General Principles
Young people (aged between 16 and 18 on 31st August 2022) are eligible for fee remission (free courses).
Adult students (19, or over, on 31st August 2022) are eligible to pay fees unless covered by fee remission categories detailed in this policy.
Any adult student who enrols on a course that is Level 3 that is on the Advanced Learner Loans qualifications catalogue and has previously achieved a full level three course, or above, will be entitled to access a loan to pay the fees for that course. For these learners, the fee remission eligibility criteria will not apply unless they are eligible for the new ‘Free Courses for Jobs’ offer (see below)
Fee Structure
Course fees are set as follows:
a) If a student is fully funded, no fee will be applied
b) If a student is co-funded, the fee that the College will charge will be no higher than 50% of the course cost as stated on the Find a Learning Aim (FALA) on the ESFA website
c) If a student is financing the course via student loan, or other means, the College will not charge more than the course cost stated on LARA
All course fees set will be valid for the period 1st August 2022 to 31st July 2023.
The College will charge for Apprenticeship training in line with Education Skills Funding Agency guidance.
Discounts or reduced fees may apply at the Principal’s discretion depending on circumstances.
Fee Remission
Fee remission does not apply to courses advertised as ‘Full Cost Commercial’.
Students who are eligible for fee remission may be required to pay for accreditation if attendance on that course is lower than 90% or if they fail to attend the exam without good reason.
Fee remission will only be given where individuals can provide evidence of their personal circumstances. Where this is not supplied, the course fee will apply. Fee remission will only be given to students where both they and the course qualify for public funding from the ESFA or Tees Valley Combined Authority for Tees residents.
The following students are eligible for fee remission:
· 19 – 23-year-old students studying a Level 1/Entry level qualification
· 19 – 23-year-old students studying their first Level 2 qualification and is approved by the ESFA/TVCA
· Those taking Maths and English learning aims such as GCSE or Functional Skills
· Those taking essential Digital Skills qualifications up to and including level 1
· Students enrolling on the second year of a two-year programme who were eligible for fee remission in the first year.
· Those people who receive Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) (including partner where the claim is joint), including those receiving National Insurance credits only, Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit, and earn either less than 16 times the appropriate age-related rate of the national minimum wage/national living wage or £354 a month (individual claims) or £552 a month (household claims).
Free Courses for Jobs
For 22/23 the government has introduced a new offer to help adults gain skills for life to further enhance job prospects or enter employment. To qualify, learners must be
· 19+ students studying their first level 3
· 19+ students with a level 3 qualification (or higher) but earn less than £18,525 or are unemployed
At HCFE’s discretion we may also fund other learners if all of the following apply:
· The learner receives other state benefits and earns either less than 16 times the appropriate age-related rate of the national minimum wage/national living wage or £354 a month (individual claims) or £552 a month (household claims)
· The learner wants to be employed or progress into more sustainable employment, if they earn less than 16 times the appropriate age-related rate of the national minimum wage/national living wage, or £354 a month (for individual claims) or £552 a month (for household claims) and we are satisfied that the learning is directly relevant to their employment prospects and the local labour market needs
We can now fully fund learners, who are employed and are unable to contribute towards the cost of co-funding fees. We must be satisfied the learner meets both of the following:
· The learner is eligible for co-funding, and
· The learner earns less than £18,525 annual gross salary
Supporting evidence must be sighted and noted on the self-declaration form. This should be a wage slip within 3 months of the learner’s learning start date or a current employment contract which states gross monthly/annual wages.
Payment
Students must pay for one year of study at a time and annual payments will be made for courses of more than one year duration.
Students must pay fees in full at the point of enrolment or make instalment arrangements.
It is recognised that some situations may prevent students from paying fees or proving exemption from fees at the point of enrolment. In these cases, students may be enrolled without payment or proof. Over the next 14 days, the College will work with the student to resolve any issues. If at the end of this period the situation remains unresolved, the relevant Head of School will review the situation.
Refunds
Full refunds will automatically be given when courses do not run. Refund of fees, once the course has already started, will only be approved in exceptional circumstances.
The College will not refund any part of a student loan to the learner.
