Course Registration, Attendance and Refund Policy

Institution of Occupational Career Hub (IOCH)

All learners must read this policy carefully before completing their registration. In this policy, "IOCH" refers to the Institution of Occupational Career Hub. "Working days" means Monday to Friday, excluding official public holidays in Pakistan. All other references to days mean calendar days.

1. Registration

Early registration is recommended, as seats are limited. Registration is confirmed only after IOCH receives the required documents and agreed payment. Learners must complete the Course Registration Form and provide valid identification, as required for course or examination registration. Learners are responsible for ensuring that their name, identification details, contact information and other registration details are accurate. Names must match the identification required by the relevant awarding body. Any third-party correction or reissue fees resulting from incorrect information supplied by the learner shall be payable by the learner, subject to prior notification. The registration confirmation or quotation shall specify the course, agreed fees, delivery method, scheduled dates and included services.

2. Attendance and Examination Eligibility

IOCH requires learners to attend at least 90% of the scheduled training hours, together with any additional mandatory requirements specified for the course or by the awarding body. Absence exceeding 10% of the scheduled training hours, or a lower absence limit expressly specified for the course, will make the learner ineligible to sit the examination through IOCH for that intake until the attendance requirements are fulfilled. Fees paid will not be refundable where examination ineligibility results from the learner's failure to meet the attendance requirements, subject to applicable law. Attendance is calculated by training hours. Late arrival and early departure may be recorded as missed time. Learners arriving more than 15 minutes late may be marked absent for the session, as explained in the course attendance instructions. Learners must attend on time, participate actively and complete required coursework and assessments. Accessing recordings does not replace mandatory attendance unless expressly approved. Any approved make-up sessions, repeat training or examination re-registration may incur additional fees, which will be disclosed before confirmation. Documented exceptional circumstances may be considered individually, subject to applicable law and awarding-body requirements.

3. Cancellation and Refunds

Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to Support@ioch.org.pk or through another official written communication channel stated in the registration confirmation. A telephone call alone does not constitute a cancellation request. The cancellation date is the date the written request is received through an official channel. For learner-requested cancellations received more than 7 calendar days before the scheduled course commencement date, and before registration with the relevant awarding body, a 50% refund of the agreed course fee may be issued, subject to the third-party fee provisions below. The refund shall not exceed the amount actually paid. No refund will be issued for learner-requested cancellations received 7 calendar days or less before the scheduled course commencement date, on the commencement date, or after the course has started. Following registration with the relevant awarding body, learner-requested cancellations are non-refundable, except for any recoverable third-party amounts or refunds required by applicable law. Non-attendance, withdrawal, failure to complete the course or failure to pass an assessment does not create an entitlement to a refund. Fees are not automatically transferable to another learner, course or intake. Any transfer requires written approval from IOCH and, where applicable, the awarding body. These cancellation restrictions do not override mandatory statutory cancellation or refund rights, including any applicable rights relating to online purchases. Refunds arising from cancellation by IOCH are governed by Section 5.

4. Third-Party Fees and Refund Processing

Third-party charges may include awarding-body registration, examination bookings, externally supplied learning resources, activated software licences, payment-provider charges and courier services. Where legally permitted, actual third-party costs incurred for the learner that cannot be recovered shall be borne by the learner and may be deducted from an otherwise eligible refund. Such charges must have been disclosed before the learner committed to the relevant purchase. IOCH will provide an itemised explanation of deductions. No cost shall be deducted twice or charged again if it is already covered by an amount retained under the cancellation policy. Any amount recovered from a third party on the learner's behalf shall be included in the refund calculation or passed on to the learner, as applicable. IOCH is not required to advance a refund that remains subject to a third party's approval and payment, unless applicable law requires otherwise. Refunds payable by IOCH will be processed within 14 calendar days after entitlement is established and the necessary payment details are available, or within any shorter period required by law. Refunds will normally be returned through the original payment method. Instalment and buy-now-pay-later transactions will be adjusted through the relevant provider's process. No additional refund-processing charge will be imposed where prohibited by law. This section does not limit refunds owed because IOCH cancels or fails to provide the contracted service.

5. Course Rescheduling and Cancellation by IOCH

IOCH reserves the right to postpone the course commencement date by up to 10 working days from the originally confirmed commencement date due to operational requirements, trainer availability, minimum enrolment requirements or circumstances beyond its reasonable control. Learners will be notified through their registered contact details as soon as reasonably practicable. The 10-working-day limit is cumulative and cannot be restarted through successive postponements. A postponement within this period does not, by itself, create a contractual entitlement to a refund, without prejudice to any applicable statutory rights. IOCH may appoint a suitably qualified replacement trainer while maintaining the agreed course scope and training hours. A material change to the delivery method or location requires the learner's agreement. If IOCH cancels the course without delivering it, the learner may choose an available alternative course or receive a full refund of the fees paid for the cancelled course. If postponement exceeds 10 working days, the learner may accept the revised schedule or cancel and receive a refund for the undelivered course. The learner-cancellation penalties will not apply. Where only part of a course has been delivered, any refund will reflect the undelivered services and applicable legal rights.

6. Discontinuation, Absence and Deferral

A learner who needs to discontinue training must notify IOCH promptly in writing. IOCH may approve a one-time deferral of up to 2 months from the original course commencement date, subject to seat availability, course scheduling and awarding-body deadlines. A deferral is valid only when confirmed in writing. It does not automatically extend an examination registration, assessment deadline or awarding-body registration period. Additional third-party fees or fees for repeat training may apply and will be disclosed before the deferral is accepted. If the learner fails to resume within the approved period despite an appropriate intake being available, the course credit will expire and a new registration at the applicable course fee will be required. Where IOCH cannot offer an appropriate intake within the approved period, a revised arrangement will be agreed with the learner.

7. Payments

Learners must pay the full agreed course fee at least 20 calendar days before the examination registration deadline notified by IOCH, unless a different payment arrangement is agreed in writing. Learners who fail to complete the required payment by the notified deadline will not be registered for the examination. Payments must be made only through bank accounts, payment links or other payment methods officially approved by IOCH. Learners must not transfer funds to employees' or other individuals' personal accounts. IOCH does not authorise such payments. Learners must retain their payment receipts and provide them when requested for reconciliation. Examination resits, repeat training, optional services and other exclusions are payable separately unless expressly included in the written quotation. All additional charges and applicable taxes must be disclosed before the learner agrees to the relevant service.

8. Course Materials and Printed Books

Included learning materials will be supplied in the format specified in the course quotation or registration confirmation. Printed textbooks, workbooks and other physical learning materials are subject to additional charges unless expressly included in the course fee. Printing, purchase and delivery charges must be paid before the materials are ordered or dispatched. Materials are owned by IOCH, the relevant awarding body, publisher or other rights holder, as applicable. Learners may use the materials for their personal studies only. Unauthorised reproduction, resale, distribution or sharing is prohibited, subject to any permissions granted by the relevant rights holder. Learning-platform credentials are personal and must not be shared.

9. Certificates and Delivery Charges

Certificates are issued only after the relevant attendance, assessment and awarding-body requirements have been satisfied. Certificate format and availability depend on the course and issuing body. A printed certificate is not available for every qualification. Where a learner requests a physical certificate, any applicable printing or issuing charges, together with shipping and courier charges, shall be payable by the learner unless expressly included in the course fee. These charges will be disclosed and agreed before the order or dispatch. Learners must provide an accurate delivery address and contact number. Additional delivery costs resulting from incorrect details supplied by the learner or a failed delivery attributable to the learner shall be payable by the learner. Replacement certificates and corrections resulting from learner-supplied errors may incur the issuing body's applicable charges. IOCH will assist with delivery enquiries. Any responsibility for loss, damage or delay will be determined in accordance with the relevant service terms and applicable law.

10. NEBOSH Enquiries About Results — EAR

This section applies to NEBOSH learners only. Learners may submit an Enquiry About Results directly to NEBOSH or request assistance from IOCH, in accordance with the current NEBOSH procedures. Applications and payments must be completed before the applicable NEBOSH deadline. Learners requesting assistance must also meet the submission deadline communicated by IOCH. EAR eligibility, fees, outcomes and refunds are governed by the current NEBOSH EAR policy. Where an EAR is successful under NEBOSH's policy, the applicable EAR fee will be refunded in accordance with that policy. An unsuccessful EAR does not normally qualify for a fee refund. If IOCH receives an EAR refund on behalf of the learner, it will pass the amount received to the learner without an additional deduction. IOCH does not guarantee an improved result or a particular processing time by NEBOSH.

11. Assessment Integrity, Plagiarism and Collusion

All assessment work submitted must be the learner's own and must comply with the relevant awarding body's assessment instructions. Learners must not share answers, collude with others, impersonate another candidate, purchase assessment answers or submit another person's work as their own. Artificial intelligence and other assistance may be used only to the extent expressly permitted by the relevant assessment instructions and awarding-body policy. Suspected malpractice will be reported to the relevant awarding body for investigation. Penalties, invalidated results and any future assessment eligibility will be determined under the relevant awarding body's procedures. Where misconduct is established through the applicable process, it does not itself entitle the learner to a refund. Any permitted resit or re-registration may require additional payment.

12. NEBOSH Closing Interviews

This section applies where the relevant NEBOSH assessment requires a closing interview. Learners must attend the mandatory closing interview following submission of the relevant assessment, including GIC1 or the applicable equivalent unit. IOCH will communicate the interview arrangements and identity-verification requirements. The closing interview is an authenticity check and is not a separately graded examination. Failure to attend or complete the required interview may prevent release of the learner's result under NEBOSH procedures. Suspected malpractice identified during the interview will be referred to NEBOSH for investigation.

13. Training Conduct and Learner Responsibilities

Learners must behave professionally, respect trainers and other learners, and follow health, safety and venue requirements. Disruptive, abusive or unsafe behaviour may result in removal from a session or suspension, subject to a documented review. Learners must bring the materials advised by the trainer and complete required activities and assessments. For online training, learners are responsible for providing a suitable device, stable internet connection and the necessary access arrangements communicated before registration. Recording or distributing training sessions without permission is prohibited. Course attendance or payment does not guarantee an examination pass, qualification, employment or professional licence.

14. Communications, Complaints and Applicable Terms

Learners must keep their registered contact details up to date and monitor official course communications. All enquiries, complaints and refund requests must be submitted in writing to Support@ioch.org.pk, including the learner's name, course name and relevant details. Learners may request a review of attendance records, fee calculations or administrative decisions and provide supporting evidence. Personal information will be handled in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements and the IOCH privacy notice. This policy is subject to the applicable laws and regulatory requirements of Pakistan. Mandatory legal rights prevail over any conflicting provision. Any agreed exception must be recorded in writing by an authorised IOCH representative. Changes to this policy will not retrospectively reduce the rights of learners already registered.