Terms and conditions
A. General conditions of sale
1. Identification
The CERVANTES INSTITUTE (tax identification code Q-2812007-I) is a non-profit public entity under the aegis of Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Created and regulated under Act 7/1991 of 21 March, it is headquartered at 49 Alcalá Street, 28014 Madrid, Spain. It is the registered owner of the cervantes.es domain and respective website, from which this online shop is accessed.
2. Content and information furnished on the website
The Cervantes Institute (hereafter also the seller) publishes accurate commercial information which may, on occasion, contain typographical errors. Such errors are entirely unintentional and rectified immediately upon detection. When the CERVANTES INSTITUTE detects a typographical error in the price of an item, buyers of the product in question are notified immediately and entitled to cancel their order at no cost to them whatsoever.
The description of shop items may on occasion contain provisional information. Where the information furnished does not match product characteristics, customers are entitled to cancel their purchase at no cost to them whatsoever.
The Cervantes Institute reserves the right to modify the characteristics of the commercial offerings listed on its website at any time.
3. Purchase procedure
The product descriptions on the seller’s online shop are not binding on the seller, although they serve as a basis for purchases binding on the buyer.
Customers may place their orders on line using the form posted on the seller’s online shop. After selecting their items, adding them to the shopping cart, placing their online order, accepting these conditions of sale and pressing the button to confirm the order, customers generate a legally binding agreement to purchase the goods or services contained in the shopping cart.
The seller must confirm acceptance or rejection of the customer’s order or purchase via e-mail within 72 hours.
The agreement is effective from the time of such confirmation. Orders not accepted within the aforementioned deadline will be understood to be rejected, in which case the customer is released from the commitment assumed upon conclusion of the agreement specified above.
Before sending a binding online order, customers may use standard keyboard and mouse functions to rectify their entries. In addition, all entries are displayed in a confirmation window on which they may be rectified using standard keyboard and mouse functions before firm and binding orders are placed.
Customers confirming their order details and accepting the purchase by pressing the “Send order ” button receive confirmation that their orders have been registered and are being processed. Details of the binding purchase are displayed on the screen in a format that may be saved or printed.
All agreements are concluded in the Spanish language, without prejudice to the use of other languages at the seller’s discretion.
As a general rule, orders are processed automatically and communication with customers is via electronic mail. Customers must ensure that the electronic address provided to process their order is correct to guarantee timely receipt of the seller’s notices.
4. Prices and payment
The prices specified on the CERVANTES INSTITUTE website constitute the full amount to be charged and include the value added tax (VAT) and any other applicable levies, fees or charges.
5. Right of withdrawal
Customers may withdraw their purchase commitment within 14 calendar days of confirmation thereof.
This right may be exercised by giving unequivocal notice of withdrawal using the form posted on http://cau.cervantes.es/.
The CERVANTES INSTITUTE will acknowledge receipt of the customer’s notice of withdrawal as soon as possible.
When an agreement is withdrawn, customers will be reimbursed with no undue delay and in any event within 14 calendar days of the date on which the CERVANTES INSTITUTE was notified of withdrawal. Reimbursement will be processed through the payment method used by the customer for the initial transaction.
The stipulations of this section notwithstanding, further to the provisions of Article 103 m) of the consolidated text of the General Act on the Defense of Consumers and Users and other supplementary legislation approved under Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007 of 16 November, as worded in Act 3/2014 of 27 March amending the aforementioned text, use of a login to access AVE Global course, topic or product content or any other item delivered on line entails forfeiture of the right of withdrawal.
The right of withdrawal is likewise forfeited when digital products accessible on line without logging in are downloaded within the aforementioned 14 day period.
6. Customer obligations
Customers undertake to furnish accurate information on user registration or order forms and maintain such information permanently current.
Customers accept the terms and conditions set out in this document on the understanding that they constitute the most suitable provisions for the type of services offered by the CERVANTES INSTITUTE.
Moreover, they undertake to apply due diligence in ensuring the confidentiality of the login details furnished by the CERVANTES INSTITUTE.
7. Intellectual property
All the items listed on the CERVANTES INSTITUTE’s online shop are subject to intellectual or industrial property or analogous economic rights, held either by the Institute itself or third parties as specified.
Texts, exercises, pictures, videos and other course contents or items may be used in keeping with their purpose and saved or printed for personal use except as otherwise indicated by the CERVANTES INSTITUTE.
Use other than as intended for courses, topics or items is not permitted; their reproduction, communication, publication, propagation or placement in the public domain by whatsoever means is strictly prohibited. Infringements of intellectual property rights will be pursued.
8. Security, confidentiality and data protection
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES guarantees security and confidentiality in all its communications with clients.
All online payment operations are carried out via a secure server, based on the SSL standard which protects data against attempted breaches by third parties. Data from the purchasing process is kept in a database designed for this purpose.
In accordance with General Regulation UE 679/2016 on Data Protection and current legislation, we inform you that the data provided in this document will be handled by the INSTITUTO CERVANTES, which is responsible for its processing, for the purpose of managing your request and sending you information relating to that request, by physical or electronic means and, if you wish and where you have ticked the appropriate box, sending information relating to the activities, services and objectives of the INSTITUTO CERVANTES.
The legal basis for the data handling is the carrying out of the contract to provide services. The legal basis for sending marketing communications is the consent of the interested party.
Personal data will be stored for as long as a link is maintained between the interested party and the INSTITUTO CERVANTES. At the end of this period, personal data that has been used for any of the purposes stated will be kept for the legally anticipated periods or for the period a judge or court may require them complying with the limitation period of the legal proceedings. Where this legal period does not apply, your data will be stored until you request its deletion or withdraw your consent.
Personal data will not be submitted or communicated to third parties except where necessary for the development, control and fulfilment of the objectives expressed above or through legal obligation.
The client may, at any time, exercise their right to access, amend, delete, transfer, and limit or oppose the usage of, their data with the INSTITUTO CERVANTES (c/Alcalá, 49, Madrid 28014), contacting us by post at the address above, by email to lopd@cervantes.es, or in person at the Registry of the INSTITUTO CERVANTES in Madrid at the addressed indicated.
Where a client or user is a minor or has been legally declared to have altered capacity, they may only provide their personal data on the designated forms with the prior consent of their parents, guardians or legal representatives, who must email the appropriate form duly signed, and with a copy of the National Identity Document of the father, mother, guardian or legal representative who has signed to the form http://cau.cervantes.es/.
9. Governing law and competent jurisdiction
Agreements will be governed by and interpreted further to Spanish legislation.
Customers and the CERVANTES INSTITUTE explicitly waive any jurisdiction to which they may be entitled and submit to the jurisdiction of the courts and tribunals of Madrid to settle disputes that may arise between them.
B. Specific conditions
As a general rule, all items are intended for an adult public, over 16 years of age.
Minors or persons legally incapacitated must be enrolled by their parents, tutors or legal representatives. Customers who are of age and legally capacitated must register personally.
The details of items purchased will be set out in the respective product specifications sheet.
Specific conditions for AVE GLOBAL courses and topics
a) Registration
Customers or students will receive their AVE Global login details by e-mail within 72 hours of receipt of the purchase confirmation described in the general conditions of sale.
The customer undertakes to apply due diligence in ensuring the confidentiality of such details and to use them in keeping with their intended purpose. Propagation, publication or reproduction in whatsoever format is explicitly prohibited, as is the loan, commercialization, rental or sale thereof to third parties.
b) Returns and exchanges
Returns may be requested using the online form on http://cau.cervantes.es/.
In such cases, the full price of the course will be refunded, although any payment gateway charges will be for the account of the customer.
Exchanges for a higher or lower level AVE Global course with the same delivery format may be requested within 72 hours of the first login.
Such exchanges may be requested using the online form on http://cau.cervantes.es/.
Students may change course level only once.
Users registering for AVE Global topics will not be entitled to returns or exchanges after accessing the topic.
In the online DELE preparation courses and Grama-Exprés courses it is not possible to make changes. In any case, the client may exercise his right of withdrawal detailed below.
c) Withdrawal
Customers are entitled to the right of withdrawal further to the existing legislation and may exercise that right within 14 calendar days of the entry into effect of the product agreement.
Further to the provisions of Article 103 m) of the consolidated text of the General Act on the Defense of Consumers and Users and other supplementary legislation approved under Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007 of 16 November, as worded in Act 3/2014 of 27 March amending the aforementioned text, use of personal login details to access a course entails forfeiture of the right of withdrawal.
Full information on exercising this right is set out in section 5 of the general conditions of sale.
Technical requirements
Customers must meet the technical requirements set out on http://ave.cervantes.es/AVEGlobal/requisitos-tecnicos.html
C. Specific conditions for using the ELECTRONIC LIBRARY card
a) Membership registration
Members will receive their E-LIBRARY login details by e-mail within 72 hours of receipt of the purchase confirmation described in the general conditions of sale.
Members undertake to apply due diligence in ensuring the confidentiality of such details and to use them in keeping with their intended purpose. They may not be propagated, published or reproduced in any format whatsoever, nor lent, commercialised, rented or sold to third parties.
b) Conditions for use
E-library contents are made generally accessible for information and orientation.
The Cervantes Institute assumes no responsibility for links on its E-library site to websites over which it has no control.
Content (texts, designs, graphics, information, databases, audio and video files, logos...) and other elements on the Cervantes Institute’s E-library website may not be reproduced, distributed, conveyed, adapted or modified by any means or in any format except as authorised in advance by their legitimate owners or as allowed by law.
This prohibition extends to the use of the aforementioned content for trade or advertising and to the violation of any rights stemming therefrom, except where appropriate and strictly as permitted.
The content is available exclusively for reading, study or research and is subject to the provisions of the Act on Intellectual property (Royal Legislative Decree 1/1996 of 12 April). Any other use of this digital version is strictly subject to written authorisation from the author/s of the work and the Cervantes Institute’s Culture Department.
c) Refunds
The deadline for returning a member’s library card is 48 hours after the first login. Returns may be requested from the CERVANTES INSTITUTE using the online form on http://cau.cervantes.es/.
In such cases, the full price of the card will be refunded, although any payment gateway charges will be for the user’s account.
d) Withdrawal
Further to the existing legislation, members are entitled to the right of withdrawal within 14 calendar days of the entry into effect of the product agreement.
Pursuant to the provisions of Article 103 m) of the consolidated text of the General Act on the Defence of Consumers and Users and other supplementary legislation approved under Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007 of 16 November, as worded in Act 3/2014 of 27 March amending the aforementioned text, use of a login to access E-library content entails forfeiture of the right of withdrawal.
Information on the exercise of this right is laid down in section 5 of the general conditions of sale..
e) Technical requirements
- Internet access
- Active (not expired, penalised or suspended) user registration.
- E-book application installed on the user’s device.
- Mp3 player application installed on the user’s device.
D. Special conditions for TEACHER TRAINING COURSES AT THE INSTITUTO CERVANTES
a) Requirements and obligations of participants
To be eligible to take part in any course from the Programme of teacher training courses at the INSTITUTO CERVANTES participants must, at the time of enrolment, be of legal age and have a bachelor's degree, diploma or other degree, or be in the final year of their university studies. Participants from countries where Spanish is not the mother tongue must also have a minimum level of C1 in Spanish.
However, the required profile may vary depending on the course. For this reason, it is necessary to fit the profile described in the "Participant profile" (“Destinatarios”) section of each course. Where a participant does not meet the specified requirements, the INSTITUTO CERVANTES will cancel their enrolment on the course.
By paying the enrolment fee, the participant agrees to all the provisions and conditions set out in these terms and conditions of sale, understanding that they are drawn up in the best interests of the type of course offered by the INSTITUTO CERVANTES, and, specifically, agrees to provide accurate information on the personal data requested and keep it updated at all times. The INSTITUTO CERVANTES is not responsible for any damage caused by the supply of incorrect or out-of-date data provided by the participant on enrolment.
b) Enrolment
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES accepts enrolments for its teacher training courses provided they are made via the internet page set up for this purpose at https://clic.cervantes.es/. Enrolment for a course involves immediate payment of the fee.
The enrolment period ends when all the available places are filled. Applicants can check availability of places at https://clic.cervantes.es/es/formacionprofesores/.
Once the payment has gone through, the applicant will receipt an email with the appropriate proof of purchase and enrolment receipt. To complete the enrolment process for teacher training courses, the participant must provide and send within 48 hours their personal and academic details on the digital form using the link supplied with their proof of purchase, and send it through. Purchases related to video conferencing training courses are exempt from sending this form.
Before the course starts, the INSTITUTO CERVANTES will send the participant an email with all the information they need to complete the course correctly. If the participants do not receive the information before the start of the training course, they must contact the INSTITUTO CERVANTES customer service centre using the following form http://cau.cervantes.es/.
It is not possible to change course once payment has been made, without prejudice to the right to withdrawal set out in section A.5 on this page.
The policy for applicable discounts for the teacher training courses given by the INSTITUTO CERVANTES, as well as the documentation to provide to be eligible for these, is published on this page https://cfp.cervantes.es/actividades_formativas/cursos/cursos_cervantes/informacion_e_inscripcion.htm/
.
To qualify for any of the discounts described applicants must attach supporting documents for the appropriate requirements at the time of paying the fee.
The registration fee for the INSTITUTO CERVANTES teacher training course does not include any potential travel, accommodation or living expenses, which will be assumed by the participant.
c) Withdrawal
The client has a right of withdrawal in line with the legal provisions and may exercise it within 14 calendar days of procurement of the product.
If the client accesses the course content using his personal passwords, he will lose the right to withdrawal, in accordance with article 103 m) of the Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007, of 16 November, in which the revised text of the General Law for the Protection of Consumers and Users is approved, in its version in the Law 3/2014, of 27 March, by which the said text is modified.
Information on exercising this right is further developed in section 5 of the general conditions of sale.
d) Cancellation of enrolment and courses
Withdrawal by the participant
Without prejudice to the right of withdrawal set out in the previous point, the INSTITUTO CERVANTES also offers the participant the possibility of requesting, up to 10 calendar days before the start of the course, the refund of enrolment fees in the following circumstances:
• Illness or serious accident
• Unavoidable public duty by the participant (only in the case of attendance-based courses and video conferencing training courses)
• Examination sittings for official studies (only in the case of attendance-based courses and video conferencing training courses)
The participant may request the cancellation of their enrolment in writing to the INSTITUTO CERVANTES by completing the online form available to them at http://cau.cervantes.es/. In all cases they will need to attach the following documentation:
• Proof of the reason for or circumstances of their request for withdrawal
• Copy of the proof of purchase or enrolment receipt
Where withdrawals are requested within the period and in the form specified, a full refund of the fee will be made to the participant except for 20€ per course to cover administration and management costs. In addition, any commission that may be due to the payment platform will be the responsibility of the participant.
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES will make the refund using the same method employed by the participant for the initial transaction within an estimated period of three months from the date the participant sent their withdrawal request.
It will be refused, and therefore the enrolment fee will not reimbursed, where a withdrawal request is made outside the specified period or does not meet any of the conditions set out in this section.
Cancellation of the course by the INSTITUTO CERVANTES
If a course is cancelled because the minimum number of participants is not reached, the INSTITUTO CERVANTES will make a complete refund of the fee paid, using the same method employed for the initial transaction, within a maximum period of three months from the expected start date of the cancelled course.
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES will not pay any expense as consequence of the trip, accommodation and meals that the participants may have made to attend a face-to-face or blended course, even if this has been cancelled.
e) Online teacher training activities and courses
The participant will receive an email with his username and password to access the course platform, one working day before the start of the course.
We recommend accessing the course on the first day to check that the passwords are working correctly.
If the participant has not received their access details before the start of the course or, once it has started, they do not work properly, the participant must contact the INSTITUTO CERVANTES customer service centre using the form http://cau.cervantes.es/.
Once the course has finished, access will remain open for two months after the end date so that students who are interested can consult and download the material available. After the two month period, participants will no longer be able to access the course.
The participant undertakes to guard with maximum care and confidentiality the log in details to access INSTITUTO CERVANTES online courses, which are personal and non-transferable, and to use them exclusively for the purpose for which they were intended. It is expressly forbidden to disclose, publicise or reproduce them in any format, or to loan, use for marketing, rent or sell them to third parties.
A participant's fraudulent use of their digital identity will lead to their automatic exclusion from the course and, if this were discovered after the course has finished, it will lead to the removal of their course accreditation.
To take part in the online training courses, participants must have IT and mobile equipment which meets the specific technical requirements outlined in the technical file for each course, relating to capacity, characteristics, operating system and configuration of recommended browsers, graphics and sound card, etc.
In general, they are the following:
• Operating system: Microsoft Windows VISTA/7/8.x/10, Mac OS X v10.4.x or above or any Linux system
• Hardware: equipment with internet connection, graphics and sound cards, microphone and loudspeakers or headphones
• Software: up-to-date browser; word processing and video reproduction applications; Adobe Reader and Winrar.
It is also recommended that participants are comfortable with online applications, social networks, blogs and other internet spaces.
Participants living in countries with governmental restrictions on access to the Internet are also responsible for ensuring that they can access the platform and its content without infringing local legislation.
f) Attendance-based, semi-attendance-based, and video conferencing teacher training activities and courses
Teacher training courses at the INSTITUTO CERVANTES whose mode is attendance-based or semi-attendance-based take place at the Instituto's centre at Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), unless, exceptionally, another location is specified in the section «Location» which appears in the file for each of the published courses on the INSTITUTO CERVANTES Teacher Training portal at https://cfp.cervantes.es/.
For training courses conducted via video conferencing platforms, the INSTITUTO CERVANTES will send the participants an email with their log in details and all the instructions related to the download of the communication platform in which the course will take place. If the participants do not receive the log in details before the course starts, they must contact the INSTITUTO CERVANTES customer service centre using the following form http://cau.cervantes.es/.
g) Assessment and certification
Enrolment for any of the teacher training activities or courses at the INSTITUTO CERVANTES involves the participant's acceptance of the assessment procedure.
Information about the assessment procedure followed by each course can be found in the corresponding section of each of the published course files on the INSTITUTO CERVANTES Teacher Training portal at https://cfp.cervantes.es/. Likewise, in the
The participant's qualifications will be «Pass», «Fail» or «Not entered». Participants who drop out of the course or do not complete the assessment tasks asked for within the specified time will receive the qualification «Not entered».
For courses with no assessment, an electronic certificate of attendance is sent out for attendance-based activities; and an electronic certificate of participation is sent out for video conferencing training courses. For attendance-based, semi-attendance-based, and online courses with assessment, an electronic certification of achievement is sent out.
Attendance is compulsory in order to obtain a certification for video conferencing training courses. To obtain certification for attendance-based courses, attendance will be compulsory and absences must be appropriately justified (unavoidable public duty by the participant, examination sittings for official studies, illness or serious accident). Under no circumstances can they exceed 15% of the total duration of the course. In addition, participants must pass the assessment tasks specified for each course, as applicable.
To obtain certification for semi-attendance-based courses, attendance will be compulsory for the attendance-based component of the course and absences must be appropriately justified (unavoidable public duty by the participant, examination sittings for official studies, illness or serious accident). Under no circumstances can they exceed 15% of the total duration of the attendance-based component of the course. In addition, the students must participate actively in the communication activities and achieve a
To obtain certification for online courses, participants must complete the different course modules within the time frame specified by the tutor or the person responsible for the course and achieve a
In all the modes of course, if the participant is found to have copied or plagiarised any work, they will receive a «Fail», without an option to resit.
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES will send out the appropriate certification by email within a maximum period of two months from the end of the course, provided that all the requirements detailed above have been met. It will not send out certifications that include several courses, nor partial certifications, nor any other certification or document for the completion of the course other than that set out above.
Where it is necessary to send out a new certification as a result of errors in the data provided by the participant on enrolment, or for any other reason not attributable to the INSTITUTO CERVANTES, it will be necessary to pay the INSTITUTO CERVANTES the cost of re-sending the certification, which will be 10 euros.
E. Specific conditions for SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE COURSES IN ALCALÁ DE HENARES
As a general rule, all items are intended for an adult public, over 18 years of age.
The details of items purchased will be set out in the respective product specifications sheet.
1. Enrolment
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES accepts enrolments for its courses provided they are made via the internet page set up for this purpose at https://clic.cervantes.es/. Enrolment for a course involves immediate payment of the fee.
The enrolment period ends when all the available places are filled.
Once the payment has gone through, the applicant will receipt an email with the appropriate proof of purchase and enrolment receipt.
Before the start of the course, the INSTITUTE CERVANTES will confirm will confirm to the participant by email the holding of the course. It is recommended not to buy the tickets for the transfer to Spain until you have received said confirmation.
It is not possible to change course once payment has been made, without prejudice to the right to withdrawal set out in section A.5 on this page.
The discount policy applicable to INSTITUTO CERVANTES courses, as well as the documentation that must be attached in order to benefit from these discounts, are published on the registration page of each course.
To qualify for any of the discounts described applicants must attach supporting documents for the appropriate requirements at the time of paying the fee.
The registration fee for the INSTITUTO CERVANTES teacher training course does not include any potential travel, accommodation or living expenses, which will be assumed by the participant.
2. Withdrawal
The client has a right of withdrawal in line with the legal provisions and may exercise it within 14 calendar days of procurement of the product.
Information on exercising this right is further developed in section 5 of the general conditions of sale.
3. Cancellation of enrolment and courses
Withdrawal by the participant
Without prejudice to the right of withdrawal set out in the previous point, the INSTITUTO CERVANTES also offers the participant the possibility of requesting, up to 10 calendar days before the start of the course, the refund of enrolment fees in the following circumstances:
- Illness or serious accident.
- Unavoidable public duty by the participant (only in the case of attendance-based courses and video conferencing training courses).
- Examination sittings for official studies (only in the case of attendance-based courses and video conferencing training courses).
- Refusal of the visa to enter Spain.
The participant may request the cancellation of their enrolment in writing to the INSTITUTO CERVANTES by completing the online form available to them at http://cau.cervantes.es/. In all cases they will need to attach the following documentation:
- Proof of the reason for or circumstances of their request for withdrawal.
- Copy of the proof of purchase or enrolment receipt.
Where withdrawals are requested within the period and in the form specified, a full refund of the fee will be made to the participant except for 20€ per course to cover administration and management costs. In addition, any commission that may be due to the payment platform will be the responsibility of the participant.
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES will make the refund using the same method employed by the participant for the initial transaction within an estimated period of three months from the date the participant sent their withdrawal request.
It will be refused, and therefore the enrolment fee will not reimbursed, where a withdrawal request is made outside the specified period or does not meet any of the conditions set out in this section.
Cancellation of the course by the INSTITUTO CERVANTES
If a course is cancelled because the minimum number of participants is not reached, the INSTITUTO CERVANTES will make a complete refund of the fee paid, using the same method employed for the initial transaction, within a maximum period of three months from the expected start date of the cancelled course
The INSTITUTO CERVANTES will not pay any expense as consequence of the trip, accommodation and meals that the participants may have made to attend a face-to-face or blended course, even if this has been cancelled.
