Fees and financial support

How to get help with
- Course books and materials costs
- Public transport costs
- Claiming reduced fees
Cost should not be a barrier to learning
Support for learners
Click on the following link
how we can help you (PDF 1.6MB) for detailed information on the support we can provide.
Fees and payments
A place on a course is not booked until the fee has been paid. If you book over the phone and wish to pay by cheque, we will reserve your place for 7 days to allow time for your cheque to arrive.
You can also pay by:
- Debit card or Maestro (Switch) cards
- Mastercard/Visa (1.8% charge will be made for credit card transactions)
In some cases courses can be paid for in instalments, please contact your local office for details.
The costs of books and other materials are not included in course fees unless otherwise stated.
Free courses - find out more
If you receive any of the following benefits:
- Jobseeker's Allowance (including the partner where the claim is joint)
- Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) in the work related activity group
and you want to join a course leading to a qualification that could help you back into work; you can enrol on our courses for FREE or for as little as £15.00.
You can:
- Join most qualification courses (course codes ending in A) for an administration free of £15 this will be refunded on achieving the qualification
- Join most courses with codes ending with a letter N with a 50% reduction of the tuition fee element of the course fee*
Learners 65 years of age or over and working less than 16 hours per week may be entitled to a 10% reduction of the tuition fee element of courses ending in A or N. You will still be responsible for the registration, assessment, examination fees and books/materials needed for your course
*To maintain entitlement 50% of the course must be completed including the start and end dates. A fee will be applied if these conditions are not met.
Minimum fees are offered for most courses if learners meet the eligibility criteria. All applications for reduced fees must be made at the time of enrolment.
We will need to see and copy proof of the entitlement.
If you would like further help please contact your local learning office.
Learner support fund
Cost should not be a barrier to your learning.
If you enrol on an accredited course and would like support with fees and additional costs please contact your local office for further details.
You can get extra help towards the costs of:
- Transport
- Childcare
- Books and Materials
- Accreditation charges
Refund policy
You are entitled to a “cooling off” period (paid by telephone or post) of 7 working days to cancel your enrolment. Written notification must be received at the local centre where you enrolled, within 7 working days of the initial booking.
We may cancel courses if insufficient enrolments have been received or if other circumstances beyond our control arise. In these instances you may be offered an alternative course, if not we will give you a full refund.
A learner withdrawing (exceptional circumstances) from a course after this 7 day period may be offered a discretionary credit voucher. This will be subject to an administration charge, which is currently £15*. If a withdrawal request is made due to medical conditions, you will require a medical certificate. This request will be subject to the £15* administration charge and deductions for any attendance. If a supplement has been included in the original cost this may not be refunded.
Bedfordshire Adult Skills & Community Learning have no obligation to refund course fees unless our services were not fit for purpose.
*Figure correct as at September 2011.
You can also...
Do it online
- Bedfordshire Adult Skills & Community Learning Moodle

- Find a course online
- Adult education courses: register today for email updates

Visit other useful sites*
Download more information
Free Family Fun Day (PDF 127KB)
Enrolment form 2011-12 North (PDF 325KB)
Enrolment Form 2011-12 South (PDF 243KB)
Spring Summer Courses 2012 (PDF 282KB)
Contact us
- 0808 100 3140
- adult.learning@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
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