Cancellation & Refund Policy

1. Overview & Scope

This Cancellation and Refund Policy governs all financial transactions, application registrations, and services offered through The Future Council ("TFC", "we", "our", or "us") via our website (thefuturecouncil.in) and affiliated digital platforms.

Our mission is to build India's largest merit-first student founder ecosystem. We believe in total financial transparency with our applicants, student builders, mentors, and collegiate chapters.

2. General Community & Campus Branch Membership

Joining The Future Council as a general member, joining collegiate campus chapters (e.g., DTU, IIT Delhi, NSUT, SRCC, Hindu, IIIT-D, etc.), and accessing our open builder community vaults is 100% Free.

• No joining fee, recurring subscription, or annual dues are charged for general council membership.
• Since no payments are collected for community membership, no refund obligations apply.

3. Fellowship '26 Program Tuition Fee

The Future Council Fellowship '26 is an elite, intensive 4-month founder incubator for student entrepreneurs.

Selected founders are admitted entirely on merit. Because no tuition fee is levied upon admission, there are no program tuition fees to refund.

4. Fellowship '26 Application Registration Fee

To apply for Fellowship '26, candidates submit an extensive startup application and pay a one-time Application Registration Fee of ₹1,999 (Rupees One Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Only) via secure UPI or payment gateway.

Why is the Application Fee Charged?

• Intent & Anti-Spam Filtering: Filters out spam submissions and ensures only dedicated student builders apply.
• Admissions Committee Review: Directly funds the multi-tier review process where venture partners, engineers, and admissions directors review every deck, prototype demo, and Github repository.
• 1-on-1 Founder Screening: Covers operational scheduling and panel evaluations for shortlisted candidates.

Non-Refundable Policy

Once an application is submitted and payment is completed, the ₹1,999 Application Fee is strictly non-refundable under any circumstances, including but not limited to:

• Non-selection or rejection of your startup pitch/application by the admissions jury.
• Placement on the cohort waitlist.
• Inability to attend the screening interview or scheduled founder calls.
• Personal, academic, or professional scheduling conflicts preventing cohort participation.
• Voluntary change of mind or withdrawal after submitting the application.

5. Guaranteed Candidate Value Policy

We believe your application fee should never be a dead expense. Even if you are not chosen among the final 20 founders for Fellowship '26, your ₹1,999 pass unlocks perpetual value:

6. Technical Discrepancies & Duplicate Payment Refunds

We provide a 100% Money-Back Guarantee for technical payment anomalies and transaction errors:

In any of the above situations, the full excess or failed debit amount will be refunded directly to your original payment source without deductions.

7. Cancellation & Application Withdrawal

• Voluntary Application Withdrawal: An applicant may withdraw their submitted project from evaluation at any time by emailing support@thefuturecouncil.in with the subject "Withdrawal Request - [Application ID]".
• Effect of Withdrawal: Upon withdrawal, the review board will cease evaluating the application and delete submitted proprietary project decks from the active jury queue. However, no refund of the application fee will be issued once the application review pipeline has been engaged.
• Council Membership Cancellation: Any general member may discontinue their council account, unsubscribe from mailing lists, or leave campus squads at any time without fees or penalties.

8. Refund Processing Timelines & Modes

All eligible technical refunds are processed in strict compliance with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) guidelines:

• Refund Mode: Refunds are credited strictly back to the original payment method (originating UPI ID, debit card, or net banking account). For security and anti-fraud reasons, cash refunds or transfers to third-party accounts are strictly prohibited.
• Review SLA: Our finance team reviews and validates payment discrepancy claims within 24 to 48 business hours of receiving the transaction proof.
• Bank Settlement Timeline: Once initiated by TFC, the funds typically reflect in your bank account within 5 to 7 business days, depending on your bank's clearing cycle.

9. Contact & Payment Support Desk

If you encountered a payment issue, duplicate debit, or require clarification regarding this policy, please reach out to our support team with your transaction details: