Getting old college certificates. How?

Martynb_

Hi,


My issue is this:


I've just started a level 3 college course but cannot get enrolled because the college tutors need evidence that I have achieved level 2. They need confirmation that I passed.


My issue is that I don't have them; the certificates.


I contacted the awarding body and spoke with them and they said that I have to order them through the website and it will cost £40. My college tutor was shocked that they are charging me for them.


I cannot afford to get them, especially since this week I've had to fork out for a new bag, and next week I'll need money for clothes when I start my voluntary work. So I cannot afford these certificates.


I sent the awarding body two emails expressing that all I need is a "Yes. He completed the course." just to confirm.


The college does not respond to emails. So why the hell do they have an email address?


So I got my college tutor to phone the college, which was a nightmare trying to get to the right person to speak to. In the end, the tutor put the phone down and said that the college does not accept confirmations and that the certificates may not even be available at all. What? Why the hell not?


Because they are trying to make bloody money out of me! Money I don't have!

tomtontom

The awarding body are providing you with a service, it is common sense that they will charge for this. Why do you not have the originals?

Martynb_

tomtontom wrote: »

The awarding body are providing you with a service, it is common sense that they will charge for this. Why do you not have the originals?

Because I could not afford them at the time, and then before I knew it I was back in St Helens doing something else. Now I'm a student again and I cannot afford to get them. A simple confirmation would do. Other students simply got a confirmation, but I cannot get one.

PlymouthMaid

You do not usually have to pay for your certificates the first time but I am constantly shocked by how many people never collect the certificates from their schools and colleges.

I have this problem all the time with my students and unfortunately the Apprenticeship body we work with will only accept copies of original certificates. The only other possible way to prove you passed is if your new college has access to the Governments Learning Records portal and you did not tick a little box to prevent sharing of data originally. It's a long shot but ask your new college if then can get a PLR showing your qualifications. If not, you will have to pay up, redo level 2 or not do the level 3 course.

DomRavioli

They always charge for replacement certificates, and always have done. It is your responsibility to keep them safe, and £40 will be the nominal fee for checking, printing and postage.

IF you don't provide them, you will likely lose your college place.

A simple confirmation is NOT your certificate (although a statement of results may have sufficed, but you won't get one after the certificate is issued, you get your results on it). Some awarding bodies won't provide confirmation, nor are they obliged to.

Perhaps check out the criteria before interviewing and accepting a place in education.

Bennifred

If you didn't collect the cerificates in the first place, it is possible that the place you took your exams etc still has them, if it wasn't too long ago. We keep uncollected certificates for five years (even though we are not obliged to)

Martynb_

DomRavioli wrote: »

They always charge for replacement certificates, and always have done. It is your responsibility to keep them safe, and £40 will be the nominal fee for checking, printing and postage.

IF you don't provide them, you will likely lose your college place.

A simple confirmation is NOT your certificate (although a statement of results may have sufficed, but you won't get one after the certificate is issued, you get your results on it). Some awarding bodies won't provide confirmation, nor are they obliged to.

Perhaps check out the criteria before interviewing and accepting a place in education.

But I don't want a replacement. They charged me £40 for the originals and couldn't afford it.

Martynb_

Bennifred wrote: »

If you didn't collect the cerificates in the first place, it is possible that the place you took your exams etc still has them, if it wasn't too long ago. We keep uncollected certificates for five years (even though we are not obliged to)

I didn't collect them in the first place because I couldn't afford it at the time. I couldn't come up with the money to get them. And then soon after leaving college I ran into debt and was evicted and ended up back in St Helens.

Voyager2002

Which awarding body is this?

Charging a fee for your original certificates is unusual to say the least.

Bennifred

OP, did you owe exam fees, as opposed to being charged for the certificates?

Martynb_

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Which awarding body is this?

Charging a fee for your original certificates is unusual to say the least.

OCR. I don't want the certificates. My tutor just wants to know that I passed the level 2 exam. She needs confirmation.