Terms and Conditions

Welcome to TABcounsel (www.tabcounsel.com “Website” or “Platform”). TABcounsel provides a number of services through its Website (collectively the "Services") and the use of the Services (including any of the content or any services offered) is subject to these terms and conditions (hereinafter “Terms and Conditions” or “Terms”).

TABONE VENTURES PARTNERS FZCO is a company incorporated and registered in United Arab Emirates under License #87395, with its registered office at Building A1, Dubai Digital Park, Dubai Silicon Oasis hereinafter “TABcounsel”.

By accessing TABcounsel or the Website or using the Services, you expressly (without any limitation or qualification) agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Please do not use this Website if you do not agree to these Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@tabcounsel.com.

The term “you” “your” (or a similar reference) and “User” refers to the user of the Services and the term “us” “our” “we” refers to TABcounsel.

These Terms and Conditions shall govern and be applicable to and your use of it. It is important to note that these Terms and Conditions shall be deemed to apply to anyone viewing this Website or app and not only those that are using, browsing or registered Users on www.tabcounsel.com.

Your continued use of or access to our Website or the Services implies your consent to the use of your Personal Information and data by TABcounsel.

In these Terms, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context otherwise requires:

• "Counsellor" means a verified professional who has been approved by TABcounsel to deliver counselling services through the Platform;
• "Guardian" means a parent or legal guardian representing a Minor Student on the Platform;
• "Minor Student" or "Minor" means a Student who is under the age of eighteen (18);
• "Platform" means the TABcounsel website, application, and all associated tools, features, and services accessible at www.tabcounsel.com;
• "Services" means the counselling services delivered by Counsellors through the Platform, including but not limited to university research, application strategy, essay review, interview preparation, and related guidance;
• "Student" means any individual who registers on the Platform to receive educational counselling services, whether directly or through a linked Guardian;
• "User" means any person who accesses or uses the Platform, including Students, Guardians, and Counsellors;
• "Workspace" means the shared digital environment within the Platform that holds session activity, messages, documents, and related materials pertaining to a Student’s engagement with a Counsellor.

References to "we", "us", or "our" are to TABcounsel. References to "you" or "your" are to the User, as applicable. Words in the singular include the plural and vice versa. A reference to a statute or statutory provision includes any subordinate legislation and any amendment, extension, or re-enactment from time to time.

By registering for an account on the Platform, or by otherwise accessing or using the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, and that you have the legal capacity and authority to enter into this agreement.

If you are registering on behalf of a Minor Student as a Guardian, you confirm that you have parental responsibility or legal guardianship for that Minor and that you accept these Terms on the Minor’s behalf.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Platform.

We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time. Updated versions will be posted on the Platform, and we will notify you directly of material changes by email or by informing you when you access the Platform. Continued use of the Platform following any changes constitutes acceptance of the amended Terms. If you do not agree to the amended Terms, you must stop using the Platform and may request deletion of your account.

You may view, download, and print pages from the website for your own personal, non-commercial reference. This is a limited licence, not a transfer of ownership. It does not permit you to use any content from the website to generate revenue, whether directly or indirectly, or to incorporate any part of it into another product, service, or publication. Any use beyond personal reference, including reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication, requires our prior written consent.

You may not scrape, harvest, crawl, or use any automated system to extract content or data from the website or the Platform, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes. You may not use any content, data, or materials from the website or the Platform, in whole or in part, to train, develop, or improve any artificial intelligence model, machine-learning system, or similar technology. We reserve the right to take all available legal and technical measures to enforce this restriction.

The information published on the website, including guidance materials, articles, and general resources, is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute professional advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice from a qualified professional. We make reasonable efforts to keep the content on the website current and accurate, but we do not warrant that it is complete, error-free, or up to date at all times.

Your use of any information or guidance published on the website is at your own risk. Our liability in connection with the Platform and the Services is set out in our Privacy Policy, which applies equally to your use of the website.

We aim to keep the Website and the Platform available at all times, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access. The Platform may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, updates, or circumstances outside our control. We are not liable for any inability to access the website or the Platform during such periods.

The website and the Platform may contain links to websites, resources, or services operated by third parties. These links are provided for convenience and do not imply endorsement. We do not control, and accept no responsibility for, the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or availability of any third-party website. Your use of any linked website is subject to that website’s own terms and policies.

Nature of the Platform

TABcounsel operates as an intermediary marketplace connecting Students (and their Guardians) with independent Counsellors. TABcounsel is not itself an educational institution, a university, a school, or a provider of educational counselling. The counselling services are provided by the Counsellors, not by TABcounsel.

TABcounsel’s role is limited to providing the technology platform through which Users can discover, select, engage, and communicate with Counsellors; facilitating the scheduling and conduct of counselling sessions; processing payments between Users and Counsellors; and providing the associated administrative and safeguarding infrastructure.

No Guarantee of Outcomes

TABcounsel is purely a facilitative and advisory platform. We do not and cannot guarantee admission to any university, college, or educational programme, nor do we guarantee the quality, accuracy, or completeness of any advice provided by a Counsellor. Counsellors provide guidance based on their professional expertise and experience, but final admission decisions rest entirely with the relevant educational institutions.

TABcounsel shall not be liable for any Student’s unsuccessful application, nor for any action taken or not taken by a Student or Guardian based on advice received through the Platform. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Selection of Counsellors

Students and Guardians may select different Counsellors for different aspects of their educational journey. A Student is not required to work with a single Counsellor and may engage multiple Counsellors for different services (for example, one Counsellor for country-specific research and another for essay writing assistance). The Platform enables this multi-Counsellor engagement model.

Eligibility

To register as a Student, you must be aged eighteen (18) or over, you must have the legal capacity to enter into this binding Agreement. Minor Students may only use the Platform when linked to a Guardian account, and the guardian must approve the Minor’s registration.

To register as a Counsellor, you must be a verified professional who meets TABcounsel’s onboarding and credential verification requirements.

Account Responsibilities and Registration

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify TABcounsel immediately if you become aware of any unauthorised use of your account. TABcounsel shall not be liable for any loss arising from unauthorised access to your account where such access results from your failure to safeguard your credentials.

In order to access our Services and certain restricted parts of the Website you are required to register by providing:

• Valid Email;
• Mobile number;
• Other identification details as prescribed on the platform.

You must provide accurate, complete, and current information during registration and keep your account information up to date. Providing false, misleading, or fraudulent information may result in immediate suspension or termination of your account.

At the time of registration on the Platform, you will be able to generate a password and an account upon completing the registration process. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the password and account and are fully responsible for all activities that occur under your password or account.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account access information and passwords. You shall be responsible for all uses of your Website and app registrations and passwords, whether or not authorized by you. The login information created for the purpose of accessing TABcounsel is to be used solely by the person who has registered with the Platform. TABcounsel reserves the right to store the access information including the IP address of the computer/device from where the Platform was accessed. You are not authorized to share your password or other account access information with any other party, temporarily or permanently, and breach of this obligation may tantamount to disabling the TABcounsel account at the sole discretion of TABcounsel and terminating the contract with You. You agree to:

• immediately notify TABcounsel of any unauthorized use of your password or account or any other breach of security;
• ensure that you log out from your account at the end of each session; and
• ensure that you access the Platform from an authorized source and connection.

TABcounsel cannot and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with this section.

Guardian Accounts and Minor Linkage

Where a Student is a Minor, the Minor’s account must be linked to a Guardian account. The Guardian is responsible for approving bookings, is the payer for the services, and receives notifications regarding the Minor’s session activity. Guardians can view the Minor’s Workspace, sessions, and progress, but may not access private Counsellor session notes.

Independent Contractor Status

Counsellors are independent contractors and not employees, agents, or representatives of TABcounsel. Nothing in these Terms shall create or be deemed to create a partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship between TABcounsel and any Counsellor.

Counsellor Obligations

Counsellors shall provide services with reasonable skill, care and diligence in accordance with generally accepted professional standards in the field of educational counselling. Counsellors shall maintain all professional credentials and qualifications disclosed to TABcounsel and shall notify TABcounsel promptly of any change in their professional standing.

Counsellors shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which they operate, including but not limited to laws relating to data protection, safeguarding, and professional conduct.

Platform Exclusivity of Communication

All communication between Counsellors and Students (or their Guardians) must take place through the Platform. Counsellors shall not solicit or conduct business with Students or Guardians outside the Platform, whether during or after the term of their engagement. Any breach of this provision may result in immediate suspension or removal from the Platform.

Counsellor Content and Materials

Any materials, guides, templates, or other content created by a Counsellor specifically for delivery through the Platform shall remain the intellectual property of the Counsellor, subject to a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence granted to TABcounsel to use, display, reproduce, and distribute such materials through the Platform for the purpose of delivering the Services. This licence survives termination of the Counsellor’s engagement to the extent necessary to continue serving Students who received the materials during the engagement.

Pricing and Payment

Fees for Services are displayed on the Platform at the time of booking. All fees are quoted in USD and are inclusive of applicable taxes unless otherwise stated. Payment is processed through our third-party payment provider as available on the Platform. TABcounsel does not store credit or debit card information on the Platform. By making a payment, you agree to the third-party payment provider’s terms of service.

Cancellation by Students and/or Guardians

Students and/or Guardians may cancel a booked session subject to the following:

• Cancellations made more than 24 hours before the scheduled session: full refund.
• Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the scheduled session or no-shows: no refund.

Cancellation by Counsellors

If a Counsellor cancels a booked session, the Student or Guardian will receive a full refund or the option to rebook with the same or a different Counsellor. Repeated cancellations by a Counsellor may result in suspension or removal from the Platform.

Refund Processing

Approved refunds will be processed within seven (07) to fourteen (14) business days of approval and returned to the original payment method used.

You must not use the Platform to:

• Provide false, misleading, or fraudulent information, including forged academic credentials, transcripts, or personal statements.
• Submit or facilitate the submission of any application material that misrepresents a Student’s identity, qualifications, or work.
• Engage in or facilitate academic dishonesty, including but not limited to submitting Counsellor-prepared work as a Student’s own without appropriate disclosure.
• Send or post unsolicited commercial communications (spam) or promotional material.
• Upload viruses, malicious code, or any material that could impair the functionality of the Platform.
• Post content that is hateful, threatening, defamatory, discriminatory, obscene, or otherwise unlawful.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Platform, other Users’ accounts, or any systems or networks connected to the Platform.
• Scrape, harvest, or extract data from the Platform by automated means.
• Use the Platform for any purpose that violates any applicable law or regulation.
• Contact or solicit Counsellors, Students, or Guardians outside the Platform for the purpose of circumventing the Platform’s payment or engagement systems.

Counselling on TABcounsel takes place inside a Workspace shared between the Student, their linked Guardian (where the Student is a Minor), and the Counsellor. The Workspace holds session activity, messages, documents, and related materials.

Counselling sessions are recorded automatically. Participants are shown the following notice at the commencement of each session:

“This session is automatically recorded for safety and compliance purposes”.

Recording cannot be switched off by either participant. It is a safeguarding measure, which is particularly important because many Students are Minors. Recordings and related session materials are held securely and are accessible only to those entitled to them. Recordings are retained for a limited period and then deleted automatically. A written summary of the session is retained after the recording is deleted.

Students can raise an in-session SOS alert to Platform administrators for urgent safety concerns. The Counsellor is not shown the alert. For Minor Students, the linked Guardian is notified.

Counsellor session notes are private to the Counsellor and the Student. A linked Guardian can see the Workspace but cannot read private session notes.

All content on the Platform, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, software, and the design and arrangement thereof (collectively, "Platform Content"), is owned by or licensed to TABcounsel and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

The limited personal-use licence and restrictions on data collection and AI training section and apply to all Platform Content. Beyond those limited permissions, you may not otherwise reproduce, republish, distribute, sell, license, or exploit any Platform Content without our prior written consent.

Documents, essays, and other materials uploaded by Students remain the intellectual property of the Student. By uploading such materials to the Platform, the Student grants TABcounsel a limited, non-exclusive licence to store, display, and process the materials solely for the purpose of delivering the Services.

You acknowledge that all Intellectual Property Rights on the Platform anywhere in the world belong to TABcounsel or its licensors, that rights on the Website are licensed (not sold) to you, and that you have no rights in, or to, the website, other than the right to use it in accordance with these Terms. You acknowledge that you have no right to have access to the website or app in source-code form.

Unless otherwise indicated or anything contained to the contrary or any proprietary material owned by a third party and so expressly mentioned, TABcounsel owns all Intellectual Property Rights to and into the Platform, including, without limitation, any and all rights, title and interest in and to copyright, related rights, patents, utility models, trademarks, trade names, service marks, designs, know-how, trade secrets and inventions (whether patentable or not), goodwill, source code, meta tags, databases, text, content, graphics, icons, and hyperlinks. You acknowledge and agree that you shall not use, reproduce or distribute any content from the Platform belonging to TABcounsel.

All intellectual property rights, whether registered or unregistered, on the Website and app, information content on the Website and app and all the website and app designs, including, but not limited to text, graphics, software, photos, video, music, sound, and their selection and arrangement, and all software compilations, underlying source code and software shall remain our property. The entire contents of the Website and app also are protected by copyright as a collective work under the relevant copyright laws and international conventions. All rights are reserved.

TABcounsel provides the Platform and the website on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, TABcounsel makes no warranties, representations, or guarantees, whether express or implied, regarding the Platform, the website, or the Services, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This disclaimer extends to the informational content and guidance materials published on the website.

TABcounsel shall not be liable for the professional advice, opinions, or conduct of any Counsellor. The relationship between the Student or Guardian and the Counsellor is a direct professional engagement facilitated by the Platform.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, TABcounsel’s total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the Platform, the website, or the Services, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or otherwise, shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to TABcounsel during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

Users should access the Platform at their own risk, exercising their own good judgment before engaging in any transactions. Sending or receiving information through this website, including materials contained within it or emailing our team, does not amount to financial, legal advice in any way shape or form. Users should familiarize themselves with the laws of their country or those relevant to them concerning any matters described on our Services. If a user decides to access the Website, it is assumed that they do so at their discretion and are responsible for complying with any applicable local, national, or international laws.

• We do not guarantee, represent or warrant that your use of our Platform will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free.
• We do not warrant that the results that may be obtained from the use of the Platform will be accurate or reliable.
• You agree that from time to time we may remove the service for indefinite periods of time or cancel the service at any time, without notice to you.
• We will not be liable for any losses you sustain as a result of updating or modifying our website.
• We do not warrant, represent or undertake as to the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you will meet your expectations, or that any errors in the Service will be corrected.

TABcounsel shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, including without limitation loss of profits, goodwill, data, educational opportunities, or other intangible losses, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Platform, the website, or the Services.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by the use of our Platform; (b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or (c) any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under the applicable laws.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless TABcounsel, its directors, officers, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with: (a) your use of the Platform or the Services; (b) your breach of these Terms; (c) your violation of any applicable law or the rights of any third party; or (d) any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Platform.

Termination by You

You may close your account at any time by contacting info@tabcounsel.com. Upon closure, your right to access the Platform ceases. Certain information may be retained after closure in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

A Guardian with a linked Minor Student cannot have their account fully deleted until the Minor is reassigned to another Guardian or unlinked. This is to protect the Minor’s continued access to counselling.

Suspension or Termination by TABcounsel

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Platform immediately, without prior notice, if: (a) you breach these Terms; (b) we reasonably believe you have acted in a manner that is harmful to other Users, Counsellors, or the Platform; (c) you supply false or misleading information; (d) you are abusive or offensive to any member of our staff, any Counsellor, or any other User; or (e) we are required to do so by law.

We may also suspend or terminate the Platform itself, in whole or in part, giving as much notice as is reasonably practicable. If this occurs, all User accounts will be suspended or terminated accordingly.

Effects of Termination

Upon termination: (a) all licences granted to you under these Terms immediately terminate; (b) you must cease all use of the Platform; (c) any outstanding fees owed by you remain payable; and (d) provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination, including but not limited to intellectual property, limitation of liability, indemnification, and governing law, shall continue in effect.

TABcounsel shall have no liability to you if it is prevented from or delayed in performing its obligations under these Terms by acts, events, omissions, or accidents beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to failure of a utility service or telecommunications network, act of God, war, riot, civil commotion, malicious damage, compliance with any law or governmental order, accident, fire, flood, storm, pandemic, epidemic, or default of suppliers or subcontractors.

If any provision, or part of a provision, of these Terms is found by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unenforceable, or illegal, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. If any invalid, unenforceable, or illegal provision would be valid, enforceable, or legal if some part of it were deleted, the provision shall apply with the minimum modification necessary to make it legal, valid, and enforceable.

These Terms (including the Privacy Policy) constitute the entire agreement between you and TABcounsel regarding your use of the Platform and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, and communications, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter hereof.

No failure or delay by TABcounsel in exercising any right or remedy under these Terms shall constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy.

You may not assign, transfer, or subcontract any of your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. TABcounsel may assign, transfer, or subcontract its rights and obligations under these Terms without your consent.

We aim to resolve complaints fairly and promptly. To make a complaint, please contact info@tabcounsel.com with "Complaint" in the subject line. We will acknowledge your complaint within five (05) working days and provide a full response within thirty (30) working days.

TABcounsel is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all Users, particularly Minor Students. We maintain a safeguarding policy that governs the conduct of Counsellors, the operation of session recording, the SOS alert mechanism, and the handling of safeguarding concerns.

Counsellors are required to comply with TABcounsel’s safeguarding policy and to report any safeguarding concerns to TABcounsel immediately. TABcounsel will cooperate with relevant authorities where required by law or where there is a risk of harm to a Minor.

These Terms and any non-contractual obligations arising out of its connection with them, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates is the jurisdiction in which TABcounsel is incorporated, from which it operates, and in which its principal user base is located.

The choice of UAE law as the governing law of these Terms does not affect the application of mandatory data protection legislation in other jurisdictions. The processing of personal data through the Platform is subject to the regulatory frameworks described in the Privacy Policy.

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or in connection with these Terms, including any question regarding their existence, validity, or termination, shall be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Dubai.

You can review the most current version of the Terms and Conditions at any time at this page.

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to update, change or replace any part of these Terms and Conditions by posting updates and changes to our Website and app. It is your responsibility to check our Services periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to our website or the Services following the posting of any changes to these Terms and Conditions constitutes acceptance of those changes.

If you have any additional questions or concerns related to this statement and/or our practices, please email us at info@tabcounsel.com.