Paying for your course or programme
Some of our courses are free. For others you will need to pay.
The cost of most of our learning courses are covered by a grant to Gateshead Council from external agencies. Some courses receive a higher level of grant than others. This explains why you may need to pay for some courses, and not for others.
Our charges are explained below.
Free courses
These courses are free for everyone:
- employability-based courses for people who are unemployed
- 'family learning' courses
- english and maths courses
Other free courses
There is no fee to pay for a course where you meet one of the criteria below:
- you are 16 to 18 years old
- you are 16-25 years old and have an Education, Health and Care Plan
- you are 19 to 23 years old and the course will be your first Full Level 2 qualification
- you are 19 to 23 years old and the course will be your first Full Level 3 qualification
- you are over 24 years old and are undertaking a Level 3 qualification offered by the National Skills Fund (opens new window) and earn less than £25,000 per year
you are enrolled on an accredited course at level 2 or below, and have an income of less than £25,000 per year, and are employed or unemployed
you are enrolled on a non-accredited course at level 2 or below, and have an income of less than £25,000 per year
You may be asked to pay for a course if:
- you are over 24 and are enrolled on a course than is at level 3 or above, and not an apprenticeship
- you earn more than £25,000 per year
- you are enrolled onto a course where the materials are provided by Learning and Skills
- you enrol onto a course that is not funded through our grants
If you qualify for a free course or discount, you must bring evidence of this when you come to enrol, for example your benefit book or proof of earnings.
Charges
Course fees for our courses may vary. Please see our course directory for individual pricing.
If you can't afford to pay your course fees, then you can apply to our hardship funds for financial help. Speak to the enrolling officer at the centre or contact us on 0191 433 8646 for more information.
Paying for your course
Wherever possible, payment should be made at the point of enrolment. In cases where this is not possible, we would expect payment to be made at least two weeks before the course start date. If you do not make payment, you may lose your place on the course.
You can pay for your course online, at the same time as you enrol, over the telephone or by visiting our office.
If you have not contacted us to pay one week prior to the course starting, we will remind you to arrange payment. If no payment is made, we will send you an invoice in the post.
Please be aware that if you have outstanding fees on your account, you may not be able to enrol onto any further courses with us.
Instalments
Depending on the course, you may be able to pay for your course in instalments.
When paying in instalments, the first payment must be made at the same time you enrol and the final payment must be made no later than the mid-point of the course.
Speak to the enrolling officer or contact us on 0191 433 8646 for more information.
Refund policy
A full refund will be offered if:
- a course is cancelled before the first session. In the unlikely event of us having to finish a course early, a partial refund will be offered
- you have a medical or employment-related reasons. A doctor's note or a letter from an employer will be needed as proof
What is included in our fees?
Any course fees cover the teaching and learning costs of the course as well as your share of the cost of your certificate or exam.
On certain courses additional equipment and materials may also apply. These additional costs will be explained at the time of enrolment and explained on our course information pages.
Examination fees
Some of the cost of your examination and/or assessment is included in your course fee. However, if you do not sit the exam without good reason, we may charge you for the cost of this. This will be made clear to you when your examination/assessment entry is being submitted. A charge may also be made for any extra examination or assessments.
DBS checks
If your course involves your working with children or vulnerable adults, we will need to arrange for a police clearance check to be carried out. There may be a charge for this.
Support for your learning
If you have a learning disability or difficulty, we can access additional support for you. Please tell us when you enrol or at any time during the course if you think you may need additional support.
Depending on your circumstances and the course you are enrolled on, we may help with some or all of the costs linked directly to your learning, for example books, materials, or accredited childcare costs.
If you are provided with help towards these costs but then decide to leave before the course ends, we will expect you to repay any funds you have received.
Disclaimer
Occasionally we may have other funding that allows us to reduce the cost of our programmes. We will tell you if this applies to your course. We also have courses that attract no funding. For these courses we will charge a higher price that covers the full cost of running the course.
You must meet certain residency requirements prior to your course starting to qualify for the fee rates listed on this website. Where this is not the case, you are able to enrol on courses but are required to pay the full cost fee. Speak to the enrolling officer or contact us on 0191 433 8646 for more information.