Why are access courses so expensive to enrol on...?

I have been looking into enrolling on an access to science course at my local college, but the price of the course seems really expensive for an 8 month course (excluding holidays etc). Basically, the course price is £3,750 to attend, but why so much?
I mean aren't we paying enough in student loans and fees when you get to University? I mean personally, I feel that £3,750 is a lot of money to spend for 8 months of the year spent on the course, but am I wrong to think like that? Was just curious as to what you guys thought?

Reply 1

nulli tertius

Original post by Mrbuster

Absence of subsidy

Reply 2

FinalMH

Original post by Mrbuster

would be cheaper to do A levels in self study lol

Reply 3

girlwithsharpteeth

Wow, my Access course was £535 and that included the exam fees and everything (I was one of about 2 people on the course who had to pay the full amount - most others got it for free or heavily subsidised) :s-smilie:

no idea why yours is so much!

Reply 4

BoxingNo1

Original post by girlwithsharpteeth

no idea why yours is so much!

Where do you live, and where did you do it?

Reply 5

girlwithsharpteeth

Original post by BoxingNo1

Where do you live, and where did you do it?

Cumbria, at Carlisle College

Reply 6

username546637

thats ridiculous, the course im on at the moment cost me £750 and as said above most people pay nothing and actually get a grant of around £40 a week.

maybe because its science based?

Reply 7

member398873

Because you already got 12 years of education free if you wanted it?

Reply 8

BoxingNo1

Original post by girlwithsharpteeth

Cumbria, at Carlisle College

Hmm! I don't know then. I mean I have seen an access course at a different College, which is £900, but they all seem pretty expensive to be honest. I live in Essex, down south! So maybe it's just more expensive down here, who knows.

Reply 9

girlwithsharpteeth

Original post by BoxingNo1

Couldn't say but seems very strange for them to charge that much!

Reply 10

josh_v

When i started my Access course (last september) there were certain criteria that decided whether you paid full fees or not.

Any students who did not already have a level three qualification or was receiving benefits were eligible for the discounted price (£2000 down to £200) Most students seemed to only be paying £200, and the ones who would have had to pay full price seemed to have signed on to JSA a few months before starting the course to save themselves the full fees.

Its definitely worth emailing the college to see what they say. Although bear in mind that government cuts are coming in and science courses are generally more expensive than traditional pen and paper subjects.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 11

BoxingNo1

Original post by lechaton-x

Because you already got 12 years of education free if you wanted it?

True, but sometimes things happen and you make stupid decisions when you're young and immature, especially when it concerns education. But now I'm trying to do right, and get back into education. I don't mind paying money for a course that could be beneficial in me getting into University, but the prices are pretty extreme to say the least.

Reply 12

costaerer

Original post by lechaton-x

Because you already got 12 years of education free if you wanted it?

yup...and most people are on low income or benefits so they get it for free anyway!

Reply 13

BoxingNo1

Original post by josh_v

When i started my Access course (last september) there were certain criteria that decided whether you paid full fees or not.

Any students who did not already have a level three qualification or was receiving benefits were eligible for the discounted price (£2000 down to £200) Most students seemed to only be paying £200, and the ones who would have had to pay full price seemed to have signed on to JSA a few months before starting the course to save themselves the full fees.

Its definitely worth emailing the college to see what they say. Although bare in mind that government cuts are coming in and science courses are generally more expensive than traditional pen and paper subjects.

Well, it wasn't just Science Access course, it's all of them. Yeah, it's the same at my local college regarding price reduction for people on benefits. I think the price goes down to around £160 if the person is receiving benefits/JSA etc.