Does this sound cheap?

Kelly7

Hi guys
I went to my college today to ask for the level 4 cost & was told it was £994 plus an additional cost of £270. From searching online and looking at other colleges this seems quite cheap to me, was wondering if anyone else had any prices. I'm 28 too which I think should make it more expensive?
X

wabisabi

Hi Kelly7

I think it is quite reasonable. At the college I studied at last year they have effectively doubled the cost of their AAT courses (and a lot of other vocational courses too) due to the withdrawal of Government funding. L2 and L3 now cost £1750 plus the cost of books but including exam fees. L4 will be around the same amount if not more.

Sometimes colleges offer bursaries, depending on your personal circumstances - worth asking. You could also take out a student loan. The Student Finance people at the college would be able to advise on this.

Best wishes

WS

Malcolm Green

Hi Kelly,

Normally the cost of courses are about the same depending on the type of training package and support being provided i.e. books and exam fees etc.

However some providers do have different funding arrangements in place to help reduce the overall cost of their fees.

Any reductions in fees through funding support are typically banded between the ages of 19 and 23 and then for those over 24 some degree of funding may still be available.

This may be why your level 4 fees are showing to be lower than some other colleges at the moment.

cazalino

I will be paying £1649 for level 4 (well my employer will:001_smile:). That's for evening class 1 day a week. That excludes books and exams which are £38.

SandyHood

Kelly7
For almost £1300, my advice is to ask to speak to one or two tutors.
There are colleges advertising AAT course with very good staff, and others where the staff are not as good.
When you are paying £1,300 my guess is you'd be happy to pay anything up to £1,600.

Look around and see which college gives you confidence that they'll give you a good education in accountancy. I think it is well worth sussing out alternatives. On the prospectus, all colleges appear to be offering the same product, but this is a service business and confidence in the lecturers who will take the classes is vital.

If you are in the Chichester area, I'd be happy to talk to you.

Lindux

Im paying £1987 for level 4!

SamiH

The company I work for paid just shy of £1200 for my college tuition and exam fees for Level 4 (2 nights a week, runs Sept 2012 - Dec 2013). Their prospectus for 2013-2014 is almost double that so I think you have got yourself a good price.

I haven't had to pay for any course or revision materials as the college provided their own.

They must be doing something right, as I haven't failed one yet

Kelly7

Hi all
Thanks for the replies. Think I might try emailing one of my tutors from last year in case they pick up their emails still while on the break. Don't want to ask work then find out after its more.
X

Rachetman

Lindux wrote: »

Im paying £1987 for level 4!

I find that very shocking.

wabisabi

I suppose you could argue that a L4 qualification is equivalent to 1st year of a university degree, which can cost up to £9K for tuition fees. So even at just under £2K AAT is still cheap by comparison.

Rachetman

Not so in Scotland, Wabisabi.

entfac

One other possibility is that the L4 course runs over four terms and the price you've seen quoted is for the first year, meaning that you'll have an additional payment to make this time next year.