Can I get help with my tuition fee?

If you're keen to enrol on a course at Alton College but worried about paying for the course fee, we may be able to help if it's a 'funded' course.

Fee reduction

• you are 16-18 years of age
• you are in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance (WRAG)
• you are unemployed and in receipt of a state benefit (other than JSA or ESA (WRAG) and want to enter employment and need skills training to do so
• your household has a low income
• you are aged 19-24 and wish to enrol on a GCSE English or GCSE Mathematics course and have not previously achieved a grade C or above
• you are studying your first full Level 3 qualification and have left the British Armed Forces after completing four years of service or have been medically discharged, due to an injury in active service, after completing basic training.  (This can be up to ten years after you have left the British Armed Forces).

To book your course place, you must enrol in person (not online or by post) and show something that proves your age or the benefit that you're getting.

Progression to Level 2

For Entry and Level 1 aims (excluding Skills for Life) when you have an entitlement to a full level 2 qualification, in that you must have a highest prior attainment level 1 or below, but need a step up from basic skills in order to progress to a full Level 2.

Level 2 Entitlement

The Level 2 Entitlement (or 'L2E') is a Skills Funding Agency scheme. It's designed to help people gain skills to improve their chances of getting a job. If you're aged 19 or over, and you don't have a full Level 2 qualification, you may qualify for free tuition on a full Level 2 course. All eligible courses are marked 'L2E'.

Note: you may also get help under the L2E scheme if you enrol on a Level 3 programme (such as NVQ Level 3) if you don't have a full Level 2 qualification but it's appropriate for you to study at Level 3.

Download Level 2 Entitlement form

You can verify your qualifications on this glossary.

A full Level 2 qualification is equivalent to:

• 5 GCSEs at A*-C grades
• 5 or more CSEs at grade 1
• 1 Advanced Level
• 2 or 3 AS Levels
• GNVQ at Intermediate Level
• NVQ at Level 2
• other vocational qualifications that are counted as full Level 2 in the government's 'Labour Force Survey'
• any other qualification at a higher level than those listed above

Level 3 Entitlement

You can get free tuition under the Level 3 Entitlement (L3E) if you're aged between 19 and 25 and you want to gain your first full Level 3 qualification. If you're aged 19 but not yet 25* when starting the programme, you may qualify for free tuition. All eligible courses are marked 'L3E'.

*You can be over 25 years if you have left the British Armed Forces after completing four or more years of service or have been medically discharged, due to an injury in active service, after completing basic training.

Note: to get this help, it doesn't matter if you haven't got a full Level 2 qualification but we'll do an assessment to see if you can complete a full Level 3 programme.

Download Level 3 Entitlement form

You can verify your qualifications on this glossary.

A full Level 3 qualification is equivalent to:

• 2 A Levels
• 4 or more AS Levels
• AVCE Double Award
• GNVQ at Advanced Level
• NVQ at Level 3
• QAA Access to Higher Education
• other vocational qualifications that are counted as full Level 3 in the government's 'Labour Force Survey'
• any other qualification at a higher level than those listed above 

Remission of Fees Guidelines