Last Updated: December 25, 2025
Effective Date: December 25, 2025
Welcome to Jalpha (hereinafter referred to as "the Platform," "we," "us," or "our"). Jalpha is operated by Jalpha Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "the Company"), a company registered in Hong Kong.
By registering for, accessing, or using the Platform, you (hereinafter referred to as "User," "Student," or "Tutor") acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (the "Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately cease using the Platform.
1. Nature of Service and Legal Relationship
1.1 Platform Role
Jalpha provides an online venue for connecting Students with Tutors and offers community forum features. We also facilitate payment collection and disbursement as a limited payment agent. The Company is not an educational institution, school, or financial institution.
1.2 Independent Contractor Status of Tutors
Tutors providing services on the Platform are independent freelancers or contractors, not employees of the Company. By using this platform, you agree to the Freelancer Teacher Terms below.
No Employment Relationship: Nothing in these Terms or in the use of the Platform shall be construed to create an employer-employee, agency, partnership, or joint venture relationship between the Tutor and the Company.
Liability: Tutors are solely responsible for their teaching content, conduct, tax obligations, and legal liabilities. The Company does not endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for any Tutor’s personal behavior, teaching quality, or potential criminal conduct. However, the Company reserves the right to suspend or ban Users based on internal reviews or reports of misconduct.
Freelancer Teacher Terms
By using this platform, you agree to the following terms:
Insurance Responsibility
The Company does not assume any responsibility for the Teacher's insurance matters, including but not limited to health insurance, accident insurance, or any other form of insurance.
Non-Employment Relationship
The relationship between the Teacher and the Company is that of a freelancer. The Teacher is not an employee of the Company and is not entitled to any benefits or rights enjoyed by Company employees.
Tax Reporting
As a freelancer, the Teacher is responsible for declaring their own income tax and any other related taxes, and must comply with local tax regulations.
Legal Compliance
Both parties agree to comply with all relevant laws and regulations of the jurisdiction. The Teacher ensures that their teaching activities and services provided meet all applicable legal requirements.
Payment Collection and Transfer
The Teacher agrees that the Company will collect course fees paid by students on behalf of the Teacher, and after deducting the service fee, the remaining amount will be transferred to the Teacher. The specific method and timing of the transfer will be in accordance with the platform's regulations.
Accuracy of Information
The Teacher must ensure that all information provided on the platform is true, accurate, and complete. The Teacher should promptly update their personal information if there are any changes.
Termination Terms
The Teacher may stop using the platform at any time. Both parties shall still fulfill obligations and responsibilities incurred before stopping usage. Unused benefits may be revoked by the platform after one year.
Dispute Resolution
By using this platform, you agree to be bound by these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the platform.
2. Account Registration and Security
You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration process. The Company assumes no liability for any legal disputes or damages arising from false or inaccurate information provided by the User. You are responsible for safeguarding your account credentials; any activity conducted through your account is deemed to be your own activity.
3. Community and Forum Conduct
Jalpha is dedicated to maintaining a high-quality community environment. Users are strictly prohibited from posting content that includes:
Violence, pornography, hate speech, or harassment.
Fraud, illegal transactions, or solicitation of criminal acts.
Unauthorized advertising or spam.
Enforcement: The Company retains absolute discretion to remove any content and suspend or permanently terminate the accounts of violators without prior notice and without liability for compensation.
4. Booking, Cancellation, and Attendance Policy
By paying for and booking a session, the Student explicitly agrees to the following cancellation and refund rules. These Terms serve as the final authority in any dispute.
4.1 Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules
12 Hours or More Before Start Time: Students may request a cancellation or reschedule. The Platform will refund the full amount to the Student or update the booking time.
Less Than 12 Hours Before Start Time:
Requests for refunds or rescheduling require the Tutor’s explicit consent.
If the Tutor does not consent, the session cannot be cancelled or rescheduled, and no refund will be issued.
If the Tutor is unable to attend due to their own reasons, the Student will receive a full refund.
After the Session Has Started: No refunds or rescheduling requests will be accepted for any reason.
4.2 Lateness and No-Show Policy
The "Scheduled Start Time" is the strict reference point. Arriving more than 10 minutes late constitutes a "No-Show."
Tutor No-Show:
If the Tutor is more than 10 minutes late or fails to appear, the Student will receive a full refund.
Student No-Show:
If the Student is more than 10 minutes late or fails to appear, the Tutor is not obligated to wait or provide a makeup session.
The session is considered "Completed," and the Tutor will receive full payment. The Student is not entitled to a refund.
Note: While a Tutor may choose to offer a makeup lesson as a gesture of goodwill, they are under no contractual obligation to do so.
Lateness Rules:
Student Late: The Tutor is not obligated to extend the session time; the session will end at the originally scheduled time.
Tutor Late (Within 10 mins): The Tutor must make up the missed time immediately following the scheduled end or at a mutually agreed time. No refund will be issued for minor lateness remedied by makeup time.
5. Payments, Settlement, and Payouts
5.1 Payment Collection
The Platform acts as a limited payment collection agent for the Tutor. When a Student pays for a session, the funds are temporarily held by the Platform until the service conditions are met.
5.2 Settlement and Dispute Window
Automatic Completion: Upon conclusion of a session, if the Student does not report an issue or file a dispute within 3 days (72 hours), the system will automatically mark the session as "Successfully Completed."
Payouts and Commission: Once completed, the Platform will deduct the agreed-upon Platform Service Fee (Commission) and credit the remaining balance to the Tutor’s platform account.
5.3 Legal Definition of Tutor Account Balance (Important)
The balance displayed in a Tutor’s account (e.g., "Wallet" or "Income") represents an "Account Payable" (a debt obligation) owed by the Company to the Tutor, not a bank deposit or held in trust.
The Company is obligated to settle this debt only upon the Tutor’s submission of a withdrawal request and subsequent approval by the Company.
The Company reserves the right to freeze these funds for investigation if the Tutor violates these Terms or is suspected of fraud. If a violation is confirmed, the Company may withhold payment permanently.
5.4 Absolute Discretion on Refunds
Jalpha retains the final and absolute authority to investigate and adjudicate all transaction disputes. Any decision made by the Company (e.g., to issue a full refund to the Student or release funds to the Tutor) is final and binding on both parties.
6. Disclaimers
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Jalpha disclaims all warranties, express or implied:
No Guarantee of Results: We do not guarantee any specific learning outcomes, grade improvements, or language proficiency gains.
Service Interruptions: The Company is not liable for damages caused by service interruptions, data loss, technical failures, maintenance, or force majeure events.
Third-Party Actions: The Company is not responsible for any offline interactions, private transactions, or agreements made between Users outside of the Platform.
7. Termination
The Company reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Platform or any part thereof at any time. We may terminate your access to the Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation if you breach the Terms.
8. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Hong Kong.