There are lots of ways we can support your finances whatever type of learner you are so that your study goals become your number one college priority.
Find out what you may be eligible for by these learner categories.
Areas Walsall College student finance can help with
Explanation of fees
If you’re under 19, full time courses are FREE. If you’re 19 or over, depending on your circumstances, tuition fee on certain courses may be FREE. You may still have to pay for exam/registration or materials costs but the Walsall College Bursary may be able to help with the cost of these (if you are studying 6 hours per week or more). For Higher Education course fees please click here
You get state benefits such as Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) – you must be aged 19 or over and applying for a course up to Level 2
You are enrolling on a full Level 2 qualification, aged 19-23 (at the start of your course) and don’t already hold a full Level 2 qualification or higher
You are enrolling on a full Level 3 qualification, aged 19-23 (at the start of your course) and don’t already hold a full Level 3 qualification or higher
Course Type | 19-23 Years of Age | 24 Years of Age + | ||
Employed |
Unemployed on active benefits, JSA/ESA WRAG or Universal Credit or wider offer undertaking skills training |
Employed |
Unemployed on active benefits, JSA/ESA WRAG or Universal Credit or wider offer undertaking skills training |
|
English & Maths, Adult Basic Skills up to Level 2 | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE |
ESOL | Fee payable* | FREE | Fee payable* | FREE |
Progression funding Entry Level/Level 1 excl. S4L without a L2 | FREE | FREE | Fee payable* | FREE |
First full level 2 | FREE | FREE | Fee payable* | FREE |
Additional full level 2 | Fee payable* | FREE | Fee payable* | FREE |
First full level 3 or above | FREE | FREE | Apply for Advanced Learner Loan or fee payable* | |
Additional full level 3 | Apply for Advanced Learner Loan or fee payable* | Apply for Advanced Learner Loan or fee payable* | Apply for Advanced Learner Loan or fee payable* | |
West Midland Combined Authority (WMCA) residents aged 19+, earning less than £17,550 (£9.00 per hour) will be able to access fully-funded (Adult Education Budget (AEB)) courses** at Level 1 and Level 2, including English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). *The fees listed in our publications take into account the standard government subsidy and we make every effort to ensure they are accurate. Please note that if you are employed and don’t meet the subsidy eligibility criteria for these courses, the fee may be higher. **These rules do not apply to apprenticeships, traineeships and advanced learner loans or to other education funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and to training services funded by the European Social Fund. |
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For further information and an explanation of fees and funding please contact the Enrolment Team on 01922 657000 |
Our Enrolment Team can help. They will be able to give you all the general advice you’ll need on 01922 657000.
The Walsall College Bursary can help with travel, equipment, exams, childcare or the cost of studying in general.
You can pay by either cash, cheque, credit or debit card.
Instalment payments are available for courses costing £100 or more. Speak to a member of our Student Finance Team at the Customer Advice and Support Centre who will work out an instalment plan with you, at no extra cost. An initial payment must be made on enrolment.
One of the following forms of ID:
- Passport, Driving Licence, National Insurance card, Bank credit or debit card, Results slips/exam certificates
- Payment of your £10 contribution for photocopying/printing
- Payment of your fees, if you’re not eligible for concessions
If you are unemployed: To claim concessions, you will need to bring along proof of relevant benefits dated within three months of enrolment.
If your employer is paying for your course: Bring along a letter, on company letter-headed paper, confirming that they can be invoiced for your fees. If you are a non-E.U. student please bring along proof of residency (e.g. Passport or Visa).
We’re here to help. Drop in or call our Student Support or Enrolment Teams on 01922 657000.
Smart Card
Walsall College is now offering a cashless payment system.
Your student ID card is a 'Smart Card'. When pre-loaded with a cash amount it can be presented as a means of payment at many of the College tills:
- College canteen (Wisemore and Green Lane)
- Costa
- Graduate Academy
- LRC (Wisemore and Green Lane)
The cards need to be credited in advance to be able to purchase anything.
Money can be loaded onto the card using loading machines located in the atriums at Wisemore and Green Lane campuses.
Parents can also upload money. They will need their own account. This can be accessed via a portal from the College website.
Students who qualify for free college meals will have a daily allowance of £4.50 (from 6th June 2022) credited to their Smart Card.
visit cashless.walsallcollege.ac.uk to top up your card.If the card is lost or stolen, it needs to be reported to the Student Services desk as soon as possible so the card can be blocked from further use. You can also de-activate your card through your online account. The balance from the time of reporting the card lost will appear on the new card.
If you lose or forget your card you will have to either purchase a new card, or go home and fetch it.
Free breakfast & college meals
At Walsall College we offer all of our students the opportunity to boost their brainpower by starting each day of study with a free breakfast in the college canteen.
All of our students can have two slices of toast with fruit juice.
According to many experts, as well as being part of a balanced diet, eating a healthy breakfast has a strong link to improved academic performance; the energy and nutrients a healthy breakfast provide helps students concentrate better.
The offer is available Monday to Friday:
Wisemore and Green Lane - between 8am and 10am
Hawbush - between 9am and 10am
Portland Street - between 10am and 11am
Students aged between 16 – 18 may be eligible for free college meals if they or their parent/carer receives one of the following benefits;
- Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based)
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) provided annual income, assessed by the HMRC does not exceed £16,190 (please note: This amount is subject to change in April every year)
- Employment Support Allowance (Income Related)
- Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- During the initial roll out of the benefit, Universal Credit
19-25 year olds who are subject to a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) OR Education Health Care Plan (EHC Plan) may also be eligible for free college meals.
Successful applicants will receive £4.50 per day (from 6th June 2022) (credited to their student card) this will be redeemable at Wisemore, Green Lane and Portland Street Campuses. This allows students to purchase any food or drink that is available at these sites including Starbucks and Costa. Students who receive free meals will still also be able to take advantage of the college’s free breakfast scheme, which is available to all students.
Students aged between 16-18 who are or whose parents are receiving one or more of the following benefits will need to complete the online bursary form and provide evidence of their household income (the whole bursary form needs to be completed not just the fcm application).
If aged between 19-25 years old and are subject to a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) OR Education Health Care Plan (EHC Plan) then please complete the following form (link to the 19-25 fcm app).
16-18 Bursaries
- The Vulnerable Bursary – this is specifically for students who have been defined as ‘vulnerable students’
- The Discretionary Bursary – this is for students who are not defined as ‘vulnerable students’ You can only apply for one Bursary, please see below for details.
- Looked after (in care) or have recently left care (Care Order in force)
- In receipt of Income Support (or Universal Credit) in their own right (not their parents)
- Disabled and in receipt of both Employment & Support Allowance (Universal Credit) and Disability Living Allowance (Personal Independence Payments) in their own right (not their parents)
You will need to provide up to date evidence to confirm receipt of your Benefit, or a recent letter from Social Services confirming your care status.
Funds will be allocated to provide a bus pass, equipment costs and monthly payments – paid directly into your bank account. You will therefore need to provide your bank account details. You will be issued with guidance notes to explain the reporting procedure in case of authorised absences.
All awards are made subject to attendance of at least 90%, good progress and behaviour and may be reduced or withheld if standards are not met.
Category | Criteria |
Bus Pass |
Students must meet the bursary criteria and live 1.5 miles or more away from the College or be on a placement which is 1.5 miles away from their home address. Available for collection and at the beginning of each new term. You can collect your bus pass from the CASC Desk at the campus you study at with a signed declaration of attendance and your student ID Card. Students who are applying for NX West Midlands bus passes must have the NXBus M-Tickets app installed on their mobile devices in readiness for September. You will need to create an account within the app using your Walsall College Email Address which is your student number followed by @student.walsallcollege.ac.uk The links for the app are as follows; Android Phones iPhone and iOS The app needs to be on the students phone not that of any parents or guardians. If you require an Arriva bus pass and not one from Network West Midlands you will need to provide 2 Identical passport style photographs for each term’s bus pass and do not need to worry about the above detail regarding the app. Students who require an NX Bus Pass but do not have access to a smartphone can have a Swift Card ordered but will still need to visit the CASC Desk to complete this process. Any students who live in an area where there is no bus service available to get to College will be made a travel payment. |
Equipment | A payment towards the cost of equipment, depending on your course. Paid after the October half term holiday, subject to satisfactory attendance. |
Bursary Payment to help with College costs, such as stationery, books, lunches etc. |
3 payments (1 each term after the half term holiday) subject to satisfactory attendance and the following household income limits:-
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Equipment and Bursary Payments are paid directly into your bank account. You will need to provide us with your bank account details. While we recognise that some students face financial pressures, the funding you are applying for comes from a government fund and is public money. It is not a right. The College has a duty to ensure that the funds are awarded fairly to students most in need. Funds are cash limited and funding cannot be guaranteed. Early application is essential.
All awards are made subject to attendance of at least 90%, good progress and behaviour and may be reduced or withheld if standards are not met.
- be 16 or over and under 19 on 31st August 2022
- be enrolled to a full time course or traineeship
- have ‘home’ student status or have been granted full ‘refugee’ or ‘asylum seeker’ status (British Citizens normally have ‘home student’ status)
- have been ‘ordinarily resident in the UK, EU or EEA continuously for the last 3 years before the start of your course, with ‘settled status’ which means having indefinite leave to enter or remain (ILE/ILR)
- live in a household where the total gross household income is £32,500 or less
- Students on Higher Education Courses
- Students on Worked Based Learning/Waged Apprenticeships
- Students aged 19 or over on 31 August 2022 (Separate 19+ Bursary Funds are available)
- Check that you the meet the eligibility criteria
- Apply online through the Online Bursary Applications System.
No awards will be made to you until you are fully enrolled on your course. If your application is not successful you will be notified by letter. You will then need to decide if you are able to enrol to your course without financial support from the Fund. Please contact the Student Support Team, quoting your receipt number, if you do not receive a letter within 2 weeks of handing in your application form.
Further information and advice is available from the Student Support Team in the Customer Advice and Support Centre. Please contact us if you have any questions or need help to complete this form. For further information about Student Support telephone 01922 657000, email admissionsandfinance@walsallcollege.ac.uk or visit www.gov.uk.
19+ Bursary
- be 19 or over on 31st August 2022
- be enrolled to a course of 6 hours or more per week that is approved for funding by the Education & Skills Funding Agency – we will check this before making any awards
- have ‘home’ students status or have been granted full ‘refugee’ or ‘asylum seeker’ status (British Citizens normally have ‘home student’ status)
- have been ordinarily resident in the UK, EU or EEA continuously for the last 3 years before the start of your course, with ‘settled’ status which means having indefinite leave to enter or remain (ILE/ILR)
- not exceed the following income threshold limits:
Joint income if living with spouse/partner OR single
applicant living independently |
Single applicants living with parents or guardians |
Up to £30,000 | Up to £10,000 |
- Students on Higher Education Courses
- Students on Work Based Learning/Waged Apprenticeships
- Students aged 19 and over at the start of their course studying at level 3 or above. (Students can apply to the Advanced Learner Loans Bursary Fund if they have taken out the Advanced Learner Loan for their fees)
- Students aged under 19 on 31 August 2022 (students can apply to the 16-18 Bursary Fund)
- Students aged 24 and over studying a level 3 or above
- Check that you the meet the eligibility criteria
- Apply online through the Online Bursary Applications System.
Please speak to a member of the Student Support Team if you need help to fund childcare – if you are awarded childcare funding you can apply for a bus pass from the 19+ bursary fund. Incomplete forms, or forms submitted without the required evidence, will not be accepted.
If your application is not successful you will be notified by letter. You will then need to decide if you are able to enrol to your course without financial support from the Fund. Please contact the Student Support Team, quoting your receipt number, if you do not receive a letter within 2 weeks of handing in your application form.
Further information and advice is available from the Student Support Team in the Customer Advice and Support Centre. Please contact us if you have any questions or need help to complete the form.
For further information about admissions and finance telephone 01922 657005, email admissionsandfinance@walsallcollege.ac.uk or visit www.gov.uk.
Independent financial advice is available at www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Your Local Authority may have information about funding available to help with the costs of adult education.
Advanced Learner Loans
If finances have been holding you back from starting a course, you can now apply for a loan to help with the cost of course fees! You must be enrolling onto an eligible course at Level 3 or above.
Your household income isn’t taken into account and there’s no credit check. You will not have to pay anything back until you have finished your course and are earning over £30,000 a year.
Advanced Learner Loans
- the type of course you take
- how much the fees are for the course
- the minimum loan you can get is £300.
- 19 or older on the first day you start your course and the start day of your course must be on or after the 1st August 2022 (there’s no upper age limit)
- living in the UK on the first day of your course, and have lived in the UK, the Channel islands or the Isle of Man for 3 years immediately before the start date of the course
- Studying at this College or a training organisation in England approved for public funding.
Advanced Learner Loans Bursary
Higher Education Fees
Think you simply can't afford to get on course for the career you want? You can at Walsall College.
Course fees at university cost anywhere up to £9,000 per year, whereas at Walsall College a typical HNC/D costs £6,000 (£3,045 for part time) and a Level 6 top-up costs £7,500 a year which represents great value for money!
As well as lower fees, students on higher education courses at Walsall College will also benefit from smaller class sizes and personalised tuition, accredited by The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education.
- One third of the tuition fee to be paid at enrolment
- All other fees and charges (such as materials charges and learner pass charges) to be paid in full at enrolment
- Two equal payments of the remaining tuition fee to be paid at the start of each of the following two terms
Walsall College Fees Policy
Full-Time 2022-23 HE Annual Fees | |
HNC (Level 4) or HND (Level 5) | |
Returning | New |
£5,900 | £5,900 |
There are options available to study Walsall College Pearson HNC level 4 and HND level 5 courses, via a part-time mode, where each course/level can be studied over the equivalent of two academic years.
Part – Time 2022-23 HE Annual Fees | |
HNC (Level 4) or HND (Level 5) | |
Returning | New |
£2,995 | £2,995 |
For two-year part time courses, The College may increase fees in line with any inflationary uplift as determined by the UK Government, if permitted by law or government policy, in the second and subsequent years of the course. It is anticipated that such increases will be linked to RPI (the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments).
In terms of students wanting to progress to a higher level course (for example, HNC level 4 to HND level 5 or from HND level 5 to Level 6), the College publishes its fees for each two academic consecutive years ahead, at the end of every April. This will enable students to review costs of not only the course they are considering, but of the subsequent progression level course, if they chose to remain and progress at the College.
The College aims to offer excellent value for money at all levels of study and will review this on an annual basis in line with local providers as well as outcomes for learners and learner satisfaction.
The College’s strategy for HE includes programmes which are validated by a partner universities. We offer a level 6 programme through formal partnership with Staffordshire University. We also offer a level 5 Diploma in Education and Training in formal partnership with the Birmingham City University (BCU).
HE partnership provision fees are set by the partner / validating University and will be subject to their own OFFA Access Agreements and pricing policies.
Level 6 top-up courses delivered in partnership with Walsall College are £7,500 for the 2022-23 academic year.
Diploma in Education and Training delivered in partnership Walsall College is £2,250 for the 2022-23 academic year.
- The cost of additional examinations for any award other than the intended award.
- The cost of personal membership to professional bodies.
- Additional materials beyond the supplied standard provision
- Optional field trips and activities for personal development.
- Travel costs to and from placements.
- The cost of any Criminal Records Bureau Check or Occupational Health Assessment where these are required either by the college or a placement provider.
- Printing and Photocopying.
- Library Fees and Fines.
- Own purchase Text Books.
The Office for Fair Access is the independent regulator of fair access to higher education in England. An access agreement sets out a university or college’s fee limits and the access measures it intends to put in place e.g. outreach work and financial support.
The Access Agreement between Walsall College and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) covers all full time Home & EU students admitted in the academic year 18/19. The College’s Mission and Strategic Plan outlines a clear commitment to widening and increasing participation in Higher Education, regardless of any potential barriers associated with previous experience, background or any other factors.
Higher Education (HE) Financial Support Information
Student Finance England offer means tested loans/grants for Higher Education, so they may be able to offer HE students some money towards their course.
Once students have applied for courses through UCAS, it is important that they begin to complete their application for student finance. Applicants can do this via the link: www.gov.uk/studentfinance
It is really important that applicants apply for funding as soon as possible in order to ensure their funding is in place. It can take at least six weeks to process applications. Applicants don’t need a confirmed place and can use their preferred course and change the details later.
For students who live elsewhere in the UK further information about financial support can be found on the following government websites:
- Northern Ireland: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
- Scotland: www.saas.gov.uk
- Wales: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
Walsall College does not make provision directly for International Students.
With high levels of local and regional deprivation, the College recognises often an acute need for financial support which enables students to fully access and participate in their studies. Additional financial support has been directly linked to improved retention of students who had been flagged as at risk of achieving, helping to reduce the gaps in access, success and progression.
The HE Bursary of £800 per academic year is automatically granted to the HE students who are eligible for it. This is classified as a bursary, and is managed differently and separately to the Financial Hardship Fund. Students are assessed for the HE Bursary based on their household income. In 2019/20 we amended the household income limit from £24,000 to £30,000, following the Government increases in the National Minimum Wage. Applicants to our HE provision are encouraged to apply for the HE Bursary at the point of enrolment and are supported in doing so on an individual basis. Evidence of household income is assessed as part of the bursary application process and if evidence meets the criteria, the bursary is given automatically.
The Financial Hardship Fund is not automatically granted, as this is only made available to students who can demonstrate they are experiencing severe financial difficulty. The College also offer ‘in-kind’ services such as through reduced on-site gym membership and free breakfasts and subsidised place at the College nursery (Childcare Bursary), subject to availability.
All bursaries and hardship funds are reviewed annually in accordance with the College’s Bursary and Free Meals Policy and Procedure.
Those HE students who may be eligible for The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) are supported in their application by the College’s Inclusive Support Department.
HE students will be potentially eligible to receive support from the Bursary award, only once your higher education loan has been approved by the Student Loans Company for your tuition fee. You will need to provide evidence of this. Payments will be made on a termly basis. Payment 1: £300, Payment 2: £350, Payment 3: £150 (Total £800). Part time courses will be eligible for 50% of this amount.
Childcare is not available through the bursary; however, you can get additional funding for this through your higher education loan.
Apply online through the Online Bursary Applications System
If you require any support with your application for funding please contact our Admissions and Finance Team in the atrium. Alternatively, please give us a call on 01922 657000 and ask to speak to a member of the team.
Higher Education students with a support need can apply for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) using the following link - https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas/overview
Those HE students who may be eligible for The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) are supported in their application by the College’s Inclusive Support Department.
The support provided is determined by an external assessor and outlined in the students individual access report.
HE Course Level Information
Please search course level information on our Higher Education course information pages
The Office for Students is an independent regulator of fair access to higher education in England. An access agreement sets out a university or college’s fee limits and the access measures it intends to put in place e.g. outreach work and financial support.
The Access and Participation Plans for Walsall College cover all full time Home & EU students admitted in the academic year. The College’s Mission and Strategic Plan outlines a clear commitment to widening and increasing participation in Higher Education, regardless of any potential barriers associated with previous experience, background or any other factors.
Click here to view the Access and Participation Plan 2020/21 to 2024/25 for Walsall CollegeClick here to view Condition C3 of the Student Protection Plan