Terms of Use

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using SkillForge Academy's website, platform, or services ("Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Service.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and SkillForge Academy, a company registered in England and Wales.

2. Description of Service

SkillForge Academy provides online educational services, including:

• Professional development courses and training programmes
• Digital learning materials and resources
• Assessment tools and certification services
• Community forums and discussion platforms
• Career development guidance and support

3. User Accounts and Registration

3.1 Account Creation

To access certain features of our Service, you must create an account by providing accurate, complete, and current information. You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorised use
• Keeping your account information up to date

3.2 Account Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account. If you are between 16 and 18, you may use our Service only with parental consent and supervision.

3.3 Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms or engage in activities that may harm our Service or other users.

4. Course Enrollment and Access

4.1 Course Registration

When you enroll in a course, you gain access to the course materials for the duration specified in the course description. Course access includes:

• Video lectures and learning materials
• Downloadable resources and assignments
• Assessment tools and quizzes
• Discussion forums and peer interaction
• Instructor support and feedback

4.2 Course Completion

Certificates of completion are awarded upon successful completion of course requirements, including:

• Completing all required modules and lessons
• Achieving minimum assessment scores
• Participating in mandatory activities
• Meeting attendance requirements for live sessions

4.3 Course Modifications

We reserve the right to modify course content, schedules, and requirements. We will provide reasonable notice of significant changes that may affect your learning experience.

5. Payment Terms and Refund Policy

5.1 Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through our payment partners. By making a purchase, you agree to:

• Provide accurate payment information
• Pay all applicable fees and taxes
• Authorise us to charge your payment method
• Update payment information as needed

5.2 Refund Policy

We offer refunds under the following conditions:

• 14-day money-back guarantee: Full refund if requested within 14 days of purchase and less than 25% of course content has been accessed
• Technical issues: Full refund if technical problems prevent course access
• Course cancellation: Full refund if we cancel a course
• Exceptional circumstances: Refunds may be considered for serious illness or other exceptional circumstances

5.3 Subscription Services

For subscription-based services:

• Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled
• You may cancel at any time through your account settings
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period
• No partial refunds for unused subscription time

6. Intellectual Property Rights

6.1 Our Content

All content provided through our Service, including courses, materials, videos, text, graphics, and software, is owned by SkillForge Academy or our licensors and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

6.2 Limited License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use our content for personal, non-commercial educational purposes. You may not:

• Copy, distribute, or share course materials
• Record, screenshot, or reproduce content
• Reverse engineer or modify our software
• Use our content for commercial purposes
• Remove copyright or proprietary notices

6.3 User-Generated Content

By posting content on our platform (comments, forum posts, assignments), you grant us a worldwide, royalty-free license to use, modify, and display such content for educational and promotional purposes.

7. User Conduct and Prohibited Activities

7.1 Acceptable Use

You agree to use our Service in a manner that is lawful, respectful, and conducive to learning. You will:

• Treat other users and instructors with respect
• Engage constructively in discussions and activities
• Respect intellectual property rights
• Maintain academic integrity and honesty

7.2 Prohibited Activities

You must not engage in any of the following activities:

• Harassment, abuse, or discrimination against other users
• Sharing account credentials or allowing unauthorised access
• Posting spam, offensive, or inappropriate content
• Attempting to hack, disrupt, or damage our systems
• Using our Service for illegal or fraudulent purposes
• Violating any applicable laws or regulations

7.3 Academic Integrity

You must maintain academic integrity by:

• Completing your own work and assessments
• Not sharing answers or solutions with others
• Properly citing sources and references
• Not engaging in plagiarism or cheating

8. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, and protection of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using our Service, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in our Privacy Policy.

9. Third-Party Services and Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of use of these third parties. Your use of third-party services is governed by their respective terms and policies.

10. Service Availability and Modifications

10.1 Service Availability

We strive to maintain high service availability but cannot guarantee uninterrupted access. Our Service may be temporarily unavailable due to:

• Scheduled maintenance and updates
• Technical difficulties or system failures
• Network or internet connectivity issues
• Force majeure events beyond our control

10.2 Service Modifications

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue our Service at any time. We will provide reasonable notice of significant changes that may affect your access or use of the Service.

11. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

11.1 Service Disclaimers

Our Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. We disclaim all warranties, including but not limited to:

• Merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
• Non-infringement of third-party rights
• Accuracy, completeness, or reliability of content
• Uninterrupted or error-free operation

11.2 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, SkillForge Academy shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to:

• Loss of profits, revenue, or business opportunities
• Loss of data or information
• Personal injury or property damage
• Emotional distress or reputational harm

Our total liability for any claims arising from these Terms or your use of our Service shall not exceed the amount you paid for the specific course or service in question.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless SkillForge Academy, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your use or misuse of our Service
• Your infringement of third-party rights
• Any content you post or submit

13. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

13.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, without regard to conflict of law principles.

13.2 Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of our Service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

13.3 Alternative Dispute Resolution

Before pursuing formal legal action, we encourage you to contact us to resolve any disputes amicably. We may also offer mediation or arbitration services for certain types of disputes.

14. Termination

14.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting our support team or using the account closure feature in your account settings.

14.2 Termination by Us

We may terminate or suspend your access to our Service immediately, without prior notice, if you:

• Violate these Terms or our policies
• Engage in fraudulent or illegal activities
• Pose a security risk to our Service or other users
• Fail to pay applicable fees

14.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your access to our Service will cease, but these Terms will continue to apply to any prior use of the Service. Certain provisions, including intellectual property rights and limitation of liability, will survive termination.

15. Severability and Entire Agreement

15.1 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

15.2 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and SkillForge Academy regarding your use of our Service.

16. Updates to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our Service, legal requirements, or business practices. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated Terms on our website
• Sending email notifications to registered users
• Displaying prominent notices on our platform

Your continued use of our Service after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes acceptance of the changes.