Policies

To book a place on a course, simply go to the course page, either by direct search in the department using the filters, or search via the search bar on the homepage and click on the Apply button. This will lead to an application process and online payment. If the apply button is not present, this means we do not have any dates currently scheduled for this course. There is a feature here to fill out a form to express your interest in the course. Once completed one of our courses advisors will contact you when new dates are available.

In-person weekdays Course Payments

All in-person weekdays courses are based on an interview. Once your interview is successful and you have been offered and accepted a place on the course Portobello Institute will contact you to arrange balance of payment. The balance of payment is made offline and may be paid in full or via an instalment plan.

Part Time Course Payments

For part-time courses, the full payment is required and will be taken when you pay online.  Instalment options are also available and can be arranged with the course advisor at the time of purchase directly over the phone.  Please note, you cannot use the online system for partial payments.

Administration Fee

All course applications are subject to an administration fee of €150 which is redeemable against your course fees.  Should you wish to cancel your course this fee is non-refundable.

Available Funding

Portobello Institute accepts the following funding from social welfare if you are eligible. Please speak with your local Intreo office for advice.

Useful Documentation

Please consult the relevant following documentation before booking any course. These documents contain vital information on what and how to pay, offline modes of payment and how to arrange instalment options.

Conditional Offers and Refunds

Sitting the Leaving Certificate: Students may apply and be granted a “Conditional Offer” prior to completing the Leaving Certificate. Step 1 – Submit application, Step 2 – Review of application and confirmation of eligibility criteria and entry requirements, Step 3 – Conditional Offer issued on the basis of successful achievement of LC requirements, Step 4 – Confirm acceptance of a place and pay deposit as detailed.

Places cannot be held open for applicants awaiting leaving certificate results, however, should a student accept a place and then choose not to progress with this course having received a CAO offer, a refund of 75% of fees paid will be made. Refunds must be requested in writing within 48 hours after the first-round offers have been made. This will only be accepted by emailing [email protected]. Evidence of CAO offer acceptance must be provided along in order to apply for a refund.

Download Quality Assurance Manual

For in-person weekdays courses, an interview and acceptance of your application by Portobello Institute is required before you make a full course payment. Please read The Enrolment Process below and follow all the steps. Once you have booked for an interview, we will communicate with you using the mobile and/or email address you provided

The Enrolment Process

Step 1 – Apply for Interview

Before applying for an interview, please check that you are eligible to take the course – each course page has a section marked ‘Entry Requirement’ and this section details the eligibility requirement. If you are not sure about eligibility, please contact us.

Step 2 – Acceptance of place if you are successful with your interview

Before applying for an interview, please check that you are eligible to take the course – each course page has a section marked ‘Entry Requirement’ and this section details the eligibility requirement. If you are not sure about eligibility, please contact us.

If you are offered a place after interview, you can accept by making:

• Full payment of the course fees upfront – €1,650 deposit must be paid to secure your place.
• Paying 50% of the course fees upfront and 50% within the next 2 months.
• Payment of 40% off the cost of the course and the remaining balance can be set up on an instalment plan. This option is subject to an additional administration fee. Please contact us for further information on instalment plans.

Note on EXAM FEES: All exam fees must be paid before the course start date regardless of payment choice above. You will find details of exam fees in the relevant course pages. Exam fees listed in a currency other than Euro must be paid separately by Bankers Draft and made out to Portobello Institute in the currency specified. If no exam fee is specified, that means the exam fee is already included in your course fee.

Please note: There is a Late Payment policy which may apply if your account is not settled within 10 days of course commencement.

Course Payment Options

Online

Click the Book Now button on the course page, fill out the appropriate details and continue to pay online. Please pay €50 only.

Late Payment Policy

Failure to pay on the due date will result in a cancellation of place on course and a penalty fee of 10% of the total course fee will be charged. Fees are still payable should a student fail to complete the course. Tuition fees, deposits and examination fees are not refundable under any other circumstances.

Instalment Policy

There is an instalment option available for in-person weekdays courses. Please refer to the information provided and contact Portobello Institute directly on 01 892 0000.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Portobello Institute reserves the right to cancel a course due to insufficient applications and fees will be fully refunded in this instance. For more details of our Refund Policy, please refer to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.

Instalment Options

We are now offering flexible payment options to enable students to spread the cost of their courses.

To see if you are eligible for a payment option plan and for further details please contact the number for the various departments listed below.

Email addresses are [email protected]

Terms and Conditions apply to all instalment payment plans. Failure to pay on the due dates of your instalment plan may result in the cancellation of your place on the course and a penalty fee of 10% of the course fee may be charged.

For part time courses fees payment is required in full at the time of booking. Instalment payment plans are also available on part time courses. Please speak with your course advisor at the time of booking or call 01 8920000 to discuss your options. You will be given separate payment instructions for exams or any additional materials on or before the start date of the course. We will communicate with you using the mobile and/or email address you provide during booking.

Course Payment Options

Online

Click the Book Now button on the course page, fill out the appropriate details and continue to pay the full course amount online.

Late Payment Policy

Failure to pay on the due date will result in a cancellation of place on course and a penalty fee of 10% of the course fee will be charged. Fees are still payable should a student fail to complete the course. Tuition fees, deposits and examination fees are not refundable under any other circumstances.

Instalment Policy

There is an instalment option available for in-person weekdays courses. Please refer to the information provided and contact Portobello Institute directly on 01 892 0000.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Portobello Institute reserves the right to cancel a course due to insufficient applications and fees will be fully refunded at the end of the month of course cancellation. For more details of our Refund Policy, please refer to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.

Instalment Options

We are now offering flexible payment options to enable students to spread the cost of their courses.

To see if you are eligible for a payment option plan and for further details please contact the number for the various departments listed below.

Email addresses are [email protected]

Terms and Conditions apply to all instalment payment plans. Failure to pay on the due dates of your instalment plan may result in the cancellation of your place on the course and a penalty fee of 10% of the course fee may be charged.

The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 Part 6 requires that all QQI programmes over 12 weeks have an insurance policy in place for the Protection of Enrolled Learners.

Portobello Institute has established a mandatory policy for learners with Academy Plus, ensuring that each learner has the required financial insurance in place should any unforeseen circumstances arise with the ability of Portobello Institute to deliver the programme during their study period. The payment for Insurance is in addition to your course fee and is a mandatory obligation from each registering learner on QQI programmes only.

Following payment to Academy Plus by the college you will be sent through your certificate which will contain your personal details and your ID for your policy. You do not have to contact Academy Plus directly or pay them directly. The college will process this on your behalf.

Please retain your insurance certificate for the duration of your course. This is proof that your payment and course are insured in line with PEL requirements.

Academy Plus Insurance Limited t/a Academy Plus is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

1. All learners must provide a valid email address and mobile phone number while enrolled at Portobello
Institute. This is the main way we communicate with the learner body, and it is each learner’s responsibility
to check emails/texts for important updates, cancellations, notifications, results, events, seminars and so
on. It is the learner’s responsibility to inform Portobello Institute if any of their contact details change.

2. Once enrolled, Portobello Institute will issue all learners with their own @portobelloinstitute.com email
address which will need to be used to access the Institute’s learner systems. This will be the main email
address the Institute will use for contacting learners from that point on.

3. Learners enrolled on QQI courses must supply a valid PPS number at time of registration.

4. All learners registered on Higher Education programmes run in conjunction with Portobello Institute’s
partner universities will be registered with said partner universities and therefore agree to their terms of
enrolment and related policies.

5. All learners must submit supporting evidence in advance of programme start date to satisfy the entry
requirements.

6. Learners must satisfy the entry requirements to undertake a programme.

7. Fluency in English is essential to undertake any course in Portobello Institute.

8. All learners are encouraged to disclose their additional support needs before starting a course.

9. Learners must make efforts to fully participate on the programme which will be delivered in accordance
with our agreed policy schedule as outlined in our Portobello’s QA manual.

10. Additional fees – some courses such as London Met undergraduate and post graduate degree programmes
have an additional registration fee. Learners who register on these programmes are liable to pay these
fees at time of enrolment or via instalment plan. Learners who opt for instalment plans will also incur an
additional fee for this service.

11. Learners who opt for payment plans must book their course via the website www.portobelloinstitute.com and select an option for payment dates. Card details used for the deposit will be saved on the secure system, and all future payments deducted automatically on the chosen dates on this same card. Failed transactions will be attempted again. Payments that continue to fail on 3 consecutive occasions will result in ePortobello access being suspended without further notice and until the account is in order again.

12. All payment plans must have payment method or standing order completed at the time of registration. Failure to do so may result in the account being suspended until this is in order.

13. Learners with outstanding fees will not be certified.

14. In the event that a learner has to repeat a year, full fees will be applicable for that year.

15. Course fees are subject to change year on year.

16. Course fees do not include the cost of materials.

17. Fees are still payable should a learner withdraw from a course.

18. Tuition fees, deposits and registration fees are only refundable under the circumstances outlined below.

19. Learners enrolling on any programme who are receiving funding from any source and who do not complete
their studies, will no longer be eligible for the funding. Therefore a learner who fails to complete their
programme will be liable for the course fees in full themselves.

20. Procedure for processing of requests for deferrals: Learner requests a deferral form via
[email protected]. Learner completes application form and returns to that email address,
along with any required supporting evidence. Deferral fees can be paid over the phone by calling (01)
8920000. Learners will be informed in writing of the outcome of their request.

21. Procedure for processing of requests for temporary leave of absence: Learner requests a TLA application
form via [email protected]. Learner completes application form and returns to that email
address, along with any required supporting evidence. Fees can be paid over the phone by calling (01)
8920000. Learners will be informed in writing of the outcome of their request.

22. Procedure for processing of requests for refunds: Learner requests a refund application form via
[email protected]. Learner completes application form and returns to that email address, along with any required supporting evidence. Refund applications will be considered by the Refund
Committee within 30 days of receipt of application.

23. Portobello Institute reserves the right to request a learner to vacate their place on a course should
their behaviour cause unnecessary disruption.

24. Portobello Institute retains the right to refuse admission to a course and fees will not be charged in this
case.

25. Portobello Institute reserves the right to cancel a course due to insufficient applications and fees will be
fully refunded in this case.

26. Portobello Institute reserves the right to alter, change or withdraw any of the modules, timetables, or
tutors on the schedule.

27. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the safekeeping of all materials submitted, Portobello Institute will
not be responsible for the loss or theft of any materials.

28. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this document is correct,
Portobello Institute is not liable for any errors or omissions.

29. Course Fees are non-transferrable.

30. International learners are required to pay all fees in full prior to course commencement.

31. Sessions delivered via Portobello Institute’s online learning platform, e-Portobello, such sessions, and
examinations may be video recorded.

32. Learners are not permitted to reproduce or modify any part of a course, store it in a retrieval system or
transmit it in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise
without the prior written permission of Portobello Institute.

33. The exclusions and limitations of liability contained in these Terms of Enrolment do not apply to: Any loss
or damage resulting from death or personal injury caused by PI’s negligence; loss or damage arising from
fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other losses which may not be excluded or limited by law. In no event
shall PI be responsible to learners for any loss of profits, loss of earnings, loss of anticipated savings, loss of
revenue or loss of goodwill that they may suffer. Further, in no event shall PI be liable to learners for
indirect or consequential losses. Portobello Institute’s maximum aggregate liability to enrolled learners for
any claim is limited to the amount of the course fee paid.

Before undertaking any programme with Portobello Institute, please have a look at our system requirements:

We recommend all users ensure they are meeting the minimum requirements below for ePortobello Webinars and
any online exams prior to their first live session. Minimum requirements may vary depending on the device and
browser being used.

Recommended Browsers
The recommended browsers are:

• Desktop/Laptop: Latest version of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
• Mobile Android (7.0+): Chrome Mobile
• Mobile iOS (12.2+): Safari Mobile and Chrome

Please note – For students taking exams, please use Google Chrome Browser Only

Desktop/Laptop Users

The following settings are recommended for all users connecting via desktop or laptop:

• Laptop or desktop computer with minimum 4GB of memory and a 2 GHz processor
  (most computers bought in the few years).
• Internet Speed: at least 1.0 Mbs upload and 2 Mbs download. (You can test your speed here)
• Audio: A headset will ensure that others can hear your voice clearly and you don’t cause echo or
  background noise for others.
• A laptop with a built-in webcam and microphone will be sufficient as well if you’re in a quiet area.

To open PDF files on your computer, you’ll need to have a PDF reader installed. A PDF browser plugin allows you to
view PDFs directly in your browser without needing a separate application.
You can download Adobe Reader, which includes the browser plugin, from http://get.adobe.com/reader/. Simply
follow the installation prompts to set it up.

For learners with Dyslexia, use of a curved screen can be very beneficial.

Refund Policy

Refunds are granted in the following circumstances.

• If a course is cancelled by Portobello Institute
• If a refund is requested from an online booking within 14 days*

Refund applications are processed within 30 days upon receipt of the refund form. These T&C’s meet the guidelines
of the National Consumer Regulations June 2014.

Learners who apply for a refund that do not meet the conditions for a refund, but who do meet the conditions
of a deferral, will be granted a deferral with the appropriate deferral conditions attached.

Email: [email protected]

*An online booking is one where the learner books via www.portobelloinstitute.com. Once a learner has logged into
ePortobello this 14-day period is null and void.

NSLF Deposits are refundable only for those who are found not to be eligible for NSLF. Refund applications will be
refunded in line with Portobello Institute refund policy. Applications must be accompanied by rejection letter from
DCEDIY.

Places cannot be held open for applicants awaiting leaving certificate results, however, should a student accept a
place and then choose not to progress with this course having received a CAO offer, a refund of 75% of fees paid
will be made. Refunds must be requested in writing within 48 hours after the first-round offers have been made.
This will only be accepted by emailing [email protected]. Evidence of CAO offer acceptance must be
provided along in order to apply for a refund.

Deferral and Temporary Leave of Absence Policies

Learners who have not commenced studies can apply for deferral up to 14 days before the start of the programme.

In all other cases learners must apply for Temporary Leave of Absence.

Learners seeking a deferral or temporary leave of absence must meet one of the following conditions:

• Compassionate and Compelling Circumstances as follows:
• Serious illness or injury with accompanying medical certificate.
• Bereavement of close family member to include parents, spouse, siblings, or child.
• Traumatic experience which would include witness or involvement in serious accident, witnessing or being victim of serious crime.
• Paperwork to accompany the request for a deferral should include medical certificates, death certificate of family member, Garda, or psychologists report.
• You must have paid the full course fee before you can apply for a deferral.

Deferrals and Temporary Leave of Absence are not automatically granted. Learners who apply are advised to
continue with their studies until they have been informed of the outcome of their deferral application.
Email: [email protected]

Protection of Enrolled Learners

The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 Part 6 requires that all QQI
programmes over 12 weeks have an insurance policy in place for the Protection of Enrolled Learners.

Portobello Institute have established a mandatory policy for learners with Academy Plus, ensuring that each
learnerhas the required financial insurance in place should any unforeseen circumstances arise during their study
period. The payment for Insurance is in addition to your course fee and is a mandatory obligation from each
registering learner.

Following payment to Academy Plus by the college you will be sent through your certificate which will contain your
personal details and your ID for your policy. You do not have to contact Academy Plus directly or pay them directly.
The college will process this on your behalf.

Please retain your insurance certificate for the duration of your course. This is proof that your payment and course
is insured in line with PEL requirements.

Academy Plus Insurance Limited t/a Academy Plus is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Photography/Filming

By enrolling on a programme with Portobello Institute, (the “Institute”) I consent to the Institute using photographs
and/or video recordings of me taken by the Institute or by persons or organisations authorised on behalf of the
Institute for the purposes of internally and externally promoting the Institute. These images could be used in any
media (existing or later created or made available) including print and digital media formats such as print publications,
prospectuses, brochures, websites, e-marketing, posters, banners, advertising, film, social media, teaching, and
research purposes.

I understand that some images or recordings may be kept permanently once they are published and be kept as an
archive of Portobello Institute life.

• I agree that:
  I will not be paid a fee in respect of any use made of the photograph(s) and/or video recording(s) but have
  the opportunity of being involved in promoting the Institute in the manner set out above.
• Copyright in the image(s) and/or video recordings will be retained by the Institute; and
• The Institute shall have the right to edit, modify, crop, add to or subtract from the photographs and/or video recordings at its entire discretion and without my approval.

By accepting the Terms of Enrolment, I agree to have read and understand the conditions and consent to my images
and or video recordings being used as described.

The Institute is committed to processing information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation
(GDPR). The personal data collected on this form will be held securely and will only be used for administrative
purposes.

Your rights

You have the right to request to see a copy of the information we hold about you and to request corrections or
deletions of the information that is no longer required. You can ask the Institute to stop using your images at any
time, in which case it will not be used in future publications but may continue to appear in publications already in
circulation.

You have the right to lodge a concern or complaint against the Institute regarding data protection issues with the Data Protection Commissioner.

Contact details

If you have any questions relating to this consent form or the way we are planning to use your information please
contact:

The Data Protection Officer
Portobello Institute
43 Dominick Street Lower
Dublin
DC1 XD86

These terms and conditions are effective from 01.09.2024