Will I have to pay for my full time course?
There are various circumstances where a Full Time course is either free or reduced. These are listed below:
- If you are under 19 years old on 31st August 2009, your course is free.
- If you are over 19 years old and a student on either an English or Maths course (up to the equivalent of GCSE), your course is free.
- If you are over 19 years old and a student for the first time on a level 2 course (e.g. you haven’t previously gained GCSE A-C), you only pay a registration fee of £35.
- If you are 19 – 24 years old and a student for the first time on a level 3 course (e.g. you haven’t previously gained 2 or more A Level passes), you only pay a registration fee of £35.
- If you are over 25 years old and on a level 3 course (e.g. A Levels) but have never studied at level 2 (e.g. GCSEs), you only pay a registration fee of £35.
- If you are over 19 years old and in receipt of means-tested benefits (please see list below), your tuition fees are either free or reduced. You will be required to pay a registration fee of £35, unless you are an asylum seeker or refugee not in receipt of benefits.
List of means-tested benefits*:
- Job Seekers Allowance (income based only)
- Income Support
- Housing Benefits
- Council Tax Benefits
- Working Tax Credit
- Disabled Persons Tax Credit
- Unwaged dependant of the above
- Pensions Credit (over 60s income support)
* You will be required to provide proof of your benefits and your residential status when you complete your enrolment.
Are there any other costs?
- If you enrol on a course which involves working with children or vulnerable adults, you will need to have a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check before you enrol. This will cost you a minimum of £36. Some courses require that you have more than one CRB check completed throughout the course. Please check when you apply.
- You may also have to pay for books and materials on some of our courses.
How much do I need to pay for a Full Time course?
If you are over 19 years old and not in any of the above categories, you will be required to pay full fees.
The standard hourly rate for a qualification course is £3.24 per hour for 60 hours or less or £2.59* per hour for 61-450 hours with a £35 registration fee. You will also need to pay an exam fee.
When do I pay for my course?
The following table shows when you need to pay for your course and discounts available.
| Course Cost | Payment Period | Discount Available |
|---|---|---|
| £200 or less | 1 month | 10% if you pay up front |
| £201 to £500 | 2 months, equal instalments | 10% if you pay within 1 month |
| £501 to £1,044 | 3 months, equal instalments | 10% if you pay within 2 months |
| More than £1,044 | 4 months, equal instalments | 10% if you pay within 3 months |
Methods of payment
We accept the following methods of payment: Cash / Cheques / Visa / MasterCard / UK Maestro / Delta / Electron / Solo.
Please make all cheques payable to ‘Greenwich Community College’.
We also offer a Standing Order option for students wishing to pay in instalments.
Refund Policy
If Greenwich Community College cancels a qualification course you will receive a full refund. If you wish to transfer the refund to another course or defer it to the next year, we can arrange this.
If a student wishes to cancel the enrolment, they must do so in writing. They will be required to complete a Refund form and submit the original receipt to the Finance Office.
| Cancellation time before start of course | Refund percent of total fee payable(less Registration fee) |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks or more | 100% |
| 6 – 8 weeks | 90% |
| 2 – 6 weeks | 80% |
| 0 – 2 weeks | 60% |
| 6 days or less after class has started | Refund less registration fees will be given in exceptional circumstances |
Refunds by the College will be paid by the way of cheque or credit card – depending on the method the fees were originally paid in. Exceptional circumstances include severe illness for which a doctor’s certificate will be required.
For GENERAL INTEREST courses the amount refunded will be pro-rata to the remaining sessions from the date the request is received at the Finance Office. Refund requests will be processed within a minimum period of 21 days.
Refunds cannot be made for any other reason.