Adult Course Fees & Funding at Riverside College

Fees, Financial Assistance and How to Pay

Funding criteria is set by the government and is reviewed every year. (Funding may be subject to change). Funding criteria is set by the government and is reviewed ever year. Funding is yet to be confirmed for 2025 and so the information provided here refers to the criteria for 2024 and may be subject to change for September 2025 course intake.

Many of our Students Study for Free

Don’t be put off by the cost of study, many of our students study for free. Eligibility depends on your individual circumstances and the course you have chosen to study.

Funding rules are set by the government. The information below relates to June 2024.

Some of our courses are FREE for everyone, they will show as FREE in the Fee/Cost section of the individual course information pages on the website and course guide.
Courses that are FREE (LCR residents only) are free for anyone who lives in the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral) regardless of your circumstances.
Some of our courses are FREE depending on your circumstances, this is stated in the Fee/Cost section of the individual course information pages on the website and with a * next to the cost in the course guide.

The government fee remission criteria for these courses are as follows:

Entry, Level 1 and Level 2 courses will be FREE if you:

Live in the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral)
Live outside of the Liverpool City Region and are either:

- Unemployed and in receipt of a state benefit
- Earning less than £25,000 per year/£2,083 per month (gross salary)
- Studying a FULL Level 2 course, are aged 19-23, and have NOT already achieved a FULL Level 2 qualification (equivalent to 5 GCSEs at grade A-C/9-4)

(A first full Level 2 course includes: 5 GCSEs at grade A*- C, BTEC First Diploma, NVQ Level 2, GNVQ Intermediate. If you have additional qualifications that you are unsure of, we will check these at enrolment.)

Level 3 Courses will be FREE if you:

Are aged 19-23 and do not already have a full Level 3 qualification (equivalent to 2 A Levels).
Do not already have a full level 3 qualification AND are studying one of the courses listed below under Free Courses for Jobs.
Have already achieved a Level 3 qualification, are studying one of the courses listed below under Free Courses for Jobs. AND are either:

- Unemployed, available for work and in receipt of a state benefit
- Living in the Liverpool City Region and earning less than £33,958 per year (gross salary)
- Living outside of the Liverpool City Region and earning less than £25,000 per year (gross salary)

Free Courses for Jobs:

Level 3 AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting
Level 3 Award in Education & Training (LCR residents only)
Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installation
Level 3 Diploma in Counselling
Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery

(A first full Level 3 course includes: 2 A Levels at grade A*-E, BTEC National Diploma, BTEC Extended Diploma, BTEC National Certificate, NVQ Level 3, GNVQ Advanced. If you have additional qualifications that you are unsure of, we will check these at enrolment.)

Please click here for a full list of September courses currently on offer.

Apply online or email advice@riverside.ac.uk for more information.

Paying for your course?

If you are paying for your course you will do so at enrolment by cash or card. Some courses can be paid for by instalments (indicated by a Δ in the Adult Course Guide or stated in the cost section of the individual course information pages on the website) or payment plans, please enquire.

Higher Education Student Loan

HE Student Loans are available for all first-time undergraduates, full and part-time. You won’t pay back any of your course fees until you are earning £25,000 or over per year. For more information visit www.gov.uk.

(Courses with an ‘S’ in the fee column in the Adult Course Guide or indicated in the Cost section of the course information leaflets on the website are eligible for HE Student Loans.)

Courses with an ‘S’ in the fee column in the Adult Course Guide are eligible for HE Student Loans.

Learn more about Higher Education Course loans Here.

Advanced Learner Loan

An Advanced Learner Loan is available to anyone over the age of 19, regardless of your individual circumstances, studying a Level 3 or 4 eligible course. The loan will fully cover your fees – with no repayments until you are earning over the current threshold of £25,000 or over per year (repayment example: if you are earning £28,000 per year you will pay approximately £22 per month).

(Courses with a ‘+’ in the fee column in the Adult Course Guide or indicated in the Cost section of the individual course information leaflets are eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan.)

Student Bursary:

We also have a Student Bursary to help you with the cost of coming to college.

How do I pay?

Course fees should be paid at enrolment by cash or card. We accept all major credit/debit cards. We do not accept American Express.

Fees for courses that are not eligible for remission or loans must be paid for in full at enrolment.

All other fees that are £365 or above, and last a minimum of one term, can be paid in instalments. Students will be required to pay the first instalment at enrolment.

If your employer is paying your course fees you must bring a letter of authorisation from them. We will then issue an invoice directly to your employer for payment

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