IBA Policies: Cancellations, Refunds, Privacy, Reasonable Adjustments, Complaints

These policies apply to every course and exam offered by International Beverage Academy (IBA), WSET Approved Programme Provider No. 3168. They are reviewed annually and were last updated November 2026. A copy is available on request by emailing contact@beveragecertified.com. You are asked to confirm you have read the Cancellation and Refund Policy before booking.

Cancellations, transfers, and refunds

Registration deadline. Registration for each course closes 10 days before the advertised start date (11:59 PM Pacific). This lead time allows IBA to register you with WSET, have your Online Classroom login created, and deliver your materials before the course begins. Registrations cannot be processed after the deadline.

Cancellation by the student. Under most circumstances there are no refunds for courses purchased. A full refund to the original form of payment is available if the student requests cancellation by email at least 15 business days (3 weeks) before the course start date. Refunds are processed within the timeframe set by the payment processor. Once a student has been registered with WSET and has accessed the Online Classroom, no refund is available.

Transfers. Students may transfer their enrollment to a later start date of the same qualification, if space is available, when the request is submitted at least 10 business days (2 weeks) before the original start date. One transfer is included; the fee is moved to the new enrollment and no refund is issued. Transfers requested after this point, or a second transfer, may be declined or subject to WSET’s re-registration charges.

Other circumstances. A student may contact IBA to explain exceptional circumstances; any refund or credit outside this policy is at IBA’s discretion and must be agreed in writing. Requests must be submitted before the course start date. Cancellations after the start of the course are non-refundable.

Cancellation by IBA or WSET. In the unlikely event that IBA, or WSET as the Online Classroom provider, cancels or reschedules a course, students will be offered a place on another start date or a full refund to the original form of payment. Students have 10 business days from the notice to tell IBA their choice; if no response is received, the student is moved to the next available start date.

How to cancel or transfer. Email contact@beveragecertified.com, Attention: Luis Romero, Main Contact, with your name, course, start date, and request. Requests are acknowledged within 2 business days.

Fees, resits, and what is included

Course prices are all-inclusive: WSET course registration in the Online Classroom, study materials (Level 1: included online; Level 2: study pack shipped to US addresses or provided as an eBook), one exam attempt by remote invigilation, and personal support from IBA. Tasting samples are not included or shipped; a shopping list is provided.

Resit fees. If a second exam attempt is needed, the resit fee is $200 for Level 1 qualifications and $290 for Level 2 qualifications. This covers the WSET exam and remote invigilation. Resit fees are shown on every course page before booking.

Exam enquiries. Students may request a result enquiry (remark) or feedback on a failed exam through IBA within the WSET deadlines; WSET’s fees for these services are passed on at cost. Ask IBA for the Enquiry and Feedback form.

Eligibility and legal drinking age

WSET courses involve tasting alcoholic beverages. Students must be of legal drinking age in their country of residence at the time of booking (21 years in the United States; 18 is the minimum age WSET accepts anywhere). Students confirm their date of birth and age at checkout, and IBA verifies age before submitting any booking to WSET. Online Classroom courses are delivered in English and require basic computer literacy, a computer or tablet, and a reliable internet connection. No prior qualification is required for Level 1 or Level 2.

Reasonable adjustments

What is a reasonable adjustment? A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the candidate at a substantial disadvantage in the assessment situation. Reasonable adjustments are submitted by IBA, on behalf of the candidate, to WSET for approval and are put in place before the assessment takes place. The use of a reasonable adjustment is not taken into consideration during the assessment of a candidate’s work. Reasonable adjustments must not give an unfair advantage over candidates for whom reasonable adjustments are not being made. Reasonable adjustments are offered in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Examples include: extra time to complete the assessment; assessment materials in large text or other adapted formats; access facilitators such as a reader or sign language interpreter; changes to the assessment environment. WSET does not accept the use of artificial intelligence tools as a reasonable adjustment.

How to apply. Candidates can request reasonable adjustments in the “Reasonable adjustments” field at checkout, or by emailing contact@beveragecertified.com, Attention: Luis Romero, at the time of enrollment. Eligibility is considered only with supporting independent documentation. IBA must submit applications to WSET at least 4 weeks before the exam, so candidates should notify IBA at least 5 weeks before the exam. Arrangements are agreed between IBA’s Exams Officer and WSET and vary with individual circumstances; WSET may seek advice from independent agencies. IBA cannot offer an adjustment until WSET has agreed it. It is not appropriate to request adjustments where the candidate’s difficulty directly affects the attributes being assessed. IBA keeps records of all applications, so a written request is required. Personal data submitted is handled under IBA’s Privacy Policy and WSET’s Privacy Policy.

Special consideration

Special consideration is an action taken after an assessment to allow candidates who have been disadvantaged by temporary illness, injury, indisposition, or adverse circumstances at the time of the assessment to demonstrate attainment. It will not give an unfair advantage over other candidates or alter the assessment demands of the qualification as set out in the Specification.

A candidate may be eligible if performance was affected by circumstances beyond their control (recent illness, accident, bereavement, or exam conditions), if alternative arrangements agreed in advance proved inadequate, and if applying special consideration would not mislead users of the certificate. To apply, email a Special Consideration Application Form (available from IBA) with supporting independent documentation to contact@beveragecertified.com within 5 business days of the exam date. In cases of serious disruption during an exam, IBA’s Exams Officer submits a report of the circumstances and affected candidates to WSET. IBA keeps records of all applications, so a written request is required.

Complaints and appeals

What is a complaint? Dissatisfaction about the standard of service offered by IBA or the behavior of IBA staff in delivering that service.

Who can complain? Anyone adversely affected by, or who has witnessed, the cause of dissatisfaction, or someone acting on their behalf (a third party). A third party must present written permission to represent the complainant, which IBA must accept before proceeding.

Step 1, informal. Raise the concern directly with your Course Educator or with IBA by email. Most concerns are resolved at this stage. IBA responds to the initial email within 72 hours and aims to resolve the concern within 7 days.

Step 2, formal complaint. If the concern is not resolved, submit a formal written complaint by email to the Main Contact, Luis Romero, at contact@beveragecertified.com within 14 days of the informal response. Include: your name and contact details; what the complaint is about; supporting information (documents, dates, witnesses); any previous attempts to resolve it; and the outcome you hope for. Formal complaints are acknowledged within 5 working days and receive a full written response within 20 working days. Complaints must be written by the complainant in their own words; a complaint drafted by an AI tool that does not clearly state the facts and desired outcome may be returned for clarification.

Step 3, appeal. If you are not satisfied with the formal response, you may appeal in writing to the same address within 14 days, stating the grounds of appeal, any new information, and the outcome sought. Appeals are acknowledged within 5 working days and answered in full within 30 working days. IBA will consult all parties involved before deciding.

Escalation to WSET. All complaints must first be submitted to IBA. Only when IBA’s full complaints and appeals procedure has been completed without acceptable resolution may the complainant escalate to WSET Governance at governance@wsetglobal.com, including the details of the complaint and the steps already taken with IBA. WSET’s Complaints Policy is published at wsetglobal.com. Complaints about refunds or cancellations are decided under this Cancellation and Refund Policy; WSET’s ability to offer additional resolution on refunds is limited. Complaints about exam results are handled through the Enquiries and Feedback process rather than this policy.

Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest exists where an individual has interests or loyalties that could adversely influence their judgement, objectivity, or loyalty to IBA when conducting activities associated with WSET qualifications. WSET distinguishes actual conflicts (a direct conflict exists now), potential conflicts (one could reasonably arise), and perceived conflicts (a reasonable person could believe one exists). All three must be declared.

Examples include: assessment or moderation by someone with a personal interest in the result; tutoring of students by someone involved in assessing them; an IBA staff member or a WSET employee taking a WSET qualification through IBA; IBA employing individuals who deliver courses or act as Internal Assessor at another APP; investigation of a non-compliance incident by someone unable to act impartially. Some conflicts can be managed and are acceptable when declared to WSET in advance; others cannot be managed (for example, someone who writes exam questions teaching students).

Declaring a conflict. Any student or staff member who becomes aware of an actual, potential, or perceived conflict should notify the Main Contact in writing at contact@beveragecertified.com. IBA’s Main Contact is responsible for identifying, declaring, and managing conflicts, and will declare them to WSET, which records them and provides mitigation. Failure to declare a conflict may breach the terms of engagement with IBA and may lead to sanctions from WSET.

Privacy and data protection

IBA collects the personal data needed to enroll you, support you, and register you with WSET. The full Privacy Notice explains what is collected, how it is used and stored, how long it is kept, and your rights, including the right to request erasure.

Data shared with WSET. To deliver a WSET qualification, IBA shares your name, date of birth, and email address with WSET, and your country of residence where required. WSET uses this data to: (a) register you as a candidate and enable you to sit exams; (b) administer and conduct your exam, including reasonable adjustments and special consideration; (c) issue your results and certificate; (d) provide post-results services such as enquiries and appeals and request feedback; and (e) send you information about the course for which you are registered. You give consent to this sharing at checkout. WSET handles your data under WSET’s Privacy and Cookie Policy. Without this sharing, IBA cannot register you for the course or exam.

Testimonials and images. IBA publishes student names, quotes, or images only with the student’s prior consent.

Diversity and equality

IBA creates an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone. It is part of IBA’s mission to make beverage education accessible, and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. Participants interacting with other candidates are required to uphold the same standard, and there is a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination. Questions or concerns: Luis Romero, Main Contact, contact@beveragecertified.com.

Malpractice and maladministration

Maladministration is non-compliance that is accidental rather than intentional. Malpractice is non-compliance that is intentional or results from negligence.

Examples that may be caused by IBA and its staff include: failure to adhere to the Centre Agreement or WSET policies and procedures; failure to deliver courses or assessments in accordance with WSET requirements; failure to follow WSET’s candidate registration and certification procedures; late student registrations; fraudulent claims for, use of, or reproduction of certificates; withholding information critical to quality assurance; insecure storage of assessment materials; breach of confidentiality; failure to disclose a conflict of interest; issuing incorrect results or failing to issue results promptly; unauthorized reading, amendment, copying, or distribution of exam papers; failure to report changes in ownership, personnel, location, or facilities; denial of access to information, documentation, workforce, or facilities; failure to respond to WSET in a timely manner; failure to return exam papers within the specified timeframe or follow delivery and tracking regulations; infringement of WSET copyright, trademarks, intellectual property, or brand identity; use of unqualified or unregistered educators or internal assessors; misleading advertising or publicity.

Examples that may be caused by students include: submitting false or inaccurate information to gain a qualification; cheating, including the use of unauthorized devices, materials, or artificial intelligence tools during an assessment; disruptive behavior in an exam; plagiarism of any nature; impersonation, including forgery of signatures; any action likely to lead to an adverse effect.

Candidates and staff should report suspected malpractice or maladministration to IBA through the complaints procedure above. IBA declares instances of potential malpractice or maladministration to WSET, which has procedures to investigate; WSET may contact candidates or staff during an investigation. Confirmed incidents may result in sanctions. Candidate sanctions include a written warning; an exam result declared null and void (which may include invalidation and recall of a certificate already issued); disqualification from the qualification concerned and exclusion from further WSET qualifications for 12 months, including access to WSET materials; disqualification from all WSET courses and assessments; and loss of the right to use WSET certified logos and post-nominals. Staff sanctions include verbal warning, written warning, administrative suspension pending investigation, and termination.

International Beverage Academy, WSET Approved Programme Provider No. 3168. Main Contact: Luis Romero, contact@beveragecertified.com, 407 968 8384. IBA is an independent course provider approved by WSET and is not part of WSET.