Preparing for Self-Employment

Level 2 Qualifications

This course may be Free* if you live in the South West of England and:

• You are defined by the Adult Education Board (AEB) as being unemployed because one of the following applies:
  • receive Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), including those receiving National Insurance credits only
  • receive Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • receive Universal Credit and your take home pay, as recorded on your Universal Credit statement (disregarding Universal Credit payment and other benefits) is less than £345 a month (learner is sole adult in the benefit claim) or £552 a month (learner has a joint benefit claim with their partner)
  • are released on temporary licence, studying outside a prison environment, and not funded by the Ministry of Justice
• You are employed, or self-employed, and earn less than £18,525.00 annual gross salary.

Level 3 Qualifications

This course is Free* if:

The qualification you have chosen to study is part of the Legal Entitlements list and you are aged 19-23 at the start of your course and you do not already have a qualification at Level 3 or higher. From April 2021, any adult aged 24 and over who wants to achieve their first full level 3 qualification will be able to access certain courses we run for free.

The full fee is payable if:

• this is not your first full level 3

Or

• the qualification you wish to study isn’t on the approved list of level 3 qualifications the College can run for free.

However, you may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Apprenticeships - Information for Employers

The cost of apprenticeships will be split into 30 funding bands ranging from £1,500 to £27,000. The prices will depend on the type of apprenticeship and the level it is taught at, and are negotiable with your training provider.

For 98% of employers, the reforms mean that employing an apprentice will be better value for money than ever before. Small businesses will only have to pay 5% of the training costs, with the Government picking up the remaining 95%. In some cases, the Government will fully fund apprenticeships for small businesses.

Click here for more information about how the reforms and levy will affect your company.

Advanced Learner Loans

You may be eligible to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan from Student Finance England, to fund the cost of your course. For further information and to check eligibility, please follow the links below:

• www.weston.ac.uk/supporting-you/financial-support 
• GOV.UK

Spreading the Costs

If the cost you have to pay for a course is over £120 and lasts for 24 weeks or more, you may be able to spread the cost.

To do this you will be asked for a 25% deposit at enrolment, plus any examination fees payable. You will then be invoiced for the remaining fee and provided with information on taking the instalment option where applicable.

Enhanced Learning Credits

Weston College is an approved provider of courses under the Ministry of Defence's Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) scheme. Enhanced Learning Credits are designed to promote lifelong learning amongst members of the Armed Forces and ex-service personnel. ELCs provide a financial contribution towards a first full Level 3 qualification (Certificates and Diplomas), a first Foundation Degree, a first full undergraduate degree or national equivalents.

Sorry, no help exists for Hinkley Point Courses.

Please see here for more details about Hinkley Point.

Other Important information

While every care has been made to ensure the accuracy of our prospectuses and website, errors may occur from time to time resulting in incorrect information / fees being shown / printed.   

• Fees quoted online and in our prospectuses are for the current academic year only, and are subject to change – two and three-year courses will have fees to pay again in subsequent years. 

• You may still need to buy a uniform/kit which is your professional start-up kits or pay professional/personal memberships and all students will need to provide a National Insurance number and up-to-date proof of benefits, if applicable, at the time of enrolment. 

• Please click here for our current term dates. 

• If you are 16-18 years old on the 31st August in the current academic year, this course is usually Free. 

• Students who are EU/EEA or Swiss Citizens who have lived in the UK before 1 January 2021 who do not have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK or haven’t applied for the EU Settlement Scheme and been granted pre-settled or settled status – please contact the College Registrar on 01934 411 531 for advice on appropriate UKVI student visa fees before you enrol. 

Refunds

• Full refunds will be payable if we need to cancel a course. 

• Tuition fee refunds are payable if you change your mind within 14 days of enrolling on your course and before the start of the course (10% of tuition fee or £25 administration fee whichever is larger will be charged). 

• If you change your mind about a course before it starts or during the first three weeks, we will happily transfer you to an alternative course - you may need to pay any difference in fees or have a credit note issued to you if the course is cheaper. 

• If you wish to withdraw from a course you can request a credit note for the remaining proportion of the tuition fees to a maximum of 50% of tuition fees paid (a £25 administration fee will be charged). Credit notes are valid for one calendar year. 

• There are different terms and conditions for Higher Education courses - please call 01934 411 409 for further details. 

Discretionary Learner Support Fund

This is a College-administered fund which can support some costs associated with attending qualification courses. It is mean-tested against gross household income and limited in its amount per learner. For further information please contact Student Services on 01934 411 571.