What Is Meritshot's Refund Policy? The 7-Day Window, Explained in Full
By Shivam Sikka,
Loan Sanction Officer at Meritshot
Last updated: September 2026
Applies to: all Meritshot programmes
Reading time: ~24 minutes
What's in this article
- What is Meritshot's refund policy?
- Does paying by EMI change my refund entitlement?
- When does no refund apply at all?
- Why is the refund window short?
- What else does the policy cover?
- How do I use the window properly?
- What if I disagree with a refund decision?
- What do these terms mean?
- Frequently asked questions
- The bottom line
What is Meritshot's refund policy?
Meritshot's refund policy gives you one cancellation window: seven calendar days at most, and only until you use any part of the programme or it otherwise commences. Here it is in full.
| What the policy requires | Detail |
|---|---|
| When you must ask | Within 7 calendar days of full payment of the fee or the scheduled programme start date, whichever is earlier |
| How you must ask | In writing, to Meritshot's designated email address, with the proof of identity and enrolment Meritshot may reasonably require |
| No platform access | You have not accessed any part of the LMS: recorded sessions, downloadable material, assignments, quizzes, templates or any other programme resource |
| No sessions attended | You have not attended any live class, induction, demo, orientation or onboarding session for the programme |
| What is deducted | The non-refundable registration (seat booking) amount, plus a cancellation charge of ₹25,000 |
| When and where you are paid | Within 15–30 business days of approval, to the original mode and source of payment |
Every one of these conditions has to be met at the same time. If any one of them is not, the request is not entertained, and the fee you paid is treated as used towards the resources and services already allocated to you.
Three things about this table are worth reading twice, because they are the points where candidates most often misunderstand their own position.
The clock starts at whichever comes first: full payment or the programme start date. If you complete payment in March for a programme starting in May, the window closes seven days after your March payment, not in May. If your programme starts before you have finished paying, the start date sets the clock.
The window can close before the seven days are up. The policy treats the programme as having commenced the moment any one of several events happens, including activation of your LMS access or allocation of a mentor. From that point you are ineligible for a refund of the programme fee, whether or not the seven days have run. The full list is in section 3.
One session is enough to end eligibility. Opening a single recording, downloading one file or attending one orientation makes a cancellation request ineligible. There is no option under this policy to try the programme first and cancel afterwards.
We would rather you knew all three of those before you paid than discovered them afterwards. A refund policy is only fair if it is legible in advance, and this is a policy that rewards deciding before you pay.
What does the ₹25,000 cancellation charge cover?
The policy itemises it:
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Counselling by academic counsellors | ₹8,000 |
| LMS account creation and academic onboarding | ₹8,000 |
| Mentor support and allocation | ₹5,000 |
| Demonstration session or induction | ₹4,000 |
| Total cancellation charge | ₹25,000 |
The policy describes this charge as reimbursement of genuine pre-estimated costs already incurred towards you specifically, not as a penalty for cancelling. It is deducted in addition to the registration amount, which is separately identified in the fee break-up you receive at enrolment.
So an eligible refund works out as: the fee you paid, less the registration amount shown in your fee break-up, less the ₹25,000 cancellation charge.
How is a refund paid?
Every refund request is first verified against the eligibility conditions above. Once approved, the refund is ordinarily processed within 15 to 30 business days, subject to the processing timelines of your bank or the payment gateway. It is credited only to the original mode and source of payment, or to another mode Meritshot reasonably determines where the original one is unavailable.
Does paying by EMI change my refund entitlement?
No. The Refund & Cancellation Policy sets no separate rule for learners paying by EMI. The window, the conditions and the deductions above are the same however you paid.
What is different for EMI learners is the loan, not the refund.
Meritshot's Student Policies state that learners who pay through EMI with a third-party NBFC or lender are bound by that lender's terms and conditions, and that Meritshot bears no liability for disputes arising from third-party financing arrangements. Put simply: EMI through a partner NBFC is governed by the lender's own terms.
That has practical consequences you should understand before signing anything:
Cancelling your enrolment does not, by itself, cancel your loan. These are two separate agreements. Ending one does not end the other.
An approved refund goes back to the original source of payment. If a lender paid your fee, ask the lender, before you sign, how a refund made to that source is treated against your loan, and what cancellation, prepayment or foreclosure terms apply. Those terms belong to the lender, and Meritshot cannot vary them.
Check which date starts your window. The seven days run from full payment of the fee or the programme start date, whichever is earlier. If you are paying in instalments or through a lender, get that date confirmed in writing before you pay.
Read the loan terms as carefully as you read ours. Interest, tenure, prepayment charges and cancellation conditions are all set by the lender, and they determine what a withdrawal actually costs you.
When does no refund apply at all?
Outside the conditions in section 1, the policy provides no cancellation refund. These are the situations candidates most often discover too late, so they are listed here in full.
| Situation | Position |
|---|---|
| Written request sent after the 7-day window has closed | No refund |
| You have accessed any part of the LMS: recordings, material, assignments, quizzes, templates | Not eligible |
| You have attended any live class, induction, demo, orientation or onboarding session | Not eligible |
| The programme has commenced under any of the events listed below, even inside the seven days | Not eligible |
| The request is not in writing, or lacks the proof of identity and enrolment requested | Not entertained |
| Removal under the Code of Conduct | Not eligible for a refund |
| Termination after 30 or more consecutive days of absence without valid communication | Subject to the Refund & Cancellation Policy. By that stage the programme has commenced, so the cancellation window no longer applies |
| Not shortlisted, unsuccessful at interview, declined an interview, a lower salary than expected, or changed hiring conditions | No refund on any of these grounds |
| Rescheduled dates, or a change of faculty, timetable, batch composition or mode of delivery | Not a cancellation by Meritshot, and not a ground for refund |
| The registration amount | Non-refundable and non-transferable in all circumstances |
When does the programme count as started?
The policy treats the programme as having commenced on the earliest of any of these events:
- activation of LMS access
- conduct of orientation
- access to learning material
- commencement of live classes
- allocation of a mentor
- access to recorded sessions
- access to placement preparation resources
Once any one of them has happened, the policy treats the programme as utilised, and you are ineligible for a refund of the programme fee, regardless of whether the 7-day window has expired.
Notice that several of these are events on Meritshot's side rather than actions you take: LMS activation, orientation being held, mentor allocation and live classes starting. That means the working window can be shorter than seven days. Before you pay, ask your counsellor to confirm in writing when each of them is scheduled for your batch.
The absenteeism row
This is the one people walk into unintentionally.
Meritshot's Student Policies provide that a learner who is absent and unresponsive for seven consecutive days is notified, and that after 30 or more consecutive days without valid communication, enrolment may be terminated, subject to the Refund & Cancellation Policy. By then the programme has long since commenced, so the cancellation window is no longer available. Missing live classes also rules out the non-placement refund described in section 5, which requires attendance at all of them.
The practical implication is simple: going quiet is the most expensive thing you can do. If circumstances change, contacting your academic coordinator preserves options that silence removes. A batch transfer or short academic pause may be offered at Meritshot's discretion, and that conversation is worth having early rather than after attendance has already lapsed.
Why is the refund window short?
Because Meritshot commits resources to you from the moment you enrol, not gradually as the programme runs.
This is the reasoning behind the policy, and we would rather explain it than leave it unstated.
The policy sets out what enrolment triggers on our side: seat reservation, batch planning, verification of the learner, creation of an LMS account, academic onboarding and allocation of a mentor. Those resources are committed whether or not you go on to attend or use the programme. The registration amount represents the pre-estimated cost of that work, and the ₹25,000 cancellation charge represents the costs incurred towards you specifically: counselling, onboarding, mentor allocation and induction. Once you have logged in or attended a session, the policy treats the programme as utilised.
We are not going to argue the policy is generous. It is not. It is a narrow window with fixed deductions, and candidates who call it strict are describing it accurately.
What we can say is that the window is clearly defined, published before you pay, and the decision it asks of you is one you can make before any money changes hands. The policy is framed with regard to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 and the Central Consumer Protection Authority's guidelines on unfair trade practices in the education and coaching sector, and it states that nothing in it takes away any non-derogable right you have as a consumer.
The practical consequence: the decision point that matters most is before you pay. After payment, the window lasts seven days at most and closes the moment you start using the programme.
What else does the policy cover?
Five provisions that are easy to miss, and worth understanding before you enrol.
A refund if you complete the programme and receive no placement opportunity
This is the one refund route that exists after the programme has started, and its conditions are demanding.
You may seek a refund of the programme fee, excluding the registration amount and the ₹25,000 cancellation charge, if both of these are true:
- You completed the entire programme. That means you attended all live classes and submitted all the assignments, assessments, projects and capstone work required for successful completion.
- You were not offered any placement opportunity within six months of the date you completed it.
Declining, not appearing for, or not converting any placement opportunity, interview or offer extended to you during those six months ends your eligibility. The policy's reasoning is that placement assistance means making opportunities available, not guaranteeing an outcome.
No placement guarantee
Placement assistance is one component of the programme, and it is limited to interview opportunities, preparatory resources and industry connect. Meritshot does not guarantee placement, employment or any particular compensation. No refund arises because you are not shortlisted, are unsuccessful at an interview, decline an interview, do not receive the salary you expected, or because market or hiring conditions change.
Deferral in lieu of refund
Where you are not eligible for a monetary refund, Meritshot may, at its sole and absolute discretion, offer a batch transfer, a temporary deferral, an academic pause, or a credit towards another eligible programme instead. This is not an entitlement. Any such offer is made without creating an obligation, right or precedent. It is worth asking about, but not worth planning around.
If Meritshot cancels the programme
If Meritshot permanently discontinues a programme before it commences and cannot offer you an equivalent batch or a reasonably suitable alternative, the programme fee you paid is refunded, excluding statutory deductions, applicable taxes and the non-refundable registration amount.
A reasonable rescheduling of dates, or a change of faculty, timetable, batch composition or mode of delivery, does not by itself count as cancellation by Meritshot.
Fees, GST and instalments
Quoted fees include GST. Meritshot quotes fees inclusive of Goods and Services Tax. The figure you are given is the figure payable, with no tax added at the point of payment.
Your fee is locked once you enrol. Fee revisions apply to future batches only. They never apply retroactively to learners already enrolled, so a fee increase announced after you join does not reach you.
Fees may be paid as a lump sum or in instalments, as set out in your enrolment offer letter, by UPI, net banking, credit or debit card, or approved EMI or NBFC financing.
One provision worth planning around rather than discovering later: full settlement of programme fees is a condition of placement eligibility, and certificates require fee clearance. If you are on an instalment arrangement, understand how your schedule interacts with those two milestones before you enrol.
How do I use the window properly?
Under this policy, the decision that matters is made before you use anything. Opening the platform once or attending a single session ends refund eligibility, so every check has to happen early.
Before you pay
- Read the Refund & Cancellation Policy in full, not just this summary. Every term on this page comes from it, and it is the document that governs.
- Ask for your fee break-up and find the registration amount. It is non-refundable in all circumstances and is deducted from any refund alongside the ₹25,000 cancellation charge.
- Confirm your programme start date in writing, and the date your payment will count as complete. The window runs from whichever comes first.
- Ask when LMS access will be activated, when orientation will be held and when a mentor will be allocated. Any of these ends refund eligibility, even inside the seven days.
- Do your evaluating now. Confirm the programme covers the roles you actually want and that the schedule works against your real week, not your intended one. Put any unresolved questions to your counsellor in writing.
- If you are financing, read the loan agreement before signing it. Cancellation, prepayment and foreclosure terms are set by the lender and are not covered by Meritshot's refund policy.
Between paying and your first session
This is the only period in which a cancellation refund is possible, and it is short.
- Do not log in to the LMS, open recordings, download material or attempt quizzes until you are certain you are continuing.
- Do not attend an orientation, induction, demo or onboarding session until you are certain. Attending even one makes you ineligible.
- If you decide to cancel, send a written request to Meritshot's designated email address within the seven calendar days, with proof of identity and enrolment. Keep a copy and note the date you sent it.
- Expect verification first. Approved refunds are processed within 15–30 business days of approval, to your original payment method.
Once you have started
- The cancellation window no longer applies. Two routes remain: a batch transfer, deferral, pause or credit that Meritshot may offer at its discretion, and the non-placement refund, which applies only if you attend every live class, submit all required work and are then offered no placement opportunity at all within six months of completion.
- Stay in contact. Termination for prolonged absence is entirely avoidable through communication.
- Keep your fees settled. Placement eligibility and certification both depend on it.
What if I disagree with a refund decision?
Fee and refund disputes are covered by Meritshot's grievance process, and it carries published deadlines.
The route:
- Raise it informally first with your mentor, trainer or academic coordinator, within seven days of the issue arising.
- If that does not resolve it, submit a formal written complaint to the Grievance Officer at grievances@meritshot.com or through the LMS grievance portal, within 14 days of the event that triggered it.
- You receive an acknowledgement within three working days.
- The investigation is completed within 15 working days.
- You receive the outcome in writing.
Grievance proceedings are confidential, and retaliation against a learner for raising a genuine grievance in good faith is prohibited and is itself a Code of Conduct violation.
What the grievance process can address: whether the policy was applied correctly to your case, whether your window dates, the commencement events and the deductions were assessed properly, and whether you were given accurate information.
What it does not do is change the policy. The terms above are the terms you accept at enrolment. The policy makes Meritshot's determination of eligibility, of the refundable amount and of the documents required final, except that nothing in it overrides any non-derogable right you have as a consumer. Nothing in the grievance process prevents you from approaching the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
What do these terms mean?
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cancellation window | 7 calendar days from full payment of the fee or the scheduled programme start date, whichever is earlier. A cancellation request must be made in writing inside it. |
| Commencement of services | The earliest of: LMS access activated, orientation held, learning material accessed, live classes started, mentor allocated, recorded sessions accessed, or placement preparation resources accessed. After any of these, no cancellation refund is available, even inside the window. |
| Registration amount | The registration or seat booking amount collected at enrolment and shown separately in your fee break-up. Non-refundable and non-transferable in all circumstances. |
| Cancellation charge | ₹25,000 deducted from an eligible refund in addition to the registration amount: ₹8,000 counselling, ₹8,000 LMS account creation and onboarding, ₹5,000 mentor allocation, ₹4,000 demo or induction. |
| Non-placement refund | A refund of the programme fee, less the registration amount and the cancellation charge, open to a learner who completes the entire programme and is offered no placement opportunity within six months of completion. |
| Deferral in lieu of refund | A batch transfer, temporary deferral, academic pause or credit towards another programme that Meritshot may offer at its sole discretion. Not a right. |
| Administrative withdrawal | Termination of enrolment after 30 or more consecutive days of absence without valid communication, subject to the Refund & Cancellation Policy. |
| Third-party financing | An EMI or loan arrangement with an NBFC or other lender. Governed by the lender's terms, not by Meritshot's refund policy. |
Frequently asked questions
What is Meritshot's refund policy? You can request cancellation in writing within 7 calendar days of completing your fee payment or of the programme start date, whichever is earlier, provided you have not accessed the learning platform or attended any class, orientation or onboarding session. The registration amount is non-refundable and a cancellation charge of ₹25,000 applies. Approved refunds are processed within 15–30 business days to your original payment method. If you complete the entire programme and are not offered any placement opportunity within 6 months of completion, you may also seek a refund of the programme fee, excluding the registration amount and the cancellation charge. Full terms are in our Refund & Cancellation Policy.
Is the 7-day window measured from when I paid or when the programme starts? From whichever comes first: full payment of the fee or the scheduled start date. If you complete payment in March for a May start, the window closes seven days after your March payment. It also closes early if the programme commences in any of the ways the policy lists, such as activation of your LMS access.
Can I attend the first class and then decide? No. Attending any live class, induction, demo, orientation or onboarding session makes you ineligible for a refund, and so does accessing any part of the LMS. Make the decision before you log in or attend anything.
What is deducted from a refund? The non-refundable registration amount shown in your fee break-up, plus a cancellation charge of ₹25,000.
What does the ₹25,000 cancellation charge cover? ₹8,000 for counselling by academic counsellors, ₹8,000 for LMS account creation and academic onboarding, ₹5,000 for mentor support and allocation, and ₹4,000 for a demonstration session or induction. The policy describes it as reimbursement of costs already incurred, not a penalty.
Is the registration amount ever refunded? No. It is non-refundable and non-transferable in all circumstances, including where the rest of the programme fee is refunded.
How long does a refund take? Requests are verified first. Approved refunds are ordinarily processed within 15–30 business days of approval, subject to bank or payment gateway timelines, and credited to the original mode and source of payment.
Can I get a refund if I paid by EMI? The policy sets no separate rule for EMI, so the same window, conditions and deductions apply. EMI through a partner NBFC is governed by the lender's own terms, and cancelling your enrolment does not by itself cancel your loan.
Is there any refund once the programme has started? Not under the cancellation window. The one separate route is the non-placement refund, for learners who complete the entire programme and are offered no placement opportunity within six months. Beyond that, Meritshot may offer a batch transfer, deferral, academic pause or credit at its discretion.
How does the non-placement refund work? You must attend all live classes and submit all required assignments, assessments, projects and capstone work. If you are then offered no placement opportunity within six months of completion, you may seek a refund of the programme fee, excluding the registration amount and the ₹25,000 cancellation charge. Declining, missing or not converting any opportunity, interview or offer in that period ends eligibility.
Does Meritshot guarantee placement? No. Placement assistance means interview opportunities, preparatory resources and industry connect. Meritshot does not guarantee placement, employment or any particular salary, and no refund arises because you were not shortlisted, did not clear an interview or did not receive the salary you expected.
What if I can no longer continue after I have started? Talk to your academic coordinator early. A batch transfer or short academic pause may be offered at Meritshot's discretion. It is not an entitlement, and any offer creates no obligation, right or precedent.
What happens if I stop attending without telling anyone? After seven consecutive days of unresponsive absence you are notified. After 30 or more consecutive days without valid communication, enrolment may be terminated, subject to the Refund & Cancellation Policy, and by then the cancellation window has long closed. Communicating early preserves options that silence removes.
What if Meritshot cancels my programme? If Meritshot permanently discontinues a programme before it commences and cannot offer an equivalent batch or a reasonably suitable alternative, the programme fee is refunded, excluding statutory deductions, applicable taxes and the registration amount. A reasonable change of dates, faculty, timetable, batch composition or mode of delivery does not count as cancellation.
Does the quoted fee include GST? Yes. Fees are quoted inclusive of Goods and Services Tax, so the figure quoted is the figure payable.
Can my fee increase after I enrol? No. Fee revisions apply to future batches only and never retroactively to learners already enrolled.
Can I pay in instalments rather than upfront? Yes. Fees may be paid as a lump sum or in instalments, as set out in your enrolment offer letter, by UPI, net banking, credit or debit card, or approved EMI or NBFC financing.
Does an unpaid balance affect anything besides my account? Yes, two things. Full settlement of programme fees is a condition of placement eligibility, and certificates require fee clearance. If you are on an instalment schedule, check how it lines up with both.
Why is the refund window only 7 days? Because Meritshot commits resources from the moment you enrol: seat reservation, batch planning, verification, LMS account creation, academic onboarding and mentor allocation. Those are committed whether or not you go on to use the programme, which is why the window is short and closes once you start.
Is the policy negotiable in exceptional circumstances? The policy makes Meritshot's determination of eligibility and of the refundable amount final, except that it does not override any non-derogable right you have as a consumer. Any batch transfer, deferral or pause is offered at Meritshot's discretion, not as a right. If you believe the policy has been applied incorrectly in your case, the grievance process is the route.
How do I dispute a refund decision? Raise it informally first with your mentor, trainer or academic coordinator within seven days. If unresolved, submit a written complaint to the Grievance Officer at grievances@meritshot.com or via the LMS grievance portal within 14 days. You receive an acknowledgement within three working days, the investigation is completed within 15 working days, and the outcome is given in writing. You may also approach the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Will disputing a refund affect my treatment as a learner? No. Grievance proceedings are confidential, and retaliation against a learner for raising a genuine grievance in good faith is itself a Code of Conduct violation.
What is the single most useful thing I can do to protect myself? Decide before you pay. If you have already paid, decide before you log in or attend anything. Every check you were planning to make in week one is a check that has to happen before the programme starts, because using the programme ends refund eligibility.
Where is the full policy? In Meritshot's Refund & Cancellation Policy. This article summarises it and adds nothing to it. Where the two differ, the policy governs.
The bottom line
Meritshot's refund window is narrow, and it closes earlier than most people expect.
What we can do is make it completely legible before you pay, because a narrow window that you understand is a very different thing from a narrow window you discover afterwards.
So, in one paragraph: you have seven calendar days from full payment or the programme start date, whichever comes first, to cancel in writing, and only until you access the platform, attend any session or the programme otherwise commences. An eligible refund returns what you paid, less the non-refundable registration amount and a ₹25,000 cancellation charge, within 15–30 business days of approval to your original payment method. After that, the refund routes are narrow: the non-placement refund for learners who complete everything and receive no placement opportunity within six months, and a refund if Meritshot itself discontinues the programme before it starts. A batch transfer or pause may be offered at Meritshot's discretion, but not as a right. Paying by EMI does not change any of this, but it does mean you have a separate loan agreement to deal with, on the lender's terms rather than ours.
Refund and cancellation terms are set out in full in Meritshot's Refund & Cancellation Policy, and the process for raising a fee or refund dispute is in the Grievance Redressal Policy.
