You are here: Home > Adults > Fees and Finances
Fees and Finances
The financial support available to you is dependant on a number of factors, including the course start date, your age and the type of course you wish to study.
Can I get help with the cost of my course starting after September 2013?
If you are aged 24 or over and applying to start a new course at Level 3 or 4
From 2013, College courses at Level 3 or 4 for those who are aged 24 or over will no longer be Government subsidised. Instead, a Government loan will be available if you need help with course costs.
You might not have to pay upfront course fees, and you will not have to pay back the loan until you earn over £21,000.
It’s easy to apply, your household income isn’t taken into account and there’s no credit check.
This loan is only available to students on eligible courses at approved institutions such as City and Islington College.
Find out more about the changes and what your options are here
For further financial advice or more information about student loans see:
Your nearest Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB)
24+ Advanced Learning Loan factsheet and Frequently Asked Questions
National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA)
National Careers Service (or call 0800 100 900)
If you are aged 24 or over and applying to study a course at Level 2 or under
We expect funding eligibility to be similar to the current academic year, however this will be confirmed after May 2013 or when you attend enrolment. Please check the website regularly for further updates.
Find out more about the financial support currently available to you
If you are aged 19-23
We expect funding eligibility to be similar to the current academic year, however this will be confirmed after May 2013 or when you attend enrolment. Please check the website regularly for further updates.
Find out more about the financial support currently available to you
If you are aged under 19
Your course will be free and you should see our School Leavers section for more information on the courses that are available to you.
Can I get help with the cost of my course starting before September 2013?
Please note that this information is for guidance only, and your individual eligibility will be assessed by the College before you enrol.
Find out more about the financial support available to you
Financial Support: The basic rules explaining who qualifies for a free or reduced course fee
There are a number of factors that we take in to account:
1) Your age
2) Your nationality
3) Your employment/benefit status
4) Your current qualifications and the course you want to study.
1) Your age
To qualify for support you must be aged 19 or over on the 31st August 2012. If you are aged under 19 your course will be free and you should see our School Leavers section for more information on the courses that are available to you.
2) Nationality
To be eligible for support with fees and the cost of your course you must be a national of a country inside the United Kingdom (UK)/European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) or have ‘settled’ status and have resided in the UK for the last 3 years prior to the start date of the course. Some exceptions apply and we will ask you to provide evidence of your nationality and residency status prior to your enrolment.
If you are a national of a country outside the UK/EU/EEA you will, generally speaking, be considered an international student and your course will not be free. For more information you should see our website for international students or speak to our International Office on 020 7700 9252.
3) Your employment/benefit status
If you are in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment Support Allowance (Work Related Activity Group) tuition is free. We will ask you to provide evidence of your benefit entitlement at the point of enrolment.
If you are unemployed and in receipt of a Mean's Tested Benefit (this includes a partner where the claim is joint, and dependents who are unemployed) – tuition is free for courses that will help you move directly into employment. We will ask you to provide evidence of your benefit entitlement at the point of enrolment. All dependents and partners must be listed on the supporting evidence.
Eligible Means Tested Benefits are listed below - excluding Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment Support Allowance (Work Related Activity Group):
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit Only)
- Dependants of someone in receipt of Working Tax Credit with a household income of no more than £15,276
- Employment Support Allowance – Support Group
4) Your current qualifications and the course you want to study
If you do not fall into the categories described above, you may still be able to get some support with the costs of learning because of the type of course you wish to study and the qualifications you hold. You will be required to bring in the certificates of qualifications you have already achieved, so we are able to identify and confirm your prior attainment level.
If you are aged 19 to 23 and wish to study an Entry Level or Level 1 course with the intention of progressing onto a Level 2 course in the same curriculum area, tuition is free providing you do not have an existing qualification higher than Level 1.
If you are aged 19 to 23 and wish to study for your first full Level 2 qualification, tuition is free providing you do not have an existing qualification higher than Level 1.
If you are aged 19 to 24 and wish to study for your first full Level 3 or first full Level 4 qualification, tuition is free providing you do not have an existing qualification higher than Level 2.
If you are aged 24 or over and applying to start a new course at Level 3 or 4 starting after September 2013 see here
If you haven’t previously achieved a GCSE in Maths or English at grade C or above and want to improve your skills by taking either GCSE Maths or English, tuition is free for the GCSE Maths and English courses.
If you want to study Adult Basic Skills Certificates and Functional Skills in English and Maths (excluding Adult Basic Skills Certificates in ESOL), new standalone English and Maths QCF qualifications, tuition is free.
See here if you are applying to study a Higher Education course
I am not eligible for help with the cost of my course, what can I do?
If you are not eligible for help with the cost of your course and have to pay the standard tuition fees, registration fee and any examination or materials fees, you can make payments in three equal instalments for course fees of over £100 (up to £1,000) or five equal instalments for fees exceeding £1,000.
Full Cost courses
Some courses are not funded by the government and therefore have no concessions; you must pay the full cost of the course regardless of your residency status. Full Cost courses can be identified by an X in the course code on our website.
What do I need to bring to enrol on a course?
In order to enrol at City and Islington College you will need to bring some form of proof of your residency status i.e.
- Passport
- Travel Document
- ARC card
- Home Office Letter
- Solicitors letter (if you do not have any of the above)
- Immigration Status Document
- Visa
If you are in receipt of a Mean's Tested Benefit and wish to be assessed for fee exemption, you will need to bring a letter confirming the specific benefit that you are in receipt of. This letter must be dated within the last 6 months.
CRB check for courses involving working with young children and vulnerable adults
If your course involves working with young children and vulnerable adults, a CRB check is required. If you are eligible for a free or reduced course fee as described in the sections above, there will be no cost to you for this. If you are not eligible for a free or reduced course fee, you will be expected to pay the £50 fee for the CRB check.
