Policies & Family Guide
Welcome to Miami Fine Arts Academy
At Miami Fine Arts Academy, we want every family’s experience—from enrollment and weekly classes to performances and program changes—to feel clear and well organized. This guide brings together the policies and answers families ask about most, making it easier to find important information whenever you need it. With the practical details in one place, students and families can stay focused on learning, creating, and performing.
Miami Fine Arts Academy offers music, dance, and art programs with different schedules, formats, and performance opportunities. Many policies apply to all students, while certain details vary by program. When a program has additional requirements, we will explain them during enrollment or in a program-specific notice.
Please note: This page is a convenient overview of commonly requested information. It does not replace the Enrollment Agreement, Student Handbook, registration materials, or other written notices provided by the Academy. If this summary differs from an applicable signed agreement or written policy, the signed agreement or written policy will govern.
Enrollment and Scheduling
How long does enrollment continue?
Enrollment is ongoing and continues year-round until the Academy receives a properly completed official withdrawal form and the applicable withdrawal period has ended. Missing classes, telling an instructor or staff member that you plan to stop, sending an email or text, requesting the withdrawal form, or canceling automatic payment does not end enrollment.
What if we want to change programs?
Learning an art form takes time. The early stages of music, dance, or visual arts may involve repetition, practice, and foundational work before a student experiences the deeper satisfaction that comes with greater skill and confidence. Students—especially younger students—may sometimes say they no longer like a program when they are encountering the natural frustration or effort involved in learning something new.
Whenever possible, we encourage families to help students work through that stage and give their chosen discipline a meaningful opportunity. Our ongoing programs are designed for sustained exploration and growth rather than frequently moving from one activity to another. With patience and consistency, something that initially feels difficult can become highly rewarding.
If, after giving the program a fair opportunity, the family believes another discipline would be a better fit, our team will be happy to assist with the transition. A program transfer, however, does not automatically create a refund or credit for the unused portion of the original program. Families may also remain responsible for amounts tied to costs already committed for private lessons or third-party services, as may occur in certain music programs.
Tuition and Billing
When is monthly tuition charged?
Tuition is automatically charged on the first day of each month to the authorized credit card or checking account on file. Families are responsible for keeping their payment information current.
How is tuition determined when the number of classes varies?
The standard monthly tuition is based on four scheduled lessons or classes. When the calendar provides a different number of regularly scheduled meetings in a month, tuition is adjusted proportionally. For programs that meet more than once per week, each scheduled class day is considered separately. Planned Academy holidays and closures that do not appear as scheduled classes on the published calendar are not included in the tuition calculation.
Partial first or final months and other partial enrollment periods are calculated proportionally based on the regularly scheduled classes occurring while the student is enrolled. Current tuition rates are communicated by the Academy and may be updated with advance written notice.
Are tuition payments refundable or transferable?
Tuition and fees are generally nonrefundable and may not be transferred to another person or student. Tuition remains due for regularly scheduled classes through the student’s Withdrawal Effective Date, whether or not the student attends.
What is the annual registration fee?
A nonrefundable annual registration fee is due at initial enrollment and again on the student’s enrollment anniversary while enrollment remains active. This fee helps support the administrative services and technology that make the student experience run smoothly, including enrollment and account management, scheduling and billing systems, student records, family communications, and access to the Academy’s online tools. The current amount is set by the Academy and may change with at least one month’s notice.
HOW DO I UPDATE MY CREDIT CARD ON FILE?
You can update your credit card on file by filling out this form.
What happens if a payment is returned or declined?
A $35 returned-payment/NSF fee applies when an ACH or other bank-account payment is returned or rejected. A $15 declined-card fee applies when a credit or debit card payment is declined. The Academy will contact the family and attempt to collect the outstanding amount. Unresolved overdue balances may result in suspension of enrollment or removal from the program.
Absences and Make-Up Classes
What happens if a student misses a class?
Enrollment reserves the student’s recurring class time and the associated availability of an instructor. Tuition is based on that reservation and the classes scheduled on the Academy calendar— not on the student’s attendance.
If a student misses a regularly scheduled class for any reason, the absence does not create a right to a refund, tuition credit, private replacement lesson, or future make-up balance. Missed classes do not accumulate as lessons owed by the Academy.
How do group make-up classes work?
To provide families with additional flexibility, the Academy may offer supplemental group make-up opportunities when operational and instructor availability permits. These opportunities are a courtesy and are not one-for-one replacements for missed classes. They are not designed or guaranteed to allow a student to recover every class the student misses.
When offered, group make-up opportunities:
take place only on Saturdays or Sundays;
are held at an Academy location and time selected by the Academy;
are subject to available instructors, space, capacity, and eligibility requirements;
must be reserved through the Academy’s scheduling portal; and
may be used only while the student is actively enrolled and financially current.
Students may not attend an additional weekday class as a make-up. Group make-up opportunities are nontransferable, have no cash value, and expire automatically when the student’s enrollment ends. Their availability, frequency, duration, format, and capacity may vary, and the Academy may modify or discontinue them as operational needs change.
How do I schedule a group make-up opportunity?
Available group make-up opportunities may be viewed and reserved through the group make-up scheduling portal. For step-by-step assistance, follow our guide to scheduling a group make-up opportunity.
The scheduling portal is operated by a third-party provider. The Academy can explain its make-up policies and available opportunities, but technical problems within the portal may be outside our control and may need to be addressed through the provider’s support resources. If you experience difficulty, please consult the scheduling guide first; our staff may not be able to correct issues originating within the third-party system.
What is Lessonmate, and how can it help after an absence?
For programs other than dance, a teacher may part of a missed lesson time to create a short video or other student-specific instructional material and make it available through Lessonmate. The family may receive an email when new content is ready.
We strongly encourage families to open Lessonmate notices and review the material with the student. It offers a convenient way to receive personalized guidance, stay connected to the teacher, and continue making progress before the next scheduled class.
Lessonmate content is supplemental and may be provided instead of or in addition to a group make-up opportunity. The type, length, and availability of content may vary, and families should access it while it remains available.
Withdrawal from the Academy
How do I withdraw a student?
Withdrawal requires the Academy’s official withdrawal form. A withdrawal is not effective until the completed form has been submitted and received through the Academy’s electronic form system.
After submitting the form, please keep the automatic confirmation for your records. If you do not receive a confirmation, contact the front desk promptly.
How much notice is required?
The Withdrawal Effective Date is normally 30 calendar days after the completed form is received. Families may not use the form to select or reserve a different future withdrawal date, and the Academy does not hold withdrawal forms for later activation.
For simplicity, the way we calculate the 30 days will land on the same day of the following month - For example, if the completed withdrawal form is received on the 18th of a month, the student’s final day of enrollment will be the 18th of the following month.
The student remains enrolled through the Withdrawal Effective Date and may attend all regularly scheduled classes occurring on or before that date. Tuition for a partial final month is based only on the student’s regularly scheduled classes through the Withdrawal Effective Date. Applicable fees that become due on or before that date remain due.
Does participation in a recital or concert affect withdrawal?
Yes. A student assigned to perform agrees to remain actively enrolled and financially current through 15 calendar days after the student’s final scheduled performance in that recital or concert series. For a participating student, the Withdrawal Effective Date will be the later of:
the date produced by the standard 30-day withdrawal period; or
15 calendar days after the student’s final scheduled performance.
Submitting a withdrawal form before a performance does not automatically disqualify a student, provided the student remains active, financially current, and otherwise eligible through the performance commitment period. Missing classes or the performance does not shorten that commitment.
Recitals, Concerts, and Tickets
Who may participate in a recital or concert?
Performance opportunities are an important part of many Academy programs. The Academy determines participation based on the student’s preparation and progress. A student must remain actively enrolled and current with tuition at the time of the performance in order to participate.
Are performance tickets refundable?
Performance tickets are nonrefundable. If a recital or concert must be canceled because of unforeseen circumstances, the Academy will offer an alternative event date; ticket and attire costs are not refunded.
Closures and Events Beyond the Academy’s Control
The Academy may need to suspend or postpone classes because of hurricanes, government directives, utility interruptions, public-health emergencies, or other events beyond its control. When circumstances permit, the Academy will make reasonable efforts to reschedule an affected class or offer a supplemental make-up opportunity. No particular make-up opportunity, refund, or credit is guaranteed, and tuition and payment obligations are not automatically suspended or refunded because of such a closure. Families should watch Academy communications for closure and reopening information.
Communication and Community Expectations
How should I raise a concern?
We welcome the opportunity to correct mistakes and address concerns. Sensitive or private matters should be discussed outside of class time with an Academy manager or director—not in front of students or other families. Angry or threatening behavior, foul language, intimidation, and conduct that disrupts the learning environment are not permitted.
A constructive relationship between families and the Academy is essential to a safe and productive educational environment. The Academy may restrict participation or end enrollment when conduct interferes with student safety, Academy operations, instruction, or the well-being of others.
May families arrange private lessons directly with an Academy teacher?
No. Families may not solicit or arrange lessons directly with an Academy instructor outside the Academy without prior written approval. Scheduling, billing, and program-related requests should be handled through the front desk.
Student Safety, Instructional Contact, and Emergency Care
Arts instruction sometimes requires limited physical guidance—for example, adjusting a student’s hand position or alignment. Instructors are expected to act professionally and use physical contact only when reasonably necessary for instruction.
If a student needs urgent medical care, the Academy will make reasonable efforts to contact the parent or guardian. If the parent or guardian cannot be reached, the enrollment authorization allows the Academy to seek appropriate care on the student’s behalf. Families are responsible for keeping emergency contact and medical information current.
Participation in music, dance, and art activities involves ordinary risks associated with movement, equipment, tools, materials, rehearsals, and performances. The complete acknowledgments, authorizations, and liability terms are contained in the Enrollment Agreement.
Photography, Video, and Audio
The Enrollment Agreement includes permissions concerning the use of a student’s name, photograph, voice, image, and recordings in Academy publications, communications, social media, advertising, and other promotional materials. Please review those permissions carefully before signing and contact the Academy with any questions.
For the safety of students, families, visitors, and staff, Academy premises may be monitored by video surveillance. Recordings may be reviewed to confirm compliance with Academy procedures, address concerns, or investigate an incident, and may be disclosed when required by law.
Policy Updates
The Academy’s Handbook and other published policies may be updated from time to time. This page will also be revised as needed so that families have a practical reference for current procedures. Please check the “Updated” date at the bottom of the page and review written notices from the Academy.
Still Need Help?
If you have reviewed this guide and still cannot find the information you need, email info@miamifineartsacademy.com, call 786-464-0566, or contact the front desk at your Academy location.
Thank you for trusting Miami Fine Arts Academy to be part of your family’s arts education.
Updated July 2026