Terms & Conditions

a.

Enrollment in Solstice is competitive. Solstice reserves the right to reject an applicant for any reason. Solstice accepts applicants based on careful evaluation of application and supporting documents. Solstice does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, political views, age, marital status, national and ethnic origin, or disability.

b.

Study Abroad term (semester, winter, and/or summer) and/or custom educational program term starts and ends as indicated on the dates and program fees section of the relevant Program page on Solstice website (https://gosolstice.org) and/or as indicated in the Solstice- and/or faculty-provided Program itinerary and/or pre-departure materials.

a.

Participant shall observe and obey the laws and regulations of each country visited while participating in a Solstice program. Respect should be given to all customs in host countries.

b.

Solstice and/or the host institute shall have the right to enforce appropriate standards of conduct and may at any time terminate Participant’s participation in the Program for failure to maintain these standards or for any actions or conduct which Solstice and/or the host institute considers to be incompatible with the interest, harmony, comfort and/or welfare of other students, staff, and/or the laws and regulations of the country or countries in which the Program is being held.

c.

Solstice maintains, among several explicit and implicit Standards of Conduct policies, a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding the use and/or possession of illegal substances. Use and/or possession of illegal substances may result in expulsion from the Program, without refund, as well as possible criminal prosecution in the host country.

a.

Solstice is an official affiliate of Guangxi Normal University [herein referred to as GXNU] in Guilin, China, and shall, if applicable, process all academic university credits through GXNU.

b.

Solstice shall, if applicable, provide supporting documentation for credit transfers to the best of its ability, but does not guarantee credit transfers. Transferring credits to Participant’s home institution is ultimately the responsibility of Participant, and credits shall be accepted by the home institution at the home institution’s sole discretion.

c.

Academic transcripts shall, if applicable, be issued upon satisfactory completion of the Program. Additional transcripts may be issued upon written request to Solstice by Participant. Solstice reserves the right to deny transcript requests by Participants with outstanding financial obligations to Solstice.

a.

Solstice and/or the host institute reserves the right to cancel the Program due to insufficient number of registered participants and to reschedule the Program start date to another time.

b.

In the event of cancellation of the Program by Participant prior to the start of the Program, Participant shall have the right to full or partial refund as indicated below (unless otherwise agreed in writing by Solstice and Participant’s parent institution). Written requests for refunds must be submitted to and received by Solstice’s Monument, CO (USA) office prior to the start of the Program and must state reasons for request to cancel the Program. In such cases, Program deposits are non-refundable.

1.

100% of the Program fees shall be refunded (excluding Program deposit) if request is received more than 180 days before the start of the Program;

2.

80% of the Program fees shall be refunded (excluding Program deposit) if request is received 120 to 179 days before the start of the Program;

3.

60% of the Program fee (excluding Program deposit) shall be refunded if request is received 60 to 119 days before the start of the Program;

4.

40% of the Program fee (excluding Program deposit) shall be refunded if request is received 59 to 30 days before the start of the Program;

5.

no refund shall be given for requests received 29 days or less before the start of the Program.

c.

Any bank or transfer fees associated with the refund of Program fees shall not be the responsibility of Solstice.

d.

In the event of termination of participation in the Program due to any violation of Section 2 of this agreement, Participant shall have no right to any refund of any part of the Program fee, and, upon notice by Solstice, whether verbally or in writing, Participant shall forthwith depart from the Program and return home at Participant’s own expense.

a.

Solstice and/or the host institute reserves the right to make any cancellations, changes, and/or substitutions in cases of emergency or changed conditions or in the interest of each group as deemed necessary by Solstice.

b.

During any activities, tours, or Programs arranged by Solstice and/or the host institute, Participant shall accept the will of the majority whenever a matter of choice is presented to the group.

c.

Once the Program has started, Program services and components may not be cancelled or downgraded by Participant, but they may be upgraded or changed to a higher service type as offered by Solstice provided Participant pays any fee differential.

a.

Upon request by Participant, Solstice shall provide comprehensive support to Participant in obtaining all visas and required documents associated with travel to the country or countries in which the Program will be held. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of Participant to obtain such visas and required documents.

b.

In the event Participant cannot obtain the necessary visas and/or required documents for participation in the Program, Participant shall not hold Solstice responsible.

c.

In the event Participant’s visa application is rejected prior to the start of the Program or Participant cannot obtain other required documents, Participant shall be entitled to 100% refund of the Program fees (excluding the non-refundable Program deposit and non-recoverable costs incurred by Solstice on Participant's behalf).

a.

All foreign students studying and/or traveling with Solstice are required to have health insurance. Participant shall be required to show proof of health insurance during registration procedures.

b.

It is the responsibility of Participant to thoroughly review health and safety information from both the CDC and the U.S. State Department (as indicated by Solstice in pre-departure materials) in advance of Participant’s departure abroad, and to take any safety or health precautions Participant deems necessary prior to or during Program based on this information.

c.

Solstice is not responsible for any medical or health problems, sickness, disease, injury, or loss whatsoever suffered by Participant during any period of the Program, during independent travel, and/or during any activities, whether or not sponsored, facilitated, or hosted by Solstice.

d.

Participant hereby grants Solstice and its agents full authority to take whatever actions they may consider to be warranted in the event of any personal emergency, international or political unrest, or other event regarding the health and safety of Participant, and Participant fully releases Solstice and its agents from any liability for such decisions or actions as may be taken in connection therewith.

e.

If Participant becomes ill or incapacitated during Program, Solstice and its employees may take any action they deem necessary for the safety and well-being of Participant, including securing medical treatment (at Participant’s own expense) and transporting Participant home (at Participant’s own expense). To the extent possible, Solstice will attempt to contact Participant's Emergency Contact, as self-reported in Solstice's Enrollment Form, prior to making any medical decisions on Participant's behalf. Participant agrees to indemnify Solstice for any expense, fee, loss, damages, etc., in taking any action Solstice deems necessary under this clause.

f.

In the event of medical emergency, or as deemed necessary by Solstice, Participant authorizes Solstice and its agents at their discretion to place Participant (at Participant’s own expense and without Participant’s further consent) in a hospital for medical services and treatment, or if no hospital is readily available, to place Participant in an alternative facility to be treated by a medical doctor.

a.

If deemed necessary or desirable by Solstice and/or its agents to advance or loan any monies to Participant or incur special expense on Participant’s behalf while Participant is enrolled in the Program, Participant shall make immediate repayment prior to or upon Participant’s return home.

a.

Solstice shall organize all items (activities, events, travel, accommodations, restaurants, etc.) listed in the Program itinerary. Solstice shall cover all costs associated with these items (admission tickets, transportation, English speaking guides, etc.) for Participant as listed in the Program itinerary.

b.

Solstice shall organize additional social, cultural, and/or travel activities for Participant from time to time. Participant’s participation in these activities is optional. For at least one of these activities per Program, Solstice shall cover the costs of admission tickets, transportation, and/or English speaking guides for Participant. For all other activities, Participant shall be eligible to participate at Participant’s own expense.

a.

Solstice reserves the right to use any photos or videos of Participant, or statements made by Participant, for print, verbal, internet, or other commercial use and shall not be held liable for such use.

b.

Requests to decline such use must be sent via email to a Solstice director.

a.

By submitting the Solstice’s Application and/or Enrollment Form, Participant is automatically subscribed to Solstice’s email list to receive news, updates, and other information about Solstice.

b.

To unsubscribe from this list, Participant may click "unsubscribe" at the bottom of any Solstice newsletter, or email a Solstice director with a written request to unsubscribe.

a.

Participant agrees to waive and release Solstice (which term shall include officers, shareholders, directors, the company itself, employees and agents of the company, as GXNU and any person or entity employed or utilized by Solstice) and agrees not to sue such persons for any claims which may arise from, or in connection with, any physical or property damage which Participant may suffer from any cause whatsoever. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Participant releases such persons for any physical or property damage which Participant may suffer resulting from natural disasters, strikes or government restrictions, war, terrorist activities, sickness or quarantine or the acts or omission of any other agents over which such persons have no direct control, including, without limitation, airlines, transportation companies and railways, bus companies, taxi services, restaurants, student residences, apartments, youth hostels and/or hotels.

b.

Participant shall be responsible for taking all measures and exercising caution and common sense at all times to avoid injuries and/or death.

c.

Participant hereby waives and releases all claims against Solstice and its agents arising at any time during the Program (whether Participant is or is not under the direct supervision of Solstice and/or its agents), and Participant agrees to indemnify Solstice and its agents against any consequences thereof.

d.

Solstice shall not be liable for any loss, harm, injury, or damages sustained by Participant or caused to Participant’s property howsoever caused.

a.

This agreement shall become effective when Participant’s Application Form and/or Enrollment Form is accepted by Solstice, and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the laws of the state of Colorado applicable thereto.

a.

This agreement is standard and cannot be modified or interpreted except in writing and no verbal modification or interpretation shall have any validity.

a.

All references herein to "Solstice" apply to its officers, directors, staff members, campus directors, chaperones, group leaders, teachers, employees, agents and affiliated companies. Participant and Solstice are independent entities and nothing in this agreement is intended or shall be construed to create an agency relationship, employment relationship, or joint venture between the parties.