Hi,
I'm planning 3rd relocation to UK next March 2011.
so I should withdraw my daughter from her International school.

This withdrawal is due to Switzerland immigration policy that is beyond my control.

However, based on article 1.7 of Financial Regulation 2010/2011 of her school, I should pay the full annual fee. If I made withdrawal after 1st January 2011.

Based on common sense, this is totally unfair condition.
Most of organization (Health and car Insurance companies and etc ) in Switzerland are willing to give a prorated refund based on the departure date but why my daughter's school ask to pay non provided future service?

Should I follow this wierd rule? ( i.e. pay unreasonable 6000+ )

For your reference, semaster is begins AUG 2010 and ends June 2011.

Any comments will be appreciated.

I assume that when you signed your daughter up you were aware of the terms & conditions, and that by sending your daughter to the school you accepted them. Whether they are asinine or not is pretty irrelevant.

But, look at it from the school's point of view. Your daughter is taking up a place that they could have given to another child. As your child will leave in the middle of the term they will no longer have the possibility to do that. From the school's perspective the rule makes perfect sense and is not as weird as you may think.

And you cannot compare it with an insurance policy or health insurance for the same reason. The fact that they gave you a policy has not precluded them from signing someone else up.

Understand your point,
However I got refund from School in Singapore with the same reason.

anyway.. I haven't read that article but I signed it.
it is all my fault.

The only thing that Switzerland and Singapore have in common is the fact that they both begin with "S".....

And, as you point out, you signed it....

The general advice from me would be to give the school as much notice as possible, and hope that they are able to find another child to take your child's place...if they do that, then they should not 'reasonably' charge you fees as well...

And yes, you signed the contract, but you may be lucky and find that they make an exception since your visa has not been renewed (I am assuming that is the situation)...

Is it 'notice' that has to be given by 1 January, or actually withdrawing your child's enrolment ? You might be able to give notice (in writing) by the end of the month (with a registered letter via the post office dated tomorrow).... and that would meet the 'notice' before 1 January.

I can understand a school's position - if you withdraw your child just a couple of months before the end of the school year, they are very unlikely to be able to fill the place until the new school year begins...but the staff all still need to be paid!