Most students are expected to contribute to their course fees. Some courses receive funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), and these can be offered at a reduced rate to eligible learners. Please note other providers may offer these courses with alternative funding at a reduced rate.
How can I pay?
- Cheque - please make cheques payable to East Sussex County Council, quoting the course code on the reverse of the cheque.
- Credit/Debit card
- Cash (in person)
- By Instalments - please see 'Fees' section for more information
Telephone enrolments can only be processed with payment by Credit/Debit card.
Fees
Learners can choose to pay their course fees in instalments by standing order with payments structured as follows:
- fees between £139 and £272 - 50% of the fee paid on enrolment and 2 monthly payments of 25%
- fees between £273 - £324 - option of three equal instalments
- fees over £324 - option of four equal instalments
Learners electing to pay by standing order will be liable for the full cost of the course. Should they withdraw from the course for any reason other than medical, they will be liable to pay the course fee in full.
Are you entitled to pay the reduced fee?
Reduced fees are only available on courses which receive funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and students who apply for reduced fees will be checked for eligibility at the start of their course. Eligibility for reduced course fees will be subject to the student providing proof of being in receipt of one of the following means tested benefits depending on the type of course as follows:
Courses leading to an examination
Students are eligible to a free course if they are in receipt of one of the following benefits:
- Job Seekers Allowance (JSA), including those receiving national insurance credits only
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit because you are unemployed and mandated (required) to undertake skills training
- English and Maths courses (Functional Skills and GSCEs) are available free to most students, subject to meeting eligibility requirements
Unemployed students in receipt of a benefit other than those listed above may still be eligible for funding. Please contact the ACRES' Office on 01825 761820 for details.
ACRES may also use their discretion to support other students if both of the following apply. The student:
- Receives other state benefits (not listed above) and earns either less than 16 times the national minimum wage/national living wage a week or £338 a month (this is subject to change)
- Wants to be employed, or progress into more sustainable employment, if they earn either less than 16 times the national minimum wage/national living wage a week or £345 a month (this is subject to change) and ACRES is satisfied the learning is directly relevant to their employment prospects.
Further financial support may be given from our Discretionary Student Support fund to students experiencing financial hardship. Financial support may be granted for:
- The cost of essential books, equipment and materials
- Childcare costs (Care has to be provided by a child care provider who is registered with Ofsted to be eligible for support)
- Transport costs
- Examination fees
Non-examination funded courses
There are three ways we may financially support our students:
1) Arranging payment of fees by instalments. We may be able to arrange payment of fees by instalments over a longer period for those in financial hardship
2) Where a reduced fee is shown and students are in receipt of one of these benefits:
- Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), including those receiving National Insurance credits only
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit, earn either less than 16 times the national minimum wage/national living wage a week or £345 a month (this is subject to change) and are determined by Jobcentre Plus as being in one of the following groups:
- All Work-Related Requirements Group
- Work Preparation Group
- Work-Focused Interview Group
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit (with a household income of less than £18,000 per year)
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Reduction Scheme
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Released on a temporary licence and studying outside a prison environment and not funded through the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS)
3) ACRES' Discretionary Bursary fund - Students may apply to this fund for financial support where they are not on benefits but their household income is less than £25,000 per year.
Please note that:
- Funds are aimed at those most in need of financial support
- Funds are limited and will be allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis
- You will not receive funding if you have outstanding debts with ACRES
We are unable to reserve a place for you until all evidence, documentation and payment have been received.
For further information please contact the ACRES' Office on 01825 761820.
