1. General rule
Payments are generally final and non-refundable once received. Clients should review the scope, price, deadline and revision allowance before making payment. This general rule is subject to any mandatory rights and remedies that apply under applicable law.
2. Cancellation before work begins
A cancellation request made before substantive delivery may be reviewed based on whether work, scheduling, research, procurement, preparation or resource allocation has begun. Cancellation does not create an automatic refund entitlement. Any discretionary refund or account credit must be confirmed in writing.
Payment-processing charges and committed third-party costs may be non-recoverable where permitted by law. Any mandatory cancellation or withdrawal rights remain unaffected.
3. After work or resource allocation begins
Payments are normally non-refundable where:
- Work, research or preparation has started.
- Time has been reserved for an urgent deadline.
- Third-party services or resources have been purchased.
- Drafts or partial deliverables have been supplied.
- Capacity has been declined elsewhere in reliance on the confirmed order.
This position remains subject to remedies required by applicable law.
4. Circumstances that may justify a remedy
A remedy may be considered where:
- The Academic Edge cancels and cannot provide the agreed service.
- The service is not delivered and no acceptable replacement arrangement is agreed.
- A duplicate or clearly erroneous payment is confirmed.
- Applicable law requires a refund, correction, repeat performance, price reduction or another remedy.
- A material failure to meet the agreed scope cannot be corrected within a reasonable opportunity.
The appropriate remedy depends on the circumstances and may be correction, repeat performance, replacement, a partial or full refund, account credit, or another remedy required by law or agreed in writing. A complaint does not automatically require an immediate full refund.
5. Circumstances that generally do not justify a refund
A refund is generally unavailable solely because:
- The client changed their mind, no longer needs the service, did not use the deliverable or requests work outside the agreed scope.
- Instructions changed after work began, required information was supplied late or requirements were not disclosed.
- A third party rejected work for reasons outside the agreed scope, or the client expected an outcome that was never guaranteed.
- The client missed their own deadline after timely delivery.
- The client violated academic, platform, institutional or legal rules.
- The client approved a stage and later changed direction.
- A third-party platform, institution or service changed its rules.
This list is not used to deny a remedy for an actual failure by The Academic Edge.
6. Revisions and scope changes
Every confirmed service includes two revision rounds at no additional charge. Each round must request specific adjustments that remain within the originally agreed brief, requirements and scope. A revision round is one consolidated request for changes, rather than a series of separate requests submitted at different times.
Corrections required because the delivered service materially fails to match the agreed scope do not reduce the two included revision rounds. This revision allowance does not limit any correction, repeat-performance or other remedy required by applicable law.
- Revision requests must identify specific changes and remain within the original scope.
- New requirements and scope changes are additional work and may require a new quotation and payment.
- Revision rounds requested after the two included rounds may require additional payment.
- Revision periods and deadlines are those stated in the written agreement. If no period is stated, requests must be made within a reasonable time after delivery.
- A missed revision window may require a new quotation, and late feedback may affect the revised delivery date.
- Unused revision rounds cannot be exchanged for cash, refunds or unrelated services.
7. Cancellation by The Academic Edge
We may cancel where a service cannot lawfully or ethically be provided; a client supplies misleading information, fails to pay or provide required materials, or becomes abusive or threatening; continuing would create a security, legal or reputational risk; or events outside reasonable control make completion impracticable.
Any refund, credit or balance due will depend on work completed, resources committed, non-recoverable costs, the reason for cancellation and mandatory legal rights.
8. How to request a refund or remedy
Email info@theacademicedge.co with your name, project or invoice reference where available, payment date, amount, reason for the request and supporting information.
We may request additional information or reasonable identity verification. Requests are assessed using the agreed scope, correspondence, work completed and applicable legal obligations. No universal response period applies. An approved refund will be returned through an appropriate available method; processing time may depend on banks, payment providers and location.
9. Payment disputes and chargebacks
Clients should contact The Academic Edge first so an issue can be investigated. Fraudulent or knowingly false payment disputes may be challenged using relevant project and payment records. This does not prevent a client from using legitimate rights available through a bank, payment provider, regulator or applicable law.