Many of the course tuition fees charged by the College are subsidised by government funding and many learners do not have to pay these tuition fees.

The College also runs some courses described as ‘Full cost’ courses which are not subsidised by Government funding. Tuition fees for ‘Full cost’ courses are always payable in full.

For learners who fall into any of the categories listed under sections 3.1 to 3.8 below, then course tuition fees will be FREE (unless the course has ‘full cost’, ‘no remission’ or ‘UoT’ (Teesside University courses) in the title). Provided you achieve a qualifying attendance rate of at least 85% and a satisfactory academic performance during your studies you may not have to pay for your exam fees, registration fees or assessment fees either. All learners (except those on ‘Skills for Life’ courses) are required to pay for re-sit exam fees.

If you believe that you fall into any of the categories listed under sections 3.1 to 3.8 below you will be required to provide the College with original and current documentary evidence to support your claim for FREE tuition fees, at the point of enrolment.

• 3.1 All full or part-time learners aged 16, 17 or 18 on 31st August in the year of admission.
• 3.2 Any learner, aged 19 or above on 31st August in the year of admission, studying their first full level 2 qualification - see Appendix 1.
• 3.3 Any learner aged 19 to 24 on the 31 st August in the year of admission (or in some cases at the start of the course), studying for their first full level 3 qualification - see Appendix 1.
• 3.4 Any learner taking a learning aim funded as ‘Skills for life’ (Literacy or Numeracy), excluding ESOL.
• 3.5 Certain learners participating in other funded projects where course fees are identified as being ‘free’ in the project specification.
• 3.6 Learners, or the unwaged dependants of any person, in receipt of any of the following income based benefits.
  • Jobseekers' Allowance (Income based).
  • Council Tax Benefit, not including single-person’s discount.
  • Housing Benefit.
  • Income Support.
  • Working Tax Credit, with a household income less than £15,276.
  • Pension Guarantee credit.
• 3.7 Offenders serving their sentence in the community.
• 3.8 Eligible asylum seekers in receipt of the equivalent income based benefit (assistance under the terms of the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act) and their dependants.

All of the categories listed above are subject to satisfying UK / EEA residency requirements.

Please see Appendix 2 for a flowchart guide.

University programmes of study

Learners undertaking a programme which is run in conjunction with Teesside University will be subject to the University’s Fee, Grant and Loan policies and should seek advice from Student Services at the University (Telephone 01642 342277) if they feel that they may have difficulty in paying for fees.

Apprenticeship schemes

Currently the College does not charge a fee to employers of learners enrolled on Apprenticeship Schemes where the College is the managing agent (ie those Apprenticeship Schemes that are run by the College and for which the College is funded direct). The College will review this policy on an annual basis.

Where learners are enrolled in Apprenticeship Schemes being run by a managing agent other than Middlesbrough College, then the managing agent will be liable for a fee agreed in accordance with the College’s full cost pricing policy.

Overseas learners who do not satisfy UK / EEA residency requirements for funding

Learners who do not meet residency requirements will be charged for their tuition fees, exam fees and all other associated course fees, and will be subject to restrictions laid down by the UK Border Agency. The College is required by law to be licensed to enroll learners who are not resident within the EEA. Where a learner who does not satisfy residency requirements is considering enrolling with the College then Student Services must always be consulted (01642) 333602.

Tuition fees for Overseas learners will be set at a ‘Full cost’ rate appropriate to the length of the programme of study. Prices are available on application.