Fee Concessions

What you need to know about course fees…

Students aged 19 and over are usually subsidised by the Government for most qualifications up to a level 3. Students are expected to pay the fee published which relates to their age.

Students who are aged 19 years and over wanting to enrol on an additional level 3 courses are not funded by the Government and consequently are expected to pay the fee listed.  These students can either pay fees themselves or apply for a Government Advanced Learner Loan to pay for tuition fees.

In our part-time course listings, if the course you are interested in is eligible for an 'Advanced Learner Loan' there will be a 'Yes' in the 'Advanced Learner Loan Available' column.

Higher Education HNC and HND courses fee are payable, regardless of a student's age or circumstances. See our Higher Education fees page for more information.

Some courses listed are not fundable by the Government. Therefore students are expected to pay these fees, regardless of age or circumstances. These courses are identified where 'No' is listed in the 'Concessions Available' column. Adult learners may be eligible for reduced fees depending upon criteria such as your age, residency in England and any benefits being claimed.

Eligibility criteria for fee reductions usually apply to:

• Residents of England, EU/EEA members, spouse or child of EU/EEA members who have been resident in the EU/EAA for 3 years or more prior to the start of the course, for a purpose other than full-time education.
• Those aged between 16 and 18 years of age (under 19 years of age on 31st August 2013).

Please contact student services on 01384 363 363 to find out if you may be eligible for reduced fees.

Advanced Learner Loans Explained

If you are aged 19 or over and want to study a course at level 3 or above, you may need to pay for the cost of your course. The Advanced Learner Loan is a way of borrowing money to pay for this. It is easy to apply for, and does not take your household income into account or involve a credit check.

Key Facts About the Loan

• Repayments are linked to what you earn and not how much you borrowed
• You only have to start making repayments when you’ve finished your course and if you’re earning over £21,000 a year (which is £404 a week or £1,750 a month). Until then you don’t need to pay back anything but you can make voluntary repayments at any time
• You pay 9% of the money you earn over £21,000 before tax. For example, if you earn £22,000 a year, your monthly repayment will be £7 a month; and if you earn £35,000 a year, it will be £105 per month
• Interest is charged on a sliding scale between the Retail Price Index (RPI) and RPI +3%, depending on how much you earn
• If your Advanced Learner Loan is for an Access to Higher Education course and you go on to complete a degree, the Advanced Learner Loan gets written off.

To qualify you must be:

• Aged 19 or over on the first day of your course (there’s no upper age-limit)
• Living in the UK on the first day of your course and have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three years immediately before this unless you meet one of the exceptions
• You must be studying with a college or training organisation in England approved for public funding, which Dudley College is
• Enrolling on an eligible course at level 3 and above

Please note: these loans do not cover Degrees or other forms of Higher Education (HE). For information on funding for HE go to: gov.uk/studentfinance