In line with government guidelines, if you are a home student and are 19-23 when you start your course, you will be asked to pay the published fees for your courses unless you fit into one of the following categories.
You may be required to pay a Resources Fee for items such as materials, visits, uniform, books or equipment. Check the ‘COSTS/EQUIPMENT’ section of the course information page. You will also be told about this when you come to college for your interview.
First level 2 qualification
FEE WAIVER
Students aged 19-23 may be eligible for a waiver of course fees if they are studying their first government-designated full level 2 qualification. This waiver may also be available for students who are studying an Entry Level or Level 1 course with the intention of progressing to Level 2.
Unemployed and low wage workers
FEE WAIVER FOR LEVEL 2 AND BELOW
Students aged 19-23 who already have a full level 2 qualification and are either unemployed and in receipt of certain benefits, or who earn less than £20,319 annual gross salary, may be eligible for a waiver of tuition and/or exam fees.
Subsidised courses
FEES FOR LEVEL 2 COURSES AND BELOW
Students aged 19-23 who already have a full level 2 qualification, and who are not categorised as unemployed or low wage, will pay the published fees for courses at level 2 or below.
First level 3 qualification
FEE WAIVER
Students aged 19-23 may be eligible for waiver of course fees if they are studying their first government-designated full level 3 qualification, such as A Levels, T Levels or Level 3 qualifications.
‘National Skills offer’
FEE WAIVER FOR CERTAIN LEVEL 3 COURSES
Students aged 19+ may be eligible for a waiver of course fees if they are studying a level 3 course which is on the government’s ‘National Skills Offer’ list. To find out whether your course is on the National Skills Offer list please contact our Student Records and Funding team at studentrecords@chichester.ac.uk or on 01243 786321 .
Advanced Learner Loan for level 3 courses
If you do not qualify for one of the waivers above, an Advanced Learner Loan can cover the cost of course fees and you don’t need to start repayments until you earn over £25,000. The Advanced Learner Loan is provided by the government and is not means tested, subject to any credit checks and does not take your current employment status into account.
Eligibility: You can usually apply for an Advanced Learner Loan if you are:
- aged 19+ on the first day of the course
- enrolling on an eligible course at Level 3, 4, 5 or 6
- are a UK national or have been living in the UK for 3 years and have ‘pre-settled’ or ‘settled status’.
Apply: The first step is to check with the college that the course you are applying for is eligible for the Advanced Learner Loan. You can then apply for the course and the college will issue you with a Learning and Funding Information letter, along with your offer of a place. You’ll then need to register and apply online via gov.uk.
The loan: The loan will be deducted automatically through the tax system once you are earning over £25,000. The amount you repay will depend on how much you earn, for example:
- if you earn £27,000 per year, your monthly repayments will be £15 a month
- if you earn £30,000 per year, your monthly repayments will be £37 a month
You can also borrow a proportion of the course cost and pay for the rest yourself. The minimum loan amount is £300.
Note:
- If you are applying for a Higher Education course e.g. foundation degree or top-up degree, you will need to apply for a loan via Student Finance England.
- If you progress from an Access to HE course to complete a Higher Education qualification, the outstanding Advanced Learner Loan will be written off.
- If you choose to withdraw after the first 4 weeks of the course, you will be liable for the unpaid portion of the tuition fees.
- The Learning Support Grant may still be available to successful applicants of the 19+ Advanced Learning Loan if the total household income is below £36,000.
Am I a Home Student?
Home students are people who have lived in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA) for a minimum of three years for reasons other than education and have settled or pre-settled status. For more information about whether you qualify as a home student please contact our Student Records and Funding team at studentrecords@chichester.ac.uk or on 01243 786321.
Contact us
Please contact our Student Records and Funding team at studentrecords@chichester.ac.uk or on 01243 786321 for more information about whether you would be eligible for fees.