Terms of Use

1. Introduction

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the services, digital platforms, websites, learning management systems, and other resources (collectively, "Services") provided by Scientia Agri Institute ("the Institute", "we", "us", or "our"), a duly registered educational and research institution operating in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

By accessing or using our Services, you ("User", "you", "your") agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately cease use of the Services. These Terms constitute a binding legal agreement between you and the Institute.

2. Acceptance and Eligibility

By accessing our Services, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 18 years of age, or accessing the Services with the consent of a parent or legal guardian
• You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement
• You will use the Services only in accordance with these Terms and all applicable laws

The Institute reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Services following any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically.

3. Use of Services

3.1 Permitted Use

You may use our Services solely for lawful, educational, and institutional purposes in accordance with these Terms.

3.2 Prohibited Conduct

You must not:

• Provide false, inaccurate, or misleading information at any point, including during registration or application
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any system, account, or data
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Services or underlying infrastructure
• Upload, transmit, or distribute harmful, defamatory, obscene, unlawful, or infringing content
• Use automated tools, bots, or scrapers to access or extract data from our platforms without prior written consent
• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with the Institute
• Use the Services for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the Institute

4. Student Portal and Account Access

Access to the student portal and learning management system is granted exclusively to registered students, staff, and other authorised individuals.

• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
• You must not share your credentials with any third party
• You must notify the Institute immediately of any suspected unauthorised use of your account
• The Institute reserves the right to suspend or terminate access for any violation of these Terms or institutional policies

5. Application and Enrolment

• Submission of an application does not guarantee admission or enrolment
• The Institute reserves the right to accept, defer, or decline any application at its sole discretion
• All information provided in an application must be accurate and complete. Submission of fraudulent documents may result in immediate disqualification or cancellation of enrolment
• Enrolment is confirmed only upon receipt of the required registration fee and completion of all onboarding requirements

6. Fees, Payments, and Refunds

• All fees are payable in accordance with the Fee Schedule provided upon acceptance
• Failure to meet payment obligations may result in the suspension of access to academic services, examinations, or results
• The registration fee is non-refundable once enrolment has been confirmed
• Requests for fee adjustments or deferments must be submitted in writing to the Finance Office and are subject to approval
• The Institute reserves the right to revise its fee structure on an annual basis, with reasonable notice provided to affected students

7. Intellectual Property

All content available through the Services, including but not limited to text, images, videos, course materials, logos, software, and databases, is the intellectual property of Scientia Agri Institute or its licensors and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.

• You may access and use content solely for your personal, non-commercial educational purposes
• You must not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, or publicly display any content without prior written consent from the Institute
• Any academic work submitted by students remains the intellectual property of the student, subject to the Institute's right to use such work for accreditation, assessment moderation, and quality assurance purposes

8. Academic Integrity

Students are required to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. The following constitute serious violations:

• Plagiarism — submitting work that is not your own without proper attribution
• Cheating or collusion in assessments
• Fabrication of data, sources, or research findings
• Misrepresentation of academic credentials or qualifications

Violations may result in disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion, in accordance with the Institute's Academic Integrity Policy.

9. Third-Party Services and Links

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with external platforms. The Institute does not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or availability of any third-party services. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their respective terms and policies.

10. Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of the Services is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using our Services, you consent to the processing of your personal information as described therein, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

11. Disclaimers

The Services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• The Institute does not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components
• The Institute does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of any information available through the Services
• Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk

12. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Institute, its officers, employees, agents, and partners shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from or related to your use of, or inability to use, the Services — even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising under or in connection with these Terms shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to the Institute in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Scientia Agri Institute and its affiliates, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in any way connected with your use of the Services or violation of these Terms.

14. Termination and Suspension

The Institute reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend or terminate your access to the Services at any time, with or without notice, for conduct that it believes:

• Violates these Terms or applicable law
• Is harmful to other users, the Institute, or third parties
• Constitutes academic misconduct or fraud

Upon termination, your right to use the Services ceases immediately. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination shall do so, including intellectual property rights, disclaimers, and limitations of liability.

15. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes arising from or in connection with these Terms shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation. If unresolved, disputes shall be submitted to mediation in Mpumalanga before referral to the courts of competent jurisdiction in South Africa.

16. General Provisions

• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Institute concerning your use of the Services
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect
• Waiver: Failure by the Institute to enforce any right under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without prior written consent from the Institute

17. Contact Us

For any queries regarding these Terms of Use, please contact:

Scientia Agri Institute
28 Station Street, Malelane, Mpumalanga, MP 1320, South Africa
Email: privacy@scientia.edu.za
Tel: 010 312 5972