Consumer and banking · Training · individual contract
Self-funded training in France: cancellation and refunds
Personally funded vocational training requires a contract before final enrolment and payment. Labour-law withdrawal lasts ten days from signature; a remote or off-premises sale may also fall under consumer-law fourteen days. Compare funding, signature, payments and teaching delivered to separate initial withdrawal, later termination and force majeure.
- Funding
- Withdrawal
- Payments
- Official texts cited
- Sources checked on
- Drafted with AI assistance, our method
General legal information with official references and dated checks. It is not personalised advice: for a decision that commits you, have your situation checked by a qualified professional.
Julie by AlphaDeep
Is an employee training-repayment clause the same contract?
No; it concerns a different employment and funding relationship.
Read the referencesYou are paying for training yourself: let’s check the contract, signature and payments.
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Which funding falls under the individual contract?
The regime concerns an individual training personally and at their own expense. Employer, CPF or third-party funding requires another analysis. The contract precedes final enrolment and payment.
Related step: French training-repayment clause: the conditions of validity, the exits that trigger it and the amount to repay
Should ten or fourteen days be counted?
Labour law provides ten days after signature and registered notice with acknowledgement. Also examine fourteen days for a consumer remote or off-premises contract; ten days do not replace them.
Related step: Driving-school contracts: refunds and transfers in France
Code du travail, article L6353-5Rétractation du stagiaire, article L6353-5Code de la consommation, article L221-18
Which documents belong together?
| Point | Check |
|---|---|
| Funding | Own expense or third party |
| Withdrawal | Separate labour and consumer rules |
| Payments | Instalments and teaching delivered |
Code du travail, article L6353-3Code du travail, article L6353-5
Can the full price be required at the outset?
No payment is demandable before the labour-law period expires. Afterwards the initial payment cannot exceed 30%, with the balance following training delivery. Another applicable protection may still prevent collection.
Related step: Consumer and banking
Does logging in remove every withdrawal right?
No. Early performance of a remote service and its consequences require statutory conditions, including an express request. Keep consent screens and details of services delivered.
How do contract and payments compare?
Fictional example: 30% of €2,000 is €600, without authorising collection before the legal point.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
This worksheet separates personal funding, signing method and payments. It does not alone select the applicable period.
| Item to check | Value or document |
|---|---|
| Signature | 2026-10-01 |
| 30% of price, conditional initial ceiling | €600.00, after the relevant period expires |
| Already paid | €600, to reconcile with instalments |
For personal funding, compare contract, enrolment and first payment.
For remote or off-premises contracts, also check fourteen-day protection and early-start conditions.
Compare payments with the timeline and services actually delivered.
This ceiling does not authorise early collection. Labour-law ten days do not reduce consumer-law fourteen days where applicable.
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What does the governing text say about individual contract?
Dans le délai de dix jours à compter de la signature du contrat, le stagiaire peut se rétracter par lettre recommandée avec avis de réception.
In plain English: The regime concerns an individual training personally and at their own expense. Employer, CPF or third-party funding requires another analysis. The contract precedes final enrolment and payment.
What changes if force majeure prevents training?
If duly recognised, only services actually delivered are payable proportionately to their contractual value. Personal convenience or dissatisfaction is not automatically enough; otherwise examine termination clauses.
What else should you know about individual contract?
Is an employee training-repayment clause the same contract?
No; it concerns a different employment and funding relationship.
Is the thirty percent always forfeited?
No. A payment ceiling is not a forfeiture clause.
Is a full refund automatic after dropping out?
No. Grounds, contract and delivered services need examination.
What proves withdrawal?
Signed contract, information received and dated proof of sending.
Code du travail, article L6353-5Rétractation du stagiaire, article L6353-5Code de la consommation, article L221-18
Which sources explain individual contract?
- Code du travail, article L6353-3Légifrance
- Code du travail, article L6353-5Légifrance
- Code du travail, article L6353-6Légifrance
- Code du travail, article L6353-7Légifrance
- Code de la consommation, article L221-18Légifrance
- Code de la consommation, article L221-25Légifrance
- Rétractation du stagiaire, article L6353-5Ministère du Travail, Code du travail numérique
Texts cited last checked: 20 October 2026