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Course fees and financial support

One of our students’ biggest worries is their finances: Can I afford to study? Can I afford to buy books and materials? What about childcare and travel costs?

We have different types of financial support available to our students. What you are entitled to will depend on your circumstances.

Students who are 16-18 years old on 31 August, during the time the course starts in full-time education do not have to pay course fees, providing that you are a UK citizen or UK resident with settled or pre-settled status, home student and meet the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) eligibility criteria.

Students aged between 16-18 on part-time courses have to pay course and materials fees at enrolment.

Some courses do not offer any fee reduction, no matter what your circumstances are. For these courses, you must pay the full price.

How do I pay my fees?

Payments must be made at enrolment, otherwise you cannot start your course. You can pay by cash, cheque, MasterCard, Visa or Maestro. 

If your employer or your training provider is paying your course fees you must provide us with a letter, written on the company’s official headed paper, stating that they accept responsibility for payment. 

Can I pay in instalments? 

For UK citizens and qualifying UK residents with course fees below £150, payment must be made in full when you enrol. 

  • For fees between £150 and £699.99, you can pay in three equal instalments. The first instalment must be paid at enrolment, followed by two monthly instalments. 
  • For fees between £700 and £894.99, you can pay in seven equal instalments. The first instalment must be paid at enrolment, followed by six monthly instalments. 
  • For fees of £895 or more you can pay in 10 equal instalments. The first instalment must be paid at enrolment, followed by nine monthly instalments. 

The number of instalments will be reduced when it is necessary to ensure that the full amount is received at least one month before the end of the course. Please see our Fees Policy for full details. 

Subsidised College Meals

If a student aged 16-18 or their parents/carers receive one of the following benefits they are eligible for a subsidised meal for each day that they are timetabled to attend Leicester College.

Eligible benefits:

  • Income support (IS)
  • Income based jobseekers allowance (JSA)
  • Income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Support under part V1 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
  • Working Tax Credit run-on paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1st April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax not including any benefits you get).

You need to complete a 16 -18 year old Bursary application form and provide evidence of one of the above benefits and be enrolled on a course to qualify for a subsidised meal. If you are eligible, you will receive £2.41 for each day you are timetabled in College. This will be added to the account linked to your ID card and will be used in the college Food Inc outlets and Zest at Freemen’s Park Campus.

You can also apply for a subsidised meal if you are aged between 19-24 and have an Education Health Care Plan. To apply, you should also complete the 16 -18 year old Bursary application form.

Care to Learn

Care to Learn is aimed at teenage parents who want to continue in – or are returning to – learning or training. The Government provide financial support to help with the cost of childcare.
Who is eligible for Care to Learn?
To be eligible for Care to Learn you must be a young parent (aged 20 or under) and expecting or caring for your own child. You must be living in England and studying a publicly-funded full or part-time course.
You are not eligible if:

  • You are an apprentice earning a salary
  • You are undertaking a Higher Education course at university

What does the fund pay for?
Care to Learn pays up to £160 per child, per week, to be used for registered childcare services, additional travel costs or retainer childcare fees. Leicester College has two registered nurseries which our students can use.

This funding is not means-tested, meaning that you are more than welcome to apply if you fit the above criteria.
What is the application process?
New students need to call 0800 121 89 89, and they will then be emailed a link to complete an online application.

To find out more about financial support contact our Student Services team on 0116 224 2240 and info@leicestercollege.ac.uk.

Free courses for adults earning up to £20,319

If you are 19 or older and earn up to £20,319 a year you may be able to study on a choice of courses entry, level 1 and 2 without having to pay course fees.  

Find out more about free courses.