Cancellation & Refund Policy

We understand that plans can change. At the same time, Helsinki Film Lab (HFL) courses are delivered in small cohorts and often involve advance commitments to tutors, venues, accommodation and other partners. The following cancellation terms therefore apply to all HFL courses unless different terms are expressly stated on the individual course page.

These terms do not affect any mandatory consumer rights that may apply under Finnish or EU law.

1. 14-day right of withdrawal

If you are booking as a consumer and your purchase qualifies as a distance contract under applicable consumer law, you may have the right to withdraw from your booking within 14 days of entering into the contract without giving a reason.

To exercise this right, you must notify HFL clearly in writing within the applicable 14-day period.

If you ask HFL to begin providing the course or related services during the statutory withdrawal period, you may be required to pay for the proportion of the service already provided before your withdrawal.

Where you expressly request immediate access to digital course content and acknowledge that this may affect your statutory right of withdrawal, the right of withdrawal may be lost in accordance with applicable law once delivery of that digital content begins.

Any statutory rights take precedence over the voluntary cancellation terms below.

2. Online courses

After any applicable statutory withdrawal period has expired, the following cancellation terms apply to online courses:

More than 30 days before the course begins: You may cancel your place and receive a refund of the course fee, less a €50 administration fee.

15–30 days before the course begins: You may receive a 50% refund of the course fee.

14 days or less before the course begins: The course fee is non-refundable.

After the course has started: No refund will normally be provided for cancellation, withdrawal, missed sessions or partial attendance.

Where possible, HFL may at its discretion allow you to transfer your place to another person or transfer some or all of the amount paid to a future HFL course. Any transfer must be agreed with HFL in advance.

If a course includes recordings, online learning materials, templates or other digital resources, access to these materials may be withdrawn following cancellation.

3. Onsite courses, residential programmes and retreats

Onsite programmes require HFL to make financial commitments considerably in advance, including accommodation, venue, catering, tutor and production costs. The following cancellation terms therefore apply:

More than 60 days before the programme begins: You may cancel and receive an 80% refund of the course fee.

30–60 days before the programme begins: You may receive a 50% refund of the course fee.

Less than 30 days before the programme begins: The course fee is non-refundable.

After the programme has started: No refund will be provided for cancellation, early departure, missed sessions or partial attendance.

Where accommodation or another third-party service has been booked specifically for you and HFL has already incurred a non-recoverable cost, that amount may be deducted from any refund otherwise due, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

HFL will, where reasonably possible, allow a participant who can no longer attend to nominate another suitable participant to take their place. Substitutions are subject to HFL's approval and must normally be made before the programme begins. Any additional costs resulting from the substitution are the responsibility of the participant.

Participants are strongly encouraged to obtain appropriate travel and cancellation insurance for onsite programmes.

4. Instalment payments

Choosing to pay by instalments does not change the total course fee or the applicable cancellation terms.

If you cancel after the relevant refund deadline, any remaining instalments remain payable where the cancellation policy makes the course fee non-refundable, subject always to applicable mandatory consumer law.

Failure to attend the course or discontinuing payment does not itself constitute cancellation. Cancellation must be submitted to HFL in writing.

5. Funded or sponsored places

Where a participant's place is paid for wholly or partly by an employer, guild, film institute, funding body, educational institution or other third party, any refund will normally be made to the party that made the original payment.

Any separate conditions agreed between HFL and the funding or sponsoring organisation will take precedence where applicable.

6. Cancellation by HFL

HFL reserves the right to cancel a course if there are insufficient participants or if circumstances make it impossible to deliver the programme as planned.

If HFL cancels a course, participants will be offered either:

• a full refund of the course fees paid; or
• the option to transfer the amount paid to a rescheduled or alternative HFL course.

HFL is not responsible for participants' independently booked flights, trains, accommodation, visas, insurance or other travel expenses, except where liability cannot legally be excluded. Participants should therefore avoid making non-refundable travel arrangements where possible and are encouraged to obtain suitable travel insurance.

7. Postponement or material changes

Occasionally HFL may need to change a course date, venue, schedule, tutor or other element of a programme.

Minor changes that do not materially affect the overall content or quality of the programme do not normally entitle participants to a refund. HFL may, for example, replace a tutor or guest speaker with another suitably qualified professional if necessary.

If HFL makes a material change to the date, location or delivery format of a course that significantly affects your ability to participate, you will be given the option to accept the change, transfer your booking where available, or receive a refund for the affected course.

An onsite programme will not be converted into an online-only programme without giving participants an appropriate cancellation or transfer option.

8. Exceptional circumstances

If you are unable to attend because of serious illness, bereavement or another exceptional circumstance outside your reasonable control, please contact HFL as soon as possible.

Although HFL cannot guarantee a refund outside the terms above, we may, at our discretion and depending on costs already incurred, offer a transfer to another participant, course credit, or another reasonable solution.

Supporting documentation may be requested.

9. How to cancel

Cancellation requests must be submitted to HFL in writing and must include:

• the participant's name;
• the name of the course;
• the booking or invoice reference, where applicable; and
• a clear statement that you wish to cancel your participation.

The effective cancellation date is the date on which HFL receives the written cancellation request.

Where a statutory right of withdrawal applies, participants may also use the applicable statutory withdrawal form.

10. Business bookings

Where a course place is purchased by a company, organisation or other legal entity for professional or business purposes, statutory consumer withdrawal rights generally do not apply. The cancellation and refund conditions set out in these terms will apply unless HFL and the purchasing organisation have agreed otherwise in writing.

11. Applicable terms

The cancellation policy in force at the time of booking forms part of the participant's agreement with HFL.

Nothing in these terms limits rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable consumer protection legislation.