Terms of Service & Refund Policy

Preamble

The Festari Institute of Professional Studies (FIPS) is a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution currently seeking accreditation from the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) and operating under the Festari Group of Companies, with its principal campus in Tarkwa, in the Western Region of the Republic of Ghana. FIPS delivers professional, vocational, and capacity-building programmes both under its own institutional authority and in partnership with internationally accredited bodies, including iPED UK (Institute for Professional and Executive Development United Kingdom), the World Safety Organization (WSO), the CPD Standards Office (UK), and The CPD Group (UK).

The relationship between FIPS and every applicant, student, and participant is, at its core, a relationship of trust. Applicants and participants entrust the institution with their time, their professional ambitions, and the fees they pay; FIPS, in turn, undertakes to deliver instruction, assessment, and certification of a quality consistent with its accreditation and its values. This relationship is also, plainly, a commercial one. FIPS, like every responsible educational institution, must commit resources (facilities, faculty, materials, and operational time) in advance of each programme. Those commitments cannot be unwound without cost.

This document sets out, in writing, the binding terms governing that relationship. It addresses, in particular, the most frequent source of friction in fee-based education, namely the question of refunds. By publishing a clear, predictable, and consistently applied Refund Window (including a brief, conditional cooling-off period), FIPS aims to protect bona fide participants from arbitrary treatment, while protecting the institution from frivolous, opportunistic, or fraudulent claims that, if entertained, would prejudice every other student who pays in good faith.

This Policy is binding on every applicant and participant from the moment of Submission Acceptance under Section 2.1. It should be read together with the relevant Course Brochure and the current Schedule of Fees. From the moment of enrolment, it should also be read together with the FIPS Student Handbook, which becomes binding on enrolment in accordance with Section 1.5A. The institution invites every prospective participant to read this Policy carefully, ask any questions before clicking Submit on any FIPS application or registration form, and proceed with enrolment only when fully satisfied with its terms.

Dr. Festus Kunkyin-Saadaari

Executive Director

Festari Institute of Professional Studies (FIPS)

Tarkwa, 1 January 2026

How to Use This Document

For prospective applicants and participants: Read Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 carefully before clicking Submit on any FIPS application or registration form. Pay particular attention to Section 3.2 (which fees are refundable and which are not), Section 3.9 (programmes without a published fee breakdown), Section 4.3 (the 48-hour Cooling-off Period and its conditions), Section 4.4 (the Cohort Confirmation Date and the institutional position on late withdrawal), and Section 4.7 (the refund schedule that applies to your programme type). Ask the Finance Office for clarification on anything you do not fully understand. Schedule A explains how Submission Acceptance works.

For enrolled students and participants who wish to withdraw: Read Section 4 in full. Begin the process by lodging a written Notice of Withdrawal in accordance with Section 4.2: verbal notice does not stop the clock. Then complete the Refund Application Form in Schedule B and submit it to the Finance Office with the documents listed in Section 4.10.

For employers, sponsors, and corporate clients: Read Section 3.6 (sponsored participants), Section 4.7.5 (Schedule E: in-house and corporate training), and Sections 11 and 12 (liability and dispute resolution). Schedule E sets out the default cancellation terms for in-house programmes in the absence of a separately negotiated written agreement.

For FIPS staff: This Policy is the single authoritative source on refunds. Do not give Applicants or Participants verbal assurances inconsistent with this document. Refer all refund queries to the Finance Office. Refer any borderline or compassionate case to the Executive Director in accordance with Section 6.

For everyone: This document is a working contractual instrument. Keep your copy, together with your receipts and the confirmation of Submission Acceptance issued by FIPS at the time of your submission, throughout your enrolment.

Key Terms and Refund Summary

This summary is provided for the convenience of every Applicant. It does not replace the full Terms of Service and Refund Policy; in the event of any inconsistency, the full Policy prevails. Section references in this summary point to the relevant clauses where the binding rules are set out.

Strong recommendation. Read the full Policy before clicking Submit. If anything is unclear, ask the Office of Admissions before paying any fee. The Cooling-off Period is short and conditional, and the Cohort Confirmation Date can lapse it earlier than the 48-hour window. Once a cohort is confirmed, refund entitlements are limited and Awarding-Body fees become non-refundable.

1. PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

1.1 Title and Citation

This instrument shall be known and may be cited as the "Festari Institute of Professional Studies (FIPS) Terms of Service and Refund Policy" (hereinafter referred to as "these Terms" or "this Policy").

1.2 Issuing Authority

These Terms are issued by the Office of the Executive Director of the Festari Institute of Professional Studies (FIPS), with the approval of the Board of Directors of the Festari Group of Companies, pursuant to the institution’s governance framework and in conformity with the laws of the Republic of Ghana.

1.3 Effective Date and Application

These Terms take effect on 1 January 2026 and apply to every application for admission, registration, enrolment, or participation received by FIPS on or after that date, regardless of the date on which any related fee is paid. Any pre-existing arrangement inconsistent with these Terms shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be read down to conform with this Policy from the effective date.

1.4 Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to:

• Establish a single, transparent and enforceable contractual framework governing the relationship between FIPS and every Applicant, Student, and Participant;
• Set out the binding terms of payment, withdrawal, deferment, cancellation and refund of fees;
• Protect both the institution and its bona fide students from frivolous, opportunistic or vexatious refund claims;
• Ensure equal, predictable and good-faith treatment of all participants under a published, written rule rather than ad hoc concessions;
• Provide a clear, time-bound process for resolving genuine refund cases and grievances; and
• Discharge FIPS’s consumer-disclosure obligations in respect of educational services.

1.5 Scope

This Policy applies, without exception, to:

• All CTVET-track programmes delivered by FIPS for which FIPS is currently seeking CTVET accreditation, including the National Certificate and Higher National Diploma (HND) tracks. Pending the grant of CTVET accreditation, these programmes are delivered under FIPS’s own institutional authority and the corresponding CTVET-track certification is awarded subject to the eventual grant of that accreditation;
• All International Capacity Building (ICB) programmes, including those delivered in partnership with iPED UK (Institute for Professional and Executive Development United Kingdom), the World Safety Organization (WSO), the CPD Standards Office (UK), The CPD Group (UK), and any future accredited partner;
• All Local Capacity Building (LCB) programmes, including FIPS Proficiency Programmes, Professional Certificates, Advanced Professional Certificates, FIPS MERIT CPD activities, modular certification frameworks (including but not limited to the Mining Operations Excellence Program), and any other programme delivered under FIPS’s own institutional authority;
• All short courses, workshops, executive training, masterclasses, bootcamps, seminars, webinars, and conferences organised, hosted, co-hosted, or sponsored by FIPS, whether delivered on-campus, off-site, online, hybrid, or in-house at a client’s premises;
• All consultancy, advisory, assessment and certification services procured from FIPS by an individual or organisation;
• Any other certification programme delivered, hosted, co-delivered, administered, or facilitated by FIPS in partnership with any third-party professional body, examination board, regulatory authority, industry certifying body, vendor-certification programme, or any future partner accreditor, regardless of the denomination used on the certificate (Certificate of Achievement, Certificate of Competence, Practitioner Certificate, Foundation Certificate, Specialist Certificate, or any other name); and
• All registration, application, examination, certification, and ancillary fees payable to FIPS in respect of any of the foregoing.

Where any matter is not specifically addressed in this Policy, the applicable programme regulations and, in respect of enrolled Students, the FIPS Student Handbook shall apply.

1.5A Two-Stage Acceptance: Application Stage and Student Stage

The contractual relationship between FIPS and an individual proceeds in two stages, with different governance instruments binding at each stage:

• Application Stage: From Submission Acceptance under Section 2.1 until the moment of enrolment defined in this Section, the individual is an Applicant. The instruments binding on the Applicant are: this Policy (Terms of Service and Refund Policy), the FIPS Privacy Policy and Data Protection Notice, the FIPS Cookie Policy (where the submission is online), and the FIPS Acceptable Use Policy (where the submission grants the Applicant access to FIPS ICT Systems). These instruments together constitute the FIPS Legal Pack at the Application Stage. The FIPS Student Handbook does not bind the Applicant at this stage, since the Handbook governs the institutional relationship between FIPS and its Students.
• Moment of enrolment. An Applicant becomes a Student on the earliest of: (i) the first scheduled day of attendance on the programme; (ii) the Applicant’s first access to Restricted Course Content (as defined in Section 1.7); or (iii) the formal issuance by the Registrar of an enrolment confirmation in respect of that Applicant. From that moment, the individual is a Student.
• Student Stage: From the moment of enrolment, the FIPS Student Handbook becomes binding on the Student by operation of these Terms and by virtue of the enrolment itself, without any further signature or acknowledgement being required. The Student is taken to have had reasonable opportunity to access the Handbook through its publication on the FIPS website, its availability at the Registry, and the copy furnished by FIPS at the time of enrolment.
• Continuing application of this Policy. This Policy continues to bind the Student throughout the Student Stage, in particular as regards refunds, withdrawals, cancellation, and limitation of liability. Where this Policy and the Student Handbook overlap, the hierarchy of authority at Section 1.6 determines which provision prevails.

Two-stage acceptance is the institutional answer to a question that arises naturally on application: how can a Handbook addressed to Students bind someone who is not yet a Student? The answer is that it cannot, and it does not. The Handbook becomes binding when, and only when, the Applicant becomes a Student. Until that moment, the Applicant is bound only by the instruments in the Application-Stage Legal Pack.

1.6 Hierarchy of Authority

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between this Policy and another FIPS document, the following hierarchy shall determine which provision prevails (in descending order):

• The laws of the Republic of Ghana and any directive of a competent regulatory authority (including CTVET and the Commission for TVET);
• The published regulations of an external awarding body in respect of fees payable to that body (e.g., iPED UK, WSO);
• This Terms of Service and Refund Policy;
• The current FIPS Fee Schedule and any programme-specific fee policy duly approved by the Board of Directors;
• The FIPS Student Handbook (binding from the moment of enrolment, in accordance with Section 1.5A);
• Any other FIPS policy or guideline.

1.7 Definitions and Interpretation

In this Policy, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Applicant" means a person who has lodged an application for admission or enrolment with FIPS but who has not yet been formally enrolled.

"Board" means the Board of Directors of the Festari Group of Companies.

"Commencement Date" means, in respect of a programme, the first scheduled day of instruction as published in the relevant academic calendar, programme schedule, or course brochure.

"Ancillary Cost" means any cost, other than tuition, incurred by FIPS on behalf of an Applicant or Participant in connection with a programme, including but not limited to course materials and learning resources procured for the Applicant, awarding-body examination and registration fees, certification and printing fees, laboratory consumables, field-trip and industrial-visit costs, accommodation deposits, and any third-party fee paid by FIPS on the Applicant’s account.

"Cohort Confirmation Date" means the date, fixed by FIPS for each programme intake, on which FIPS confirms the cohort and commits institutional resources (lecturer scheduling, classroom or platform booking, materials procurement, awarding-body registration). Unless otherwise stated in the Course Brochure, the Cohort Confirmation Date falls fourteen (14) calendar days before the Commencement Date of the programme.

"Cooling-off Period" means the period of forty-eight (48) hours immediately following the issue of Submission Acceptance under Section 2.1, during which an Applicant may withdraw with a full refund of fees paid less the non-refundable Application and Administration Fee, in accordance with Section 4.3. The Cooling-off Period lapses immediately on the earlier of: (i) the expiry of the 48-hour window; (ii) the Cohort Confirmation Date; or (iii) the Applicant’s first access to Restricted Course Content.

"Course Brochure" means the official document, web page, or flyer published by FIPS describing a programme, its dates, fees, and conditions.

"Restricted Course Content" means any resource that becomes accessible to the Applicant only by reason of enrolment in a FIPS programme, and which, on access, vests learning value in the Applicant or commits FIPS to a third-party cost. Restricted Course Content includes, without limitation: (i) any digital or physical course material, handout, slide deck, study guide, or recording made available to the cohort; (ii) any examination paper, assessment instrument, sample assessment, mock examination, or marking rubric; (iii) any awarding-body code, examination voucher, registration reference, or candidate number; (iv) any software licence key, platform credential, or paid-tool account allocated to the Applicant; (v) any meeting-platform invitation, joining link, room ID, dial-in number, passcode, or recording link for a Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, Webex, or comparable session; (vi) any invitation to, or membership of, a programme-specific WhatsApp group, Telegram group, Slack channel, Discord server, or comparable cohort communication channel designated for the programme; (vii) any access credential to the FIPS Learning Management System or any other FIPS digital platform used for the programme. The act of joining, opening, downloading, or otherwise using any such resource is the moment of access, even if the Applicant does not subsequently attend the live session or complete any other course activity.

"Submission Acceptance" means the binding acceptance of these Terms effected by the Applicant’s submission of any FIPS application, enrolment, registration or payment form (whether online, paper, or hybrid), pursuant to Section 2.1, having been presented with, and given access to, the FIPS Legal Pack referenced at the point of submission.

"FIPS Legal Pack" means the set of FIPS governance instruments made accessible to every Applicant at the point of submission, comprising at minimum these Terms of Service and Refund Policy, the FIPS Privacy Policy and Data Protection Notice, the FIPS Cookie Policy, and the FIPS Acceptable Use Policy. The FIPS Student Handbook is not part of the Legal Pack at the application stage; it becomes binding on the Applicant on enrolment, in accordance with Section 1.5A.

"Executive Director" means the Executive Director of FIPS or any person duly authorised to act in that capacity.

"External Awarding Body" means iPED UK, WSO, CPD Standards Office (UK), The CPD Group (UK), and any other internationally accredited awarding partner of FIPS.

"Fees" includes tuition fees, application fees, registration fees, examination fees, laboratory and technology fees, certification fees, awarding body fees, study materials fees, accommodation fees (where provided), field-trip fees, refundable caution deposits, and any other charge published by FIPS.

"FIPS" means the Festari Institute of Professional Studies, a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution currently seeking accreditation from the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) and operating under the Festari Group of Companies, with its principal place of business at HNO. TV48B, Dua Pa Street, Tamso, Tarkwa, Western Region, Ghana.

"Force Majeure" shall have the meaning ascribed in Section 9.1.

"In-House Programme" means a programme delivered exclusively to participants nominated by a single Client organisation under a written training services agreement.

"No-Show" means failure by a Participant to attend the first scheduled session of a programme without prior written notice of withdrawal in accordance with Section 4.

"Participant" means any person enrolled in a short course, workshop, professional programme, CPD activity, executive training, or similar engagement with FIPS, whether or not they are also a registered Student.

"Programme" means any course, programme, training, workshop, seminar, certification or other educational engagement offered by FIPS.

"Refund Window" means the time-bracketed schedule set out in Section 4.7 within which a refund of fees is claimable and the percentage thereof.

"Student" means any person formally registered for a CTVET-track programme or for a multi-semester programme delivered through the School of Professional Programmes and Capacity Building.

"Withdrawal" means the formal written notice given by a Student or Participant of their intention to discontinue a Programme, lodged in accordance with Section 4.2.

"Working Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday gazetted in the Republic of Ghana.

Interpretation. Headings are inserted for convenience and shall not affect interpretation. Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa. Words importing one gender include all genders. A reference to a person includes a natural person, a body corporate, an unincorporated association, and a government agency. A reference to a statute is to that statute as amended or re-enacted from time to time. The words "include", "including" and "in particular" are illustrative and not exhaustive.

2. FORMATION OF THE CONTRACT

2.1 Acceptance of these Terms by Submission

Every Applicant accepts these Terms in their entirety by Submission Acceptance, that is, by submitting any FIPS application, enrolment, registration or payment form (whether online, in person, on paper, or in hybrid form), in accordance with the procedure set out below.

Every such form, regardless of channel, shall:

• Display a prominent statement immediately above the Submit button reading: "By clicking Submit (or by signing and returning this form), I confirm that I have read, understood, and accepted the FIPS Legal Pack, including these Terms of Service and Refund Policy, the Privacy Policy and Data Protection Notice, the Cookie Policy, and the Acceptable Use Policy. I further understand that the FIPS Student Handbook will become binding on me on enrolment, in accordance with Section 1.5A of these Terms";
• Carry an active hyperlink (online forms) or a printed URL and QR code (paper forms) directing the Applicant to the current FIPS Legal Pack at fips.ac/legal or such successor location as FIPS may publish;
• Time-stamp the submission and retain a record of the submission together with the version of the Legal Pack in force at the time, in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

The act of clicking the Submit button (in the case of online or hybrid forms), or signing and lodging the form (in the case of paper forms), is conclusive evidence of the Applicant’s acceptance of the Legal Pack in force at that time. The Applicant cannot subsequently deny having had access to the Legal Pack, and the absence of any wet-signature counterpart shall not affect the binding force of these Terms.

Without limiting the foregoing, each of the following further acts also constitutes acceptance of these Terms and is taken to confirm Submission Acceptance:

• Making any payment of fees, in whole or in part, to FIPS for any programme;
• Attending the first session of a programme without having previously withdrawn in writing;
• Accessing any Restricted Course Content.

No person may attend, sit, or otherwise participate in any FIPS programme until Submission Acceptance has occurred. Failure of FIPS to enforce any term in any particular case shall not constitute a waiver of these Terms or any part of them.

2.2 No Place Reserved Until Fees Are Cleared

A place on any FIPS programme is reserved only upon receipt and clearance of the prescribed payment(s) in accordance with Section 3. The placement of an applicant’s name on any waiting list, the issuance of an offer letter, or the completion of an application form does not, of itself, create any enforceable right to a place, instruction, or refund.

2.3 Right to Refuse, Decline or Cancel an Application

FIPS reserves the right, exercised reasonably, to:

• Decline an application where admission criteria, capacity limits, programme prerequisites, regulatory requirements, outstanding obligations from any prior FIPS engagement, or other legitimate institutional grounds justify doing so. FIPS is not required to disclose confidential, commercially sensitive, or third-party information when communicating such a decision;
• Cancel any registration where the Applicant or Participant has provided false, misleading, or incomplete information in an application;
• Decline or cancel registration where the prerequisites for the programme are not met;
• Cancel registration where the Applicant or Participant is subject to an outstanding disciplinary sanction or financial obligation from a previous FIPS engagement.

Where FIPS exercises any of the foregoing rights for reasons not attributable to misconduct, fraud, or material misrepresentation by the Applicant, fees actually received from the Applicant shall be refunded in full within thirty (30) working days, less any externally non-refundable component (such as awarding body fees already remitted).

2.4 Pre-Enrolment Disclosure Acknowledgement

Every Applicant and Participant acknowledges that, before accepting these Terms, they have been given a reasonable opportunity to read, ask questions about, and seek clarification on:

• The programme description, learning outcomes, mode of delivery, and duration;
• The full schedule of fees, including all non-refundable components;
• This Refund Window and the procedure for claiming a refund;
• The identity of the External Awarding Body (where applicable) and the certification track on offer;
• The applicable academic and code-of-conduct regulations, including the FIPS Student Handbook, which is published on the FIPS website and available at the Registry for inspection at the Application Stage and which becomes binding on the Applicant on enrolment in accordance with Section 1.5A.

No Applicant or Participant shall thereafter be entitled to rely upon any representation alleged to have been made by any FIPS employee, agent, marketer, recruiter, or third party that is inconsistent with this Policy, the Course Brochure, or the FIPS Legal Pack.

3. FEES AND PAYMENT TERMS

3.1 Schedule of Fees

The Schedule of Fees applicable to a programme shall be that published by the FIPS Finance Office and approved by the Board on or before the commencement of the relevant academic year or, in the case of short courses and professional programmes, on or before the publication of the Course Brochure. Fees are quoted in Ghana Cedis (GHS) unless otherwise specified. The published Schedule of Fees is binding on every Applicant and Participant for the academic year or programme cohort to which it relates.

3.2 Components of Fees

Fees payable to FIPS may comprise some or all of the following components, each of which has the refund treatment indicated in this Policy and in the Schedule of Fees:

3.3 Currency and Method of Payment

All fees shall be paid in Ghana Cedis (GHS) unless a programme is expressly priced in another currency. Payment is accepted only through the official FIPS bank account, the FIPS-approved payment platform, or by such other instrument as the Finance Office authorises in writing. Receipts shall bear the FIPS letterhead and an official Finance Office stamp; any other receipt is not recognised by the institution.

Cash payments are discouraged. Where unavoidably tendered, cash shall be received only by the Finance Office against an official receipt. FIPS shall not be liable for any cash purportedly handed to a lecturer, recruiter, marketer, or any other person who is not authorised in writing to receive payments.

3.4 Payment Schedules and Instalments

Unless a Course Brochure expressly provides otherwise, fees are payable in full at or before registration. The following instalment arrangements may be granted on written application:

• Long programmes (CTVET / multi-semester): a minimum of fifty per cent (50%) at registration; balance in instalments concluding no later than the eighth (8th) week of the semester.
• Short courses / professional programmes (duration four weeks or longer): a minimum of fifty per cent (50%) at registration; balance no later than mid-point of the programme.
• Short courses (duration under four weeks): full payment is required at registration. No instalments shall be granted.

A Participant who defaults on an instalment plan shall, after written notice and a grace period of seven (7) working days, be barred from further attendance, examinations, and access to academic records until all arrears are cleared. Default does not, of itself, give rise to any right of refund of fees previously paid.

3.5 Discounts, Sponsorships, and Scholarships

Any discount, sponsorship, scholarship, or bursary granted by FIPS is non-transferable and non-encashable. Where a Participant withdraws from a programme, no refund shall be due in respect of the discounted or waived portion of the fees. Refunds, where due, shall be computed on the net fees actually paid by or on behalf of the Participant.

3.6 Sponsored and Corporate-Paid Participants

Where fees are paid by an employer, sponsor, or third party, the contractual relationship in respect of refunds shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing, be between FIPS and that paying entity. Refunds, where due, shall be payable only to the original payer, into the originating account, and only on production of evidence of original payment. A Participant whose fees are sponsored shall not have an independent right of refund against FIPS.

3.7 Currency, Bank Charges, and Foreign Remittances

Where fees are paid by foreign remittance, the Participant shall bear all bank charges, foreign exchange costs, and transmission losses. Refunds in respect of foreign remittances shall be made in Ghana Cedis at the exchange rate quoted by FIPS’s primary banking partner (or, where that bank does not quote on the date in question, by another reputable commercial bank in Ghana) prevailing on the date the refund is processed, less all reasonable bank charges incurred by FIPS on the inward and outward transactions. The Finance Office shall, on written request, furnish the Participant with a written summary identifying the bank that quoted the rate and the date of quotation.

3.8 Receipts and Records

Every payment shall be evidenced by an official FIPS receipt issued by the Finance Office. Participants are required to retain receipts and produce them with any refund application. FIPS shall maintain payment records for a minimum of seven (7) years in accordance with the Companies Act 2019 (Act 992) and the laws of Ghana.

3.9 Programmes Without a Published Fee Breakdown

Where the Course Brochure or other published material in respect of a programme states an aggregate fee without itemising what that fee covers, the following default rules apply, and the Applicant accepts them as part of Submission Acceptance:

• Tuition presumption: the published fee is treated as covering tuition only. Tuition is the sole element subject to refund under the schedules in Section 4.7.
• Ancillary Costs separately recoverable: any Ancillary Cost (course materials, awarding-body fees, certification, laboratory consumables, field-trip costs, accommodation, software licences) actually incurred by FIPS on the Applicant’s account, whether before or after Submission Acceptance, may be invoiced separately and shall be paid by the Applicant at cost, on presentation of evidence of the underlying expense.
• Ancillary Costs non-refundable once incurred: an Ancillary Cost which FIPS has actually paid to a third party, or for which FIPS has incurred a binding commitment, is non-refundable to the Applicant from the moment that payment or commitment is made, irrespective of any cooling-off, withdrawal, or refund window the Applicant might otherwise have under this Policy. The Applicant’s remedy, if any, lies against the relevant third party under that third party’s own refund terms.
• No implied items: FIPS does not undertake to supply any item or service not expressly listed in the Course Brochure. Items requested in addition shall be quoted and invoiced separately.
• Disclosure on request: an Applicant who requires an itemised breakdown before Submission Acceptance may write to finance@fips.ac and FIPS shall, within five (5) working days, furnish an itemised quotation. Once Submission Acceptance has occurred, the default rules in this Section apply.
• Mandatory disclosure on the Course Brochure: Where a programme is published with an aggregate fee under this Section, the Course Brochure or equivalent published material shall display, in a position immediately adjacent to the fee figure, the warning: "Additional third-party or ancillary costs (such as awarding-body fees, materials, certification, examination and travel costs) may apply and are governed by Sections 3.9 and 3.10 of the FIPS Terms of Service and Refund Policy." The omission of this warning from the published material does not, of itself, exclude the operation of the default rules in this Section, but the Registrar shall treat the omission as a finance and marketing compliance issue.

This Section 3.9 protects FIPS from the asymmetric risk of having to refund tuition (which is recoverable from FIPS’s own operations) at the same rate as Ancillary Costs (which have been paid to third parties and cannot be recovered). It is read together with Section 4.8 (Non-Refundable Items).

3.10 Awarding Body Registration and Examination Fees

Where a programme is delivered in partnership with, or leads to certification by, an External Awarding Body (including but not limited to iPED UK, the World Safety Organization (WSO), the CPD Standards Office (UK), The CPD Group (UK), and any successor or further accredited partner), the following provisions apply, and the Applicant accepts them as part of Submission Acceptance:

• Registration at the start of the programme: Every Participant in an Awarding-Body-leading programme is registered with the relevant Awarding Body at, or shortly after, the start of the programme. Registration is a precondition for sitting the relevant examination and for receiving the certificate of the Awarding Body. The registration is made in respect of the Participant individually and is not transferable.
• Reasonable timing of remittance: FIPS shall not remit Awarding-Body registration fees earlier than is reasonably necessary, having regard to the Awarding Body’s own registration timetable, the programme commencement schedule and any deadline imposed by the Awarding Body. This good-faith timing commitment does not, however, affect the operation of the non-refundability rule below: from the moment remittance actually occurs (or a binding commitment to remit is incurred), the fee becomes non-refundable in accordance with this Section 3.10.
• Awarding-body fee non-refundable from registration: From the moment FIPS registers the Participant with the Awarding Body, or from the moment FIPS remits the associated registration, examination or certification fee to the Awarding Body, whichever is earlier, the corresponding component of the fees paid by the Participant becomes non-refundable, irrespective of any cooling-off period, refund window, or other entitlement the Participant might otherwise enjoy under this Policy.
• Reason: Awarding-body registration and examination fees are paid by FIPS to the Awarding Body on the Participant’s account. Once remitted, those fees are not recovered by FIPS under the Awarding Body’s own terms. To refund them to a withdrawing Participant would oblige FIPS to fund the Awarding Body out of its own resources, which is neither feasible nor equitable.
• Examination and certification fees: Examination, re-sit and certification fees levied by an Awarding Body are similarly non-refundable from the moment they are remitted to the Awarding Body, or from the moment FIPS incurs a binding commitment to remit them, whichever is earlier.
• Participant’s remedy lies with the Awarding Body: Where a Participant believes that a registration, examination or certification fee should be refunded, the Participant’s remedy is to apply directly to the Awarding Body in accordance with that Body’s own refund terms. FIPS shall, on written request and within ten (10) working days, furnish the Participant with the registration reference issued by the Awarding Body, so that the Participant may approach the Awarding Body directly. FIPS’s obligation in this respect is limited to providing the reference; FIPS does not undertake to advocate, negotiate, or recover the fee on the Participant’s behalf.
• FIPS’s good-faith confirmation constitutes sufficient evidence: A written confirmation issued by the Registrar or the Finance Officer of FIPS that a Participant has been registered with an Awarding Body, and that the relevant registration or examination fee has been remitted, shall constitute sufficient evidence of that fact between FIPS and the Participant, unless the Participant produces credible contrary evidence. FIPS is not required to disclose, file, exhibit, produce, transmit, share, or otherwise prove the underlying transaction records (including bank-transfer instructions, swift confirmations, Awarding Body invoices, internal accounting entries, or correspondence with the Awarding Body) to the Participant, save where compelled to do so by a competent court of the Republic of Ghana, by a regulatory authority, or by an order of the Data Protection Commission. A Participant who challenges FIPS’s good-faith confirmation must do so by reference to credible evidence independent of FIPS’s internal records.
• Disclosure on the form: Every FIPS application or enrolment form for an Awarding-Body-leading programme shall display, before the Submit button, a clear notice in substantially the following terms: "I understand that, on commencement of this programme, FIPS will register me with the relevant Awarding Body, and that the registration, examination and certification fees paid to the Awarding Body are non-refundable from the moment they are remitted. My remedy in respect of those fees, if any, lies with the Awarding Body and not with FIPS."

This Section 3.10 is read together with Section 4.8 (Non-Refundable Items) and applies in priority to Sections 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5 to the extent of any inconsistency.

3.11 Tier-Specific Participation and Tier-Up by Conduct

Many FIPS programmes are organised in a stacked, sequential structure (Level 4 → Level 5 → Level 6 → Level 7, Diploma → Advanced Diploma → Graduate Diploma → Postgraduate Diploma, or Foundation → Professional → Advanced Professional), and the same cohort communication channels are often used across consecutive tiers. The provisions in this Section govern how participation in a tier translates into a payment obligation, and how a Participant who consumes a higher tier may not retreat to a lower-tier certification at the point of payment. Every Applicant accepts these provisions as part of Submission Acceptance.

Tier as the unit of payment and certification. Each tier of a stacked programme is a separate fee-bearing unit. Registration and payment for one tier (the "Paid Tier") give the Participant the right to attend sessions, take assessments, and receive the certificate of that tier only. Registration for a tier does not, of itself, confer any right to attend, sit examinations for, or receive the certificate of any other tier.

Continuing access for administrative convenience is not consent to participate. Where, for administrative convenience or for continuity of communication, FIPS retains a Participant in a cohort’s communication channels (WhatsApp group, Teams or Meet channel, LMS course shell, mailing list) after the Paid Tier has been delivered and pending the Participant’s decision to upgrade, that continuing access is a courtesy. It is not consent by FIPS to the Participant’s participation in any higher tier, and it does not waive any fee. FIPS may withdraw such courtesy access at any time and shall not be required to do so for the courtesy to remain a courtesy.

3.11.1 Three-Tier Framework for Higher Tier Participation

FIPS recognises three distinct patterns of Higher Tier participation by a Participant who has paid for the Paid Tier, and applies a calibrated remedy to each:

• Inadvertent exposure (safe harbour): A single inadvertent attendance at a Higher Tier session, or a single inadvertent receipt of a Higher Tier resource, that the Participant raises with the Programme Coordinator in writing without delay and before any further engagement with the Higher Tier, does not constitute Tier-up by conduct. The Programme Coordinator may withdraw the Participant from the Higher Tier channels at no charge.
• Teaching-only Tier-up (sustained attendance, no assessment): Where a Participant attends Higher Tier sessions to a sustained level (defined as attendance at twenty-five per cent (25%) or more of the scheduled Higher Tier sessions, whether live or by accessing recorded sessions) but does not submit any assessment, does not sit any examination, and is not registered with the Awarding Body in respect of the Higher Tier, the Participant is treated as having consumed the teaching value of the Higher Tier but not its certification value. The Higher Tier Teaching Fee becomes due, calculated as the published Higher Tier fee less the published examination, awarding-body registration and certification components for that Tier. The Participant is eligible, on application and at FIPS’s discretion, for a Certificate of Attendance under Section 8.6 in respect of the Higher Tier (not a Certificate of Completion).
• Full Tier-up (consumption of certification value): Where a Participant performs any of the acts listed at Section 3.11.2 below, the Participant is treated as having opted to upgrade fully to the Higher Tier by conduct, and the full Higher Tier fee (tuition, examination, awarding-body registration, certification and any associated Ancillary Costs) becomes due.

3.11.2 Acts That Trigger Full Tier-Up

A Participant who, having paid only for a lower tier, performs any of the following acts in respect of a Higher Tier is treated as having opted to upgrade fully to that Higher Tier, and the full Higher Tier fee structure (tuition, examination, awarding-body registration, certification, Ancillary Costs) becomes due:

• Submitting any coursework, assignment, group-work contribution, project, or portfolio piece in respect of the Higher Tier;
• Sitting, attempting, or registering for any examination, test, or assessment of the Higher Tier;
• Requesting or accepting registration with an Awarding Body in respect of the Higher Tier;
• Accepting a Higher Tier credential, certificate, transcript, or letter of good standing in any form;
• Holding themselves out, in writing or otherwise, to FIPS, classmates, employers, or third parties as a Participant in the Higher Tier (for example, by listing the Higher Tier qualification on a CV or LinkedIn profile).

3.11.3 Acts That Trigger Teaching-only Tier-Up

A Participant who, having paid only for a lower tier, does not perform any act in Section 3.11.2 but accumulates attendance at twenty-five per cent (25%) or more of the scheduled Higher Tier sessions (whether by live attendance, joining the meeting platform, or accessing the recording) is treated as having opted to take the teaching value of the Higher Tier only. The Higher Tier Teaching Fee under Section 3.11.1 becomes due. The Participant remains free to upgrade to Full Tier-up by performing any act in Section 3.11.2; in that case, the full Higher Tier fee becomes due in substitution for the Teaching Fee.

3.11.4 Certification Follows Consumption, Not Mere Payment

Certification by FIPS, and registration with any Awarding Body in respect of certification, follows the highest tier in which the Participant has actually consumed the certification value, and not the lowest tier in respect of which payment has been made. In particular:

• A Participant who has sat or attempted a Higher Tier examination cannot, on the certification date, demand the certificate of the Paid Tier in lieu of the Higher Tier certificate. The Higher Tier examination is part of the Higher Tier package and cannot be severed from the Higher Tier fee structure;
• A Participant who has submitted Higher Tier coursework or projects cannot demand that the work be re-graded against the Paid Tier rubric to qualify for the Paid Tier certificate;
• A Participant who has been registered, on their request or with their acquiescence, with an Awarding Body in respect of the Higher Tier cannot demand de-registration without payment of any non-refundable Awarding-Body fee already remitted under Section 3.10;
• A Participant who has taken Teaching-only Tier-up under Section 3.11.3 is not eligible for any Higher Tier qualification-bearing certificate under Category A of Section 8.6; eligibility is limited, on application, to a Certificate of Attendance under Category B of Section 8.6.

3.11.5 FIPS’s Remedies on Non-Payment of Tier-Up Fees

Where a Participant has triggered Full Tier-up or Teaching-only Tier-up but does not settle the corresponding fees within the period stated in Section 3.4, FIPS may, without prejudice to its rights elsewhere in these Terms:

• Withhold the certificate of any tier, including the Paid Tier and any Certificate of Attendance for which the Participant might otherwise have been eligible, until all fees due are settled;
• Decline to release transcripts, letters of good standing, or any verification in respect of the Participant;
• Bar the Participant from further participation in the cohort and from any future enrolment until arrears are cleared;
• Treat the Higher Tier examination or assessment as not having occurred for the purposes of issuing any certificate;
• Pursue any other remedy available under Section 7 (Fraudulent, Frivolous or Vexatious Claims) where the conduct discloses an attempt to obtain the Higher Tier’s value without paying for it.

Section 3.11 protects FIPS against the conversion of administrative courtesy into a basis for an unbargained-for upgrade, and protects every Participant who pays for a Higher Tier from the dilution of the value of that Higher Tier by participation of others who have not paid.

4. WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY

4.1 General Principle

FIPS is committed to fairness in financial dealings with its students and participants. Equally, FIPS is entitled to recover its committed costs and to protect the integrity of its enrolment processes from frivolous or opportunistic claims. This Policy strikes that balance by combining a brief unconditional Cooling-off Period with a fixed, transparent Refund Window thereafter. No refund shall be granted otherwise than in accordance with this Section.

4.2 Notice of Withdrawal

No withdrawal shall be recognised, and no refund shall be calculated, except upon receipt by FIPS of a formal written Notice of Withdrawal. The Notice of Withdrawal must:

• Be addressed to the Academic Registrar (for CTVET and long programmes) or the Professional Programmes Coordinator (for short courses and professional programmes), with copy to the Finance Office;
• State the full name, programme, cohort, and student/participant index number;
• State the date of withdrawal and a brief reason;
• Be signed by the Participant (or, in the case of a minor, by the parent or legal guardian);
• Be delivered by hand to the Registry, by registered post, or by email to registry@fips.ac (with read-receipt acknowledgement from FIPS).

Critical: The date on which FIPS receives and date-stamps the Notice of Withdrawal (and not the date on which it was written, posted, sent, or claimed to have been sent) shall be the effective date of withdrawal for the purposes of computing any refund. Verbal notice, telephone calls, WhatsApp messages, social-media comments, and informal conversations do not constitute a Notice of Withdrawal.

4.3 Cooling-off Period (Forty-Eight Hours, Subject to Conditions)

A training programme is not goods on a shelf that may be sampled and returned at will. The Institute commits institutional resources (lecturer scheduling, classroom or platform booking, materials procurement, awarding-body registration) on the strength of confirmed enrolments and within capped class sizes. The Cooling-off Period in this Policy is calibrated to balance reasonable buyer protection with that institutional reality.

Every Applicant is entitled to a limited, conditional Cooling-off Period of forty-eight (48) hours measured from the time-stamp of Submission Acceptance under Section 2.1. Where a written Notice of Withdrawal is received by FIPS within the Cooling-off Period, and the conditions in this Section are met, the Applicant shall be entitled to a refund of one hundred per cent (100%) of all tuition fees actually paid, less only:

• The non-refundable Application and Administration Fee;
• Any Ancillary Cost (under Section 3.9) already incurred by FIPS on the Applicant’s account, including any awarding-body fee already remitted, any course material already procured or dispatched, and any platform or licence key already allocated to the Applicant;
• Bank charges, remittance costs and foreign-exchange differences.

The Cooling-off Period lapses immediately on the earliest of:

• Expiry of the 48-hour window: the period is short, fixed, and not extendable on grounds of personal availability, weekend or public holiday;
• Cohort Confirmation Date: once FIPS has confirmed the cohort under Section 4.4, no Cooling-off withdrawal is available even if the 48-hour window has not yet expired;
• Access to Restricted Course Content: the Applicant’s first access to any item of Restricted Course Content (as defined in Section 1.7) brings the Cooling-off Period to an immediate end. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following are each treated as access for these purposes: opening or downloading a study material, recording or assessment; logging in to the LMS or any FIPS digital platform; receiving a meeting-platform invitation or joining link for a Teams, Meet, Zoom, Webex or comparable session; joining a programme-specific WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord or comparable cohort communication channel; receiving a recording link for any session of the programme; receiving any awarding-body code, candidate number or examination voucher; or receipt of any physical course material. Continuing thereafter to assert a Cooling-off withdrawal is treated as a refund within the Section 4.7 schedules, not within Section 4.3.

Where the Cohort Confirmation Date falls within forty-eight hours of Submission Acceptance, the Cooling-off Period contracts accordingly. No separate Cooling-off remedy survives the Cohort Confirmation Date.

4.4 Cohort Formation Threshold and the Institutional Interest in Stable Enrolment

FIPS draws particular attention to this provision because it reflects the operational reality of running a tuition-led institution rather than retailing a consumer good. The provision is binding by virtue of Submission Acceptance.

The institutional position. A FIPS programme runs only when a viable cohort has been formed. Cohort viability depends on confirmed enrolment numbers being at or above a minimum threshold, and at or below a capped class size set for that programme. Once a cohort is viable, FIPS commits institutional resources on the strength of every confirmed place. A late withdrawal that drops the cohort below the minimum threshold may force the cancellation of the programme to the prejudice of every remaining participant, the lecturers engaged for the programme, and the Institute itself.

The Cohort Confirmation Date. For every programme intake, FIPS shall fix and publish in the Course Brochure a Cohort Confirmation Date. Unless otherwise stated, the Cohort Confirmation Date falls fourteen (14) calendar days before the Commencement Date of the programme. Where the Course Brochure does not specify a date, the default of fourteen (14) calendar days before Commencement applies automatically.

Automatic confirmation by deeming; reasonable-efforts notification by FIPS. Cohort Confirmation is automatic. The cohort is deemed to be confirmed on the Cohort Confirmation Date unless FIPS has, before that date, served written notice on enrolled Applicants that the cohort is not viable (see Section 4.5 below). Confirmation occurs by operation of this Policy and does not depend on the issue, receipt or acknowledgement of any positive notice by FIPS. FIPS shall, however, use reasonable efforts to notify enrolled Applicants of the Cohort Confirmation Date through the Course Brochure, the offer letter or admission communication, the invoice or payment page, the LMS welcome notice, or other official programme communication. The absence of any single such notification shall not affect the deeming of confirmation, and no Applicant may rely on the absence of one channel of notification to assert that the cohort was not confirmed.

Effect of the Cohort Confirmation Date on the Applicant. From the Cohort Confirmation Date:

• The Cooling-off Period under Section 4.3, if not already lapsed, lapses immediately;
• No withdrawal, whatever the personal reason of the Applicant, attracts a one-hundred-per-cent (100%) refund of tuition;
• Refund entitlements thereafter are governed exclusively by the Refund Window Schedules in Section 4.7, the non-refundable items in Section 4.8, and the substitution provisions in Section 4.9;
• All Ancillary Costs and Awarding-Body fees incurred by FIPS up to that date stand on the Applicant’s account and remain payable in accordance with Sections 3.9, 3.10 and 4.6.

Late withdrawal and the duty of good faith. Every Applicant accepts, by Submission Acceptance, that withdrawing from a confirmed cohort is a serious step, taken only on substantial grounds. An Applicant who withdraws after the Cohort Confirmation Date without one of the grounds set out in Section 6 (Exceptional Circumstances) does so at the cost of forgoing a significant portion of the fees paid, and acknowledges that this is the bargain freely entered into.

4.5 Non-Viability, Cancellation by FIPS, and the Limit of FIPS’s Liability

This Section calibrates FIPS’s obligations where, despite reasonable effort, FIPS is unable to run a programme or has to alter it. It is read together with Section 9 (Force Majeure).

Cancellation before Cohort Confirmation for non-viability. Where, on or before the Cohort Confirmation Date, FIPS determines that the cohort is not viable (because confirmed enrolment is below the minimum threshold, because key faculty are unavailable, or for any other reason properly attributable to FIPS’s operations), FIPS shall give written notice of non-viability to enrolled Applicants without undue delay. On giving such notice, FIPS shall refund one hundred per cent (100%) of tuition paid, together with all Ancillary Costs and Awarding-Body fees paid by the Applicant for which FIPS has not yet incurred a binding third-party commitment. Ancillary Costs and Awarding-Body fees in respect of which FIPS has incurred a binding commitment are recoverable from the third party only; FIPS shall furnish, on written request and within ten (10) working days, the reference necessary for the Applicant to pursue the third party directly.

Cancellation on or after Cohort Confirmation for reasons attributable to FIPS. Where, on or after the Cohort Confirmation Date, FIPS cancels a confirmed cohort or materially postpones the Commencement Date for any reason properly attributable to FIPS’s operations (and not to Force Majeure under Section 9, nor to the conduct of the Applicant), FIPS shall refund one hundred per cent (100%) of tuition paid. Ancillary Costs and Awarding-Body fees are refunded to the extent they are recoverable by FIPS from the relevant third party; FIPS shall make good-faith efforts to recover such fees and shall furnish, on written request, the reference necessary for the Applicant to pursue the third party directly.

Limit of FIPS’s liability on cancellation. FIPS’s liability on cancellation, by FIPS or otherwise, is limited strictly to the refund obligations set out in this Section 4.5 and, where applicable, in Section 9 (Force Majeure). FIPS is not liable, in any circumstance, for any other cost incurred by the Applicant in reliance on the programme, including but not limited to: (i) travel, transport, visa and accommodation costs; (ii) lost income or opportunity cost arising from the Applicant’s decision to attend; (iii) sponsorship or scholarship that must be returned to the sponsor; (iv) employer reimbursement obligations; (v) examination or certification fees paid directly by the Applicant to a third party other than through FIPS; (vi) any consequential, indirect, special or punitive loss. Every Applicant is urged, in particular, to apply for any visa, travel document or leave from employment only after the Cohort Confirmation Date, or to obtain insurance that covers cancellation, since FIPS will not indemnify any such loss.

Non-material variations to the programme. FIPS reserves the right to make non-material variations to a programme as may prove necessary, including: substitution of a lecturer of equivalent qualification, change of room, minor adjustment of session timing within the same week, switch between in-person and online delivery for a single session in response to operational need, and similar reasonable adjustments. Such variations do not constitute cancellation or material postponement, do not trigger any refund entitlement, and are not a breach of these Terms. FIPS will notify Applicants of any such variation as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Material variations. A "material variation" is a change that alters: the substantive learning outcomes of the programme; the qualification or certification on offer; the duration of the programme by more than fifteen per cent (15%); the start date by more than fourteen (14) calendar days; or the principal mode of delivery (e.g. converting an in-person programme to wholly online or vice versa). A material variation triggers the cancellation rules above, and the Applicant has the option to (i) accept the variation and continue, or (ii) treat the change as a cancellation by FIPS and claim under this Section.

Section 4.4 is the centre of gravity of this Policy in respect of refunds. Sections 4.4 and 4.5 together set out the institutional bargain on cohort formation, cancellation, and the limit of liability. Every Applicant is urged to read these provisions before paying any fee and to seek any clarification through admissions@fips.ac before clicking Submit.

4.6 Distinction Between Programme Types

Because programmes vary substantially in duration, intensity, and committed cost structure, this Policy applies different refund schedules depending on the programme category, as set out in Section 4.7.

4.7 Refund Window Schedules

4.7.1 Schedule A: CTVET and Long-Form Programmes (One Semester or Longer)

For CTVET-track programmes, multi-semester programmes, and any programme of duration sixteen (16) weeks or more:

4.7.2 Schedule B: Short Courses and Workshops (Duration Under 16 Weeks)

For short courses, workshops, masterclasses, executive trainings, bootcamps, and similar programmes of duration less than sixteen (16) weeks but more than five (5) working days:

4.7.3 Schedule C: Intensive Short Courses (5 Working Days or Fewer)

For intensive short courses, seminars, executive briefings, masterclasses, and one-day workshops of duration five (5) working days or fewer:

Note: In Schedules B and C, where the programme’s Commencement Date is so close to Submission Acceptance that the 48-hour Cooling-off Period of Section 4.3 would otherwise straddle the Cohort Confirmation Date, the Cooling-off Period contracts accordingly. Awarding-Body registration and examination fees, once remitted, are non-refundable irrespective of when the Participant withdraws (Section 3.10).

4.7.4 Schedule D: Online and Self-Paced Programmes

For online, self-paced, or asynchronous programmes:

• Before access credentials are issued: refund per Schedule B (Section 4.7.2).
• After access credentials are issued and accessed: no refund, save where FIPS is unable to deliver the programme materials due to a default attributable solely to FIPS. The issue of access credentials is treated as access to Restricted Course Content for the purposes of Section 4.3.
• Access cancellation: once access has been activated, the Participant’s access shall continue for the remaining programme period regardless of any partial use.
• Awarding-Body fees: Section 3.10 applies in priority. Awarding-Body registration, examination and certification fees are non-refundable from the moment they are remitted, irrespective of whether the Participant has accessed the online content.

4.7.5 Schedule E: In-House and Corporate Training Programmes

For programmes commissioned by a corporate Client under a written training services agreement, refund terms shall be those negotiated and recorded in the relevant agreement. In the absence of express written terms, the following default schedule shall apply:

4.8 Non-Refundable Items (Confirmation)

For the avoidance of doubt, the following are non-refundable in every circumstance, save where this Policy expressly provides otherwise or where refund is required by the laws of the Republic of Ghana or by an order of a competent court or regulator:

• Application and processing fees;
• Awarding-Body registration fees from the moment FIPS registers the Participant with the Awarding Body or remits the fee, whichever is earlier (Section 3.10);
• Awarding-Body examination, re-sit and certification fees from the moment they are remitted to the Awarding Body or FIPS incurs a binding commitment to remit them, whichever is earlier (Section 3.10);
• Examination fees once the examination cycle has commenced;
• Ancillary Costs once incurred by FIPS on the Participant’s account (Section 3.9);
• Laboratory, workshop, technology, and software-licence fees;
• Study materials fees once materials have been issued or digitally accessed;
• Student activity, welfare, and ICT fees;
• Field-trip, site-visit, and excursion fees once bookings are confirmed;
• Late registration, supplementary examination, and special resit fees;
• Transcript, verification, and certification re-issuance fees;
• Bank charges, remittance fees, and exchange-rate losses.

Evidentiary position. In respect of every item listed above that involves payment by FIPS to a third party (including, in particular, Awarding-Body registration, examination and certification fees, and Ancillary Costs), a written confirmation issued by the Registrar or the Finance Officer of FIPS that the relevant payment has been made, or that FIPS has incurred a binding commitment to make it, shall constitute sufficient evidence of that fact between FIPS and the Participant, unless the Participant produces credible contrary evidence. FIPS is not required to disclose, exhibit, or otherwise prove the underlying transaction records (bank-transfer instructions, swift confirmations, third-party invoices, internal accounting entries, or correspondence with the third party) to the Participant, save where compelled to do so by a competent court of the Republic of Ghana, by a regulatory authority, or by an order of the Data Protection Commission. A Participant who challenges FIPS’s good-faith confirmation must do so by reference to credible evidence independent of FIPS’s internal records.

4.9 Substitution, Transfer, and Deferment in Lieu of Refund

Where a Participant is unable to attend a programme but does not wish to receive a refund, the following alternatives may be requested in writing:

• Substitution: a Participant may nominate a colleague or family member of equivalent eligibility to attend in their place, subject to FIPS’s confirmation of the substitute’s eligibility. One substitution per registration is permitted at no charge if requested at least three (3) working days before Commencement. Substitution requested after Commencement is at FIPS’s discretion and may attract a re-registration charge.
• Transfer to a Future Cohort: a Participant may, on one occasion only, transfer their registration to the next available cohort of the same programme provided written request is received before the relevant no-refund threshold in Schedules A-E. A transfer fee equal to fifteen per cent (15%) of the tuition shall apply, plus any difference in fees between the original and new cohort.
• Credit Voucher: FIPS may, at its sole discretion, issue a credit voucher equal to the value of the fees paid (net of non-refundable components) which shall be valid for twelve (12) months from the date of issue and applicable to any FIPS programme of equivalent or lower value. Credit vouchers are non-transferable and non-encashable.
• Deferment: a Participant may, on one occasion only, apply to defer enrolment to the next academic year (CTVET programmes) or to the next available cohort (short courses) provided the application is lodged before the Commencement Date and any deferment fee is paid. Deferment beyond one year is not permitted; the Participant must apply afresh.

4.10 Refund Procedure

Every refund application shall follow the procedure below. No refund shall be processed otherwise.

• Submit a written Notice of Withdrawal in accordance with Section 4.2.
• Submit a Refund Application Form (Schedule B to this Policy), available from the Finance Office, accompanied by: (i) original or scanned official FIPS receipt(s); (ii) a copy of the Notice of Withdrawal; (iii) a copy of the Participant’s national identification; (iv) bank or mobile-money account details for the refund; and (v) any supporting documentation (medical, employer letter, etc.).
• The Finance Office shall acknowledge receipt of the Refund Application within five (5) working days.
• The Finance Office, in consultation with the Academic Registrar and/or the Professional Programmes Coordinator, shall determine the eligibility and quantum of refund in accordance with this Policy.
• Where the application is approved, payment shall be effected within thirty (30) working days from the date of receipt of a complete Refund Application. Where the application is declined, the Participant shall be notified in writing with reasons.
• A refund shall be paid only to the originating bank or mobile-money account from which the fees were paid. Third-party payee instructions shall not be honoured.

4.11 Disputed Refunds and Appeals

A Participant who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Finance Office on a refund application may appeal to the Executive Director in writing within ten (10) working days of receiving the decision. The Executive Director shall determine the appeal within fifteen (15) working days. The Executive Director’s decision is final at the institutional level, subject only to recourse to mediation or the Courts of Ghana under Section 12.

5. GROUNDS THAT DO NOT JUSTIFY A REFUND

Without prejudice to the Refund Window in Section 4.7, the following grounds shall not, of themselves, entitle a Participant to a refund, full or partial:

5.1 Personal Reasons and Change of Mind

Because training services require advance resource commitments and operate within capped class sizes, FIPS does not treat a withdrawal from a confirmed cohort as the return of a consumer purchase. Once a cohort has been confirmed, the Institute has committed institutional resources on the strength of the Applicant’s confirmed place. The following grounds, accordingly, do not entitle the Participant to a refund:

• A change of mind, change of plans, or change of priorities by the Participant after expiry of the Cooling-off Period or on or after the Cohort Confirmation Date, whichever is earlier;
• Reliance on the Participant’s mere assertion that the programme is no longer needed, no longer wanted, or no longer convenient;
• A subjective view that the programme is too demanding, too easy, or otherwise not as expected, where the Course Brochure description was substantially accurate;
• Loss of interest, motivation, or commitment;
• The Participant’s discovery, after Submission Acceptance, of an alternative programme they would prefer to attend;
• The Participant’s decision to relocate, change employer, change career, or pursue other interests.

Refunds, if any, in such cases shall be limited strictly to the percentage entitlement in the Refund Window Schedules at Section 4.7, less Ancillary Costs already incurred.

5.2 Logistical and Personal Circumstances

• Inability to attend due to traffic, transport, weather (other than declared force majeure), or other foreseeable logistical difficulty;
• Conflict with the Participant’s work schedule, social engagement, family commitment, or other personal arrangement;
• Inability to secure leave or release from an employer;
• Inability to secure a visa, travel document, or accommodation arrangement, except where applied for in good time and refused without fault on the Participant’s part (in which case Section 6.3 may apply);
• Loss or theft of personal devices, study materials, or learning aids.

5.3 Academic and Performance Reasons

• Dissatisfaction with grades, assessment outcomes, or progression decisions, save where these have been formally reversed on appeal;
• Failure to meet attendance, assessment, or progression thresholds;
• The Participant’s decision to withdraw because they consider the programme to be too difficult or too time-consuming;
• Dissatisfaction with a specific lecturer, facilitator, or assessor, where the substantive content has been delivered in accordance with the published programme;
• Examination failure, supplementary examination failure, or denial of progression.

5.4 Financial Reasons

• Financial difficulty arising after enrolment;
• Withdrawal of a sponsor or employer-funding arrangement, save where Section 3.6 applies and the sponsor itself claims;
• Currency depreciation, exchange-rate losses, or remittance charges;
• Discovery of a cheaper alternative or lower fee elsewhere.

5.4A Tier-Specific Disputes

Without prejudice to Section 3.11 (Tier-Specific Participation and Tier-Up by Conduct), the following grounds do not entitle the Participant to a refund and shall not be used to reduce or evade fees lawfully due:

• Assertion that the Participant only ever wanted the Paid Tier, after the Participant has by conduct triggered Tier-up to a Higher Tier within the meaning of Section 3.11;
• Demand for the Paid Tier’s certificate after having sat, attempted, or registered for the Higher Tier’s examination;
• Demand for the Paid Tier’s certificate after having submitted Higher Tier coursework, assignments, projects, or portfolio pieces;
• Assertion that the Participant’s continued membership of a cohort communication channel after delivery of the Paid Tier was an offer of the Higher Tier at no charge, or otherwise gave rise to an estoppel against FIPS’s claim for the Higher Tier fee;
• Refusal to settle the Higher Tier fee after Tier-up by conduct has occurred. FIPS’s remedies in such cases are set out at Section 3.11 and Section 7.3.

5.4B Non-Assessment Disputes

Without prejudice to Section 8.6 (Certification: Completion, Attendance, and Non-Assessed Participation), the following grounds do not entitle the Participant to a refund or to a substitute deliverable:

• A demand for any Category A qualification-bearing certificate under Section 8.6 (Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Proficiency, Professional Certificate, Advanced Professional Certificate, Executive Certificate, CPD Certificate, National Certificate, HND, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Diploma, Postgraduate Diploma, any Awarding-Body Qualification Certificate, or the certificate of any other certification programme facilitated by FIPS) by a Participant who has not sat or has not passed the required examinations or assessments;
• A demand for a refund of the examination, awarding-body or certification component of a Paid Tier fee on the ground that the Participant elected not to sit the examination, where FIPS has already incurred the cost of preparing and administering that component;
• A demand that FIPS issue any Category A qualification-bearing certificate in substitution for a Certificate of Attendance, where the Participant has not subsequently sat the required examination on payment of the published examination or resit fee under Section 8.6;
• A demand that FIPS waive examination or resit fees on the ground that the original cohort’s teaching has been delivered. The teaching and the assessment are distinct paid services; payment for one does not waive the fee for the other.

5.5 Misconduct-Related Withdrawal or Dismissal

A Participant who is suspended, expelled, dismissed, or otherwise removed from a programme for misconduct, academic dishonesty, examination malpractice, breach of these Terms, or any breach of the FIPS Code of Conduct, shall not be entitled to any refund of fees. The decision of the Disciplinary Committee or the Academic Integrity Committee on these matters is determinative for refund purposes.

5.6 Failure to Read or Understand the Terms

Submission Acceptance under Section 2.1 is, by design, preceded by a link to the FIPS Legal Pack and a clear statement that submission constitutes acceptance. A Participant who fails to read, understand, or seek clarification on these Terms or the Course Brochure before submitting an application or making a payment shall not, on that account alone, be entitled to a refund. The opportunity to read these Terms and ask questions is afforded as part of the submission process and through the pre-enrolment disclosure at Section 2.4.

5.7 Statements by Unauthorised Persons

Any verbal representation, promise, assurance, social-media post, or marketing communication that is inconsistent with this Policy is not binding on FIPS. Only written communications signed by the Executive Director, the Registrar, the Head of Academics, the Professional Programmes Coordinator, or the Finance Officer, on official FIPS letterhead, may vary these Terms in a specific case.

6. EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Without creating any right of refund beyond those expressly set out in this Policy, FIPS may, on compassionate grounds and at its sole discretion, consider a refund or a credit voucher more generous than the standard Refund Window in the following situations.

6.1 Serious Illness or Bereavement

Where a Participant or an immediate family member (spouse, parent, child, or sibling) suffers a documented serious illness, injury, or death that renders the Participant unable to continue with the programme, the Participant may apply for an enhanced refund or a credit voucher. The application must be accompanied by:

• A formal medical certificate or death certificate from a qualified medical or civil authority;
• Evidence of relationship (in the case of an immediate family member);
• Confirmation that the event occurred during the period of enrolment.

Discretion under this clause shall be exercised by the Executive Director, who may grant a refund up to one hundred per cent (100%) of fees paid, less non-refundable components, or in the alternative a credit voucher valid for twenty-four (24) months.

6.2 Documented Employer-Imposed Hardship

Where a Participant’s employer compels relocation, redeployment, or assignment to duties that materially prevent attendance, and this is supported by a formal letter from the employer’s Human Resources Director or equivalent, the Executive Director may grant a credit voucher (preferred) or, exceptionally, a refund up to fifty per cent (50%) above the standard Refund Window entitlement.

6.3 Visa or Travel-Document Refusal

Where a Participant has applied in good time for a visa or travel document necessary for attendance and the document is refused without fault on their part, evidenced by the official refusal notification, FIPS may grant a deferment to the next cohort at no cost, or a credit voucher.

6.4 Programme Cancellation or Material Variation by FIPS

The substantive position where FIPS cancels a programme or makes a material variation is set out at Section 4.5 (Non-Viability, Cancellation by FIPS, and the Limit of FIPS’s Liability). In summary:

• Where FIPS cancels before the Cohort Confirmation Date for non-viability, the Participant receives a 100% refund of tuition together with all Ancillary Costs and Awarding-Body fees for which FIPS has not yet incurred a binding third-party commitment;
• Where FIPS cancels on or after the Cohort Confirmation Date for reasons attributable to FIPS, the Participant receives a 100% refund of tuition; Ancillary Costs and Awarding-Body fees are refunded to the extent they are recoverable by FIPS from the third party;
• Where FIPS makes a material variation, as defined in Section 4.5, the Participant may elect to (i) accept the variation, (ii) treat the change as a cancellation by FIPS and claim under Section 4.5, or (iii) transfer to an equivalent FIPS programme by mutual agreement;
• Non-material variations (substitution of a lecturer of equivalent qualification, change of room, minor timing adjustments, single-session mode-of-delivery changes, and similar reasonable adjustments) do not trigger any refund entitlement and do not constitute cancellation.

FIPS’s liability on cancellation, by FIPS or otherwise, is limited as set out in Section 4.5. FIPS does not indemnify the Participant for travel, visa, accommodation, lost income, sponsor reimbursement, opportunity cost or any other consequential loss arising from cancellation. Participants are urged to obtain appropriate cancellation insurance and to defer travel arrangements until on or after the Cohort Confirmation Date.

6.5 Decision Criteria for Exceptional Circumstances

Without creating any automatic right of refund and without fettering the discretion conferred by Sections 6.1 to 6.4, FIPS, when considering an application under this Section, shall have regard to the following criteria, applied consistently across comparable cases:

• Timing of notice: the promptness with which the Participant notified FIPS of the exceptional circumstance, measured from the moment the circumstance became known to the Participant.
• Extent of programme consumed: the proportion of the programme already delivered to the Participant by the time of the application, and the value of the resources already committed to that Participant.
• Quality of evidence: the cogency, contemporaneousness, and verifiability of the documents furnished, including issuance by a recognised competent authority.
• Recoverability of third-party costs: the extent to which Ancillary Costs and Awarding-Body fees already incurred on the Participant’s account are recoverable by FIPS from the third party.
• Deferment as an alternative: whether a deferment to the next cohort, a credit voucher, or a substitution under Section 4.9 would more appropriately accommodate the Participant’s circumstance than a refund.
• Consistency with prior decisions: the position taken by FIPS in materially similar cases in the recent past, to ensure equal treatment of comparable Participants.

These criteria are guides to the exercise of discretion; they do not create automatic entitlements. The Executive Director’s decision in each case shall be communicated in writing with brief reasons.

6.6 Burden of Proof

In every exceptional case, the burden of proof rests on the Participant to provide such documentary evidence as a reasonable institution would require. FIPS reserves the right to verify any document submitted, including by contact with the issuing authority. Submission of a forged, altered, or fraudulent document shall, in addition to disqualifying the application, constitute a disciplinary offence under Section 7.

7. FRAUDULENT, FRIVOLOUS OR VEXATIOUS CLAIMS

7.1 General Position

FIPS takes a serious view of fraudulent, frivolous, or vexatious refund claims. Such claims undermine the financial integrity of the institution and the fair treatment of bona fide Participants. They will be investigated rigorously and resisted to the full extent permitted by law.

7.2 Categories of Conduct

Without limitation, the following constitute fraudulent, frivolous, or vexatious refund conduct:

• Submission of forged, altered, or fabricated medical certificates, death certificates, employer letters, or other supporting documents;
• Misrepresentation of the date of withdrawal, the date of receipt of notice, or the circumstances giving rise to a refund claim;
• Claiming a refund after substantial attendance, while alleging non-attendance;
• Demanding a refund on grounds expressly excluded by this Policy, after the Policy has been pointed out;
• Submitting repeated, identical, or successively contradictory refund applications calculated to harass FIPS staff;
• Using the threat of social-media campaigns, defamation, or public complaints to coerce a refund not provided for in this Policy;
• Initiating a chargeback against FIPS through a payment processor in respect of services that were duly delivered or in respect of fees that are non-refundable under this Policy;
• Engaging or inciting a third party (relative, employer, or counsel) to make a claim that the Participant would not, in good conscience, advance personally.
• Sitting examinations, submitting assessments, or otherwise consuming the substantive value of a Higher Tier in a stacked programme, and thereafter refusing to settle the Higher Tier fee while demanding the certificate of the lower Paid Tier; or otherwise seeking to extract the value of a Higher Tier without paying for it, contrary to Section 3.11.

7.3 Consequences

Where, on investigation, FIPS determines (acting reasonably) that a refund claim falls within Section 7.2, the institution may:

• Reject the refund claim in its entirety, regardless of its standing under Section 4 or Section 6;
• Withhold any pending certificate, transcript, or letter of good standing;
• Bar the person from any future enrolment in any FIPS programme;
• Refer the matter to the FIPS Disciplinary Committee for sanction in accordance with the Student Handbook;
• Inform the Participant’s employer or sponsor, where the sponsor has a legitimate interest;
• Where applicable, report the matter to the Ghana Police Service, the Bank of Ghana, the relevant payment processor, or any other competent authority in respect of suspected forgery, fraud, or deception under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29);
• Recover from the offending person, including by civil action, any costs incurred by FIPS in defending or investigating the claim, including legal and bank-charge costs.

Procedural fairness. Before imposing any institutional sanction under this Section, FIPS shall, where practicable, notify the Participant in writing of the concern, supply the substance of the relevant evidence, and give the Participant a reasonable opportunity to respond in writing within a stated period (which shall be not less than seven (7) working days unless the matter is urgent). This requirement of procedural fairness does not prevent FIPS from taking urgent steps to preserve evidence, meet payment-processor deadlines, protect staff or students, or comply with legal obligations, and any such urgent step shall be reviewed promptly thereafter to confirm whether it should stand or be modified.

7.4 Chargebacks

A Participant who initiates a chargeback against FIPS in respect of fees lawfully due and either non-refundable or refundable only in accordance with Section 4.7, without first exhausting the dispute procedure in Sections 4.8 and 4.9, shall be in material breach of these Terms. FIPS shall be entitled to (a) contest the chargeback with the payment processor; (b) recover any chargeback fee imposed on FIPS; and (c) pursue the remedies set out in Section 7.3.

8. INSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS

8.1 Delivery of Services

In return for the fees paid, FIPS undertakes to:

• Deliver each programme substantially in accordance with the Course Brochure and the approved curriculum;
• Engage suitably qualified facilitators, lecturers, and assessors;
• Maintain appropriate teaching facilities, learning resources, and ICT infrastructure;
• Issue results and certificates within the published timelines, subject to compliance by the Participant with all academic and financial obligations;
• Maintain accurate, confidential, and secure records of every Participant in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843);
• Treat every Participant with courtesy, fairness, and professionalism.

8.2 Quality Assurance

FIPS is committed to maintaining the academic and operational standards required by CTVET, iPED UK, the WSO, the CPD Standards Office, The CPD Group, and any other accrediting body. Any material complaint relating to the quality of programme delivery shall be addressed through the grievance procedure in the FIPS Student Handbook.

8.3 No Guarantee of Outcome

FIPS does not guarantee any specific academic, professional, certification, employment, salary, promotion, or other outcome as a consequence of enrolment. Outcomes depend upon the Participant’s own effort, capability, and external factors. Statements made by FIPS or its agents about graduate outcomes, alumni careers, or industry placements are illustrative and not contractual promises.

8.4 Awarding Body Independence

Where a programme is delivered under the accreditation of an External Awarding Body, certification is issued by that body and not by FIPS. FIPS is not liable for delays, refusal, or revocation of certification by the awarding body, except to the extent caused by FIPS’s own default. Where an awarding body declines to issue certification for reasons attributable to the Participant (including academic failure, non-payment of awarding-body fees, breach of awarding-body rules, or failure to submit required materials), no refund of awarding-body fees shall be due.

8.5 Service Standards

FIPS commits to the following service standards, which apply alongside its primary obligation to deliver each programme in accordance with the published curriculum:

• Programme communications: FIPS will publish each programme’s schedule, room or platform details, and assessment calendar to enrolled Applicants in good time, and will use reasonable efforts to notify Applicants of material changes promptly through the channels listed in Section 10.2.
• Acknowledgement of correspondence: written correspondence addressed to the Registry, the Finance Office, or the Office of the Executive Director will be acknowledged within five (5) working days, save during published institutional closures.
• Refund-application processing: every Refund Application Form will be acknowledged within five (5) working days and determined within thirty (30) working days of submission of a complete application, in accordance with Section 4.10.
• Result-release communication: assessment results will be released to Participants in accordance with the programme’s assessment calendar and the Student Handbook, with reasonable notice of any necessary delay.
• Complaints: FIPS maintains a documented complaints process through the Student Handbook. Complaints will be acknowledged within five (5) working days and resolved as soon as is reasonably practicable.

These service standards are commitments of good administration. A failure to meet a particular standard in a particular case does not, of itself, give rise to a refund right beyond those expressly conferred by this Policy.

8.6 Certification: Completion, Attendance, and the Treatment of Non-Assessed Participation

FIPS issues, in respect of its programmes, three distinct categories of institutional document. Each attests to a different fact and each is issued only where the conditions stated for that category are satisfied. The categories are not interchangeable, and the issue of one does not give rise to any entitlement to another.

Category A — Qualification-Bearing Certificates. A qualification-bearing certificate is one that attests both to attendance and to attainment, that is, to the Participant having sat and passed the assessment requirements of the programme. FIPS issues qualification-bearing certificates under the following denominations, the precise denomination in any given case depending on the programme, the accreditation track, and the partner Awarding Body (if any):

• Certificate of Completion: the generic denomination used for FIPS-certified programmes that do not lead to a named qualification under any of the more specific denominations below;
• Certificate of Proficiency: issued in respect of FIPS Proficiency Programmes, where the Participant has demonstrated proficiency in a defined skill set through structured assessment;
• Professional Certificate (and Advanced Professional Certificate): issued in respect of FIPS Local Capacity Building (LCB) Professional Certificates and the Advanced Professional Certificate track, where the assessment regime is calibrated to professional practice;
• Executive Certificate: issued in respect of executive trainings, masterclasses, and senior-level short programmes, where the assessment may take the form of a reflective practice exercise, capstone presentation, project, or comparable instrument appropriate to executive learning;
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certificate: issued in respect of FIPS MERIT CPD activities and other CPD-accredited modules, certifying the CPD hours and units earned in accordance with the regulations of the relevant CPD-accrediting body;
• National Certificate: issued in respect of CTVET-track programmes at the corresponding National Qualifications Framework level. FIPS is currently seeking CTVET accreditation; until that accreditation is granted, any National Certificate issued by FIPS is conditional on the grant of CTVET accreditation and is subject to the regulations of CTVET in force at the time of issue;
• Higher National Diploma (HND): issued in respect of CTVET-track HND programmes. FIPS is currently seeking CTVET accreditation; until that accreditation is granted, any HND issued by FIPS is conditional on the grant of CTVET accreditation and is subject to the regulations of CTVET in force at the time of issue;
• Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Diploma, and Postgraduate Diploma: issued in respect of the stacked iPED UK qualifications track at Levels 4, 5, 6, and 7 respectively, with co-certification by iPED UK as the Awarding Body;
• Awarding-Body Qualification Certificate: issued by the relevant External Awarding Body (including iPED UK, the World Safety Organization, the CPD Standards Office, The CPD Group, and any future accredited partner), in accordance with that Awarding Body’s own regulations and on FIPS’s administration of the relevant programme.
• Any other certificate of any other facilitated programme: issued in respect of any other certification programme delivered, hosted, co-delivered, or facilitated by FIPS in partnership with a body not specifically named in this Section, including (without limitation) third-party professional bodies, examination boards, regulatory authorities, industry certifying bodies, vendor-certification programmes, and any future partner accreditor. Where such a programme uses a denomination not listed above (for example, a "Certificate of Achievement," "Certificate of Competence," "Practitioner Certificate," "Foundation Certificate," "Specialist Certificate," "Capstone Certificate," "Endorsed Certificate," or any other name), the denomination used shall be that of the relevant programme or its partner body, and the certificate shall be treated as a Category A qualification-bearing certificate for the purposes of this Policy.

General application to all certification programmes facilitated by FIPS. This Section 8.6, and the framework of Categories A, B and C, applies to every certification programme delivered, hosted, co-delivered, administered, or facilitated by FIPS, whether: (i) FIPS-certified in its own right; (ii) co-certified with an External Awarding Body named in this Policy or otherwise; (iii) third-party-certified with FIPS acting as host, administrator, training partner, examination centre, or invigilator; or (iv) jointly certified under any other arrangement. The specific denomination used on any given certificate, and the regulations of any partner body, do not displace this framework, save where the partner body’s regulations are inconsistent with this framework, in which case the hierarchy at Section 1.6 applies (with the partner body’s regulations prevailing only in respect of fees payable to that body).

Common conditions for all Category A certificates. Regardless of denomination or accreditation track, every qualification-bearing certificate under Category A is issued only where the Participant has: (i) paid all fees due in respect of the relevant tier, including tuition, examination, awarding-body and certification fees; (ii) attended sessions to the threshold prescribed in the programme regulations or the Student Handbook; (iii) sat and submitted all required examinations, assessments, coursework, projects, and capstone deliverables in accordance with the programme assessment regime; and (iv) achieved the published pass mark or grading threshold for the programme. Where a programme is delivered in partnership with an External Awarding Body or under a third-party certification scheme, the certificate is issued by, or jointly with, that body in accordance with its own regulations; FIPS’s role is limited to administering the programme, conducting or co-conducting assessments where applicable, and forwarding results.

Category B — Certificate of Attendance / Participation. A Certificate of Attendance (also styled Certificate of Participation) is issued, on application and at FIPS’s discretion, where the Participant has attended sessions to the threshold prescribed but has not satisfied the assessment requirements for a Category A certificate. The Certificate of Attendance attests only to attendance and engagement with the teaching delivered. It expressly states that it is not a qualification-bearing certificate, does not represent any assessment by FIPS, by an Awarding Body, or by any third-party certifying body, and does not confer any credit, qualification, or progression right. The Certificate of Attendance shall use a distinct template clearly distinguishable from any Category A certificate, and shall include on its face the words: "This is a Certificate of Attendance and is not a Certificate of Completion, Proficiency, Professional Practice, Executive Certification, CPD, National Certificate, Diploma, or any other qualification-bearing certificate, whether issued by FIPS or by any partner body."

Category C — Transcript and Letter of Good Standing. A transcript of academic record is issued on request and on payment of the published transcript fee, in respect of a Participant whose academic results have been formally released. A letter of good standing is issued on application and at FIPS’s discretion, attesting to current or historical enrolment and disciplinary status. Neither document is, of itself, a qualification-bearing certificate within Category A.

Eligibility of a Paid Tier Participant who declines assessment. A Participant who has paid the full Paid Tier fee, attended sessions to the threshold prescribed, but who declines to sit examinations, submit coursework, or otherwise complete the assessment requirements, is not eligible for any Category A qualification-bearing certificate. Such a Participant is eligible, on application, for a Certificate of Attendance under Category B in respect of the Paid Tier. No refund is due in respect of the examination, awarding-body, or certification components of the Paid Tier fee, since the institutional cost of preparing those components has been incurred.

Subsequent assessment after Certificate of Attendance. A Participant who has received a Certificate of Attendance, and who subsequently wishes to obtain the corresponding Category A qualification-bearing certificate in respect of the same programme, may do so by: (i) registering for the next available examination or assessment window in the programme calendar; (ii) paying the published examination or resit fee in force at that time; (iii) paying any Awarding-Body fees afresh in accordance with Section 3.10 (the original Awarding-Body fee, if remitted, having been consumed in the original cycle); and (iv) sitting and passing the assessment in accordance with the programme regulations. The Certificate of Attendance does not lapse on the issue of the Category A certificate; both may co-exist on the Participant’s record.

Higher Tier Teaching-only Tier-up. Where a Participant has triggered Teaching-only Tier-up under Section 3.11.3 (sustained attendance at the Higher Tier without assessment), the Participant’s eligibility, on payment of the Higher Tier Teaching Fee, is limited to a Certificate of Attendance under Category B in respect of the Higher Tier. The Participant remains free to upgrade to Full Tier-up by sitting the Higher Tier examination and paying the balance of the full Higher Tier fee, in which case eligibility for the appropriate Category A certificate of the Higher Tier arises in accordance with the common conditions above.

No automatic right to a Certificate of Attendance. The issue of a Certificate of Attendance is at FIPS’s discretion, exercised reasonably, and is conditional on: (i) the Participant having attended sessions to the threshold; (ii) the Participant being clear of all outstanding fees, including any Tier-up fees due under Section 3.11; (iii) the Participant being clear of any pending or completed disciplinary sanction that, in the institution’s judgement, would make the issue of an institutional document inappropriate; and (iv) the Participant having lodged the application within twelve (12) months of the conclusion of the relevant programme cycle.

Section 8.6 protects the integrity of FIPS qualification-bearing certificates (which represent both attendance and assessment) while giving a measured recognition (the Certificate of Attendance) to a Participant whose engagement was real but whose assessment was incomplete.

9. FORCE MAJEURE AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY

9.1 Definition of Force Majeure

"Force Majeure" means any event or circumstance beyond the reasonable control of FIPS that prevents or materially impairs the institution’s ability to deliver a programme as scheduled, including but not limited to: acts of God; natural disasters (flood, earthquake, fire, storm); pandemics, epidemics, and public-health emergencies declared by the Government of Ghana or the World Health Organization; civil unrest, riot, terrorism, or war; strikes, lockouts, and industrial action (whether or not involving FIPS staff); failure of essential utilities or telecommunications infrastructure for an extended period; closure of premises by order of public authority; and any directive of CTVET, the Ministry of Education, or any other competent regulatory authority.

9.2 Effect of Force Majeure

On the occurrence of a Force Majeure event, FIPS shall:

• Notify Participants through official communication channels as soon as reasonably practicable;
• Make reasonable efforts to continue delivery through online, hybrid, or rescheduled means;
• Where continued delivery is impossible, reschedule the programme to the earliest practicable date;
• Where rescheduling is impossible, offer Participants a credit voucher (Section 4.9) valid for twenty-four (24) months or, as determined reasonably by FIPS having regard to the portion of the programme already delivered, the non-refundable costs already incurred, and any available alternative, a proportionate refund of fees paid in respect of components not yet consumed.

9.3 No Liability for Consequential Losses

FIPS shall not be liable, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, for any consequential, indirect, or incidental loss suffered by a Participant as a result of a Force Majeure event, including (without limitation) loss of income, travel costs, accommodation costs, opportunity cost, or career delay.

10. CONDUCT, COMMUNICATIONS, AND DATA

10.1 Code of Conduct

Every Participant agrees to comply with the FIPS Code of Conduct as set out in Chapter 6 of the FIPS Student Handbook and any specific behaviour rules issued for a particular programme. Breach of the Code of Conduct may give rise to disciplinary sanction up to and including dismissal without refund.

10.2 Authorised Communications

Official communication shall be by:

• Email to and from @fips.ac addresses;
• Official letterhead correspondence;
• The FIPS Learning Management System (LMS) and notice board;
• Programme-specific WhatsApp groups designated by the relevant coordinator.

Scope of WhatsApp and informal channels. Programme-specific WhatsApp groups are designated for routine operational communication only (schedule reminders, room and platform announcements, assignment notices and similar matters). They do not replace, vary, or substitute for any formal notice requirement under these Terms. In particular, no Notice of Withdrawal under Section 4.2 may be given by WhatsApp, social media, voice call, or any other informal channel.

FIPS shall not be bound by any communication made through unofficial channels or by any person other than those listed in Section 5.7.

10.3 Data Protection

FIPS shall process personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843) and the FIPS Data Protection Policy. By accepting these Terms, the Participant consents to the lawful processing of their personal data for the purposes of enrolment, instruction, assessment, certification, communication, alumni relations, and statutory reporting.

10.4 Intellectual Property

All teaching materials, handouts, slides, recordings, assessments, and proprietary content distributed by FIPS remain the intellectual property of FIPS or its licensors. Participants are granted a personal, non-transferable, non-exclusive licence to use the materials solely for their own study during and after the programme. Reproduction, redistribution, commercial use, or unauthorised public sharing of materials is strictly prohibited and may give rise to civil action under the Copyright Act 2005 (Act 690).

10.5 Recording, Photography, and Use of Image

Academic, quality-assurance and operational recording. FIPS may record classes, assessments, events, and institutional activities for academic, quality-assurance, security, archival, regulatory-reporting and operational purposes. Such recording is integral to the delivery and assurance of FIPS programmes and the Participant’s consent to such recording is given by Submission Acceptance.

Identifiable use for promotional or marketing purposes. Identifiable use of a Participant’s image, voice, testimonial, or likeness for promotional or marketing purposes (including FIPS prospectuses, websites, social-media posts, brochures and recruitment campaigns) shall be subject to any consent or opt-out process published by FIPS from time to time, except for incidental crowd images captured at public institutional events (such as graduation ceremonies, open days and public lectures).

Right to request cessation. A Participant may request that FIPS cease future promotional or marketing use of their identifiable image, voice, testimonial, or likeness. FIPS shall give effect to such a request in respect of all future use within thirty (30) working days of receipt, subject to practical limits where material has already been printed, published, archived, or lawfully distributed and cannot reasonably be recalled. Exercising this right shall not affect the Participant’s enrolment, assessment, certification, or standing in any way.

Anonymisation. A Participant may, in addition or in the alternative, request anonymisation of any identifiable use in writing. Anonymisation applies to publication and future use, and FIPS will use reasonable efforts to anonymise existing material where practicable.

10.6 Notices

Any notice required to be given by a Participant under these Terms shall be in writing and delivered to the appropriate FIPS office in accordance with Section 4.2. Any notice given by FIPS shall be deemed received twenty-four (24) hours after sending by email to the Participant’s registered email address.

11. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

11.1 General Limitation

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the total liability of FIPS to any Participant arising out of, or in connection with, a programme or these Terms, whether in contract, tort, breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, shall not exceed the total fees actually paid by or on behalf of that Participant in respect of that programme.

11.2 Exclusions

FIPS shall not be liable for:

• Loss of profit, income, anticipated savings, business, opportunity, contracts, or goodwill;
• Loss or corruption of data;
• Indirect or consequential loss of any kind;
• The acts or omissions of any External Awarding Body;
• Any personal injury or damage to property sustained on or off campus, save where it arises from the wilful or negligent default of FIPS’s own staff acting within the course of their duties;
• The acts of fellow Participants.

11.3 Nothing Excludes Non-Excludable Liability

Nothing in these Terms shall exclude or limit FIPS’s liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability which cannot lawfully be excluded.

12. DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND GOVERNING LAW

12.1 Internal Resolution First

Every dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall, in the first instance, be addressed through the internal procedures set out in Sections 4.8, 4.9, and Chapter 7 of the FIPS Student Handbook. No Participant shall commence external proceedings without first exhausting the internal procedure, save where urgent injunctive relief is genuinely required.

12.2 Mediation

Where the internal procedure does not resolve the dispute to the parties’ mutual satisfaction, the parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve the matter through mediation under the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act 2010 (Act 798). The mediator shall be a person agreed in writing by the parties or, failing agreement, a person nominated by the President of the Ghana Bar Association upon the request of either party.

12.3 Courts of Ghana

Where mediation fails, the dispute shall be referred to the competent Courts of the Republic of Ghana. These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ghana, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Ghana in respect of any matter not so resolved.

12.4 Costs

Where a dispute is determined wholly or substantially in FIPS’s favour and the claim is found to have been frivolous, vexatious, fraudulent, or pursued unreasonably, FIPS may seek recovery of its reasonable legal, administrative, and bank-charge costs, subject to any order or direction of a competent court, mediator, payment processor, or regulatory authority. Costs shall not, of themselves, be sought against an Applicant or Participant whose claim, although unsuccessful, was advanced in good faith.

13. GENERAL PROVISIONS

13.1 Amendment

FIPS reserves the right to amend, update, or replace these Terms at any time. The current version shall be published on the FIPS website (fips.ac) and at the institutional notice board. An amendment shall not apply retrospectively to programmes already commenced, nor to applications already accepted (where Submission Acceptance has occurred and the Applicant has not yet completed enrolment), unless the amendment is more favourable to the existing Applicant or Participant. For the avoidance of doubt, refund rights crystallise on Submission Acceptance and the version of these Terms in force at that moment governs that Applicant’s entitlement, subject to any more-favourable later amendment.

13.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held by a court or competent authority to be illegal, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect to the extent permitted by law.

13.3 Waiver

No failure or delay by FIPS in exercising any right under these Terms shall operate as a waiver of that right. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorised officer of FIPS.

13.4 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Course Brochure, the Schedule of Fees, the record of Submission Acceptance under Section 2.1 (including the version of the FIPS Legal Pack in force at the moment of submission), and the FIPS Student Handbook (from the moment of enrolment under Section 1.5A), constitute the entire agreement between FIPS and the Applicant (or, after enrolment, the Student) in respect of the relevant programme, and supersede all prior representations, communications, and understandings.

13.5 Assignment

No Participant shall assign, transfer, or sub-licence any of their rights or obligations under these Terms without the prior written consent of FIPS. FIPS may assign these Terms to any successor entity within the Festari Group of Companies upon written notice.

13.6 Survival

Sections 7, 10.3, 10.4, 11, and 12 shall survive the termination or expiry of any contractual relationship between FIPS and the Participant.

13.7 Counterparts and Electronic Acceptance

These Terms may be accepted by signature, by electronic acceptance, or by the conduct described in Section 2.1. Electronic acceptance has the same effect as a handwritten signature under the Electronic Transactions Act 2008 (Act 772).

13.8 Contact for Refund and TOS Matters

All written communications relating to this Policy should be directed to:

Schedule A: Submission Acceptance and the Digital Acceptance Mechanism

This Schedule sets out the standard mechanism by which Submission Acceptance under Section 2.1 of these Terms is effected and recorded. It is published for the information of every Applicant and as a binding operating standard on FIPS staff who design, deploy, or process any FIPS application, enrolment, registration, or payment form. There is no separate wet-signature Enrolment Declaration. Submission of the form is itself acceptance.

A.1 Why FIPS Has Moved to a Digital Acceptance Mechanism

FIPS has elected, with effect from the effective date of these Terms, to discontinue the practice of asking every Applicant to sign a separate paper Enrolment Declaration. This decision rests on three propositions:

• Modernisation: the great majority of applications to FIPS are now submitted electronically. A digital acceptance mechanism reflects how Applicants actually engage with the Institute.
• Auditability: a properly designed electronic submission, time-stamped and version-locked to the Legal Pack in force at that moment, produces a stronger audit trail than a paper signature page that may be lost, illegible, or signed without context.
• Reduced friction: Applicants are no longer required to print, sign, scan, and return a document. Acceptance occurs in the same act as submission, and is presented with full transparency.

The Institute is satisfied that, properly implemented, Submission Acceptance is enforceable under Ghanaian law, in particular under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act 772), which recognises electronic records and electronic signatures, including click-through acceptance, as having the same legal effect as their paper-based counterparts.

A.2 The FIPS Legal Pack

The "FIPS Legal Pack" is the standard bundle of documents that every Applicant is presumed to have read and accepted by Submission Acceptance. It comprises, at minimum:

• These Terms of Service and Refund Policy (FIPS/GOV/TOS/2026/v1.0);
• The FIPS Privacy Policy and Data Protection Notice (FIPS/GOV/PRV/2026/v1.0);
• The FIPS Cookie Policy (FIPS/GOV/COO/2026/v1.0), where the submission is online;
• The FIPS Acceptable Use Policy (FIPS/ICT/AUP/2026/v1.0), where the submission grants the Applicant access to FIPS ICT Systems.

Student Handbook: binding on enrolment, not on application. The FIPS Student Handbook is not part of the Legal Pack accepted at the application stage. The Handbook governs the institutional relationship between FIPS and its Students once that relationship has been formed by enrolment, and it becomes binding on the Applicant on enrolment in accordance with Section 1.5A of these Terms. FIPS shall make the Handbook available for inspection on the FIPS website and at the Registry, and shall furnish a copy (in print or electronic form) to every newly enrolled Student.

FIPS may add to, or update, the Legal Pack from time to time. The version in force at the moment of submission is the version that binds the Applicant. FIPS shall preserve, for the purposes of any dispute, a record of the Legal Pack as it stood at the moment of each submission.

A.3 Standard Acceptance Statement and Form Design

Every FIPS application, enrolment, registration, or payment form, regardless of whether it is delivered through the FIPS website, an authorised FIPS digital platform, an off-the-shelf form provider (e.g. a Google Form), a printed paper form, or a hybrid arrangement, shall be designed in accordance with the following standard:

• It shall display, immediately above the Submit button (or the signature line in the case of a paper form), the following statement, in a font no smaller than the body text of the form:

"By clicking Submit (or by signing and returning this form), I confirm that I have read, understood, and accepted the FIPS Legal Pack, including the FIPS Terms of Service and Refund Policy, the FIPS Privacy Policy and Data Protection Notice, the FIPS Cookie Policy (where the submission is online), and the FIPS Acceptable Use Policy (where the submission grants me access to FIPS ICT Systems). I further understand that the FIPS Student Handbook is not binding on me at the application stage but will become binding on me on enrolment, in accordance with Section 1.5A of the Terms of Service and Refund Policy. I understand that my submission is binding and that, in particular, my entitlement to a refund of fees is limited to the schedules in Section 4.7 of the Terms of Service and Refund Policy."

• It shall carry, immediately below or alongside the statement, an active hyperlink (in the case of an online or hybrid form) and a printed URL together with a QR code (in the case of a paper form) directing the Applicant to the current FIPS Legal Pack at fips.ac/legal or such successor location as FIPS may publish.
• It shall record a time-stamp of submission, the IP address (where electronic), and the version of the Legal Pack in force at the moment of submission.
• It shall not, by default, require any additional check-box or tick. The click on Submit (or the signing of a paper form) is itself the act of acceptance. Where a tick-box is added for clarity, the tick-box must be unticked by default.
• It shall not be designed in any manner that would obscure, minimise, or hide the acceptance statement or the link to the Legal Pack.
• It shall include a clearly identified path for an Applicant who wishes to query a provision of the Legal Pack before submission. The default path is to write to admissions@fips.ac, with a target response time of five (5) working days.

A.4 Effect of Submission Acceptance

On submission of a form designed in accordance with this Schedule:

• Submission Acceptance occurs as of the time-stamp of submission;
• The Applicant is conclusively presumed to have read, understood, and accepted the FIPS Legal Pack as it stood at that moment;
• The 48-hour Cooling-off Period (Section 4.3) begins to run, subject to the lapsing events in that Section;
• FIPS proceeds with admissions processing, allocation to a cohort, and any preparatory steps;
• The Applicant is bound to pay any fees due under the Course Brochure in accordance with Section 3.

A.5 Disputes about Acceptance

Where, in a particular case, an Applicant disputes that Submission Acceptance occurred (for example, because the Applicant claims that the form was submitted on their behalf without authority, or that they did not in fact submit the form), FIPS shall produce the following evidence, which is conclusive in the absence of fraud:

• The time-stamp of submission and the IP address (where electronic);
• A copy of the form as submitted, including the acceptance statement and link to the Legal Pack;
• A copy of the Legal Pack in force at the moment of submission;
• Where applicable, the payment record evidencing the Applicant’s payment of fees referable to the submission.

Where the Applicant alleges fraud, the matter shall be referred to the Disciplinary Committee or, where appropriate, to the police, and the substantive enrolment shall be held in abeyance pending resolution.

A.6 Paper Forms and Hybrid Arrangements

Where, exceptionally, an Applicant submits a paper form, the same acceptance statement at A.3 applies. The signing and lodging of the paper form is treated as Submission Acceptance, and the printed URL and QR code on the form is treated as the link to the Legal Pack. FIPS shall accept paper submissions only where the Applicant has not been afforded a reasonable opportunity to submit online, and shall capture the paper submission into the institutional records system within five (5) working days of receipt.

A.7 Standard-Form Templates

The Registrar, in consultation with the Head of ICT and the Legal Advisor, shall maintain standard-form templates that conform to this Schedule for: admission applications, enrolment confirmations, payment-related submissions, sponsor declarations, and any other class of submission used at FIPS. Variations from the standard form require the written approval of the Registrar.

Schedule B: Refund Application Form

To be completed by the Applicant / Participant and submitted, with supporting documents, to the FIPS Finance Office.

Section 1: Applicant Details

Section 1B: Original Payer Details (complete only if the payer was a person or entity other than the Applicant)

Where fees were paid by an employer, sponsor, parent, guardian, or other third party, the refund (if any) will be returned to that originating payer or originating account. Use this section to identify them. Where the Applicant was both the payer and the participant, write "Self" in the first field and leave the rest blank.

Section 2: Payment Record

Section 3: Reason for Withdrawal

Please tick the principal reason and supply documentary evidence where indicated:

• Personal / family medical emergency (medical / death certificate required)
• Employer-imposed relocation or schedule conflict (employer letter required)
• Visa or travel-document refusal (official refusal notice required)
• Programme cancellation or material variation by FIPS
• Other (please specify, attach supporting documentation):

Section 4: Refund Account Details

Refunds shall be paid only into the account from which the original payment was received.

Section 5: Declaration by Applicant

I declare that the information provided in this Refund Application is true, complete, and accurate. I have read and understood the FIPS Terms of Service and Refund Policy. I acknowledge that any false statement may result in the rejection of this application and may give rise to consequences set out in Section 7 of the Policy.

Signature: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

Schedule C: Version History and Approval

Approval Block