Further Education

Fees are complicated and everyone’s circumstances are different. Fee concessions and the fee rate payable may be subject to your age. previous qualifications, the course you want to study and your residency status in the UK.

Your individual circumstances will be reviewed during the enrolment process and any fees you will have to pay will be confirmed. The information below is intended to give general guidance and is not exhaustive. For further information please contact our Financial Support team on 01924 789549/283.

Course Fees

Where courses are for more than one year, the fee that we publish is for the full duration of the course unless it is for a HE course which are charged annually, or otherwise stated.

Some of our courses are not subsidised by our funding bodies; therefore you must pay the fee as published in the prospectus for these courses, regardless of your age or circumstances.

Please note: This information is updated regularly, but we cannot guarantee that the detail will remain accurate, as Government policy often requires changes to how we operate. Applicants receiving an offer of a place will be sent further updated information.

Will I have to pay for my course?

• Aged Under 16

  If you are under 16 on 31 August enrolling to a course outside of compulsory school hours you will be charged for your course and you must provide a letter from your headteacher supporting your enrolment at the College.

• Aged 16 - 18

  If you are aged 16-18 on the 31 August, fees are generally not payable.

• Aged 19 and Over

  If you are aged 19 or over on the 31 August, fees are dependent on your age, previous qualifications, where you live, and the course you want to study. The best place to start is to identify the type and level of the course you want to enrol on and follow the table, opposite.

  If the address you provide when you enrol is not within West Yorkshire, you may have to pay for a course that could be free in your local area.

  	Aged 19+
  Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications eligible for Government funding	If you do not already have a full level 2 qualification your course may be free. The College will check your entitlement for a free level 2 course when you apply. If you are in receipt of benefits or low income you must already have achieved a full level 2 for the course to be free

  	Aged 19 - 23
  Level 3 qualifications eligible for Government funding	If you do not already have a full level 3 qualification your course may be free (under L3 legal entitlement offer) *. If you already have a full level 3, your course may also be free (under Free Courses for Jobs offer) if you are in receipt of benefits or low income (see Low Income threshold opposite). Alternatively, you may be able to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover your course fees. The College will check your entitlement for a free L3 course when you apply.
  Non-funded course	Fees to pay (no financial support available)

  	Aged 24+
  Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2	If you are in receipt of benefits or low income the course may be free otherwise there will probably be fees to pay*
  Level 3 to 6	If you earn below the National Living Wage (less than £19,305 annually) or are unemployed, from April you may also be able to access these qualifications for free, under the Adult Skills offer. If you are not eligible for a free L3 course, an Advanced Learner Loan may be available to cover your course fees
  Non-funded course	Fees to pay (no financial support available)

  *Financial support may be available if you are paying your own fees

  Full Level 2 Examples
  5 GCSE’s at grades A* to C or 9 to 4, 3 AS levels, 1 A level, level 2 Diploma.

  Full Level 3 Examples
  2 or more A levels, 4 or more AS levels, level 3 Diploma, Access to HE.

• In Receipt of Benefits

  You may not have to pay for your course if you are enrolling to an entry level, level 1 or level 2 course and are in receipt of one of the following: JSA, ESA, Universal Credit*, Income Support**, Council Tax Benefit**, Housing Benefit**, Working Tax Credit** (as a dependant), Child Tax Credit**. We require your National Insurance Number when you enrol.

  * You must also be working 20 hours or less each week and earning less than £338 per month.
  ** You must be seeking employment or work under 20 hours or less per week and earn less than £338 per month.

• Low Income

  If you are employed and your annual gross salary is less than £21,255*, then you may not have to pay for your course. We require a recent wage slip, online banking evidence or employment contract when you enrol. *Resident in West Yorkshire.

  If you are aged 19 - 23 refer to the table opposite.

• GCSE and Functional Skills in Maths & English

  Usually you will not have to pay for Maths or English unless you have already gained GCSE Grade A* to C or 9 to 4.

• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

  Usually, you will have to pay for an ESOL qualification, unless you are in receipt of a government benefit or low income.

How do I pay for my course?

Direct Debit
You will be required to pay a deposit at the time of enrolment followed by equal monthly payments. The amount of deposit payable and the number of instalments available will vary depending on the value of your course. The person who is paying the instalments will need to sign a Direct Debit Mandate.

Is there any financial support to help me to pay my fees?
Depending on your circumstances, age and the course you wish to complete, there is a range of financial support available to help you to pay your fees.

Courses at levels 3 to 6 may be fundable by an Advanced Learner Loan or a study-with-us/fees-and-money-matters/higher-education-fundingHE Loan. For further details see www.gov.uk/student-finance or contact the College’s Financial Support Team on 01924 789283.

Will there be any additional costs?
There may be additional charges to be paid at a later point in the year for trips or visits, materials you wish to keep and examination resits. Your course tutor will be able to provide you with information about any additional charges and again you can contact Financial Support to see if there is funding available to help with these costs.

Other Financial Support Available

Dependent on your household income you may be entitled to some help towards your travel costs, the cost of any kit you need for the course and also if you have to attend an overnight residential. For those applying for the Advanced Learner Loan help towards travel and childcare costs may be available.

If you are aged 16 - 19 and have children you can apply for help towards your childcare costs through Care To Learn by contacting 0800 121 8989. If you are aged 20 and over you can contact Financial Support to see if funding is available.

If you are aged 16 - 18 you can apply for a 16-18 PhotoCard for reduced fare bus and train travel once you have enrolled on your course. For more information on any fees and financial support issues contact Financial Support.

Financial Support
For more information on any funding or money matter issues please contact the College’s Financial Support Team. Telephone: 01924 789549 or email: financialsupport@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk

Bursary Information
The funding the College has to help you with the cost of studying comes from a government fund and is public money. The assistance you receive is a discretionary award. It will always be conditional on your attendance at college. Whilst we recognise that students face financial pressures, the funding you are applying for is not a right and the College has a duty to make sure that the funds are awarded fairly and to the students most in need. We allocate our funding on a first come first served basis, however this does not apply if you qualify for the Vulnerable Bursary.

16+ Online Bursary Application
Please click on the links below for 16+ financial support application forms and more information:

pdf LSF Criteria (163 KB)

pdf LSF Policy (121 KB)

• Save the Student - Best money resources for students
• M Card – Under 19s - The one and only way for under 19s to travel on each and every bus in West Yorkshire.

Pay My Student