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This Policy aims to set out how the College will:
This document is intended to act as a reference source and guide for fees, fee waivers, payment arrangements and other charges for the academic year 2024/25. It should be used in conjunction with the latest ESFA/LCRCA funding rules which ultimately determine whether a student is eligible to receive funding.
This policy is subject to potential further amendments and clarifications.
The range of people that this Policy applies to are:
Throughout this policy, reference is made to “home” students. Unless stated differently, “home” is defined as being normally resident for 3 years in the UK, including EU/EEA nationals with “settled status” before 1 January 2021.
16-18 ESFA Funded Provision (Includes 19-24-year-olds with EHCP)
Learners who are/will be 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August in the calendar year when they begin a programme of study, and are “home” students are eligible for full funding by the ESFA. These students will not be charged tuition or awarding body registration fees.
Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan), who are aged 19-24-years-old on the 31 August in the calendar year when they begin a programme of study, and are “home” students are eligible for full funding by the ESFA. These students will not be charged tuition or awarding body registration fees.
Where clothing or equipment is necessary for the student’s health or safety, a charge may be made for clothing and equipment that the student retains, but only if the student also has the option of borrowing the clothing or equipment free of charge.
In certain areas students will be encouraged to purchase their own kit, which they can take with them when they leave.
The College may charge for examinations and re-sits when funding criteria are met. A full set of charges rules in relation to 16-18 year old learners can be found in the ESFA Funding Guidance for Young People here:
Funding guidance for young people 2024 to 2025 rates and formula – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Adult Skills Fund Provision – Classroom based
The devolution of adult skills fund to specified combined authorities and the Mayor of London will apply in relation to the academic year from 1 August 2019. The following Combined Authorities will exercise, in relation to their area, certain adult skills functions of the Secretary of State under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.
The College will be subject to different Adult Skills funding rules dependent on the residency of the learner.
Students who are aged 19 or over on the day they start their qualification and who are “home” students may be eligible for funding by either the ESFA or LCRCA, depending on their individual circumstances and the qualification they wish to study.
Adult Skills Funded Provision – resident of LCR (funded by LCRCA)
Learners unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Combined Authority. Learner postcodes can be checked for eligibility at:
Adult skills fund (ASF) postcode files – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The following is an extract from the Adult Skills Funded provision – management rules funded by the LCRCA:
LCR Adult Skills Contribution Table 1: Learners aged 19 to 23 year
LCR Adult Skills Contribution Table 2: Learners aged 24+
Exam fees
No exam fee to be charged as tuition fee is set at the maximum loan/weighted fee available. Fees may be charged for re-sits and/or retakes.
Kits and Uniforms
Basic kit and uniforms will be made available where applicable. In certain areas students will be encouraged to purchase their own kit, which they can take with them when they leave.
Unemployed status
For funding purposes, we define a Learner as unemployed if one or more of the following apply:
Low wage flexibility referred to must be eligible for co-funding and earns less than £31,600.40 annual gross salary.
Adult Skills Provision – resident of non-devolved area (funded by ESFA)
The following is an extract from the Adult Skills Provision – management rules funded by the ESFA:
Government contribution table 1: 19 to 23-year-
Government contribution table 2: 24+
A full set of funding rules in relation to 19+ learners can be found in the ESFA funding guidance for Adult Skills Fund:
Adult skills fund: funding and performance management rules 2024 to 2025 – GOV.UK
Low wage flexibility referred to must be eligible for co-funding and earns less than £22,308 annual gross salary.
Exam fees
No exam fee to be charged as tuition fee is set at the maximum loan/weighted fee available. Fees may be charged for re-sits and/or retakes.
Kits and Uniforms
Basic kit and uniforms will be made available where applicable. In certain areas students will be encouraged to purchase their own kit, which they can take with them when they leave.
Earnings threshold
The ESFA will fully fund learners who are unemployed, employed, or self-employed, up to and including level 2 and the level 3 offers, if they earn below £25,000 annual gross salary.
Adult Skills Fund Provision – resident of another devolved area
The College does not have a funding allocation for any other devolved area and therefore any adult learner from a devolved area would be unfunded and subject to a tuition fee.
The LCRCA has an arrangement for Adult Skills Funded Cross Border Learners with Greater Manchester Combined Authority however, this will be included in the main Adult Skills Funded allocation. This reciprocal arrangement does not apply to the National Skills Fund Level 3 Adult offer.
Higher Education fees
The Consumer Protection guidance for HEIs require that fees must be set and published in good time for the marketing cycle therefore fees for 2025/26 are:
* C&E is Construction and Engineering. The higher rate applies to all programmes in these subject areas only.
** Specific computing HNC/D programmes will be subject to higher fees due to resourcing and delivery costs.
HE bursaries are offered subject to eligibility criteria.
In future years we anticipate increasing the fees in line with the annual inflation level (capped at RPI All Items Excluding Mortgage Interest (RPIX)).
For EU students with settled or pre-settled status and Irish citizens, the rate is the same as the Home Fees. The College does not currently offer courses for international students, including those from Europe, who require a visa to study in the UK.
The College does not currently offer courses for international students outside the EU. For students from within the EU, the rate is the same as the Home Fee.
Managing Agents (Indirect Apprenticeships)
Instalment arrangements for students paying their own fees
ESFA Funded courses, Income Generation and HE:
Instalment offer is subject to students meeting the terms and conditions.
For enrolments taking place in September on a 1 year course, up to 8 instalments and up to 15 instalments for 2 year courses. The number of instalments decreases depending on the date of enrolment and length of course
First instalment is due at enrolment. See “Student Payment of Course Fees” document for further details
NB: For learners experiencing financial difficulties, it may be possible to make payment arrangements with Financial Services via automated collection from learner’s debit/credit cards.
In certain circumstances, the College may remove the option to pay by instalments when there is a risk that non-recovery of fees may result in the course not being financially viable. The Deputy Chief Executive is delegated to approve an amendment where it makes commercial sense to do so.
Apprenticeship Provision
Exemption to the co-investment fee above for employers who do not pay the levy, if at the start of their apprenticeship training, the apprentice is aged between 16 and 21 years old or 22 to 24 with an EHCP. A full set of charges rules in relation to apprenticeships can be found here:
Apprenticeship co-investment fees
Employers should be encouraged to pay the full amount up front. Where instalments are requested, the following will apply:
College term dates are available on the website (www.liv-coll.ac.uk)
For apprenticeships which are high value (over £12,000) and 2 years or more in duration, the employer may request additional instalments which will be considered on a case-by-case basis and approved by the Head of Finance.
If a learner withdraws, the College will refund pro rata over the duration of the apprenticeship.
Fee reassessment/refund
Fees are refundable in full if the College cancel the course.
In certain circumstances, students may be eligible for a refund/reassessment of the fee which is documented in the College Fee Reassessment/Refund. The student must complete the Student Application Form and in line with the policy, the College may authorise a refund for a proportionate amount of the tuition fee applicable to the remaining classes of the course which the student will be unable to attend.
A copy of the College Fee Reassessment/Refund procedure is available upon request from the Finance Department.
