Fee Refund Policy

1. Introduction

This Fee Refund Policy governs refund requests made by parents and guardians of students enrolled at Dunes Academy, a CBSE-affiliated school located at Tehsil Aau, Phalodi District, Rajasthan, India (CBSE Affiliation No. 1731202).

This Policy is framed in accordance with applicable guidelines issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Rajasthan Schools (Regulation of Fee) Act. In the event of any conflict between this Policy and applicable regulatory guidelines, the regulatory guidelines shall prevail.

By enrolling a student and paying fees, you ("Parent" or "Guardian") agree to the terms of this Policy.

2. Types of Fees Covered

This Policy applies to the following categories of fees charged by Dunes Academy:

Conditions for refund of applicable fees are detailed in Section 4 below.

3. Non-Refundable Fees

These fees cover administrative processing and seat allocation costs incurred by the school, regardless of whether the student subsequently joins or withdraws.

4. Refund Eligibility

Refunds for applicable fees (as listed in Section 2) may be granted under the following circumstances:

4.1 Student Withdrawal

• If a student withdraws before the commencement of the academic session, a proportionate refund of tuition, boarding, transport, activity, and examination fees may be granted, after deducting non-refundable components (Registration and Admission Fee).
• If a student withdraws within the same calendar month of joining, a proportionate refund for the unused portion of that month may be considered, subject to a valid written reason for withdrawal being submitted.
• Withdrawals made after one full month of attendance will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with refunds calculated on a pro-rata basis for any advance fees paid beyond the month of withdrawal.

4.2 School Cancellation of Programme or Service

If Dunes Academy cancels a programme, service, or facility (e.g., a transport route or activity programme) for which a fee has already been paid, a full refund for that specific fee will be issued within 15 working days of the cancellation.

4.3 Duplicate / Erroneous Online Payment

If a payment is made more than once for the same fee due to a technical error on the payment gateway, the duplicate amount will be refunded in full. The parent or guardian must:

• Report the duplicate payment within 7 calendar days of the transaction.
• Provide proof of both transactions (payment receipts or bank statements).

4.4 Offline Payment with Proof

If a fee has been paid offline (cash or cheque) and a duplicate online payment has also been made for the same fee period, a refund may be processed upon submission of valid proof of the offline payment (official school receipt or bank-verified deposit slip).

5. Notice Period for Withdrawal

All withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing — by letter or email — to the school administration. A minimum notice period of 7 working days is required before processing any refund or issuing a Transfer Certificate (TC).

6. How to Apply for a Refund

To apply for a refund, please follow these steps:

1. Submit a written request

   Send a letter to the Principal or email info@dunesacademy.com stating: the student's full name, class, and roll number; the fee type and amount being claimed; the reason for the refund request; and the bank account details for the refund transfer.

2. Attach supporting documents

   Include fee payment receipt(s), bank statement (for duplicate payment claims), proof of offline payment if applicable, and a written reason for withdrawal where relevant.

3. School review

   Our accounts team will review your request within 7 working days of receiving complete documentation.

4. Refund processing

   Approved refunds will be processed within 15 working days of approval, via bank transfer (NEFT / IMPS) to the account provided.

7. Deductions at the Time of Refund

When a refund is approved, the following will be deducted from the refundable amount before disbursement:

• Registration Fee (non-refundable in all cases)
• Admission Fee (non-refundable in all cases)
• Any outstanding dues or damages owed to the school

The balance remaining after these deductions will be refunded to the parent or guardian.

8. Conditions Where Refunds Will Not Be Processed

Refund requests will not be entertained in the following situations:

• Claims relating solely to the Registration Fee or Admission Fee component of any payment.
• Withdrawal requests submitted after the mid-point of the academic session, without documented exceptional circumstances.
• Requests submitted without valid documentation, or after the stipulated reporting window has passed.
• Fees already adjusted or utilised against services that have been rendered by the school.
• Cases where the student has been removed for disciplinary reasons.

9. Regulatory Compliance

This Policy is aligned with the guidelines of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Rajasthan Schools (Regulation of Fee) Act. Parents and guardians who believe a refund has been incorrectly denied may also escalate their concern to the relevant state education regulatory authority as permitted by applicable law.

10. Changes to This Policy

Dunes Academy reserves the right to revise this Policy at any time. Changes will be effective upon publication on our website. It is the responsibility of parents and guardians to review the current Policy before making any payment.