Standard Terms & Conditions: Research Blueprints

At Grad Coach, we believe in clear, transparent communication. This agreement sets out the standard terms and conditions of our Research Blueprints, so that we’re always on the same page. By enrolling in a Blueprint, you agree to the terms below. The terms for our other services are listed on our terms and conditions page.

1. What you’re buying

1. A Blueprint is a self-paced online course. It consists of video lessons, with optional exercises, quizzes, templates and other resources.
2. Blueprints teach general principles and methods. They do not include advice on your specific project. For that, please consider our Private Coaching service, which is billed separately.
3. We cannot guarantee that you will receive any particular mark or range of marks as a result of engaging with our Research Blueprints.

2. Payment and access

1. Each Blueprint is paid for with a one-time payment, made by card or PayPal through our checkout, in the currency shown there.
2. Once your payment is confirmed, we will give you access to the Blueprint through Grad Coach Academy, at academy.gradcoach.com.
3. If our payment processors or banking partners flag a payment as high risk or suspicious, we may ask you for documents to verify your identity and confirm the purchase. We may hold your access until the verification is complete.
4. Your access is for life, meaning for as long as we offer that Blueprint and run Grad Coach Academy. We may update, add to, reorganize or retire the content over time.

3. Refunds

1. You can request a refund within 14 days of your purchase, provided you have completed no more than 20% of the Blueprint’s lessons.
2. Refunds are paid to the card or PayPal account used for the original payment, and typically take 5 to 10 business days to reach your account.
3. Once a refund is processed, your access to that Blueprint ends.

4. Your account and our materials

1. Your access is personal to you. You may not share your login details or let anyone else use your account.
2. All course content remains the copyright of Grad Coach. The videos, templates and resources are for your own studies. You may use the templates in your own dissertation or thesis, but you may not copy, share, resell or publish the course content.
3. If an account is shared, or the course content is shared or redistributed, we may suspend or close the account, and no refund will be due.

5. Lesson Q&A

1. You can ask questions about a lesson’s content in the Q&A section below it. We answer as soon as we reasonably can, but we cannot guarantee a response time.
2. The Q&A is for questions about the lesson content. It is not a substitute for coaching, and we will not advise on your specific project there.

6. Ethical use

1. You may only use what you learn in line with your university’s academic code of conduct, rules and regulations.
2. We don’t know the specific rules of every program at every university. It is therefore your responsibility to make sure that the way you use our materials is permitted by your university and does not breach any of its codes of conduct, rules or regulations.

7. Confidentiality

1. We will treat any material you provide to us, including the questions you send us, as strictly confidential, subject to Clauses 7c and 7d.
2. We will treat your relationship with us as strictly confidential, and we will not disclose your use of our courses to anyone, subject to Clauses 7c and 7d.
3. If you dispute a payment with your bank, card provider or PayPal, they will ask us for details of your purchase and your use of the Blueprint. We are legally required to provide this information, and you understand and agree to this. We may suspend your access while the dispute is open. We will also take the legal action necessary to recover all funds owed to us, along with the associated collection costs. This may involve court applications, which may make your details visible in a public register.
4. We may use insights from your questions and your use of the course for research and educational purposes, such as research articles, blog posts and videos, and to improve our courses and services. Any insights we use are fully anonymized, so neither you nor your project can be identified.

8. Leniency

1. If we show leniency, or do not enforce any term of this agreement, this does not waive that term or any other term. Nor does it affect the validity of this agreement or our right to enforce any term at any later time.

9. Revisions

1. We reserve the right to update our standard terms and conditions from time to time. The current version will be posted at gradcoach.com/terms-conditions.

10. Governing law and severability

1. This agreement is governed by and interpreted under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with this agreement, including any question about its existence, validity or termination, will be referred to and finally resolved by the courts of Hong Kong.
2. If any provision of this agreement is found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, that provision will, to the extent required, be treated as not forming part of this agreement. The validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not be affected or impaired in any way.