College Fees and Funding
Further Education tuition fees for UK students
You will not have to pay tuition fees if you fall into one of the categories below at the time you enrol on your course; you must also meet the necessary residency criteria, and your course must be eligible for Government funding.
Please note: If your course is not eligible for Government funding, you will have to pay the full cost of the course.
(NB: Guidance generated using ESFA-funded adult skills fund: funding rates and formula 2024 to 2025 – 03/04/2024 and the West Midlands Combined Authority Adult Education Budget Funding Rules 2024/25 – Version 18 July 2024. Please be aware that the information below can change as the ESFA or WMCA issue new guidance.)
For students who live within the West Midlands Combined Authority
Level 1 and Level 2 courses
The following students will not have to pay tuition fees:
The following students will not have to pay tuition fees:
- Students aged 16 to 18 on 31 August 2025 (aged 19-24 with an EHCP)
- Students aged 19-23 studying their first level 2 qualification (if that qualification is on the level 3 legal entitlement list)
- Students aged 19+ who are employed or self-employed and earns less than £34,000 (circa £15.34 p/hr) gross annual salary. Proof of salary/situation must be shown to qualify for this category. (Proof of income must be presented at enrolment such as a wage slip, a Universal credit statement within three months of the start date of the course (£617 sole benefit claim, £988 joint benefit claim), or a current employment contract that states gross monthly/annual wages.)
- Unemployed students. The definition of unemployed for these purposes is:
- Not working, are able to start work or available to start work. The course that you choose to undertake must be relevant to your employment prospects.
- Economically inactive/not currently employed. Examples of economically inactive people include people not looking for work because they are students, looking after the family or home, because of illness or disability, or because they have retired. You must be seeking to secure work through re-training as ‘unemployed’. The learning must be directly relevant to your future career aspirations.
If you do not fall into one of the categories for tuition fee waivers, you will have to pay the tuition fees for the course. The fees can be paid in four instalments. The first instalment must be paid when you enrol, then 3 further instalments due by the end of November, February and April.
Level 3 courses
The following students will not have to pay tuition fees:
- Students aged 16 to 18 on 31 August 2025
- Students aged 19-23 studying their first level 3 qualification (if that qualification is on the level 3 legal entitlement list or FCFJ approved funding list)
- Students aged 19+ who are employed or self-employed and earn less than £34,000 (circa £15.34 p/hr) gross annual salary. Proof of salary/situation must be shown to qualify for this category. (Proof of income must be presented at enrolment, such as a wage slip, a Universal credit statement within three months of the start date of the course (£617 sole benefit claim, £988 joint benefit claim), or a current employment contract that states gross monthly/annual wages.)
- Learners studying their first level 3 qualification (must be FCFJ approved qualification), or where they meet the low wage criteria (see above), or meet the ‘unemployed’ criteria (see below).
- Students who are unemployed. The definition of unemployed for these purposes is:
- Not working, are able to start work or available to start work. The course that you choose to undertake must be relevant to your employment prospects.
- Economically inactive.
- Not currently employed. Examples of economically inactive people include people not looking for work because they are students, looking after the family or home, because of illness or disability, or because they have retired. You must be seeking to secure work through re-training as ‘unemployed’. The learning must be directly relevant to your future career aspirations.
Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs (FCFJ) (WMCA residents)
- Students aged 19 to 23 on 31 August within the 2024 to 2025 funding year who have not achieved a full level 3 qualification or above, irrespective of their income.
- Students 19-23 who enrol on a level 3 FCFJ qualification that is approved for funding
Note: If a student has been previously funded via FCFJ, they have exhausted their entitlement for this funding stream and must not be funded via FCFJ again.
Free Courses for Jobs (FCFJ) List
- City & Guilds Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery (7133-02)
- FDQ VRQ Level 3 Diploma In Professional Bakery (FT)
- C&G Level 3 Food and Beverage Service Supervision
- Pearson BTEC Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Development Technical Knowledge) PT Year 1
- Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Development Technical Knowledge)Year 1
- Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Development Technical Knowledge) Year 2
- City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Professional Cookery
- City & Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Electrical Installation (8202-30)
- City & Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Plumbing (8202-35)
- Core Mathematics (AQA Level 3 Mathematical Studies with Statistical techniques) Year 1
- OCR A Level Biology A Year 2
- Pearson Level 3 Extended Diploma In Applied Science Year 1
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Computing Year 1
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Computing Year 2
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering Year 2
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Business
- NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma In Health And Social Care Year 1
- NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma In Health And Social Care Year 2
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business Year 1
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business Year 2
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Business
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Engineering
- Pearson Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in Aviation Operations
If you do not fall into one of the categories above, you will have to pay the tuition fees for the course. If you are aged 19 and over on the first day of your course, you may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan. This is a non-means-tested loan available from the UK Government to pay the tuition fees of full level 3 qualifications (course exclusions apply**). The loan is paid directly to UCB to cover the cost of your tuition and does not have to be repaid until you are earning over £25000 a year.
For more information on the Advanced Learner Loan, please visit www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan.
The following courses are not eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan:
- CACHE Level 3 Award Health & Social Care
If you are paying your own fees, you can either pay in full at enrolment, or payment can be made in 4 equal instalments: instalments are due by the end of October, January, March and May.
For students who live outside the West Midlands Combined Authority and outside any other devolved area
Level 1 and Level 2 courses
The following students will not have to pay tuition fees:
- Students aged 16 to 18 on 31 August 2025
- Students aged 19 to 23 on 31 August 2024 who do not already have a full level 2 qualification (e.g. 5 GCSEs at grade C and above, or grade 4 and above) and are enrolling on the following courses only:
- C&G Level 2 Diploma in Professional Food & Beverage Services (FT)
- VTCT Level 2 Diploma In Hair And Media Make-Up
- VTCT Level 2 Diploma in Beauty Therapy
- VTCT Level 2 Diploma in Hairdressing Tech Certificate
NB: If you are aged 19-23 and do not already have a level 2 qualification, you will have to pay for your tuition fees unless you do one of the four courses above.
- Students in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)*
- Students in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (ESA)* Students in receipt of Universal Credit*, and their earned income from employment (disregarding benefits) is less than £617 per month (learner is sole adult in their benefit claim) or £988 a month (learner has a joint benefit claim with their partner).
- Students who receive other state benefits* and their earned income (disregarding benefits) is less than £892 a month (learner is sole adult in the benefits claim) or £1437 a month (learner has a joint benefit claim with their partner); want to be employed, or progress into more sustainable employment, and the identified learning is directly relevant to employment prospects and the local labour market needs.
- Students who are employed or self-employed and earn less than £25,000 annual gross annual salary. Proof of salary must be shown to qualify for this category. (Proof of income must be presented at enrolment such as a wage slip, a Universal credit statement within three months of the start date of the course, or a current employment contract that states gross monthly/annual wages.)
- Students released on temporary licence, studying outside a prison environment, and not funded by the Ministry of Justice
* For us to assess your entitlement, you must provide your benefit letter to FISU, either in person at enrolment, or via the online methods made available to you. It must be in your name and dated within the last three months. If you only have a letter older than three months, please bring this/upload this, together with the relevant section of your most recent bank statement. This should contain visible evidence that you are still in receipt of benefit payments. We must be able to see from the statement that the bank account is in your name and that the payment details match those on your benefit letter. Once checked, we will remove these copies from our systems as we will not need to keep them.
If you do not fall into one of the categories for tuition fee waivers, you will have to pay the tuition fees for the course. The fees can be paid in four instalments. The first instalment must be paid when you enrol, then three further instalments in November, February and April.
Level 3 courses
The following students will not have to pay tuition fees:
- Students aged 16 to 18 on 31 August 2025
- Students aged 19 to 23 on 31 August 2025, enrolling on the following courses, who do not already have a full level 3 qualification e.g. 2 A Levels, 90 credit diploma:
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Business)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Computing)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Social Science and Health)
- VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy Tech Level
- VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Theatrical and Media Make-up - Tech Level
- VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Hairdressing Tech Level
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Business
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Business
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Business
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Business
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business (Y2 continuing)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Computing
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Computing (Y2 continuing)
- Mixology, Advanced Wine, Supervision & Events (C&G Level 3 Diploma in Food & Beverage Service Supervision)
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business and Finance
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Engineering (Y1)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering (Y2 continuing)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (Y1)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (Y2 continuing)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development (Y2 continuing)
- Extended Diploma Sport and Exercise Science ( Sport and Physical Activity Sports Coaching)
- Level 3 Tourism, Aviation, Events and Hospitality (Pearson BTEC National Foundation Diploma in Travel and Tourism)
- Students aged 19+ on 31 August 2024 who do not already have a full level 3 qualification enrolling on the Level 3 Certificate or Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care*, the Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education* (Early Years Educator Year 1), or City & Guilds Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery*, may qualify for funding under the ‘Free Courses for Jobs’ (FCFJ) scheme.
- Learners who already hold a level 3 qualification and meet the definition of ‘low wage’ or ‘unemployed’ may be able to claim an additional level 3 qualification via the FCFJ scheme (courses below).
Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs (FCFJ) (Non-WMCA residents)
- Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care (must start on year 1)
- Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education
- Level 3 Diploma in Professional Bakery
- Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery
- City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Food and Beverage Service Supervision
- National Foundation Diploma in Business
- Extended Diploma in Business
- National Foundation Diploma in Construction
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Construction and the Built
- Environment
- National Foundation Diploma in Engineering
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Engineering
- National Foundation Diploma in Computing
- Extended Diploma in Computing
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business
If you do not fall into one of the above categories, you will have to pay the tuition fees for the course. If you are aged 19 and over on the first day of your course, you may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan. This is a non-means tested loan available from the UK Government to pay the tuition fees of full level 3 qualifications (course exclusions apply**). The loan is paid directly to UCB to cover the cost of your tuition and does not have to be repaid until you are earning over £25,000 a year.
For more information on the Advanced Learner Loan, please visit www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan.
**The following courses are not eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan:
- CACHE Level 3 Award Health & Social Care
Non-funded qualifications:
The below courses are not funded for 19+ learners, so they will require an Advanced Learner Loan where available or payment.
|
NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport and Physical Activity |
£7395 (over 2 years) |
|
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Sport and Fitness |
£2882 |
|
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development |
£2882 |
|
NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training |
£2225 |
|
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Sport and Fitness |
£2225 |
|
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Sports Coaching |
£2225 |
If you are paying your own fees, you can either pay in full at enrolment, or payment can be made in 4 equal instalments: instalments are due by the end of October, January, March and May.
Residency Criteria for Funding
For a student to be funded they must meet certain residency criteria. These rules are set by the DFE and they state that;
“We use the term ‘resident’ or ‘residence’ in this document for different purposes. Residence in the UK, EU and EEA has specific definitions in education law, and this is set out in the ‘residency eligibility’ section. Following the devolution of adult education functions, there is a new emphasis on residence in England, in determining and evidencing eligibility for DfE funded ASF - see ‘who we fund’ and ‘evidence’ sections. This means the permanent residency of an individual in England (as in, not a temporary address for duration of learning taking place), immediately prior to enrolment determines eligibility for DfE funded ASF.”.
Individuals who are not eligible for funding
You must not claim funding for individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria set out in the residency eligibility section. Examples of individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria include the following. Please note this list is not exhaustive:
- those who are here without authority or lawful status
- those who are resident in the UK on a student visa
- those who are in the UK on holiday, with or without a visa
- those who are in the UK on a sponsorship visa, including skilled worker visas and seasonal worker visas
- those whose biometric residence permit or residence permit imposes a study prohibition or restriction on the individual
Learners with limited-length visas
Providers must not fund learners who would not have enough time on their visa to complete their course and who do not intend to, or would not be eligible to, renew their visa. Where a course continues past a learner’s visa expiry date, providers may at their discretion fund that learner only where they have a high degree of confidence that a learner intends to (and will be eligible to) renew their visa.
Learners who have applied for an extension or variation of their immigration permission
Any person who has applied for an extension or variation of their current immigration permission in the UK is still treated as if they have that leave. This only applies if the application was made before their current permission expired. Their leave continues until the Home Office decides on their immigration application. Their leave will continue where they have appealed or sought an administrative review of their case within the time allowed to them for doing so.
Therefore, a person is considered to still have the immigration permission that they held when they made their application for an extension, administrative review or appeal, and their eligibility would be based on this status.
This is on the basis that the provider confirmed at enrolment that the learner intended to and will be eligible to renew their visa.
EEA and Switzerland frontier workers
An EEA or Switzerland frontier worker is someone who is employed or self-employed in the UK who resides in the EEA or Switzerland and returns to that residence in the EEA or Switzerland at least once a week.
Unlike other categories, a frontier worker or their eligible family member does not have to be resident in the UK on the first day of learning in order to have an eligible residency status.
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