TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE

Last updated: 2025-10-20

1. Introduction and Legal Terms

By accessing or using our website, www.studyhalo.com or any related platform or application (collectively, "the Platform"), or any of our services, you agree that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound to the terms and conditions contained herein ("Terms"). All rights in and to the content of the Platform always remain expressly reserved by StudyHalo.

These Terms explain the conditions applicable to how you will use the Platform. Please read these Terms carefully before using the Platform. We will assume you have read and understood these Terms if you continue to access or make use of our Platform.

Please pay specific attention to the BOLD paragraphs of these Terms. These paragraphs limit our risk or liability, constitute an assumption of risk or liability by you, impose an obligation on you to indemnify us or is an acknowledgement of any fact by you.

The terms "user", "you" and "your" are used interchangeably in these Terms and accordingly refer to anyone using the Platform for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, the terms "us", "our" or "we" refers to StudyHalo or our possession.

2. Our Services

Who Can Use StudyHalo

StudyHalo was originally created with UNISA students in mind, but we're excited to welcome students from any accredited university, higher education institution, and high school as we grow. By signing up, you confirm that you're a current or former student at a recognised university, college, or high school.

Sharing and Accessing Content

Our Platform is all about students helping each other. You can upload your own study guides, resources, explanations, links, attachments, and other materials related to your courses. Everything you share is public meaning that all other users can view, comment on, and rate your content. Please keep in mind that anything you post will be visible to the whole StudyHalo community.

Organising and Engaging with Resources

When you upload resources, StudyHalo may help organise them by matching them to relevant textbooks or course modules. You can also create your own sections for these resources, add explanations, and share links or attachments. We encourage you to participate in group forums, where you can discuss topics and collaborate with other students. Users can upvote or downvote posts to show how useful they found them, and these ratings are visible to everyone.

Quiz and Peer Learning Features

There's a dedicated quiz section where you can upload your own questions and answers to help your peers learn. Please note that StudyHalo doesn't verify the accuracy or educational value of user-submitted quizzes or materials, these are shared for peer learning and collaboration.

Moderation and Use of AI

To keep StudyHalo a safe and welcoming space, we use a mix of automated tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to help moderate chats, forums, and uploaded content. While we do our best, no system is perfect. AI moderation might not catch everything, so please use the Platform responsibly and let us know if you spot anything concerning.

Group Forums and Content for Future Years

You're welcome to create or join group forums to discuss topics, share resources, and help organise materials for future students. StudyHalo may moderate these forums to keep things on track and ensure everyone follows the rules.

Coding Competitions and Practical Experience

Our "Challengers" section is where you can take part in coding competitions and related tasks. All submissions here are public and can be rated by other users. We may promote these competitions on channels like WhatsApp and break them down into smaller tasks. We also offer opportunities for students to get hands-on experience by contributing to the development of StudyHalo itself.

Business Challenges in the Challengers Section

In addition to student-led competitions, businesses and organisations have the option to create their own challenges within the Challengers section of StudyHalo. These business-hosted challenges may include coding tasks, projects, or other activities designed to engage students and foster practical learning opportunities. All business-created challenges are subject to these Terms, and submissions may be public and open for community rating, just like student-led competitions.

Academic Integrity and What Not to Upload

Please don't upload your current coursework, assignments, or exam materials if you're looking for answers or help with academic misconduct. Doing so is a serious breach of these Terms and could lead to your account being suspended or terminated, and we may notify your university.

(collectively, "the Services")

3. Our Role and Disclaimer

StudyHalo is here to help students connect and share resources, but we don't provide tutoring or direct educational services. We can't guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any user-generated content, including module introductions or study materials. The Platform is designed to support peer engagement and resource sharing only.

4. Creating an Account with the Platform

Creating an Account: To use the Services, you must register and open an account through the Platform or as otherwise directed. By providing us with such personal information, you consent to us processing your personal data. For any challenges, you must sign-up using your GitHub account.

Minor Use: Any minor under 18 years of age, must have the consent of their parents or legal guardians to use the Platform who will be responsible for all their actions taken on the Platform and with the Services.

Accurate Information: You agree to provide true, accurate, current, and complete information when signing up to the Platform and to update this information as and when it changes. To protect your privacy and security, we take reasonable steps to verify your identity by requiring a password together with an email address or unique identifier to grant you access to your account and information.

One Account: You may use only your registered account to participate in our Services. Under no circumstances may you attempt to establish multiple accounts using multiple computers, names and identity information, or any program that masks your identity or generates a fake identity. We reserve the right to withhold, deny or cancel any Services and/or terminate an account if we, in our sole discretion, deem the account as fraudulent, abusive, unethical, suspicious, or otherwise inconsistent with our Terms or any other applicable law or regulation.

Warranty: By sharing personal information with us, you warrant that the person using the Platform is you. Parents are responsible for the information provided to us, and all the actions taken on the Platform by their minor children. Please see our Privacy Policy for more details on how we use and processes personal information.

Unlawful Access: Please let us know if you have reason to believe that your account is no longer secure (for example, in the event of a loss, theft or unauthorised disclosure or use of your username, or password) to avoid possible liability.

5. Responsibilities and Warranties

Platform Warranties: by using the Platform and/or the Services, you warrant that -

you have read and agreed to these Terms and will use the Platform and Services in accordance with them;
you have not made any misrepresentations and the information provided in the registration process, is true, accurate and complete in every aspect;
you are above the age of 18 (eighteen) years old and have the legal capacity to understand, agree with and be bound with these Terms. For all students under the age of 18, you warrant that you have the consent of your parent or guardian to use the Platform/Services who understands that they will be responsible for all actions taken on the Platform and any associated expenses;
you lawfully possess and submit all information to StudyHalo for the use of the Platform and the Services and hereby indemnify StudyHalo against any third-party claims that may arise due to the processing of the information shared by you with StudyHalo;
you will not post, upload, replicate or transmit any abusive content on the Platform or communicate with a tutor in a manner, that is or could reasonably be considered to be threatening, harassing, defamatory, abusive, racist, sexist, discriminatory, in breach of confidence, in breach of privacy or restrict any other user in any way from properly using the Platform or Services;
you will not share any confidential information on the Platform including banking or other personal information not made publicly available;
you will not use the Services as a means to assist you in undertaking any fraudulent or deceitful actions (including cheating) with respect to your assignments or examinations as part of your degree or curriculum;
you will not send any unsolicited electronic messages or use any software, routine or device to interfere or attempt to interfere electronically or manually with the operation or functionality of the Platform including but not limited to uploading or making available files containing corrupt data or viruses via whatever means or deface, alter or interfere with the front end 'look and feel' of the Platform or the underlying software code;
you will not infringe the intellectual property or other rights of any third party or the Platform or transmit content that you do not own or do not have the right to publish or distribute;
you will not use the Platform for any commercial purpose other than as expressly provided for by StudyHalo herein;
you will not use the Platform to breach any applicable law or regulation or perform or encourage any illegal activity including (without limitation) promoting or facilitating money laundering or financial crimes; and/or
you will not facilitate or assist any third party to do any of the above,

failing which, such action will automatically and immediately be deemed to be a material breach of these Terms, allowing StudyHalo to manifest all of our rights in the case of breach, including but not limited to denying you access to the Platform/Services, reporting your actions to an applicable authority or instituting legal proceedings against you.

Connected Devices: The Platform is only available on compatible devices connected to the internet. It is your responsibility to obtain these devices and any connectivity necessary to use the Platform. We do not guarantee that the Platform, or any portion thereof, will function on any particular hardware or device.

Access to Platform in Breach: Without prejudice to any of our other rights (whether at law or otherwise), we reserve the right to deny you access to the Platform/Services where we believe (in our reasonable discretion) that you are in breach of any of these Terms.

6. Messages and Advertising

Data Messages between You and StudyHalo

Data messages, including email messages, you send to us will be considered as received only when we acknowledge or respond to these messages.

Data messages we send to you will be regarded as received when the data message enters your inbox and is capable of being retrieved and processed by you.

We reserve the right not to respond to any email or other data message that contains obscene, threatening, defamatory or otherwise illegal, unlawful, or inappropriate content, and to take appropriate action against the sender of such email or data message if necessary.

Messages sent over the internet cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure as they can be intercepted, lost, or corrupted. We are therefore not responsible for the accuracy or safety of any message sent by email or over the internet.

Hyperlinks, Deep Links, Framing

The Platform may include links to other websites ("other sites"). We do not own or endorse these other sites and are not responsible for the information, material, products, or services contained on or accessible through these other sites. Any hyperlinks do not imply any endorsement, agreement on or support of the content or products of these other sites.

We do not own the content on any other site which may be shown on the Platform. Should the owner of any content showcased on the Platform want the content to be removed, please contact us to request the removal of such content.

Your access and use of the other sites remain solely at your own risk and on the terms set by the operator of any other site.

7. Intellectual Property

Platform IP: All website layout, website content, material, information, data, software, icons, text, graphics, layouts, images, sound clips, advertisements, video clips, user interface design and layout, trade names, logos, trademarks, designs, copyright and/or service marks, together with the underlying software code, ("the intellectual property") are owned (or co-owned or licenced, as the case may be) by StudyHalo, our shareholders, directors, associates and/or partners, whether directly or indirectly, and as such, are protected from infringement by domestic and international legislation and treaties.

User submitted IP: All rights to any intellectual property you provide to us will remain with you, but for which you have provided us with a revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free licence to use and display such intellectual property to provide you with our Services including the use of our Platform.

No Modification of IP: Subject to the rights afforded to you in these Terms, all other rights to all intellectual property on the Platform are expressly reserved. You may not copy, download, print, modify, alter, publish, broadcast, distribute, sell, or transfer any intellectual property, editorial content, graphics or other material or the underlying software code whether in whole or in part, without our written consent first being granted, which consent may be refused at our discretion. No modification of any intellectual property or graphics is permitted. Should you breach these provisions, we and/or the rightful intellectual property rights owner may launch legal proceedings against you for a breach of contract, resulting in a claim of damages against you.

Updates: We reserve the right to make improvements or changes to the intellectual property, information, videos, graphics, and other materials on the Platform/Services, or to suspend or terminate the Platform, at any time without notice; provided that any transactions or functions already concluded, will not be affected by such suspension or termination (as the case may be).

Third Party IP: Where any intellectual property has been licensed to us or belongs to any third party all rights of use will also be subject to any terms and conditions which that licensor or third party imposes from time to time, and you agree to comply with such third-party terms and conditions.

User License: Subject to adherence to the Terms, StudyHalo grants to you a personal, revocable, non-exclusive, non-assignable and non-transferable license to use and display all content and information on any machine which you are the primary user. However, nothing contained on the Platform or in these Terms should be construed as granting any licence or right to use any intellectual property without our prior written permission.

8. Indemnities and Disclaimers

Disclaimers

The Platform and Services, including intellectual property appearing therein, are provided "as is" and "as available". We make no representations or warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties as to the accuracy, correctness, or suitability of either the Platform or the Services.

All content, information, and/or opinions of users made available on the Platform in relation to any of the Services are those of the authors and not StudyHalo. While we make every reasonable effort to present such information accurately and reliably on the Platform we do not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information on the Platform.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, StudyHalo, its shareholders, directors, employees, contractors, and partners will not be liable for any indirect, consequential, or punitive losses arising from information made available on (or by means of) the Platform and/or transactions or actions resulting therefrom or from the Services offered. This limitation does not apply to losses resulting from StudyHalo's gross negligence, wilful misconduct, or breach of applicable law.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, StudyHalo, its shareholders, directors, employees, contractors, partners, and affiliates will not be liable for any indirect, consequential, economic, or punitive damages (including loss of profits) resulting from the facilitation and offering of the Services, or access to, or use of, the Platform in any manner. This limitation does not apply to liability arising from StudyHalo's gross negligence, wilful misconduct, or breach of applicable law.

We take reasonable security measures to ensure the safety and integrity of the Platform and to exclude viruses, unlawful monitoring and/or access from the Platform offline. However, we do not warrant or represent that your access to the Platform will be uninterrupted or error-free or that any information, data, content, software, or other material accessible through the Platform will be free of bugs, viruses, worms, trojan horses or other harmful components. Your access to and use of the Platform remains solely at your own risk, and you should take your own precautions accordingly.

Indemnities

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless StudyHalo, its shareholders, directors, contractors, employees, and partners from any third-party claims, actions, or proceedings (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising directly from your breach of these Terms or your unlawful conduct in connection with your use of the Platform and/or Services. This indemnity does not apply to indirect, consequential, or punitive damages, or to claims arising from StudyHalo's own gross negligence or misconduct.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold StudyHalo, its shareholders, directors, contractors, employees, and partners harmless from any direct third-party liability, loss, claim, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your breach of these Terms or your unlawful use of the Platform/Services. This indemnity does not extend to indirect, consequential, or punitive losses, or to claims resulting from StudyHalo's own gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

This clause will survive termination of these Terms.

9. Dispute Resolution

Negotiation: Should any dispute, disagreement or claim arise between you and StudyHalo concerning the use of the Platform or the Services, the parties shall endeavour to resolve the dispute amicably, by negotiation, and with the best interests of both parties in mind.

Mediation: Should these parties fail to resolve such dispute in the aforesaid manner or within such further period as the parties may agree to in their negotiation, the parties will approach an independent third party who shall mediate the discussions between them to find a mutually beneficial solution.

Arbitration: If the dispute is still not resolved after such mediation, the parties will commence and be party to binding and confidential arbitration in terms of the expedited rules of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa ("AFSA"), with an arbitrator selected by StudyHalo.

Jurisdiction: Notwithstanding the above, both parties' consent to the jurisdiction of an appropriate South African court. Either party may also always use the dispute resolution services of any applicable legislative tribunal or ombud, as provided for in applicable legislation.

No publication: The parties both agree that in no circumstance will either party publicise the dispute on any social media or other public platforms. The parties understand that any publicity of this nature can cause serious damage to the other party, which damage may result in a financial claim against the infringing party.

10. Termination of Use

IN ADDITION TO OUR OTHER RIGHTS HEREIN, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO RESTRICT AND/OR TERMINATE YOUR USE OF OUR PLATFORM/SERVICES IF YOU BREACH ANY OF THESE TERMS, OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION PROVIDED THAT WE GIVE REASONABLE NOTICE TO YOU.

If you wish to terminate your agreement with us and these Terms, you may do so by ending your use of our Platform. Such termination will however not have any effect on the continued and comprehensive functioning or legitimacy of any lawful rights which we may have at the time of said termination.

In the event of termination of your agreement with these Terms we will remove you from the Platform and delete your profile in accordance with our data retention policy.

11. Notices and Service Address

Each of the parties chooses their service address for the purposes of the giving of any notice, the serving of any process and for any other purposes arising from these Terms as being:

in the case of StudyHalo, at support@studyhalo.com; or
in the case of the user, at the e-mail, cellphone number, and/or address provided when registering with us.

Each of the parties will be entitled from time to time, by written notice to the other to vary its service address to any other address which is not a post office box or poste restante, provided that the change will become effective only 14 (fourteen) days after service of the notice in question.

Notwithstanding the above, any notice given in writing in English, and actually received by the party to whom the notice is addressed, will be deemed to have been properly given and received, notwithstanding that such notice has not been given in accordance with this clause.

12. Company Information

Site owner: JKL 101 (Pty) Ltd
Legal status: Private Company
Registration number: 2025/097897/07
Platform address: https://www.studyhalo.com/
Email address: support@studyhalo.com
Registered address: 28 Bakersfield, Canart Street, Kyalami Hills, Gauteng, 1684
Postal address: As above.

13. General

Relationship Between the Parties: The relationship of the parties, inter se, shall be governed by these Terms and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to constitute a partnership, joint venture, employer/employee agreement, agency agreement, or the like between them. No party shall by the reasons of the actions of the other party incur any personal liability as co-partner to any third party.

Force Majeure: If either party is prevented, whether in whole or in part, or delayed from performing any of its duties, functions or obligations under these Terms, whether timeously or at all, due to an event out of their control (which for the purposes hereof shall mean war, political riots, civil commotions, electrical load-shedding or surges, legal prohibitions or restrictions, epidemics, pandemics, governmental lockdowns, fire, floods or other similar natural disasters), then such failure shall not constitute a breach under these Terms, and the obligation to perform shall be suspended to the extent and during the continuance of such prevention provided that the parties shall use their reasonable commercial endeavours to minimise any delay occasioned

Change Without Notice: The Platform and these Terms are subject to change without notice. These Terms are updated or amended from time to time and will be effective once we upload the amended Terms to the Platform. Your continued access or use of the Platform constitutes your acceptance to be bound by these Terms, as amended. It is your responsibility to read these Terms periodically to ensure you are aware of any changes.

Entire Agreement: This document contains the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the subject matter hereof. Save as contemplated above, no alteration, cancellation, variation of, or addition hereto will be of any force or effect unless published on the Platform.

No Indulgence: No indulgence, leniency or extension of time granted by StudyHalo shall constitute a waiver of any of StudyHalo's rights under these Terms and, accordingly, StudyHalo shall not be precluded as a consequence of having granted such indulgence, from exercising any rights against the client which may have arisen in the past or which might arise in the future.

Importation of Words: Words importing the singular will include the plural and vice versa. Words importing one gender will include the other genders, and words importing persons will include partnerships, trusts, and bodies corporate, and vice versa.

Headings as Reference: The headings to the paragraphs in these Terms are inserted for reference purposes only and will not affect the interpretation of any of the provisions to which they relate.

Governing Law: Your access and/or use of the Platform and/or the Services, any downloaded material from it and the operation of these Terms (including any transaction concluded pursuant thereto) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Severability: Each sentence, paragraph, term, clause and provision of these Terms and any portion thereof shall be considered severable and if for any reason, any such sentence, paragraph, term, clause or provision is held to be invalid, contrary to, or in conflict with any applicable present or future law or regulation or in terms of a final, binding judgment issued by any court, it shall to that extent be deemed not to form part hereof and shall not impair the operation of, or have any effect upon such other sentence, paragraph, term, clause or provision hereof as may otherwise remain valid or intelligible, which shall continue to be given full force and effect and bind the parties hereto.

Prohibited Provision: No term or condition of these Terms is intended to breach any peremptory provisions of any consumer protection legislation and any regulations thereto ("Prohibited Provision"). Any breach of any such Prohibited Provision shall be governed by the provisions above.