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Medical Insurance

It is mandatory for all students to have their own health care insurance polices with enough coverage to last the full length of their stay in Canada. However, in the case that they do not, Cornerstone will assist them in making the necessary arrangements.

English Only Policy

At Cornerstone Academic College, we believe that it is important for our students to speak English at all times in our school. Being immersed in an English-speaking environment will give you the opportunity to improve your English skills. This is why we actively enforce an "English Only Policy" on our campus. This policy applies to everywhere on the 8th floor at 80 Bloor Street West, and everywhere at Scollard.
We reward students who observe our English Only Policy

If a staff member hears you speaking English outside of class time, they may give you a “green ticket”. If you receive a green ticket, please write your name on it and put it in the green ticket container at the front desk. Green ticket prize draws happen regularly (like a lottery) and the winning students will receive rewards for speaking English.

Enforcing Cornerstone’s English Only Policy
If a staff member or teacher hears you speaking any language other than English, they will ask you for your name. The staff member will write your name on a “yellow ticket” and will give the yellow ticket to the Academic Director.

The consequences* of receiving Yellow Tickets are:

FIRST YELLOW TICKET - A meeting with the Academic Director
SECOND YELLOW TICKET – A warning letter from the Academic Director. The letter states that if the student is caught a third time, he or she will be suspended for one week
THIRD YELLOW TICKET – One week suspension.
FOURTH YELLOW TICKET – Permanent suspension from the school. No refunds.

* The first three consequences are enforced within a 4 week session. They restart in the next 4 week session. If a student receives four cards in 1 4-week session, the student will be expelled with no refund.

Code of Conduct

Every student is to regard one another, teachers and staff, as well as their personal property, with respect and dignity regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, disability or gender. Violation of this code will result in suspension.

Punctuality Policy

The rules below apply unless you have a good reason for being late, e.g., if there is a subway problem.
For the 8:45 to 10:00 class, your teacher will let you in the classroom until 9:00, after that, you will have to wait until the next break.

- For the 10:15 to 11:15 class, you must be there on time. If you come to the class after 10:15, the teacher will not let you in. You will have to wait until the next break.
- For the 11:25 to 12:30 class, you must be on time, or the teacher will not let you in.
- For the 1:30 class, the teacher will let you in the class until 1:40. After that, you will have to wait until the next break.
- For the 2:40 to 3:45 class, you must be on time, or the teacher will not let you in.
If you know that you will be late for some reason, please try to tell your teacher in advance.
Being late three times is equal to one absence.

Attendance Policy

If a student misses an average of more than 3 classes per 4 week session without a good reason, the student may not be eligible for a certificate at the end of the study period, and may have to stay in the same level for an extra month. Please tell your teacher if you know beforehand that you are going to be absent. If you don’t tell the teacher beforehand, please tell them the reason you were absent when you come back to school. Good reasons for being absent include going on a trip or being sick.

Progression to the next (ESL) level

Students must achieve at least 70% in each session of study at their current level, as well as meet attendance requirements in order to advance to the next level.

Awarding of Certificates and Diplomas

Students must meet the program’s attendance and academic requirements in order to be granted a certificate or diploma upon completion of the course of study. If a student does not meet the academic requirements, or is absent more than three times a month without a good reason, the student will not be eligible to receive a certificate or diploma.

Academic Honesty Policy

If a student is found to have cheated, plagiarized, passed another’s work off as their own, or behaved in any academically dishonest way on any test or assignment, the student may receive a score of 0% for that assignment. This could result in the student not successfully completing the course and not receiving a certificate or diploma for the course. Repeated academic honesty violations may result in dismissal from the school.

Problem resolution procedure

If you are having any problems related to you classes, home stay, visa or anything else, please follow the steps below, and we will help you:

Step 1
For academic problems - Please speak to your teacher or to the Academic Director, Roy McCool.
For problems with your home stay, please speak to the Home Stay Director, Sarah Riaz.
For problems with your registration, payment, visa, etc…Please talk to the staff in the Administration department: Brian Lee, Sarah Riaz, Karolina Nachel.
If you are not sure who to talk to, don’t worry! Ask any Cornerstone teacher or staff member and they will either be able to help you or to direct you to the right person.

We also have Japanese (Nao Yamamoto) and Korean counselors (Daniel Kim, David Na) available to help students. As well, some of our teachers speak Spanish and Portuguese.

Step 2
If you are not satisfied with the result in Step 1, please speak to the School Directors (John Rhee, Grace Rhim). Every effort will be made to resolve your problem.

Refund Policy
1. The Registration fee and Homestay placement fees are non-refundable.
2. Tuition refunds are given should Immigration Canada refuse to issue a student or visitor visa. You must send us the refusal letter as well as the letter of acceptance for a full refund.
3. Students who arrive to Canada via Cornerstone’s study permit forfeit the right to all refunds.
4. Should a student cancel 31 days or more before the start date of the program, the school will refund 80% of tuition fees paid.
5. Should a student cancel 30 days or less before the start date of the program, the school will refund 70% of tuition fees paid.
6. If a student starts the program and cancels (or is dismissed) within 5 calendar days, the school will refund 50% of tuition fees paid. This does not apply to students who came via Cornerstone study permit (see policy no. 3).
7. If a student starts the program and cancels (or is dismissed) after 5 calendar days, NO refund will be given.
8. If a student is not present on the first day of class without a prior notice, the student forfeits all tuition fees.
9. In case of postponement, school refund policy will apply according to the original starting date unless advanced notice of at least 1 week is given to school.
10. Students who have applied through an agent must contact the agent for a refund.