Policy Title – FEES
Author – VP Finance and Resources
Policy Date – June 2016
Contents
  1. Tuition fees exemption

  1. Examination/Certification fees

  1. Books and Equipment

4.Fees for non-vocational/leisure courses
  1. Overseas students

  1. Learner Support Funds

  1. Identity cards

  1. Refunds

  1. Adult Education fees

  1. Adult Examination/Certification fees

  1. Adult Refunds

  1. Adult Identity cards

  1. CRB Checks

Cross Ref to other Policies
1. Bursary Policy

Publication:

Staff area of Intranet

Student and Public area of Intranet

1Tuition Fee Exemptions

The College will charge tuition fees to students on vocational/academic courses dependent on age (see section 5 regarding non-EU residents). Tuition fees will also be charged on all non-vocational, leisure, business and certain other courses, with the charge rate depending on the course and status of the student. The following students will be eligible for a reduced or nil tuition fee:

  • All students aged 16 – 18 as at 31st August on a new course.
  • Learners who enrol on their first full Level 2 qualification.
  • All students aged 19 – 23 studying their first full Level 3 qualification.
  • The unemployed in receipt of active benefits, where SFA funding is available.
  • Learners taking programmes where the learning aim is basic skills or GCSE Eng or Maths where the student does not already have an A-C grade.
  • 16-18 students with an existing B-C grade in GCSE Eng or Maths and looking to improve their grade:
  • New to TRC or first attempt at TRC – Free
  • TRC Resit – Full fees
  • Others as may be determined by the Funding Body during an academic year.

2Examination/Certification fees

Examination/certificate fees will be exempt for a student’s first attempt only. Fees for retakes for examinations/course elements previously failed at the College will be the responsibility of the student. The College will in cases of financial hardship, consider waiving or reducing examination fees for students.

In some circumstances, the College may be unwilling to enter a student for an examination.

3Books & Equipment

Books and equipment will be provided free or on loan to daytime students aged between 16 – 19 (as required by the student to undertake their course and within the financial constraints of the College). All other students are responsible for providing their own.

4Fees for non-vocational/leisure and business courses

See the SocialEvening Class, Sports Centre, or other appropriate College leaflets for details.

5Overseas Students

Students who have been resident within the European Union for three years or more are treated in exactly the same way as students from this country.

Due to the introduction of new Government immigration rules introduced during 2008, the college has decided that it is no longer financially viable to accept non EU students.

6Bursary Funds

The College has a Bursary Fund for the provision of assistance towards a range of areas e.g. travel, meals, books, equipment, college trips, etc. Please contact the College’s Student Services Department for details or refer to the Bursary Fund Policy.

7Identity Cards

Identity cards are needed to access the resources in the Learning Resource Centre. The cards are issued free of charge although 16 – 18 year old students needing a replacement card must pay a fee of £5.

8Refunds

The College has a policy of no refunds, but will consider a partial refund in exceptional circumstances.

Fees paid in advance for books, equipment, trips, examinations, etc will only be refunded if the College is able to recover its costs.

9Adult Education Fees

There are three types of course

  1. Funded by the Skills Funding Agency - this allows the College to offer courses with no or reduced tuition fees.
  2. Supported by the Local Education Authority or other funding body - this allows subsidised or free courses.
  3. No support apart from fee income - these courses should cover their own costs.

Other than 19 & 20 year olds completing their level 3 courses, all adult courses at TRC fall under category 3 above.

10Adult Examination/Certification fees

Examination/certificate fees will normally be exempt for a student’s first attempt only. Fees for retakes for examinations/course elements previously failed at the College will be the responsibility of the student. The College will in cases of financial hardship, consider waiving or reducing examination fees for students in the categories shown in section 1.

In some circumstances, the College may be unwilling to enter a student for an examination.

11Adult Refunds

Except for cancelled courses which attract a full refund, the College has a policy of no refunds, but will consider a partial refund in exceptional circumstances.

Fees paid in advance for books, equipment, trips, examinations, etc will only be refunded if the College is able to recover its costs.

12Adult ID Cards

Part-time adult students will be issued an ID card (on request only) at no charge to enable them to gain access to the Learning Resource Centre. Lost/replacement cards will cost £5.

13DBS (CRB) Checks

Some courses require that a student undertakes work experience as part of their course and depending on the employment sector this may require a student to have an ‘enhanced disclosure’ DBS (CRB) check before starting a work placement. The College will cover the cost of DBS checks for students with a compulsory work experience requirement that needs a DBS check. Students requesting non-compulsory work experience that requires a DBS check will be required to fund the total cost of the DBS check.Further details about eligibility and obtaining this disclosure are available from the Work Experience Department.Students who are not eligible for fee remission as outlined in Section 1 will be expected to pay this fee.

14Variations

The Principal has the discretion to vary any of the above arrangements or to waive fees for a student where there are exceptional circumstances. For overseas students any such changes need to be approved by the Corporation.