located in the French Consulate in New York City or Schoenhof’s in Cambridge. Schoenhof’s — that has books and textbooks in many more languages than just French — sadly closed its Cambridge store at the end of March 2017 but continues to operate its online services.
For German books, you may contact IBIS (International Book Import Service) following this link (Click Here)
For Italian books, check with I am books in Boston.
Otherwise, in your class description, the ISBN of the recommended book will be linked to a website giving you choices of online suppliers of new and used books. Click on the ISBN to find out where you will be able to acquire your book. This should give you quite a range of price options.
If you need assistance, please get in touch.
Weather Emergencies
As it is not always practical to contact and reach each one of our students, weather cancellations will be announced on our Facebook page as soon as a decision has been reached as well as the “Homepage” of our website so that you may consult these pages as soon as you have a doubt.
The decision to cancel an evening class will be made by 2:00 pm in most cases.
Our Students’ Satisfaction
We are committed to offering high quality programs and your satisfaction matters to us. We realize that there might be rare instances in which a student is dissatisfied with a course. If you feel a course is not delivering what was promised, please do address it with the instructor first and with the school director immediately.
We might consider a request for reimbursement provided that you document very specifically in writing why the course is not meeting your expectations. If we decide to honor your request, we will issue a credit equal to the amount of your tuition to be used within 6 months of issuance. Fees you may have paid for books or other class materials will not be reimbursed.
Please understand that a change in your schedule or your realizing that taking a class requires more time than you have are not reasons for which we can issue a credit or partial credit. They are reasons beyond our control.