Terms of Service
Effective Date: December 5, 2015
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This Client Agreement (the “Agreement”) is a contract between you (the “Client”) and Eight Hours and Change, LLC, a Limited Liability Corporation located at 2608 N. Lake View Ave, Chicago, Illinois (“Eight Hours and Change”, “EHC,” “we” or “us”) governing the use of our Services and our Site. You must read, agree with and accept all of the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement in order to use our website located at eighthoursandchange.com (the “Site”) and related software and services. EHC may amend this Agreement at any time by posting a revised version on the Site. Each revised version will state its effective date, which will be on or after the date. If the revised version materially reduces your rights or increases your responsibilities, we may post it in advance of the effective date in order to give you notice. Your continued use of the EHC Site and our Services after the effective date of a revised version of this Agreement constitutes your acceptance of its terms. This Agreement includes and hereby incorporates by reference the agreements and polices referred to herein or linked from the URL [www.eighthoursandchange/terms-of-service/], as such agreements and policies may be modified by EHC from time to time at its sole discretion. In the event of a conflict between such policies and agreements and this Agreement, this Agreement supersedes any prior policies or agreements. Capitalized terms are defined throughout the Agreement and in Section 7.
You understand that by clicking the “Submit Purchase” button upon selecting a Service, or by using the EHC Site, you are agreeing to be bound by this agreement. If you do not accept this agreement in its entirety, you may not access or use the EHC platform. If you agree to this agreement on behalf of an entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity to this agreement. In that event, “you” and “your” will refer and apply to that entity.
1. Purpose of the Eight Hours and Change (EHC) Site and Services.
The Site (eighthoursandchange.com) is designed to provide general information to students interested in studying in Germany through our blog (eighthoursandchange.com/blog) and other resources. By using the Site, you are bound to the terms of this Agreement.
Eight Hours and Change provides Services to Clients who want to study in German educational institutions. By using our Services, you are bound to this Agreement. The terms of our Services are detailed in Section 2.
2. Services
2.1. Email
This service is included in all of our Advising Packages. [Take the Leap and Mind the Gap.]
Our Experts will answer your questions on an ongoing basis based on the terms of the Advising Package you have purchased. All packages include unlimited email assistance. Response time for email correspondence is less than 3 days.
Email support is not available for our other advising packages, unless otherwise arranged.
2.2. Live Consulting
This service is included in all of our Advising Packages. [Take the Leap and Mind the Gap.]
Take the Leap Advising Package holders receive 2 hours of total live consultation. Mind the Gap Advising Package holders receive 1 hour of total live consultation. This time can be used incrementally or at once. Live Consulting is completed virtually either via telephone, VoIP or WebEx.
StudyPro Germany Academic Advising can be booked in 30 or 60 minute increments. These cannot be paused or used incrementally.
2.3. Recommendations List
This service is included in all of our Advising Packages. [Take the Leap and Mind the Gap.]
Our advisers will create a list of university study programs that fit your background, interests and ambitions. This list is based on a Questionnaire that is filled out by the Advising Package holder. Each Recommendations List will include a minimum of 5 university study programs.
2.4. Scholarship Advising
This service is included only in the Take the Leap Advising Package.
Take the Leap Advising Package holders receive support in locating scholarships to which they can apply. This can requested in the form of a list, or can be discussed in a Live Consultation.
2.5. Application Support
This service is included only in the Take the Leap Advising Package.
Take the Leap Advising Package holders can receive support throughout the application process. This can be conducted either via Live Consultation, Email or WhatsApp.
2.6.WhatsApp
This service is included only in the Take the Leap Advising Package.
Our Experts will help you, answer your questions on a daily basis and assist you on your application process per email conversations. Only Take the Leap Advising Package holders can take advantage of WhatsApp messaging services. Response time for WhatApp correspondence is less than 1 day.
2.7. StudyPro Germany Academic Advising
This service has two variants. Advising can be booked either for 30 minutes or 60 minute increments.
Advising topics should be predetermined by you. All topics relevant to study in Germany can be discussed. Advisers are not legal experts, and can not advise students on topics related to immigration or legal issues. No other services are included in the StudyPro Germany Academic Advising session.
2.8. German Lessons
Students receive EHC German Lessons via Skype in 1 hour increments that are pre-arranged between the Teacher and Student. All EHC German Teachers are native-speakers. German Lessons can be booked in 4 and 10 lesson packages.
2.9. EHC Relocation Advising
This service is conducted by Rena Walton on behalf of Eight Hours and Change. Ms. Walton is responsible for the advice given during Relocation Advising sessions and Eight Hours and Change accepts no responsibility for the outcome of her efforts.
You will receive support in finding housing, registering with your city, registering with your university, applying for a visa, opening a bank account, setting up a new mobile phone contract, and any other services that are arranged by Ms. Walton.
2.10. Eight Hours and Change College Visits
This service has three variants: Group, Custom, and Family.
2.10.1 Deposit
Prior to booking, you must pay a deposit. Until the deposit is paid, your place on the tour is not reserved. All deposited are non-refundable (See 4.3 for Refund Policy).
2.10.2 Group College Visits
Group College Visits are are pre-scheduled by Eight Hours and Change. There are five destinations: Bavaria, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Rhineland. Participants visit a minimum of 4 universities on each trip. Students cannot request additions or changes to the itinerary. Group College Visits are led throughout the period of the trip by qualified Eight Hours and Change guides. Each College Visit includes a college tour of each university and visits with students at each university. The cost of each College Visit includes accommodation in each city visited from Sunday through Friday (6 nights), transportation by train between each city, breakfast and lunch, and the cost of any activities conducted as part of the College Visit (i.e. Museum entrance fees).
Group College Visits are mixed and participants can be of various ages.
2.10.3 Other College Visits
Custom College Visits and Family College Visits are arranged by common agreement between Eight Hours and Change and the participants. Destinations are selected by participants. Tours can be arranged for between 1 and 5 participants. Each College Visit includes a college tour of each university and visits with students at each university. The cost of each College Visit includes accommodation in each city visited during the duration of the tour, transportation between each city, breakfast and lunch, and the cost of any activities conducted as part of the College Visit (i.e. Museum entrance fees).
2.11. Free Initial Consultation
This service is free and can be arranged through our website. You are limited to one 15 minute call. Email follow up can be arranged with each individual adviser but is not included in the Free Initial Consultation.
3. Duration of Services
3.1. Email
3.1.1. Take the Leap Advising Package
As part of the package, Take the Leap Advising Package holders can take advantage of unlimited email advising for the duration of their package services. This period begins upon purchase of the Take the Leap Advising Package and lasts until they arrive in Germany. Once they have arrived in Germany, the package services no longer apply. Students who purchase the EHC Relocation Advising package can extend the support of their Academic Adviser through their first month in Germany.
3.1.2. Mind the Gap Advising Package
As part of the package, Mind the Gap Advising Package holders can take advantage of unlimited email advising for the duration of their package services. This period begins upon purchase of the Mind the Gap Advising Package and ends one month after the receipt of Program Recommendations.This period can be extended by upgrading the package to a Take the Leap Advising Package.
3.1.3. EHC Relocation Advising Package
As part of the package, EHC Relocation Advising Package holders who have already purchased another Advising Package [Take the the Leap, Mind the Gap, StudyPro Germany] can take advantage of unlimited email advising for one month. This period cannot be extended.
3.1.4. German Lessons
German Lessons do not include email support.
3.2. Live Consulting
3.2.1. Take the Leap Advising Package
Take the Leap Advising Package holders receive 2 hours of Live Consulting via phone, Skype or WebEx. This can be used incrementally or all at once.
3.2.2. Mind the Gap Advising Package
Mind the Gap Advising Package holders receive 1 hour of Live Consulting via phone, Skype or WebEx. This can be used incrementally or all at once.
3.2.3. StudyPro Germany Academic Advising
StudyPro Germany Academic Advising sessions can be booked in 30 or 60 minute increments. These can not be paused or used incrementally.
3.3. WhatsApp
WhatsApp communication lasts for the duration of the Take the Leap Advising Package.
3.4. Recommendations List
If a student is not satisfied with their recommendations, they can request a new Recommendations List.
3.5. Scholarship Advising
This service will be done only once.
3.6. Application Advising
This service lasts for the duration of the application period.
3.7. Take the Leap Advising Package
The Take the Leap Advising Package lasts from the moment the package is purchased until you move to Germany.
3.8. Mind the Gap Advising Package
The Mind the Gap Advising Package lasts from the moment the package is purchased until one month after the Recommendation List is delivered.
3.9. StudyPro Germany Academic Advising
StudyPro Germany Academic Advising sessions last either 30 or 60 minutes.
3.10. German Lessons
German Lessons last 1 hour per session. The total duration of the student - teacher relationship is determined by the number of sessions booked (4 or 10) and when the classes are scheduled, which will be arranged by the student and teacher.
3.11. EHC Relocation Advising
The duration of EHC Relocation Advising services will be pre-arranged by Rena Walton.
3.12. College Visits
3.12.1. Group College Visits
Group College Visits last 6 nights and 5 days. The begin on a Sunday and end the following Saturday morning.
3.12.2. Custom College Visits
The duration of Custom College Visits is pre-arranged by Eight Hours and Change and the participants.
3.12.3. Family College Visits
The duration of Family College Visits is pre-arranged by Eight Hours and Change and the participants.
4. Fees & Payments
4.1 Prices
4.1.1. Advising Packages
4.1.1.1. Take the Leap Advising Package - $249.
4.1.1.2. Mind the Gap Advising Package - $149.
4.1.2. StudyPro Germany Academic Advising
4.1.2.1. 30 minutes - $55
4.1.2.2. 60 minutes - $99
4.1.3. German Lessons
4.1.3.1. 4 Lessons Package - $60
4.1.3.2. 10 Lessons Package - $140
4.1.4. EHC Relocation Advising - $500
4.1.5. College Visits - See services
4.2. Payment options.
Payments should be made through eighthoursandchange.com by credit card. Payment can be made using Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. Online Payments Processing is completed by Stripe and securely certified by COMODO SSL Certificate.
4.3. Refund Policy
We offer three types of refunds: Full, partial, and in-kind.
4.3.1. Full Refund
If you purchase an Advising Package, a StudyPro Germany Academic Advising session, German Lessons, or Relocation Advising and do not use any Services included in the package, we will give you a full refund if you contact us within 30 days to cancel.
4.3.2. Partial Refund
If you pay for a College Visit of any kind [Group, Customized, Family] and decide not to attend, we will give you a refund of 90% of the total original payment, minus the deposit, if you contact us within 30 days of payment. If you contact us 30 days of after receipt of payment, no refund will be awarded.
4.3.3. In-kind Refund
If you pay for a Group College Visit and can’t attend for any reason AND contact us 30 days before the first day of the trip, we will apply the full amount of your Group College Visit payment to another Group College Visit of your choice.
If you pay a deposit on a Group College Visit but can’t attend, you can use it to off-set the payment for the deposit on another tour.
Examples of full refunds we’d grant.
4.3.4. Deposits
All deposits on College Visits [Group, Customized, Family] are non-refundable.
4.3.5. Refund period
All refunds will be sent to the original payee within 90 days.
5. Cancellation and Termination
Clients should send written notice of cancellations to . For refunds, please see our refund policy (clause 4.3).
6. General Conditions
6.1. Your use of our Site and Services is at your sole risk. Services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.
6.2. Technical support is provided via email and phone.
6.3.1. You understand and accept that the Company uses third party vendors and hosting partners to provide the necessary hardware, software, networking, storage, and related technology required to run our Services and Site.
6.3.2. You understand and accept that the Company can use third party vendors to deliver other elements of our Services.
6.4. You must not modify or adapt our Services or Site in any way.
6.5. You must not modify another website so as to falsely imply that it is associated with our Services, Site or the Company.
6.6. You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit any portion of our Services or Site, the use of our Services or Site, or the access to our Services or Site without the express written permission by the Company.
6.7. We may, but have no obligation to, remove content and accounts that we determine in our sole discretion are unlawful or violates any party’s intellectual property or these Terms of Service.
6.8. Verbal, physical, written or other abuse of any Client, Company employee or officer will result in immediate account termination.
6.9. You understand that the technical processing and transmission of Services, including your content, may be transferred unencrypted and involve (a) transmissions over various networks; and (b) changes to conform and adapt to technical requirements of connecting networks or devices.
6.10. The Company does not warrant that (i) Services will meet your specific requirements, (ii) Services will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, (iii) the results that may be obtained from the use of Services will be accurate or reliable, (iv) the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you through Services will meet your expectations, and (v) any errors in Services will be corrected.
6.11. You expressly understand and agree that the Company shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages, including but not limited to, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data or other intangible losses (even if the Company has been advised of the possibility of such damages), resulting from: (i) the use or the inability to use Services; (ii) the cost of procurement of substitute goods and services resulting from any goods, data, information or services purchased or obtained or messages received or transactions entered into through or from Services; (iii) unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions or data; (iv) statements or conduct of any third party on Services; (v) or any other matter relating to Services.
6.12.The failure of the Company to exercise or enforce any right or provision of the Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. The Terms of Service constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company and govern your use of Services, superceding any prior agreements between you and the Company (including, but not limited to, any prior versions of the Terms of Service).
7. Definitions
7.1 “Agreement” refers to the Client Agreement. This Agreement governs all interaction between the Client and the Company regarding the provision and use of Services and the Site.
7.2 “Client” refers to anyone who use the Services and the Site described in the Agreement. Within the Agreement, Clients are also referred to as “you,” “student,” and “participant”.
7.3 “Company” refers to Eight Hours and Change, a Limited Liability Corporation based in Chicago, Illinois.
7.4 “Services” refers to all activities conducted by the Company, including but not limited to the Free Initial Consultation, StudyPro Germany Academic Advising, the Take the Leap Advising Package, the Mind the Gap Advising Package, German Lessons, EHC Relocation Advising, and Eight Hours and Change College Visits.
7.5 “Site” refers to the website eighthoursandchange.com.
