Is the Initial Instructor Training Fee for Bft refundable?
Bft Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
xpect to impose this charge for the kit uniformly.
Initial Instructor Training Fee (in Connection with Pre-Opening Instructor Training)
You must ensure that your initial staff of Authorized Instructors complete the Pre-Opening Instructor Training before providing any Approved Services at your Studio (the "Pre-Opening Instructor Training"). The training fee for the Pre-Opening Instructor Training is $5,000 per program provided (the "Initial Instructor Training Fee") payable to us prior to the start of the Pre-Opening Instructor Training, which covers the training program for all instructors hired prior to the Studio's Soft Opening. It does not cover any personnel-related expenses associated with attending or participating in such training. The Initial Instructor Training Fee is payable in lump sum, uniformly i
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD pages 18–21)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bft's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Initial Instructor Training Fee is non-refundable. Franchisees must ensure their initial staff of Authorized Instructors complete the Pre-Opening Instructor Training before providing any services at the studio. The training fee is $5,000 per program, payable before the training starts. This fee covers the training program for all instructors hired before the studio's soft opening but does not cover any personnel-related expenses for attending the training.
The Initial Instructor Training Fee is payable in a lump sum and is uniformly imposed on all franchisees. The FDD explicitly states that this fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. This means that once the franchisee pays the $5,000 fee, they will not receive a refund, regardless of whether the training is completed or if the instructors leave the studio.
This non-refundable policy is a standard practice in franchising, as the franchisor incurs costs in setting up and delivering the training program. Franchisees should factor this non-refundable fee into their initial investment costs and ensure they have a solid plan for staffing and training their instructors before opening their Bft studio.