1. Introduction
ScholarAssist is committed to delivering academic consulting services of the highest standard. We recognise that circumstances may change and that, on occasion, clients may need to cancel an order or request a refund. This Refund Policy has been designed to balance fairness and transparency for both parties while ensuring full compliance with the United Kingdom Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
By placing an order with ScholarAssist, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to the terms set out in this policy. This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions and Revision Policy. If any provision of this policy conflicts with your statutory rights as a consumer, your statutory rights shall prevail.
ScholarAssist is a trading name registered in England and Wales. All refund decisions are made in accordance with English law, and any disputes arising under this policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, without prejudice to your statutory right to bring proceedings in the courts of your domicile.
2. Statutory Cooling-Off Period
Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, you have a statutory right to cancel your order within 14 calendar days of the date on which the contract is concluded (the "cooling-off period"), without providing any reason. The contract is considered concluded at the point you receive our order confirmation email.
To exercise your right of cancellation during the cooling-off period, you must inform us of your decision by means of a clear, unambiguous written statement. You may do so by emailing info@scholarassist.co.uk with the subject line "Cooling-Off Cancellation" followed by your order reference number. Alternatively, you may use the model cancellation form set out in Schedule 3 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
If you have expressly requested that work begin during the cooling-off period and you subsequently cancel, you will be required to pay a proportionate amount for the services already provided up to the point of cancellation. This amount will be calculated as a proportion of the total order value based on the percentage of work completed, as described in Section 4 below. If no work has commenced at the time of cancellation, you are entitled to a full refund of all sums paid.
Please note that once the services have been fully performed during the cooling-off period with your prior express consent and acknowledgement that you will lose your right of cancellation upon full performance, the right to cancel under the Regulations no longer applies.
3. Stage-Based Refund Structure
Our refund eligibility is determined by the stage your order has reached at the time of your cancellation or refund request. Each order progresses through five clearly defined stages, and the refund conditions applicable to each stage are set out below. You can track your order stage at any time through your ScholarAssist client dashboard or by contacting our support team.
Refund by Stage
Each stage has clear conditions for refund eligibility.
Stage 1: Order Received & Accepted
Stage 2: Research & Writing in Progress
Stage 3: Draft Submitted for Review
Stage 4: Feedback & Revisions
Stage 5: Final Approval
4. Refund Calculation Method
Where a partial refund is applicable (primarily during Stage 2), the amount of your refund is calculated using the following method. Our Quality Assurance team will assess the percentage of work completed at the time of your cancellation request by evaluating the following objective criteria: the number of research hours logged by your assigned consultant; the volume of words drafted relative to the total agreed word count; the number and quality of academic sources identified and consulted; the extent to which the project structure, outline and key arguments have been developed; and any other measurable progress against the project brief.
The refund amount is then calculated as follows: Refund = Total Order Value x (100% - Percentage of Work Completed) - Administrative Fee. The administrative fee is a minimum of 20% of the total order value, or the actual percentage of work completed, whichever is greater. This means that in all cases where work has commenced, the minimum deduction will be 20% of the order value.
You will receive a detailed written breakdown of the completion assessment within 5 business days of submitting your refund request. If you disagree with the assessment, you may request an independent review by a senior academic consultant who was not involved in your original order. The independent review will be completed within 10 business days at no additional cost to you. The outcome of the independent review is final and binding on both parties, subject to your statutory rights.
5. Exceptions & Special Circumstances
Late Delivery by ScholarAssist: If we fail to deliver the completed work by the agreed deadline and the delay is solely attributable to ScholarAssist (and not caused by any act or omission of the client), you are entitled to a full 100% refund of all fees paid. To claim a refund on this basis, you must notify us in writing within 7 calendar days of the original agreed deadline. If you would prefer to receive the late work rather than a refund, we will also offer a partial discount on the order value as a gesture of goodwill, the amount of which will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Quality Guarantee: ScholarAssist guarantees that all delivered work will meet the specifications, requirements and academic standards agreed at the time of order. If, after exhausting the revision process described in Stage 4, the work still fails to meet the originally agreed specifications, you may submit a formal quality complaint. Your complaint will be reviewed by a senior member of our Quality Assurance team who was not involved in the original order. If the review confirms that the work does not meet the agreed specifications, you will be entitled to either a full refund or a replacement deliverable prepared by a different consultant, at your choice.
Force Majeure: Neither party shall be held liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from events beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, acts of terrorism, widespread internet or power outages, industrial action, or any other event that constitutes force majeure under English law. In the event of a force majeure occurrence, deadlines will be extended by a period equivalent to the duration of the disruption. If the force majeure event continues for more than 30 consecutive calendar days, either party may terminate the contract, and you will be entitled to a pro-rata refund for any services not yet performed.
Client-Caused Delays: Where a delay in delivery is caused by the client, for example through late provision of required materials, failure to respond to reasonable requests for clarification within the agreed timeframe, or changes to the brief after work has commenced, standard refund terms apply and no compensation for late delivery will be offered. ScholarAssist will make reasonable efforts to notify you promptly if your actions or omissions are likely to cause a delay to the agreed timeline.
6. Non-Refundable Items
The following fees and charges are non-refundable under all circumstances, regardless of the stage at which cancellation occurs:
Rush and Priority Fees: Any additional charges paid for expedited or priority processing are non-refundable once the order has been accepted and prioritised in our workflow. These fees compensate for the reallocation of resources and scheduling adjustments made to accommodate your accelerated deadline.
Completed Research Materials: Where research has been conducted and materials have been compiled on your behalf (including literature reviews, source lists, annotated bibliographies or data analysis), the cost attributable to that research is non-refundable. If partial work has been completed at the time of cancellation, you are entitled to receive copies of all research materials produced up to that point.
Administrative Fees: A minimum administrative fee of 20% of the total order value is retained on all cancelled orders where work has commenced (Stage 2 onwards). This fee covers consultant allocation, project setup, resource procurement, quality assurance processes and other administrative costs incurred in servicing your order.
7. Refund Process
To request a refund, please follow these steps:
Step 1 — Submit Your Request: Send an email to info@scholarassist.co.uk with the subject line "Refund Request" followed by your order reference number. Your email must include your full name, the email address associated with your account, your order reference number, the date of your order, the total amount paid, and a clear explanation of the reason for your refund request.
Step 2 — Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge receipt of your refund request within 2 business days and confirm the current stage of your order. If additional information is required from you, we will specify exactly what is needed at this point.
Step 3 — Assessment: Our Quality Assurance team will assess the percentage of work completed and determine your refund eligibility in accordance with the stage-based structure outlined in Section 3. You will receive a detailed written breakdown within 5 business days of your request.
Step 4 — Decision & Payment: If your refund is approved, the refund will be processed within 7-10 business days from the date of approval. All refunds are returned to the original payment method used at the time of purchase. If the original payment method is no longer available (for example, an expired card), we will work with you to arrange an alternative refund method.
Step 5 — Confirmation: You will receive a written confirmation by email once the refund has been processed, including the amount refunded and the expected timeframe for the funds to appear in your account. Please note that depending on your bank or payment provider, it may take an additional 3-5 business days for the refund to appear on your statement.
8. Chargebacks & Disputes
We strongly encourage all clients to resolve any payment disputes directly with ScholarAssist before initiating a chargeback or dispute with their bank or payment provider. Our support team is committed to resolving complaints fairly and promptly, and in many cases a satisfactory resolution can be reached more quickly through direct communication.
If you initiate a chargeback or payment dispute without first attempting to resolve the matter with us, please be aware of the following consequences: your account with ScholarAssist may be suspended pending the outcome of the dispute; any ongoing work on your order may be paused until the dispute is resolved; and we reserve the right to contest the chargeback by providing evidence of the services rendered, including delivery confirmations, draft submissions and communication records.
Filing a chargeback for services that have been legitimately delivered may constitute a breach of your agreement with ScholarAssist and could result in the permanent closure of your account. We reserve the right to pursue recovery of any sums owed through appropriate legal channels.
9. Partial Refunds
Partial refunds are issued when a cancellation is made during Stage 2 (Research and Writing in Progress) or in specific exceptional circumstances as described in Section 5. The partial refund amount is determined by the calculation method set out in Section 4.
In summary, the partial refund reflects the value of work that has not yet been performed, less any applicable administrative fees. For example, if your order total is £500 and 30% of the work has been completed at the time of cancellation, the refund calculation would be: £500 x 70% (uncompleted portion) = £350, less the 20% administrative fee of £100, resulting in a partial refund of £250.
Partial refunds may also be offered at ScholarAssist's discretion as a goodwill gesture in circumstances not expressly covered by this policy. Any such discretionary refund does not create a precedent or obligation for future orders.
10. Your Consumer Rights
Nothing in this Refund Policy is intended to limit or exclude your statutory rights as a consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, or any other applicable legislation. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you have the right to expect that services are performed with reasonable care and skill, that any information provided by ScholarAssist as part of the contract is binding, and that services are provided within a reasonable time where no specific deadline has been agreed.
If you believe that our services have not been performed with reasonable care and skill, you have the right to request that we repeat the performance of the service at no additional cost, or, if repetition is not possible or cannot be done within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience, to request a reduction in the price paid.
You also have the right to raise a complaint with your local Trading Standards office. In England and Wales, you can contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 for free guidance. You may also use the European Commission's Online Dispute Resolution platform (where applicable) or refer a dispute to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider.
For further information about your statutory rights, visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
11. Contact Information
If you have any questions about this Refund Policy, need clarification on your refund eligibility, or wish to submit a refund request, please contact us using the details below:
Email: info@scholarassist.co.uk
Subject Line: Refund Enquiry — [Your Order Reference Number]
We aim to respond to all refund-related enquiries within 2 business days. For urgent matters, please mark your email as high priority and include the word "Urgent" in the subject line alongside your order reference number.
This Refund Policy was last updated on 13 April 2026. We reserve the right to amend this policy at any time. Any changes will be published on this page with an updated revision date. Changes will not apply retrospectively to orders placed before the date of the amendment.