Inspire360 Terms of Use
PURPOSE
These terms and conditions provide SBS Institute customers (learners) with important information and guidance concerning SBS Institute’s policies. These policies are subject to change, and all learners are encouraged to contact the SBS Institute should they have any questions that do not appear to be covered here or in the Frequently Asked Questions.
CERTIFICATION
PAYMENT
A learner purchasing a certification must submit payment before the course begins. Payment is facilitated via the SBS Institute storefront.
Each learner must pass an exam by the end of the 10-week, self-paced course to receive the official certification. To pass, the learner must score 80 percent or above on the final exam. The exam may be retaken if the learner does not pass the test on the first attempt. The fee for an exam retake is $150.00. There is no limit to the number of retakes that may be purchased. Exam retakes must be taken within the 10-week course period.
COURSE EXTENSION
Learners have ten (10) weeks from the start date of their course to complete the designated certification. If the learner fails to complete the course within ten weeks, the learner may pay a $295 extension fee to allow an additional 30 days to complete the course. There is no limit on the number of extensions that can be purchased. Courses cannot be extended after six months of course inactivity. The SBS Institute, at its discretion, reserves the right to extend course access beyond six months due to extenuating circumstances. Please send your request to sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com.
REFUND, CANCELLATION, AND TRANSFER POLICY FOR ONLINE COURSES
Any cancellation before the start of the course will receive a refund minus a ten percent (10%) administrative fee. No refund will be given after the start of any course unless otherwise approved by the SBS Institute.
Cancellation requests can be sent to sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com.
It is the learner's responsibility to ensure that all information regarding a refund or cancellation of a course is provided to the SBS Institute.
Before a course begins, a learner may request to be transferred to a future course or transfer the course to another person at no additional fee. After the course begins, the enrollment may be transferred for a fee. Enrollment cannot be transferred if more than 15% of the course is completed.
Transferring a certification course from one learner to another must be to the same certification. If a learner wishes to transfer from one method of the course to another, such as online to onsite, an administrative fee may be charged at the discretion of the SBS Institute. Transferring the course to another learner may be permitted for a fee.
For transfer inquiries, please contact the SBS Institute at 605-269-0909 or sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com.
REFUND, CANCELLATION, AND TRANSFER POLICY FOR IN-PERSON COURSES
The SBS Institute will adhere to the cancellation policy of the hosting association partner for cancellations from events. If the association does not have a standard cancellation period, the SBS Institute will enforce a strict seven-day cancellation notice before the event occurs. SBS reserves the right to cancel or change a class at any time, including but not limited to lack of participation, classroom, equipment, or trainer availability. All courses require a minimum of five (5) attendees.
If an onsite certification course is to be canceled, notification will be provided to learners within seven days of the course start date, whenever possible. The SBS Institute will contact registrants to determine an appropriate remedy for the cancellation, including transferring the learner’s registration to an online course or a future onsite course (if applicable). SBS is not liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, or special damages that may be incurred due to a cancellation of a scheduled class, including, but not limited to, cancellation penalties for transportation or accommodations.
For inquiries regarding cancellations, please get in touch with the SBS Institute at 605-269-0909 or sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com.
Before an onsite course begins, a learner may request to transfer the course to another person at no additional fee. The transfer of an onsite certification course from one learner to another must be to the same onsite certification course.
If a learner wishes to transfer from one method of the course to another, such as online to onsite, an administrative fee may be charged at the discretion of the SBS Institute.
For inquiries regarding transfers, please contact the SBS Institute at 605-269-0909 or sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com.
MEMBERSHIP
The annual membership fee is $199 and grants you a $50 discount on every live or recorded SBS Institute 90-minute webinar and SBS Institute Hot Topic webinar. Membership also grants you access, free of charge, to our live and recorded quarterly Cyber Report webinar series. Membership also grants access to additional free recorded SBS Institute content. Additional special member pricing may apply to other paid-for SBS Institute content or events.
RENEWAL
Membership will automatically renew using the payment methods linked to your user account at https://learning.sbscyber.com/account. Automatic renewal can be disabled, and payment methods can be updated from your user account before renewal.
CANCELLATION
You can cancel your membership at any time before the renewal date from your user account at https://learning.sbscyber.com/account. Upon cancellation, benefits will expire at the end of the current subscription period.
TRANSFERS AND REFUNDS
Memberships are non-transferable. Upon the learner’s request, membership fees may be refunded within 30 days of a membership auto-renewal. Membership fees will not be refunded past 30 days of the learner's membership auto-renewing. The SBS Institute may make an exception to refunds requested beyond 30 days at its discretion.
MEMBERSHIP FOR CERTIFICATION HOLDERS
From the date certification is obtained, for one year, the learner is granted all membership benefits (as outlined above) and may use the credential associated with the certification. Learners must renew their membership before their certification expires to maintain certified status and continued use of the associated credential.
Should a learner let their SBS Institute certification expire or lapse, the learner is no longer entitled to leverage his or her certification credentials. This includes the display of SBS Institute certification credentials in email signatures, social media, or other platforms. The SBS Institute reserves the right to occasionally review or audit expired credentials and inform the learner that displaying expired credentials is prohibited.
Additionally, the SBS Institute, at its discretion, reserves the right to reinstate expired credentials due to extenuating circumstances for a learner who previously held SBS Institute credentials. Reinstatement of expired credentials would require the learner to appeal for reinstatement by sending an email to sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com and pay all previous, applicable unpaid membership fees, plus administrative fees. The SBS Institute reserves the right to deny an appeal for reinstatement for any reason.
RENEWAL COST
The annual membership fee is $295 per year for the first certification being renewed. Each additional certification will be an additional $100 per certification per year. CPE credits must also be completed to maintain certification.
Memberships will automatically renew using the payment methods linked to your user account at https://learning.sbscyber.com/account. Automatic renewal can be disabled, and payment methods can be updated from your user account at any time before renewal.
Renewal requests for expired membership will incur a $75 administrative fee for the first certification and a $25 fee for each additional certification.
RENEWAL EMAIL REMINDERS
Certification holders will receive email notifications and reminders before their certification renewal date. The renewal requirements listed above must be met before the learner can renew their certification.
RENEWAL CPE REQUIREMENTS
Certification holders must obtain four (4) Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits annually to retain their professional certification credentials. CPEs must relate to information security, cybersecurity, or information technology. Valid CPE credits may include but are not limited to webinars, seminars, conferences, or additional certifications. CPE credits can be obtained through banking associations, SBS CyberSecurity, the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, WI, or any reputable education source.
If a learner holds multiple certifications, they may use CPE credits for multiple certifications if the education pertains to that certification. Generally, one (1) hour of learning equals one (1) CPE credit.
CPE CREDIT SUBMISSIONS
To receive credit for CPEs, certification holders must submit credits to the SBS Institute via the “Submit CPEs” on the SBS learning platform at https://learning.sbscyber.com.
It is the responsibility of the certification holder to review their CPE credit records for accuracy, including missing entries or duplicate entries. The certification holder must also submit all necessary paperwork (supporting documentation) regarding CPE credits to ensure CPEs are properly recorded. The SBS Institute reserves the right to audit CPE credits for any certification holders. If necessary, SBS Institute will email the certification holder to provide the necessary documentation to validate credits.
UNAPPROVED CPE CREDITS
The certification holder may appeal the decision if a CPE credit is not approved. The certification holder must submit an appeal in writing to the SBS Institute within three months (90 days) from the date of denial. The reason for the appeal must be provided, along with any relevant documentation to be considered. The appeal will be reviewed and decided on within one month (30 days) of being received. The decision rendered by the SBS Institute will be considered final. Any appeals later than 90 days may be considered at the SBS Institute’s discretion but may result in forfeiture of certification status.
CANCELLATION
You can cancel your membership at any time before the renewal date from your user account at https://learning.sbscyber.com/account. Upon cancellation, benefits and usage of the credential associated with the certification will expire at the end of the current subscription period.
TRANSFER AND REFUNDS
Memberships and certifications are non-refundable and non-transferable. A certification holder can opt to continue their membership benefits and forfeit the certification if they choose not to submit the required CPE credits to maintain certification status. Contact sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com to roll over your certification membership into a regular membership.
DOCUMENT RETENTION & CLAIM POLICY
The SBS Institute will retain all documents submitted by a learner for one month (30 days) after the conclusion of the course. All grades are due within two weeks (14 days) of the end of the course. Claims, questions, or disputes about grading regarding any course will need to be submitted within two weeks (14 days) of the completion of the course. All claims after two weeks (14 days) may be denied. Claims must include the course name, instructor, assignment name, and a detailed description of the inquiry.
Claims can be submitted to sbsinstitute@sbscyber.com.
ALL POLICIES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE SBS INSTITUTE