Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

1.1 These Terms of Service (“Terms”) constitute a legally binding agreement between you (“User”, “Student”, or “you”) and StudySauce (Pty) Ltd (“StudySauce”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) governing your access to and use of the StudySauce platform, website, and all associated services (collectively, the “Service”).

1.2 If you are under 18 years of age, you confirm that your parent or legal guardian has read, understood, and agreed to these Terms on your behalf.

1.3 By registering an account, clicking “I Agree”, or by continuing to use the Service, you unconditionally accept these Terms in their entirety.

1.4 We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

2. Nature of the Service — Educational Tool Only

2.1 StudySauce is an AI-powered supplementary educational tool designed to assist students in understanding curriculum content aligned with the South African CAPS (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement) framework.

2.2 IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: StudySauce is a SUPPLEMENTARY study aid only. It is NOT a replacement for:

• Formal classroom instruction by qualified teachers;
• Prescribed textbooks and official study materials;
• School-based assessments and teacher guidance;
• The official Department of Basic Education curriculum materials;
• Private tutoring or other educational support.

2.3 Students are strongly advised and expected to:

• Continue attending school and engaging with their teachers;
• Use prescribed textbooks as their primary reference;
• Verify all information provided by StudySauce against official curriculum materials;
• Consult their teachers for any content that requires clarification or confirmation.

2.4 StudySauce does not guarantee that the content provided on the platform is error-free, complete, or current. The AI-generated content is provided for guidance and practice purposes only.

3. Disclaimer of Liability for Academic Performance

3.1 NO GUARANTEE OF RESULTS: StudySauce makes absolutely no representations, warranties, or guarantees regarding:

• Improvement in a student's academic grades or marks;
• Performance in any examination, test, or assessment, including NSC examinations;
• University admission outcomes;
• Achievement of any specific educational milestone.

3.2 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: To the maximum extent permitted by applicable South African law, StudySauce, its directors, employees, agents, partners, and service providers shall NOT be liable for any:

• Failure by a student to pass any examination or assessment;
• Poor academic performance, regardless of the extent of platform usage;
• Incorrect or incomplete information provided by the AI system;
• Decisions made by the student, parent, or guardian in reliance on platform content;
• Direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from use of the Service;
• Loss of opportunity, including but not limited to bursaries, scholarships, or university placement.

3.3 AI CONTENT DISCLAIMER: The content generated by StudySauce is produced by artificial intelligence technology. While we strive for accuracy and CAPS-alignment, AI systems can and do make errors. Users acknowledge that:

• AI-generated explanations may contain errors;
• Mathematical calculations should be verified independently;
• All content should be cross-referenced with official textbooks and teacher guidance;
• StudySauce shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on AI-generated content.

3.4 STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY: The student accepts full and sole responsibility for:

• Their own learning and academic performance;
• Using the platform as a tool, not a crutch;
• Verifying information against authoritative sources;
• Maintaining their own study habits, attendance, and engagement with their school curriculum.

4. Subscription and Payment Terms

4.1 StudySauce offers both free and paid subscription tiers. Paid subscriptions are billed in South African Rand (ZAR) through our payment processor, Paystack.

4.2 FREE PLAN: The free tier provides limited access to the Service. Features are restricted as described on our pricing page.

4.3 PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS:

• Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually as selected at signup;
• Payments are processed securely via Paystack;
• Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled before the renewal date;
• Price changes will be communicated with 30 days notice.

4.4 FREE TRIAL: Where a free trial is offered, it applies to the Full Access Monthly plan only. If not cancelled within the trial period, the subscription will automatically convert to a paid subscription.

4.5 REFUND POLICY: Due to the digital nature of the Service, we do not offer refunds for subscription fees already paid, except where required by applicable South African consumer protection law.

4.6 CANCELLATION: You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.

5. User Accounts and Eligibility

5.1 You must be at least 13 years of age to create an account. Users under 18 require parental or guardian consent.

5.2 You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account.

5.3 You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration, including your grade, school, and language preference.

5.4 We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, provide false information, or engage in abusive behaviour.

6. Acceptable Use Policy

6.1 You agree NOT to use StudySauce to:

• Engage in academic dishonesty, including submitting AI-generated content as your own original work in school assessments;
• Attempt to bypass, hack, or circumvent any platform security or access controls;
• Harass, abuse, or harm other users;
• Upload or transmit harmful, offensive, or illegal content;
• Use the platform for any commercial purpose without written consent;
• Attempt to extract, scrape, or copy platform content or AI models.

6.2 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: StudySauce is designed to help students understand concepts, not to do their work for them. Using AI-generated content to complete school assessments, assignments, or examinations may constitute academic misconduct under your school's policies. StudySauce accepts no responsibility for any disciplinary action arising from such misuse.

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 All content, design, software, and technology on StudySauce is the intellectual property of StudySauce (Pty) Ltd or its licensors.

7.2 Past examination papers referenced or linked on the platform remain the property of the Department of Basic Education or the relevant examining body.

7.3 You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the Service for personal, non-commercial educational purposes only.

8. Data and Privacy

8.1 Your use of StudySauce is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms.

8.2 We collect and process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

8.3 Aggregated, anonymised school performance data may be shared with schools and education partners for educational improvement purposes. This data will never identify individual students.

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

9.1 These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

9.2 Any dispute arising from these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.

9.3 We encourage users to contact us at support@study-sauce.com to resolve any dispute before resorting to formal legal proceedings.

10. Contact Information

StudySauce (Pty) Ltd
Email: support@study-sauce.com
Website: www.study-sauce.com