The International Schools Review Forum

Is there any anecdotal evidence of international schools refunding tuition fees due to COVID-19 ? Most schools are providing distance learning but are they also experiencing pressure to refund fees already collected or about to be collected ?

Our board specifically addressed this issue in a letter to parents after numerous requests for refunds and said budgets were based on tuition and no refunds would be forthcoming, other expenses such as bus fees were refunded.

Our board also said no. Explained to parents that if they refunded tuition fees there wouldn't be a school for their kids to attend next year. Also pointed out that our online tuition is far more intensive than what other schools are doing in the area (we do group video chats for each lesson, most places are just giving them online tasks)

Instead, they decided not to raise fees next year.

Similar here. A refund related to extras like lunch and after school activities. Tuition remains the same.

We had no interruption of service and there was not a huge demand for the school to refund. But, we also have a fairly strong community feel where parents feel invested in the school and their children are happy and willing to come - and miss it when they don't.

Echoing the first two contributors, IS ownership denied tuition refunds but granted ancillary fees like bus and cafeteria. There are parents who are claiming they are going to file civil suits.

Our school will refund some money based on lunches, buses, activities and utilities, but not tuition. They are also working with families who are facing challenges meeting their tuition obligations.

We're also only refunding bus fees, lunch fees, etc.
Tuition for next year is being raised, which led to some parents objecting but not many.

Our school is refunding partial tuition and more or less taking it out of our salaries. And constantly asking us for fluff evidence of teaching to show the parents to justify the tuition. Very disappointing

My school is giving a 20% discount for remote learning, but not offering any refunds. Any parents who paid for the year in advance will have their fees credited towards next year.

I've heard some schools in asia providing future credits in the amount of 10-20% of fees for the time the closing of schools.

For the parents warning about suing - good luck trying to get money out of that stone. It's the same as airlines - they still have outgoings but no incoming revenue. Shaking the dead money tree is about as helpful as digging your own grave when your fit and healthy.....

sciteach wrote:
> Shaking the dead money tree is about as helpful as
> digging your own grave when your fit and healthy.....

If for some reason you're intend on digging your own grave, wouldn't it make sense to do it when you're still fit and healthy?
But apart from the choice of metaphor, I agree with you

These parents dont care if their IS goes bankrupt and broke and dissolves, they will just go to or find another IS and think nothing of taking the ISs last coin.