DPSI Online General Terms of Use
Created: June 2009 — Last Revised: January 2026 — Due for Review: January 2027
1. About Us
All content on the website located at www.dpsionline.co.uk (the “Website”) is owned and copyrighted by Helena El Masri (“the Provider”). Helena El Masri offers various courses and examinations under the banner of DPSI Online with Helena El Masri as an accredited training provider and exam centre offering nationally recognised qualifications.
For all legal purposes, the Provider’s address is: 20 Kingsland Close, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 6NQ, United Kingdom
These General Terms of Use, together with our Refund Policy (included below), set forth the legally binding terms for your use of all services within the Website. By registering for any course or examination, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use.
2. Enrolments and Payment
2.1 Enrolments
You agree and confirm that:
- All required registration information you submit is truthful and accurate
- You will maintain the accuracy of such information
- Your use of the Website Services does not violate any applicable law or these Terms of Use
- You are of legal age and not prohibited by law from receiving or using the services available on the Website
By clicking “Submit Application” or completing payment, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by these Terms of Use.
If you do not agree with all provisions of these Terms of Use, you should not proceed with registration.
2.2 Payment Options
Upon acceptance to any course or examination, you agree to pay the tuition fee set forth in the enrolment process. Payment can be made by:
- Full payment via credit/debit card
- Payment plan (instalments) where available
2.3 Payment by Instalments
If you choose to pay by instalments:
- You remain responsible for making payments on the agreed dates
- Payment will be taken monthly on the same day from the card used for the first instalment
- Payment plans include a small increase to cover platform fees and administrative costs
- Ensure you have sufficient funds to cover monthly payments
- Failure to make payment on the scheduled date will result in temporary suspension of your access to the course
2.4 Failed Payments
If a payment attempt fails three times in any given month without prior communication from you, a £20 administration fee will be applied to cover the costs of manually processing your payment and restoring access.
If you are facing difficulties meeting the payment schedule, please contact us in advance so we can work towards a solution.
2.5 Cancellation and Withdrawal
You may cancel your enrolment at any time. However, refunds are subject to our Refund Policy (see below).
To withdraw from a course after it has started, you must contact us via email at info@dpsionline.co.uk.
All postponements and changes incur an administration fee of £50.
3. Access to Courses and Examinations
3.1 Course Access
After successful enrolment and payment, you will be given access to your chosen course or examination materials according to the following timelines:
- Level 3 courses: Immediate access to introductory materials; live course starts on scheduled date
- Level 6 courses: Immediate access to lessons; practice sessions scheduled within 8 weeks
- Level 7 courses: Immediate access to lessons; practice sessions scheduled within 3-5 working days
- Examinations: Immediate access to exam information.
3.2 Account Security
Access to your course via the learning platform is non-transferable and intended solely for your personal use. You are responsible for:
- Maintaining the confidentiality of your password
- Not sharing your username, password, or access with third parties
- Notifying us immediately if you suspect unauthorized use of your account
You must supply a personal email address not affiliated with a company, firm, university, college, or agency.
3.3 Technical Requirements
You are responsible for:
- All equipment necessary to access your online course (video camera, headphones, microphone)
- All software necessary (Word Suite for coursework, Teams and Zoom for classes)
- Ensuring fast and reliable internet access
- Any fees related to your internet connection
- Regularly updating necessary software
We expect learners to use laptops and/or desktops for all lessons and sessions. (Chromebooks are not compatible with some platforms and/or software) Mobile devices often have limited functionality and compatibility with e-learning platforms.
3.4 Access Duration
Access to course materials is valid during the period you are participating in your chosen course. If you withdraw from classes, access will be suspended until you resume within the allocated completion time.
4. Intellectual Property and Usage Restrictions
4.1 Ownership
All intellectual property rights, including copyright, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets in the Website and course materials, are owned by the Provider. The provision of courses does not transfer any rights, title, or interest in such intellectual property to you. The Provider reserves any and all other rights not granted in these Terms of Use.
4.2 Restrictions
You shall not:
- License, sell, rent, lease, transfer, assign, distribute, host, or commercially exploit the services or course materials
- Modify, make derivative works of, disassemble, reverse compile, or reverse engineer any part of the Website or course materials
- Copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, download, display, or transmit course materials except for personal use
- Share or distribute course materials with third parties
Downloadable materials are solely for your personal training needs.
5. Assessment Standards
All assessments and examinations are conducted fairly and consistently in accordance with awarding body requirements. Pre-course assessments may be required to ensure candidates have the appropriate language level. All assessors and examiners are qualified professionals in their respective fields.
DPSI Online with Helena El Masri shall reserve the right to refuse learners whose language skills are not at the standard required to start an interpreting course. If you have concerns about an assessment decision, please contact us at info@dpsionline.co.uk and we will provide you with the relevant procedures.
6. Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
6.1 Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism of pre-course assessments or coursework is not accepted. This includes:
- Copying from lessons, books, or the internet
- Submitting work that is not your own
- Submitting AI-generated content, e.g. enhanced by Grammarly
We cannot be held responsible if a learner fails to meet course criteria because they submitted work that is not theirs.
6.2 Portfolio Submissions
For the Level 3 and Level 6 Community Interpreting courses, learners must submit a Portfolio that reflects their personal ideas, thoughts, and research.
Portfolios containing plagiarised information may be refused. A fee may be levied if resubmission is necessary due to plagiarism. Plagiarised answers will not be marked. If coursework is heavily plagiarised, learners may be required to answer questions verbally to demonstrate knowledge. In exceptional cases, a diploma may be refused.
7. Complaints Procedure
If you wish to make a complaint about any aspect of your course, assessment, or service, please contact us in writing at info@dpsionline.co.uk.
We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and investigate the matter. Most complaints are resolved within 14 working days. Complex investigations may take up to 45 working days. You will be kept informed throughout the process.
8. Appeals
If you wish to appeal an assessment or examination result, or if you believe there has been malpractice or maladministration, please email info@dpsionline.co.uk. We will provide you with the relevant appeals procedure and timelines.
Appeals made directly to the “Awarding Body” will not merit action until the complaints procedure has been completed by the Provider. The Awarding Body will only consider complaints related to malpractice when the centre is found not to have followed procedures.
9. Technical Support
You may contact the Provider 24/7 by email at info@dpsionline.co.uk or via Teams (dpsionline) if you experience technical difficulties.
We endeavour to respond within a reasonable time during regular working hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm GMT/BST). Requests made outside business hours may take longer to receive a reply.
10. Platform Availability
While we endeavour to make courses available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, there will be exceptions for regularly scheduled maintenance which may result in short downtime periods. We do not guarantee that courses will be uninterrupted, nor do we warrant the continuity of any particular feature or content.
11. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Provider shall not be liable to you or any third party for any indirect, consequential, exemplary, or incidental losses arising from your use of the courses. Access to and use of courses, resources, and materials is done at your own discretion and risk. You will be solely responsible for any damage to your computer system or loss of data resulting therefrom.
The Provider’s liability to you for any damages arising from or related to the courses will at all times be limited to the fee you paid for the course. The Provider makes no warranty that the e-learning platform will be compatible with all operating systems or that it will be secure. Although all tutors are adequately qualified and courses are of high standards and quality, learners are ultimately responsible for successfully achieving their objectives.
12. Indemnity
You agree to indemnify and hold the Provider harmless from any claim or demand made by any third party due to or arising out of:
- Your access, downloading, or use of course materials
- Your violation of these Terms of Use
The Provider reserves the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defence and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us.
13. Term and Termination
These Terms of Use remain in full force and effect while you use the Website Services. We may suspend your right to use the Website Services or terminate your access at any time for any reason, including any use in violation of these Terms of Use. You may terminate access to your course at any time. Upon termination, your account and right to access course materials will terminate immediately. The Provider shall not be liable for the deletion of any user content once termination has been received.
14. General Provisions
14.1 Export Controls
No content or materials may be downloaded from the Website or otherwise exported or re-exported for third-party use. Copyright violations shall be dealt with according to UK law.
14.2 Rights
The Provider retains all rights to courses and users may not assign, resell, or transfer any rights under these Terms to any third party.
14.3 Notice
The Provider may provide you with notices by means of a general notice on the Website or electronic mail to your personal email address on record. Such notice shall be deemed given upon the expiration of 48 hours after posting (if posted on Website) or 12 hours after sending (if sent by email).
Correspondence from the Provider will be sent from a DPSI Online email account.
14.4 Entire Agreement
These Terms of Use, including the Refund Policy below, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Provider. The terms shall be binding upon enrolment in any course or purchase of services on the Website.
14.5 Governing Law
These Terms of Use are governed by the laws of England and Wales. All courses offered by DPSI Online are intended for use within the United Kingdom. Classes are scheduled and held during GMT or BST. Those who choose to access this site outside of the United Kingdom are responsible for compliance with local laws to the extent that local laws are applicable.
14.6 Changes to Terms
The Provider reserves the right to change the contents of the website, its e-learning platform, and these Terms of Use at any time without notice. You will be bound by the Terms in force during your time studying with the Provider. These terms remain valid even after your training and access to the course end.
DPSI Online Refund Policy
Created: June 2009 — Last Revised: January 2026 — Due for Review: January 2027
Statutory Cancellation Rights
Upon payment for any of our courses, you enter into a legally binding contract with Helena El Masri on the basis of these Terms of Use and this Refund Policy.
You have a statutory right to cancel your contract within 14 days (cooling-off period) without giving any reason. This cancellation period ends 14 days after the date you pay for the course.
Once the 14-day cancellation period expires, no refund will be due.
How to Cancel
To exercise your right to cancel, you must email: helena@dpsionline.co.uk
To meet the cancellation deadline, you must send your communication before the cancellation period expires.
Cancellation During the Cooling-Off Period
If your chosen course starts during the 14-day cooling-off period, accepting this agreement is your written request for us to provide the service. This means you will not be able to cancel the agreement and ask for a total refund. However, during this 14-day period, you are still entitled to a partial refund, which covers:
- An administration fee of £50
- Any tutor’s teaching time provided
- Access to digital content related to your chosen course
Refunds After the Cooling-Off Period
Live Cohort Courses
- More than 1 month before the course starts: Full refund minus £50 administration fee
- Less than 1 month of course starting: £233 fee applies
Level 3 CI Examination Candidates
- 4+ weeks’ advance notice: Free
- Less than 4 weeks: £75 fee
- Less than 48 hours: £150 fee
Level 6 DPSI Law & Level 7 DipTrans Examination Candidates
- More than 6 weeks before the exam: Full refund minus £50 administration fee.
- Less than 6 weeks of exam date: No refund is available. Once the exam topics are confirmed with the candidate, the booking is considered final.
- Failure to attend exam: 100% of fee paid is forfeited
Important: Refund requests require 3-5 working days to process. If you request a refund close to your scheduled payment date, we cannot guarantee the payment will be stopped in time. Please allow sufficient time when requesting refunds, particularly before weekends or bank holidays.
Non-Refundable Fees
The following fees are non-refundable:
- Pre-course assessment fees (unless we cannot find an assessor and the service could therefore not be delivered)
- Certification fees (once we register the learner with the Awarding Body)
- Short courses (10 hours or less)
Postponements and Changes
All postponements and changes incur an administration fee of £50.
Incomplete Courses
Learners should read the course description carefully and not expect services other than those offered on the website. If a learner decides to withdraw from a course and/or not complete it within the allocated time, the learner cannot claim any missed sessions.
Reimbursement Process
Any reimbursement due will be paid without undue delay and no later than 14 days after we are informed about your decision to cancel your contract, provided we have all relevant information (contact and payment instructions). Reimbursement will be made using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction unless expressly agreed otherwise.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
According to the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015, should you wish to dispute a decision, please visit the European Online Dispute Resolution platform.
© 2026 DPSI Online with Helena El Masri