Fee Policy

Fee Policy
Regionally Focused – Globally Engaged

January 2020

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History of Changes
Version Description of Change Authored by Date
1.1 Policy Reviewed P Smith July 2014

1.2 Admin Charges updated P Smith January 2017

1.3 3.3 Payment of Fees updated; S Halliday May 2017

3.4 Refunds and Withdrawals
updated

3.2.3 Updated SFC Circular A Jones January 2020

3.4 Refunds and Withdrawals A Jones January 2020

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1.0 Introduction
1.1 This Policy sets out the criteria the College will use to set and apply
fees and charges to courses of study.

1.2 This Policy sets out the criteria under which the College will award
Fee Waiver or apply concessionary rates to tuition fees, and the
circumstances under which refunds will be given.

2.0 Scope

2.1 This Policy covers all fees and charges that the College will levy for
courses of study and details all instances where fees may be waived
or concessions offered.

3.0 Key Principles

3.1 Fee Setting

3.1.1 Fees will be set in line with the table in 3.1.4

3.1.2 Variations

No variation to published fee levels may be made without the prior

approval of the Vice Principal – Finance and Resources.

3.1.3 Re-sits

Students are permitted two free attempts for internal assessments.

Subsequent re-sits and all external re-sits will be charged at the full
cost.

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3.1.4 Table of Fee Setting

Scottish/EU
Rest of UK (RUK)
Students (excluding Overseas Students
Students
RUK)
Definition Fulfil the definition Do not fulfil the Do not fulfil the
of the term definition of the definition of the
“normally resident” term “normally term “normally
per Schedules 1 resident” per resident” per
and 2 of the SFC’s Schedules 1 and 2 Schedules 1 and 2
Bursary Direction of the SFC’s of the SFC’s
Bursary Direction Bursary Direction
and normal
residence is within
the UK but not
Scotland

Full-time HNC, Set annually by Set annually by the College, taking into
HND or Advanced the Scottish consideration inflation, anticipated
Diploma Government demand and other business imperatives

Full-time Non- Set annually by Set annually by the College, taking into
Advanced the Scottish consideration inflation, anticipated
Funding Council demand and other business imperatives
(SFC)

Higher National Set annually by Set annually by the College, taking into
Units; Non- the College, taking consideration inflation, anticipated
Advanced Units; into consideration demand and other business imperatives
Advanced Higher; inflation, SFC
Intermediate; rates, anticipated
GCSE demand and other
business
imperatives

Non-standard fees The College, at its discretion, may set fees for individual
courses by agreement with the recipient student or
organisation

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3.2 Fee Waiver & Concessions

3.2.1 The College will waive the fees of any student entitled to support
under the National Fee Waiver Grant Policy, when that student is
undertaking an eligible course of study.

3.2.2 EU students are eligible for National Fee Waiver for full-time and for
part-time non-advanced courses.

3.2.3 In accordance with SFC Circular SFC/GD/05/2017, non-EU

International students are not eligible for Fee Waiver, except where
the student is:
• The spouse or child of a person who is an asylum seeker living
in Scotland (as defined by the Immigration and Asylum Act
1999) on either an English as a Second or Other Language
(ESOL) course (full or part time) or another part-time advanced
or part-time non-advanced course; or
• A non-asylum seeker living in Scotland, on a part-time ESOL
course and the student’s main purpose for being in the EU is
not to receive education.
• The three-year residency rule does not apply to refugees. A
student is entitled to support from the date of the Home Office
letter giving them refugee status.

3.2.4 Fee Waiver is not available under any other circumstances.

3.2.5 College staff members are entitled to a discount of 50% on course

fees.

3.2.6 The College operates a discount scheme with certain employers and
staff members of those employers are entitled to agreed levels of
discount. A current list of participating employers can be obtained by
contacting the Business Development Unit.

3.2.7 The College may also operate discounted fee schemes to stimulate
demand in certain areas or where it is deemed to be of commercial
value. Details of such schemes will be published as appropriate.

3.2.8 Concessions are not normally available on the College’s commercial

courses. The College will define, from time to time, which courses
fall into this category.

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3.3 Payment of Fees

3.3.1 On enrolment, students are responsible for providing evidence that

they are entitled to fee waiver or that their fees are to be paid by a
third party sponsor eg SAAS, Employer, Managing Agent. If they do
not provide this, or it is later discovered that they are ineligible for
funding, they will be classified as self-funding.

3.3.2 Where students are self-funding the full fee will normally be payable
in advance in full, unless they select one of the payment options in
table 3.3.7.

3.3.3 In all cases where fees are not paid timeously the College may
exclude the student from the course and seek to recover the
outstanding debt, utilising collection agents where necessary.
Certification may be withheld if fees remain unpaid.

3.3.4 Where course fees for part-time students are to be paid by a third
party sponsor, full details must be provided upon application. If, for
whatever reason, a sponsor fails to pay, the student will be liable for
any fees unpaid and will be treated as self-funding.

3.3.5 The College reserves the right to reject or exclude any student who
has an outstanding debt from current or prior years. This includes
both unpaid fees and charges, and bursary overpayment.

3.3.6 Payment of tuition fees for overseas students is required in full prior
to an unconditional offer being issued.

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3.3.7 Table of payment options.

Where any net fee (after

Instalment option:
any applicable grant) is:
£200 or less or the course Full fee is payable prior to attending first class or
duration is less than 60 accessing materials
calendar days

£201 to £500 25% deposit at enrolment followed by maximum of 3

monthly instalments (final instalment must be no later
than 1 month before the end date of the course)

£501 to £750 25% deposit at enrolment followed by maximum of 4

monthly instalments (final instalment must be no later
than 1 month before the end date of the course)

£751 to £1,000 25% deposit at enrolment followed by maximum of 5

monthly instalments (final instalment must be no later
than 1 month before the end date of the course)

More than £1,001 25% deposit at enrolment followed by maximum of 6

monthly instalments (final instalment must be no later
than 1 month before the end date of the course)

Tuition fees are non-refundable once a student commences the course. If a

student subsequently withdraws before completing their payment plan, they will still
be liable to pay any balance of fee remaining unpaid.

3.4 Refunds and Withdrawals

3.4.1 Where a student withdraws from a course at HN level or above, or

where the student is self-funding a course of study at FE level, and
the withdrawal is notified before 1 December in the year of study,
the College will not receive funding from SAAS. In this circumstance
a reduced fee will be chargeable to the student, based on a
proportion of the full charge and taking into account the length of
attendance. The Finance Business Partner may apply further
discretion taking account of the personal circumstances of the
student, with full waiver of the charge requiring approval of the Vice
Principal (Finance and Corporate Services). (This is following
guidance from Scottish Funding Council 29 November 2019 to
ensure consistency across the College sector).

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3.4.2 Where a student withdraws from a commercial or community class,

then no refund will be given, except in exceptional circumstances, at
the discretion of the Finance department as advised by Business
Development Unit staff. Such a refund will be subject to an
administration fee.

3.4.3 Where a student withdraws from a course and they are paying their
fees by instalments, any outstanding balance becomes payable in
full within 30 days from the date of withdrawal.

3.4.4 Where a student is required to provide proof of benefit for a part-

time National Fee Waiver, this evidence must be provided within 2
weeks of the commencement of the course, otherwise a fee waiver
will not be granted and the full course fee becomes payable.

3.4.5 Where an Employer Discount Voucher is being used, this must be

notified at application and the voucher submitted within 2 weeks of
commencement of the course, otherwise the voucher will not be
accepted and the full course becomes payable.

3.4.6 Where a course is cancelled by the College, a full refund of any fees
paid will be given.

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4.0 Responsibilities
4.1 The Finance and General Purposes Committee is responsible for
setting the Fee Policy.

4.2 The Senior Management Team sets fee levels annually in

November for the following academic year.

4.3 Senior and Middle Managers with a remit for applying fees have a
responsibility to adhere to this Policy.

4.4 The Finance Business Partner is responsible for the application of

this Policy.

4.5 All staff with a remit to advise students and prospective students
have a responsibility for the issue of proper guidance under this
Policy.

5.0 Related Documents

5.1 UK/EU Fee Tariff

5.2 International Fee Tariff

5.3 The Education (Fees and Awards) (Scotland) Regulations 2007

5.4 SFC Circular SFC/14/2007

5.5 National Fee Waiver Grant Policy

5.6 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

6.0 Review
6.1 This Policy will be reviewed every three years or more regularly, if
required.

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Status: To be Approved by Finance & General Purposes

Committee
Policy Dated: 19 March 2020
Author: Vice Principal – Finance and Corporate Services
Review Date: January 2023
Equality Impact Assessed: Completed

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