Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account on VarsityHub, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, you may not use the platform. You must be a currently enrolled student at a South African university with a valid .ac.za email address to register.

2. Eligibility

• You must be 18 years of age or older to create an account; you confirm this when you sign up
• You must be enrolled at a recognised South African university
• You must register with your official student email (.ac.za)
• One account per person; duplicate accounts will be suspended

3. What VarsityHub Is

VarsityHub is a platform that connects buyers and sellers; we are not a party to any transaction between them. Payment, delivery, and the exchange of goods or services are arranged directly between the buyer and seller, entirely outside of VarsityHub. We do not guarantee the quality, safety, legality, or delivery of any listed item or service.

4. University Affiliation Disclaimer

VarsityHub is an independent student marketplace. References to universities, institutions, campuses, or student communities are used for identification and marketplace functionality. Unless expressly stated, such references do not imply that VarsityHub is affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or officially supported by the relevant institution.

Your university is used to confirm your registered student email domain and personalise your VarsityHub experience. VarsityHub is an independent platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by your university unless expressly stated.

5. Prohibited Listings

The following are strictly prohibited on VarsityHub:

• Stolen, counterfeit, or illegally obtained goods
• Alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or controlled substances
• Weapons or dangerous items
• Explicit or adult content
• Academic ghostwriting (writing or completing an essay, assignment, or exam on another student's behalf for submission as their own work); this does not include legitimate tutoring, proofreading, or editing services
• Misleading or fraudulent listings
• Items you do not own or have no right to sell

Violations will result in immediate account suspension and may be reported to university authorities.

6. Seller Responsibilities

• Listings must be accurate, honest, and not misleading
• Photos must represent the actual item being sold
• Prices must be in South African Rand (ZAR)
• Mark items as sold once a transaction is complete
• Respond to buyers in a timely manner

7. Buyer Responsibilities

• Meet in safe, public campus locations for exchanges
• Inspect items before completing a transaction
• Do not share your login credentials with others
• Report suspicious listings using the Report function

8. Payments, Subscriptions, and Refunds

Subscription payments (seller tiers, buyer access) are processed by PayFast. Each purchase gives you 30 days of access from the date of payment and does not auto-renew; there is nothing to "cancel", since a new period only starts if you choose to buy one. Because you always know exactly what you're paying for and access starts immediately, we do not offer refunds once a payment has been made, including for an unused portion of a period. VarsityHub is not liable for payment processing errors by PayFast. If you believe you were charged in error, contact legal@varsityhub.co.za and we'll look into it.

9. Content Ownership

You retain ownership of content you post (listing photos, descriptions). By posting, you grant VarsityHub a non-exclusive licence to display that content on the platform. You are responsible for ensuring you have the right to post any content you upload.

10. Account Suspension

VarsityHub reserves the right to suspend or permanently ban accounts that:

• Post prohibited listings
• Are reported multiple times for scam or fraud behaviour
• Provide false information during registration
• Abuse or harass other users

11. Limitation of Liability

VarsityHub is provided "as is" without warranty. We are not liable for any loss, damage, or harm arising from transactions between users, including scams, fraud, item quality issues, non-delivery, or other disputes between a buyer and seller. Always exercise caution and meet in safe locations.

12. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of South African courts.

13. Contact

Questions about these terms: legal@varsityhub.co.za