QUICK ANSWER
Evaluating an academy has two layers. The first is its claims: are its results counts you can check? The second is easy to skip: the contract. Korea’s Academies Act sets minimum refund rules for registered academies, so you can compare any academy’s terms with the law before you pay.
Under those rules, fees are refundable in full before classes start; for a course of a month or less, two-thirds back before a third of the hours have passed and half back before half have passed. An academy whose contract offers less is a warning sign on its own.
SMALL PRINT · 1
The Legal Refund Minimum
| When you withdraw | Refund under the Academies Act rules |
|---|---|
| Before classes start | Full refund of fees paid |
| Course of 1 month or less: before 1/3 of hours | Two-thirds of the fee |
| Course of 1 month or less: before 1/2 of hours | Half of the fee |
| Course of 1 month or less: after 1/2 of hours | No refund |
| Course over 1 month | The rule above for the current month, plus a full refund of months not yet started |
| Timing | Within 5 days of the refund reason arising |
Summary of the Enforcement Decree of the Academies Act, Appendix 4 (교습비등 반환기준), as explained by a Korean lawyer on LawTalk. Check the current text on the National Law Information Center.
SMALL PRINT · 2
Questions for the Claims Layer
- Counts, not rates. How many acceptances, at which schools, in which years?
- Acceptances or students? One student can be admitted to several schools.
- Degree admission or summer programme? RISD Pre-College has no portfolio requirement.
- How confirmed? Ours are confirmed directly with each student: 1,099 acceptances at 95 schools, 2009–2026.
- Any guarantee? No academy decides admissions; a guarantee is a red flag.
FOR KOREAN FAMILIES
Ask for the written contract and fee table before the first lesson, and compare the refund clause line by line with the table above. For the claims layer in detail see five tests for acceptance claims and red flags in academy marketing.
SMALL PRINT · 3
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if we leave an academy early?
Yes, within the legal minimum: full before classes start, and set fractions during the course depending on how much has passed.
What if the contract says no refunds?
A registered academy’s refund terms are governed by the Academies Act rules; check the law and your local office of education.
How quickly must a refund be paid?
Within 5 days of the reason for the refund arising, under the rules as summarised here.
Is a guaranteed admission offer legitimate?
No. Schools make admissions decisions; no academy can guarantee them.
How does Royal Blue confirm its results?
Each of our 1,099 acceptances at 95 schools (2009–2026) was confirmed directly with the student.
ROYAL BLUE ART & DESIGN
For 19 years we have prepared Korean students for U.S. art schools from our studio in Apgujeong, Seoul. Our public record lists 1,099 acceptances confirmed directly with students at 95 schools. Call 02-3446-5929 or book a consultation.
Refund rules summarised from the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Establishment and Operation of Private Teaching Institutes, Appendix 4, as explained on LawTalk; RISD Pre-College eligibility from RISD. This is general information, not legal advice. Checked October 2026. If something here has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Related reading: Checking Acceptance Claims · Red Flags in Academy Marketing · Checking a RISD Record · Choosing an Academy · Royal Blue Results