FEES & COSTS
1. VOCATIONAL COURSES
Some courses attract a subsidy from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), in addition, Peter Symonds College also subsidises some courses to keep fees as low as possible. These courses appear on a blue tint background in the current ACE course brochure. Please note that anyone taking a vocational course but not intending to complete the qualification will lose the subsidy and will be required to pay the full cost. It is also a requirement of the SFA that you complete various forms at different stages of your course. Your co-operation in this is essential to claim your subsidy. Please read the Students Handbook (Adults) which will be sent to you following your enrolment. The cost of books and materials is not included in the course price. Students are advised not to make purchases until they are sure that the course will run and that it suits their needs.
EXAMINATION AND ACCREDITATION CHARGE:
Examination fees for accredited courses are included in the course fee and will be itemised on the course outline. The main element of the accreditation charge is determined by external boards and is liable to change. Precise cost information is often not available until after courses start. The College therefore reserves the right to apply a surcharge in the event of any exceptional increase applied by an accrediting body. To receive the Government subsidy on the course fee all learners enrolled on accredited programmes must work towards accreditation, as endorsed on their Learning Agreement. Individual students remain personally responsible for their own examination entry. Learners failing to observe deadlines provided by their course tutor will be liable to a late entry charge. For queries regarding examinations on ACE courses please contact the Examinations Officer for the ACE Division of Peter Symonds College on 01962 886166 or via email at aceexams@psc.ac.uk.
TUITION FEES:
Some learning providers will offer free or discounted tuition to students on means-tested benefits, with low incomes and this can apply to both full and part time courses. If you are applying for an SFA co-funded accredited course, normally leading to a professional qualification, you may be entitled to assistance with your course funding. You may still need to pay any exam fees or course consumable costs depending on the remission type.
If you are applying for a Skills Funding Agency (SFA) co-funded accredited course (mainly blue background in the brochure) and you comply with the residency and 'settled' status criteria, you may be entitled to the course fee free.
Course Fee Free - Applicable to Benefits:
On enrolment you will need to provide notification, dated within the last month, of one of the following:
- Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
- Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG)
If you enrol more than a month before the start of the course, you will need to provide fresh evidence to show you are still in receipt of the above within a month of the course start date, otherwise we are obliged to charge you the course fees. Your enrolment will not be confirmed nor a place allocated until you have produced relevant evidence of benefits dated within a month of the course start date.
Course Fee Free - Applicable to your first FULL Level 2 or 3 qualification:
If you are enrolling on a full Level 2 or 3 Skills Funding Agency co-funded accredited course and do not already have a FULL Level 2 or 3 qualification, meet the residency and "settled" status requirements (per your enrolment card) and need to complete a Level 2 (any age) or Level 3 (under 25s only) Entitlement Declaration available from the Student Support Administrator via Reception.
A FULL Level 2= 5 GCSEs at A*-C or 5 CSEs at Grade 1 or 1 A Level or 2-3 AS Levels or BTEC First Diploma, NVQ Level 2 or equivalent
A FULL Level 3 = 2 or more A Levels or 4 or more AS Levels or BTEC ONC/OND or NVQ Level 3 or an Access to HE qualification or equivalent
Course Fee Free - Unemployment Declaration:
If you are enrolling on one of the followingcourses that could help you gain employment:
- Access to Higher Education (eligibility on an individual basis only for certain pathways)
- Aromatherapy
- Beauty Specialist Techniques L2
- Beauty Therapy L2& L3
- Body Massage Diploma L3
- Bookkeeping & Accounting L1
- Certificate (Cttls)&Diploma (PGCE/Cert Ed FE)in Teaching
- Children & Young Peoples Workforce Certificate L2 & L3
- ESOL
- Hairdressing L2
- iTQ Certificate in IT User Skills Level 1 & 2
- Reflexology
- Supporting Teaching & Learning in Schools L2 & L3
- Sports Massage Certificate L3
you meet the residency and "settled" status requirements (per your enrolment card) and you are named on one of the following benefit notifications, you need to complete an Unemployment Declaration:
- Council Tax Benefit (not 25% single person's discount)
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit (houshold income less than £15,276 & not purely Child Tax Credit
Your enrolment will not be confirmed nor a place allocated until you have produced an up to datebenefit notification and for IncomeSupport, thiswill need to bedated within a month of the course start date.
Course Fee Free - Level 1 ProgressionDeclaration:
If you are enrolling on a course at Entry Level or Level1 listed below where youhave not yet obtainea FULL Level 2 qualification, you meet the residency and "settled" status requirements (per your enrolment card), you need tocomplete a Level 1 Progression Declaration:
- Getting Started in Early Years Award Level 1 going onto Children & Young Peoples Workforce Certificate Level 2 or Supporting Teaching & Learning Level 2
- Hairdressing Level 1 going onto Hairdressing Level 2
- iTQ Certificate in IT User Skills Level 1 going onto iTQ Certificate in IT User Skills Level 2
You may need to pay an exam fee and materials costs on enrolment but you may be able to apply to the 19+ Discretionary Learner Support Fund for help with this (criteria apply).
GCSE English & Maths Free:
If you areaged between 19-24 and do not have a grade C or above in GCSE English or Maths, you will be eligible to do the course for free. You will need to complete a GCSEEnglish or Maths Declaration form.