1. Rules and Regulations

Students’ arrangements with Merica Mandarin are governed by the laws of Taiwan, where the school is located.

2. Arrivals and Departures

All accommodation is booked from Sunday prior to the program start date until the Saturday morning after the program end date, unless otherwise specified. A partial week is considered as one full week of accommodation. Check-in time for most accommodations is 15:00, and check-out time is 11:00, unless special arrangements have been made with the accommodation provider or alternative times are noted in the accommodation details.

Students arriving between 22:30 and 06:00 may be required to book alternative accommodation, such as a hotel, for their first night due to the late/early arrival time, or pay for an additional night of accommodation.

3. Late Arrivals, Vacations, and Absence

If you begin your enrollment late or are absent during your program, Merica Mandarin will make every effort to help you complete the full enrollment period; however, this cannot always be guaranteed, and no refund will be provided for missed time. Absences cannot be compensated with a free program extension unless the leave has been authorized in advance by Merica Mandarin.

For certain long-term programs, such as academic year or semester programs, break periods are pre-scheduled and cannot be adjusted. Unapproved breaks taken at other times will be considered absences. For other programs, the granting of breaks after the program has started is at the discretion of Merica Mandarin and must comply with relevant visa regulations. Such changes may incur fees or be marked as absences, depending on the program and location.

If a student is absent for three consecutive school days, Merica Mandarin will contact the student’s emergency contact to ensure their safety and well-being. For minor students, the authorities may also be contacted. If a student is absent for 14 consecutive days without prior notice, their enrollment will be terminated, and the standard refund policy will apply.

4. Meals and Classes Missed

No refunds or substitutions will be provided for meals or classes missed due to public holidays, exams, excursions, internships (if applicable), first-day orientation, or other commitments outside the regular schedule.

5. Public Holidays

Classes are typically not held, and school facilities are closed on public holidays. All published program start dates are scheduled for Mondays. If a public holiday falls on a Monday, the program will begin on the following Tuesday. No compensation will be provided for classes missed due to public holidays.

For a full list of public holidays, please refer to the relevant schedule or contact Merica Mandarin.

6. Change Fees

Any changes to school location, accommodation, booked weeks, or removal of additional services will incur a fee as follows:

Taiwan: USD $50 per change.
Changes made after arrival may also be subject to additional fees or specific policies depending on the request.

Merica Mandarin is not obligated to fulfill any change requests. Students enrolled in long-term programs such as academic year or semester courses cannot transfer to a different Merica Mandarin school during the term. If changes are made to a program or location with lower fees, no refunds will be provided for the difference. For changes to a more expensive program or location, the student will be required to pay the difference in fees.

All changes are at the discretion of Merica Mandarin and require approval from the Program Director. No change fee will be charged for program extensions, but late requests for homestay extensions may require a re-placement fee. Students are responsible for all additional costs incurred due to program or accommodation extensions.

If a tuition change results in fewer lessons, it will be treated as a termination of the existing booking and a rebooking, subject to the standard terms and conditions outlined in the Termination Policy.

7. Duration of Lessons

All Mandarin lessons are 45 minutes in duration unless otherwise specified. Programs are conducted from Monday to Friday, with lessons scheduled in either the morning or afternoon.

Merica Mandarin cannot guarantee a specific timetable for lessons.

8. Substitution Policy

If, after taking the placement test upon arrival at Merica Mandarin, a student is found to be at a level inappropriate for their booked program, the school reserves the right to assign the student to a class suitable for their level. This may result in fewer lessons or a different curriculum.

Students who are unable to follow any available program may be required to terminate their studies with Merica Mandarin. The school also reserves the right to cancel programs on short notice due to insufficient enrollment.

9. Program Changes

Merica Mandarin reserves the right to change accommodation options, program dates, curricula, instructors, locations, and programs at its discretion at any time.

If the program is rescheduled before the original start date and the new date is unacceptable to the student, all fees will be refunded.

10. Books and Learning Materials

All books and learning materials will be provided to students during their program. For certain specialized programs, students may need to purchase additional books, and Merica Mandarin will inform students of these requirements in advance.

11. Prices

Merica Mandarin reserves the right to adjust prices due to tax increases, government actions, or other events or circumstances beyond Merica Mandarin’s reasonable control that may impact business operations.

Prices listed are valid for programs starting in 2025.

 

12. Expulsion/Suspension

Students may be expelled or suspended from Merica Mandarin under the following circumstances:

Committing a criminal offense.
Violating the student code of conduct or school policy.
Having an attendance rate of less than 80%, regardless of visa requirements.
Being absent for 14 consecutive days without notification.
Failing to pay the required fees to participate in the program.
In the event of expulsion or suspension, no refund will be issued, and relevant Taiwanese authorities may be notified if necessary.

13. Student Code of Conduct

Students attending Merica Mandarin are required to adhere to the student code of conduct and school policies. We are committed to maintaining a supportive learning environment and expect students to respect the rights of others. Inappropriate conduct includes but is not limited to:

Disrupting the learning environment (e.g., using profanity, harassment, or using mobile phones in class).
Deliberately damaging, misusing, or stealing property belonging to the school or classmates.
Serious or repeated violations of accommodation rules.
Acts of violence or threats toward individuals or property.
Misusing email or internet resources.
Violating Taiwanese copyright or other laws (e.g., unauthorized reproduction of protected materials).
Failing to disclose pre-existing health or mental health conditions.