Terms and Conditions
Effective date: 1 Octorber 2026
Important fee update: 1 Octorber 2026,
one-to-one live lessons will continue to have 0% platform commission. A
5% payment processing fee will apply to payments for one-to-one live
lessons. Transactions completed before 11 September 2026 will not be
affected.
These Terms and Conditions ("Terms”) govern your access to and use of
the Online Tutor Alliance website, platform and related services
(collectively, the "Platform”). The Platform is operated
by Chinese Learning Buddy Pte.
Ltd. (UEN: 202320472E), a company incorporated
in Singapore ("Online Tutor Alliance”, "we”, "us” or "our”).
By creating an account, applying as a Tutor, booking or purchasing a
lesson or course, or otherwise using the Platform, you agree to these
Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you are using the Platform for a child,
you confirm that you are the child’s parent or legal guardian and accept
these Terms on the child’s behalf.
Online Tutor Alliance is an online marketplace that helps Students
and Parents discover and connect with independent Tutors offering
one-to-one live lessons, live group classes and recorded courses.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, Tutors are independent service
providers and are not employees, agents or representatives of Chinese
Learning Buddy Pte. Ltd. Tutors are responsible for their teaching
methods, lesson content, qualifications, schedules, fees and delivery of
their services.
The Platform does not provide its own video-conferencing or virtual
classroom service. Tutors may provide links to third-party meeting
services. Use of those services may be subject to separate terms and
privacy policies.
2. Eligibility and Accounts
- You must provide accurate, complete and current information.
- You are responsible for safeguarding your login details and for
activity conducted through your account.
- Users under 18 may use the Platform only with the involvement and
consent of a parent or legal guardian. A child under 13 must use the
Platform through a Parent account and must not independently create or
manage an account.
- You must promptly notify us if you suspect unauthorised access to
your account.
- We may request identity, age, qualification or other verification
where reasonably required for safety, payments or legal compliance.
3. Bookings, Prices and
Payments
Tutors set their own lesson and course prices. The total price and
applicable currency will be shown before payment. Users are responsible
for reviewing the course description, schedule, technical requirements
and Tutor information before purchasing.
Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers. Payment
processing charges, currency conversion charges and applicable taxes may
apply and will be disclosed where required or reflected at checkout.
A booking is confirmed only after the Platform records successful
payment or otherwise confirms the booking. Users must not make
fraudulent payments, initiate improper chargebacks or misuse promotional
offers.
Unless a different written promotion or arrangement applies, the
following rates apply:
- One-to-one live lessons: 0% platform commission. A
5% payment processing fee will be deducted from the amount actually paid
by the Student or Parent.
- Live group classes: 20% platform service fee.
- Recorded courses: 30% platform service fee.
The 5% payment processing fee for one-to-one live lessons is not a
Platform commission. It is charged to cover payment gateway, transaction
processing and local payout costs. Tutors will therefore receive 95% of
the amount actually paid for a one-to-one live lesson, subject to any
refunds, chargebacks, discounts, taxes or other adjustments described in
these Terms.
No additional Platform withdrawal fee is charged for payouts through
PayNow, PayPal or a Singapore local bank transfer. However, third-party
providers may impose their own charges.
For international payouts, any international transfer fees, currency
conversion charges, intermediary bank fees, receiving bank fees or other
third-party charges will be borne by the Tutor and may be deducted from
the payout amount.
Tutor earnings are calculated based on the amount actually paid and
successfully received by the Platform after discounts, refunds,
reversals and chargebacks. Unless otherwise stated, fees will be
calculated separately for each transaction.
We may change commission rates or payment processing fees for future
transactions by giving reasonable advance notice. A change will not
retrospectively alter a completed purchase. Any special written
arrangement accepted by us will take priority for the transactions it
covers.
5. Cancellation,
Rescheduling and Refund Policy
5.1 One-to-One Live Lessons
- If a Student cancels at least 12 hours before the scheduled start
time, the Student may request one rescheduling or a full refund to the
original payment method or Platform balance, subject to payment-provider
limitations.
- If a Student cancels less than 12 hours before the start time or
does not attend, the lesson is non-refundable and the Tutor may receive
the lesson fee.
- If the Tutor cancels or fails to attend, the Student may choose a
full refund or rescheduling without additional charge.
- In a genuine emergency, we may consider reasonable supporting
information and make an exception at our discretion.
5.2 Live Group Classes
- A full refund may be requested within 24 hours after purchase,
provided the first class has not started.
- After the initial 24-hour period, a Student may cancel at least 48
hours before the first class and receive a full refund as Platform
balance. Where reasonably available, we may instead refund the original
payment method.
- Cancellations made less than 48 hours before the first class, and
withdrawals after the course has started, are normally
non-refundable.
- Missing an individual session in a multi-session course does not
qualify for a partial refund.
- If a Tutor cancels an entire class, affected Students will receive a
full refund. If an individual session is cancelled, the Tutor should
provide a reasonable replacement session; if this is not possible, the
affected session will be refunded proportionately.
5.3 Recorded Courses
- A refund may be requested within 7 days after purchase only if no
more than 10% of the total course content has been viewed and no
downloadable course materials have been downloaded.
- No refund is normally available after more than 10% has been viewed,
substantial materials have been accessed, or the 7-day period has
expired.
- A duplicate purchase will be refunded after verification.
- If a material technical fault prevents access and cannot be resolved
within a reasonable time, we may provide a replacement, Platform credit
or full or partial refund.
- We may reject requests involving repeated or abusive refund
behaviour.
5.4 General Refund Terms
Refund requests must be submitted promptly through the Platform or
to support@onlinetutoralliance.com with
the order details and reason. Approved refunds will normally be returned
to the original payment method. Where that is not reasonably available,
we may offer Platform balance with the user’s agreement. Processing
times depend on the payment provider and financial institution.
Nothing in this policy excludes any non-excludable rights or remedies
under applicable consumer law. We may issue a full or partial refund
where a service was materially misdescribed, not delivered, defective,
or where fairness and applicable law otherwise require it.
6. Tutor Applications and
Obligations
By applying to become a Tutor or publishing a Tutor profile, you
additionally agree that:
- all information about your identity, experience, qualifications,
employment status, subjects and availability is truthful and not
misleading;
- you will provide supporting documents where requested and will
promptly update information that changes;
- approval is discretionary and may be refused, suspended or withdrawn
for safety, quality, legal, reputational or operational reasons;
- you are responsible for determining whether you need any licence,
approval, insurance, tax registration, work authorisation or employer
consent;
- you will prepare and deliver lessons professionally, punctually and
in accordance with the published description;
- you will use age-appropriate materials and maintain professional
boundaries, particularly when teaching minors;
- you will not make false guarantees about results, impersonate
another person, plagiarise content or infringe third-party rights;
- you will not request off-platform payment or direct users away from
the Platform to avoid applicable commission on group classes or recorded
courses;
- you will comply with the cancellation, refund, safety, privacy and
communication requirements in these Terms; and
- you are an independent service provider and are responsible for your
own income tax, CPF or other statutory obligations where
applicable.
7. Payouts, Refunds
and Chargebacks for Tutors
Tutor payouts are subject to the Platform’s displayed payout
schedule, successful receipt of funds, completion of required
verification and any applicable refund or dispute period. We may
withhold or adjust amounts reasonably required to address refunds,
chargebacks, suspected fraud, legal requirements or breaches of these
Terms.
If a payment is refunded, reversed or charged back, the related Tutor
earnings may be cancelled, deducted from a future payout or recovered
where already paid. We will provide relevant transaction information
where reasonably possible.
Tutors may select from the payout methods currently supported by the
Platform. The availability of a payout method may depend on the Tutor’s
country, account eligibility and the requirements of the relevant
payment provider.
No additional Platform withdrawal fee is charged for payouts through
PayNow, PayPal or a Singapore local bank transfer. However, third-party
providers may impose their own charges. For international payouts, all
currency conversion charges, international transfer fees, intermediary
bank charges, receiving bank charges and other third-party costs will be
borne by the Tutor and may be deducted from the payout amount.
The Platform may establish reasonable minimum payout amounts, payout
schedules and verification requirements and will notify Tutors of any
material changes.
8. Student and Parent
Responsibilities
- Review Tutor profiles and course information before booking.
- Ensure suitable equipment, internet access and a safe learning
environment.
- Join lessons punctually and behave respectfully.
- Parents and guardians remain responsible for deciding whether a
Tutor or course is suitable for their child and for providing
appropriate supervision.
- Do not share meeting links, recordings, course materials or account
access without permission.
9. Safety and Acceptable
Conduct
Users must not engage in harassment, discrimination, sexual or
exploitative conduct, threats, violence, fraud, unlawful activity,
unauthorised disclosure of personal information, or communication that
is unsafe or inappropriate for minors. Suspected child-safety concerns
or unlawful conduct may be reported to relevant authorities.
Users should communicate through Platform-supported channels where
available and avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive personal information.
No lesson may be recorded without the prior informed consent of all
participants and, for a minor, the consent of the parent or legal
guardian.
10. Course Content and
Intellectual Property
The Platform and its underlying software, branding and original
materials belong to us or our licensors. Tutors retain ownership of
content they create, subject to the rights granted below.
By publishing content on the Platform, a Tutor grants us a
non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, reproduce,
display, format and promote that content for operating and marketing the
Platform. This licence ends when the content is removed, except where
retention is reasonably required for existing purchasers, records,
disputes or legal compliance.
Recorded-course purchases grant the Student a personal, limited,
non-transferable licence to view the content during the access period
shown at purchase. Students may not copy, redistribute, resell, publicly
display, upload or otherwise exploit course materials.
11. Reviews and User Content
Reviews must reflect genuine experiences and must not be purchased,
manipulated, defamatory, discriminatory or unlawful. We may moderate or
remove content that breaches these Terms, but we do not undertake to
review every communication or item before publication.
12. Third-Party Services
The Platform may link to payment processors, calendar services,
video-conferencing services and other third-party tools. We do not
control those services and are not responsible for their separate
availability, security, content or practices. Users should review the
third party’s terms and privacy policy.
13. Suspension and Termination
You may stop using the Platform at any time, subject to outstanding
bookings, payments and obligations. We may restrict, suspend or
terminate access where reasonably necessary to protect users or the
Platform, investigate suspected misconduct, comply with law, address
non-payment or enforce these Terms.
Where appropriate, we will give notice and an opportunity to respond.
Serious safety concerns, fraud, unlawful conduct or urgent risks may
require immediate action. Termination does not remove accrued payment,
refund, intellectual-property, confidentiality or dispute
obligations.
14. Disclaimers and
Limitation of Liability
We use reasonable care in operating the Platform but do not guarantee
uninterrupted availability, specific learning results, the suitability
of any Tutor, or the accuracy of every user-provided statement.
Verification, where conducted, reduces but does not eliminate risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for
indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss, loss of profit,
data or opportunity, or conduct occurring through a third-party meeting
service. Our aggregate liability relating to a claim will not exceed the
amount paid by the claimant through the Platform for the specific
service giving rise to the claim during the six months before the event,
except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
15. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms to reflect changes in law, Platform
functions or business practices. Material changes will be notified
through the Platform or by other reasonable means. The updated effective
date will appear at the top. Changes do not retrospectively alter
completed purchases unless required by law or agreed by the affected
parties.
16. Governing Law and Disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of Singapore. Users should first
contact us so we can attempt to resolve a concern fairly. Subject to any
non-excludable consumer rights, the courts of Singapore will have
jurisdiction over disputes arising from these Terms or the Platform.
Chinese Learning Buddy Pte. Ltd. UEN: 202320472E Registered address:
Block 330A Anchorvale Street, #05-521, Singapore 541330 Email: support@onlinetutoralliance.com