ADULT COURSE FEES
Wigan & Leigh College is delighted to be able to offer in the new academic year a range of courses that will be FREE of charge to adults who are employed, but on a low income.
The move comes following a government decision, by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), to offer fully funded study to learners on low wages.
This will benefit in particular those learners who take low-paid jobs to support them while they study. Under the current rules, only adults on benefits receive full funding to study.
The aim is to increase participation by adults in learning and lift social mobility barriers. Up till now, to receive fee remission (and not have to pay) for government-funded courses, you would need to be an unemployed adult, a young person aged 19 to 23 with skills below level 2, or an adult aged 19 and over without English and maths up to level 2. Now however, individuals who do not fall into one of these categories may also be eligible for free tuition.
Anyone earning less than £15,736.50 annual gross salary will be eligible for fee remission on courses up to and including Level 2, which will open up access to a much wider range of courses for low-earning adults.
Eligible students will need to bring in evidence of their gross annual wage e.g. a wage slip within 3 months of the course start date or current employment contract which should state gross annual wage.
DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY COURSE?
At Adult College, many of our students study for free or are eligible for loans. Subsidised fees and Advanced Learner Loans are available, depending on your circumstance and the course you have chosen to study.
Full advice and guidance on support will be available to you at your admissions interview, once you have made an application to the College, or at our enrolment event.
Please note, age is based on learner start date, however learners must have been 19 on 31st August 2023 for the above criteria to apply.
Guide to Fees
1 Entry or Level 1
19-23 and do not already hold a *full Level 2 qualification or above, and you need to study at Entry or Level 1 to progress to Level 2, fees will be waived.
19-24 with an Education Health Care Plan, fees will be waived.
19+ and have already achieved a *full Level 2 or above and meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees will be waived.
19+ and have already achieved a *full Level 2 or above and do not meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees are payable.
24+ and do not already hold a *full Level 2 qualification or above and meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees will be waived.
24+ and do not already hold a *full Level 2 qualification or above and do not meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees are payable.
2F Full Level 2
19+ and do not already hold a *full Level 2 qualification or above, fees will be waived.
19+ and have already achieved a *full Level 2 and meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees will be waived.
19+ and have already achieved a *full Level 2 but do not meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees are payable.
19-24 with an Education Health Care Plan, fees will be waived.
2 Other Level 2
19-23 and do not already hold a *full Level 2 qualification or above, fees are payable.
19+ and have already achieved a *full Level 2 and meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees will be waived.
19+ and have already achieved a *full Level 2 but do not meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees are payable.
19-24 with an Education Health Care Plan, fees will be waived.
24+ and do not already hold a *full Level 2 qualification or above, and do not meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees are payable.
3F Full Level 3
19-23 and do not already hold a **full Level 3 qualification, fees will be waived.
19-23 and have already achieved a **full Level 3 qualification, fees are payable, you may be able to apply for an Advanced Learner loan.
19-24 with an Education Health Care Plan, fees will be waived.
24+ Fees are payable, you may be entitled to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan.
O Other Level 3 or above. Not HE
19+ Fees are payable, you may be able to apply for an Advanced Learner loan.
19-24 with an Education Health Care Plan, fees will be waived.
H Higher Education
Fees are payable. Financial support could be available through Student Finance England.
E English and Maths
GCSE Maths, GCSE English, Functional Skills and stepping stone qualifications, course fees may be free if you haven’t already obtained a grade 4 or above in these subjects.
ESOL
19+ and meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees will be waived.
19+ and do not meet the ***unemployment/low income criteria, fees are payable.
Fees are payable
N No Financial Support
Full fees are payable
Examples of equivalent qualifications
*
Full Level 2
5+ GCSEs at A-C or grade 4, 1 A Level, 2 AS Levels, NVQ2,
QCF Level 2, Certificates/Diplomas, Technical Certificate Level 2.
**
Full Level 3
2+ A Levels, 4+ AS Levels, 1 A Level + 2 AS Levels,
Access to HE, GNVQ Advanced, NVQ Certificates/Diplomas at Level 3, applied general qualifications at Level 3, Technical Certificate Level 3.
***
UNEMPLOYMENT CRITERIA
You will need to provide your National Insurance Number at enrolment.
If you are in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance or Employment Support Allowance (Work Related Activity Group) your fees will be waived.
Your fees will also be waived if you are in receipt of Universal Credit, and Job Centre Plus recognises you as a member of:
• All Work Related Requirements Group
• Work Preparation Group
• Work Focused Interview Group
Or if you receive other state benefits
AND earn (disregarding benefits) less than £343 (learner is sole adult in benefit claim), or £549 (learner has a joint benefit claim with partner), a month.
AND you want to be employed or progress to more
sustainable employment.
***
LOW INCOME CRITERIA
If you are employed or self-employed, and earn less than £23,104.00 your fees will be waived. You need to provide evidence of your gross annual earnings, ie Universal Credit statement within three months of learning start date, current employment contract or wage slip. If you are self-employed you will need a copy of your tax return or business accounts