Terms & conditions
This page sets out what to expect when you book a paid service, or accept an Open Door Scholarship place. If anything here is unclear, please ask before booking.
Booking a service means you agree to these terms. Payment is required as set out below before work begins.
Once a payment has been made, it is non-refundable. This applies to the full fee on every service other than Full Mentorship (viva talk-throughs, report talk-throughs, chapter deep-dives, full thesis reviews, post-viva corrections support, mock vivas, conference and presentation coaching, and archival consultancy), and to each instalment on the Full Mentorship package once it's paid. This reflects that time is reserved specifically for you as soon as a booking is confirmed, whether or not the session or review ultimately takes place.
For all services other than Full Mentorship, a session is only booked once payment has been received in full. I don't hold or schedule a slot against an unpaid booking. For Full Mentorship, a place is secured with the deposit; the remaining balance is paid in 2 further instalments as set out below.
Full Mentorship instalment plans are split into 3 payments: a 15% deposit to secure your place, followed by 2 equal payments (each 42.5% of the total fee), the first paid when you book your first round, and the second paid when you book your second round. Each instalment counts directly toward the total fee, not as an additional charge. A round can only be booked once its instalment is paid, so an unpaid instalment simply means that round isn't booked yet. It never affects any review or session you've already received. If the remaining instalments are never paid, the deposit and any instalments already made are retained in full and are not refunded.
This is a collaborative process, and its value depends on both sides engaging fully. When you book, I ask that you:
Repeated late submissions, missed sessions without notice, or lack of engagement may affect the turnaround times set out on the Services page, and does not entitle you to a refund or an extension of the programme.
Working together depends on mutual respect, and I bring the same professionalism and care to every session that I ask for in return. Specifically, I ask that you:
If a client breaches this code of conduct, I reserve the right to end the session immediately and to decline to provide any further sessions or services, at my discretion, without needing to provide advance warning. Section 1 (Payments are non-refundable) continues to apply to sessions and reviews already delivered. Where a booking includes sessions that haven't yet taken place, I'm under no obligation to refund them, though I may choose to at my discretion depending on the circumstances.
Live sessions, viva talk-throughs, report talk-throughs, mock vivas, and conference or presentation coaching calls, are recorded as standard. This is disclosed here and confirmed again when you book. Written services with no live call (chapter deep-dives, thesis reviews, post-viva corrections) involve nothing to record.
So you can revisit what was discussed and how you answered in your own time, ahead of your actual viva; to support my own review and development of the service I offer; and, in the rare event of a dispute or a breach of the code of conduct above, as a record of what took place.
Live sessions run on Zoom, and recordings are stored securely in Zoom's cloud storage. They are not shared with anyone else without your consent, except where I'm required to by law, or where keeping a specific recording longer is necessary to address a conduct concern. Recordings are automatically deleted 90 days after the session. If you'd like a copy to keep for your own reference before then, just ask.
If you need to reschedule a mock viva or call, please give at least 48 hours' notice where possible. Late cancellations or no-shows may not be eligible for rescheduling within the original programme timeline.
A scholarship place is a fully funded thesis review and mock viva (the same services offered individually under Clarity and Confidence), awarded on the basis set out on the Scholarship page. It runs in two rounds: round 1 is the thesis review and its written report, and round 2 is the mock viva and its written report. Accepting a place is a commitment, not just a gift, and the same engagement expectations in Section 2 apply in full.
The Scholar and the First Laureate each receive a personalised certificate by email as a PDF, with the option to also receive a physical certificate by post.
Scholarship recipients are expected to submit materials on time, attend scheduled sessions, and engage with feedback between rounds, in the same way as a paying client would.
If a scholarship recipient does not engage with the programme, for example, missing sessions without notice, or not responding to communication for an extended period, I reserve the right to pause or withdraw the remaining place, and reallocate it where appropriate. I will always try to make contact and understand the circumstances first; this is not applied without warning or without regard for genuine hardship, which is, after all, exactly what this scholarship exists to support.
All feedback is diagnostic, not corrective, in line with UK sector guidance on third-party academic support. Full detail is set out on the Services page. It remains your responsibility to check and follow your own institution's specific policy on external support and any declaration requirements.
Any thesis chapters, drafts, or personal information you share with me are kept confidential and used only to deliver the service you've booked. Your work remains entirely your own at every stage. Session recordings are covered separately, in Section 4.
I bring genuine expertise and care to every review and session, but I can't guarantee any particular outcome in your viva or examination. That decision rests with your examiners and institution. My liability for any service is limited to the fee paid for that specific service.
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.
If anything on this page is unclear, please get in touch before booking. I'm always happy to talk it through.