Help with Access course fee?

Jane81

Hi all,
Does anyone know where I can get financial help with paying the Access course tuition fee? Unfortunately, as I'm over 25 and have over 5 GCSEs I have to pay. I'm doing the course part time over two years and have to pay at enrolment, which I have a feeling is actually in July, ahead of the beginning of the course in September. I think I only pay for the year, not the whole course, so that would be around £900. I have poor credit (although should be debt free by September - woohoo!!), so won't be able to get a personal loan. I should be OK with living costs during the course as will have time to do a part time job and my partner will be able to help support me. I have also budgeted for the materials and exam fees at the start of the course, so it's just the one-off tuition fee that's troubling me!
Thank you in advance,
Jane.

Oldernotwiser

It may not work for you, but many people in your situation do the course full time and use their ALG to pay the fees.

(GCSEs don't come into it as Access is a level 3 course.)

Jane81

Hi, thank you for your reply. Trouble is, to do the course full time is extremely intensive (I'm doing the Art & Design pathway which is different from the others) so I would not be able to work during term time.

It's very frustrating as I don't seem to be eligible for anything much, given my age, qualifications, partner's income, the course I'm doing, etc etc... I keep looking at various grants and loans and there is always something that precludes me - aaarrrggghhh!!!!

It's not going to stop me though, I WILL find a way...

Oldernotwiser

Have you looked at whether any of your possible degree courses have a foundation year attached (often called year 0)? If this is available, you'd get full HE funding for the year.

Jane81

No, there isn't - there is a foundation degree related to what I want to study but it's a two year course after which I could top up to a BA in a year. Don't want to do this for a couple of reasons, firstly that it leads me in a slightly-yet-significantly different direction from the one I want to go in, and secondly that it requires almost the same level of qualifications as the BA, which is why I'm doing the Access course in the first place!

slummymummyof3

Some colleges allow you to pay the course fees in installments - have you enquired into this possibility?

Oldernotwiser

Jane81 wrote: »

No, there isn't - there is a foundation degree related to what I want to study but it's a two year course after which I could top up to a BA in a year. Don't want to do this for a couple of reasons, firstly that it leads me in a slightly-yet-significantly different direction from the one I want to go in, and secondly that it requires almost the same level of qualifications as the BA, which is why I'm doing the Access course in the first place!

Sorry, you've misunderstood me; I wasn't talking about a Foundation Degree. A foundation year is a fourth year at the start of a 3 year degree course.

Jane81

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Some colleges allow you to pay the course fees in installments - have you enquired into this possibility?

No, I hadn't, but I will ask them this week - thanks!

Jane81

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Sorry, you've misunderstood me; I wasn't talking about a Foundation Degree. A foundation year is a fourth year at the start of a 3 year degree course.

Oh, sorry - no there isn't.

bestpud

You will almost certainly be able to pay in installments so definitely check that out.

They'd obviously prefer you to pay up front so they don't advertise the fact with neon signs but they also want bums on seats so will help if you ask!

student_advisor

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

]GCSEs don't come into it as Access is a level 3 course.

You can get level 2 entitlement for a level 3 course if you don't already have a full level 2, thus getting a level 3 funded if you aged over 25 (quite a nice loophole!)

OP, I guess by your referral to your partner's income, you don't get housing benefit/council tax benefit and that your GCSEs are grade A*-C?

Installments would be your best bet from what you've said, 4 installments is usual.

It sounds like you have thought about whether or not you can afford to leave work for the full-time course, but remember that the academic year is only 9-10 months, and you would qualify for the Adult Learning Grant (income dependent - up to £30 per week) based on what you've said. There might be funding from the college through their Learner Support Fund for help with your travel & equipment costs, but this is also generally based on household income.