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BAC Complaints Procedure

BAC will attempt to help you to resolve any disputes you may have with an accredited institutions, and there is a formal complaints procedure with which accredited institutions are required to cooperate.

You should, however, first make use of the institution's own complaints procedure.  The institution's management will almost certainly wish to respond to your dissatisfaction and hope either to persuade you to stay or help you to find an alternative arrangement elsewhere.  If you simply leave and then complain, it is very unlikely that the institution or BAC will be able to respond to your problem.  If you are a visa student, you may be in breach of the terms of your visa if you are no longer attending a full-time course, and so face legal difficulties.

If BAC receives a complaint, we will investigate and attempt to resolve the issue.  However, we have no power to insist on the repayment of fees, for instance – BAC can only consider the withdrawal of accreditation if a complaint is considered to be serious and justified, or if the institution does not take appropriate action to compensate the complainant.

The student should have read the institution's Terms & Conditions in relation to their complaint, and made satisfactory attempts to try and resolve their complaint with the institution directly.

Please read the following important information if you wish to make a complaint against an accredited institution:

BAC will only pursue a complaint if it receives written and signed authorisation to do so (it will not pursue anonymous complaints); letters of complaint should be posted to BAC's London office (click here for address).

BAC will only consider complaints which are directly relevant to the criteria for accreditation (see the Accreditation Handbook for details).

Before submitting your complaint to BAC, please ensure that you have included the following:

  1. A full description of all circumstances leading to the complaint being made.
  2. A signed statement indicating that you authorise BAC to contact the institution on your behalf.
  3. All documentation relating to the complaint being made, including, but not limited to:
    • enrolment letters
    • any receipts for payments made to the institution
    • any visa letters sent and received (if relevant to the complaint)
    • any correspondence between you and the institution which relates to this complaint
    • the institution’s terms and conditions and/or refund policy, if you have access to this.
    N.B. Please ensure that you retain copies of all submitted documents as it will not be possible for BAC to return them.

Please note that BAC will be unable to take action on any complaints without first receiving the above.  Also, please see section 9.3 of the Accreditation Handbook for a number of additional circumstances under which BAC will not involve itself in a complaint.

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