College Fees changed since application

chris.coops

Hi everyone,
think this is my first thread so be nice!

My wife decided earlier this year to leave work and enrol on a hairdressing course due to start this September.
The cost of the course was listed as £795.
Because I have quite a good job and wage to go with it we aren't entitled to any benefit but were happy with paying the cost of the course so she could pursue a new career.

Her enrollment at the college was today, and she was told the course fee is almost £1200 and has increased by £300!
The website has also been changed to reflect this change and according to the staff in the student services this has only recently been changed.

What I'm asking is how on Earth can they make this change without informing the students who have applied before the enrollment!??
It makes me absolutely seething angry that the change hasn't been communicated to any of the potential students. To top it all off, the student services department actually admitted it wouldn't affect many students as most didn't have to pay because they were all on benefits.
Don't get me wrong I don't begrudge the benefit system, but this is completely unfair! Even though I earn a pretty decent wage £800 is still a lot of money to my wife and I, particularly as she will not be earning as much as she will only have a part time job during her course, but £1200 is a completely ridiculous amount!

Can they make this change to the course cost and then expect that everyone will pay?

My wife has obviously been forced to make a 50% payment otherwise she wouldn't have been enrolled, but does anyone have any advice on pursuing this outrageous increase?

Many thanks for any help.

Chris Cooper

Oldernotwiser

I agree with you this is absolutely wrong and might be worth taking further. I'm just posting to enquire whether your wife already has a level 2 qualification, because if she doesn't then she wouldn't have to pay fees anyway, regardless of your income.

Lokolo

If they have changed it etc. then you could ask the postpone the payment until a later date. Just say 'it was oringnal x amount but now its y amount which is clearly a lot more, so can you postpone it for a month so we can afford to pay it'. They will likely say yes.

I think what they will most probably do is still let her go to lessons etc. even if she hasn't paid, but not give her results/certificate until she has, so basically you may actually have til the end of the year to pay. But obviously the college could put charges on if you don't pay!

chris.coops

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I agree with you this is absolutely wrong and might be worth taking further. I'm just posting to enquire whether your wife already has a level 2 qualification, because if she doesn't then she wouldn't have to pay fees anyway, regardless of your income.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not 100% sure exactly what qualification she has applied for, just checking that with her now, but currently she doesn't have any qualification in hairdressing.
Do you know where I can find proof that she wouldn't have to pay? When you say a Level 2 qualification is that any NVQ level 2 qualification?

Thanks
Chris

chris.coops

chris.coops wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I'm not 100% sure exactly what qualification she has applied for, just checking that with her now, but currently she doesn't have any qualification in hairdressing.
Do you know where I can find proof that she wouldn't have to pay? When you say a Level 2 qualification is that any NVQ level 2 qualification?

Thanks
Chris

OK, so it is the NVQ Level 2 in Hairdressing. However, not sure if her age might be part of it, as she isn't typical student age, being 26! I understand the course she's on is for mature learners, so this might be why she's not exempt from the fee.
But any info on your suggestions would be really helpful, Oldernotwiser.

Thanks

Lokolo

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/Adultlearninggrant/DG_068348

Try reading that, you might be entitled (Level 2 + low income)

Oldernotwiser

chris.coops wrote: »

OK, so it is the NVQ Level 2 in Hairdressing. However, not sure if her age might be part of it, as she isn't typical student age, being 26! I understand the course she's on is for mature learners, so this might be why she's not exempt from the fee.
But any info on your suggestions would be really helpful, Oldernotwiser.

Thanks

If she doesn't have a level 2 qualification already (in anything) then she'd be eligible to have her fees waived under the Level 2 Entitlement. This isn't dependant on age. 5 GCSEs (grade C and over) is level 2. It isn't dependant on income either. Any good?

mummytofour

Have you looked at other colleges?
I did Access last year and at my local college I would of had to pay £800. I ended up at another college 25 miles away as no only was the course free for me but I was able to get my childcare paid which was thousands. I am very grateful for the help I received and it does go to show that not all colleges are the same. The college I ended up would of cost £600 if I had paid, so £200 cheaper than my original plan.

My DH is doing Access this year and i think the fee is 1k! The gov say they want us all to work, study and so on but they dont make it easy for those that support themselves without benefit help, such as the OP.

mummytofour

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If she doesn't have a level 2 qualification already (in anything) then she'd be eligible to have her fees waived under the Level 2 Entitlement. This isn't dependant on age. 5 GCSEs (grade C and over) is level 2. It isn't dependant on income either. Any good?

This is very true but some colleges put an age restriction on this entitlement such as Chichester where you can only get this entitlement if your under 25!

Oldernotwiser

mummytofour wrote: »

This is very true but some colleges put an age restriction on this entitlement such as Chichester where you can only get this entitlement if your under 25!

There's no age limit for the Level 2 Entitlement although there is a cutoff at 25 for the equivalent at level 3.