Fees Policy
1. Statement
2. Aims
3. Domestic and overseas students
4. Tuition fees
5. Payment timelines
6. Term fees
7. Scholarships
8. Withdrawal and notice
9. Expulsion, required removal and suspension
0. Payment and interest
11. Payment methods
1. Statement
Ashbourne is an independent (private) fee paying college. This policy outlines the College’s terms and conditions with respect to fees. The current academic year tuition fees are available here.
2. Aims
This policy aims to set out the College fees, payment terms and conditions and methods.
3. Domestic and overseas students
Students holding a British passport or whose parents are residing permanently in the United Kingdom are classified as domestic students (UK) and will be charged UK fees. Students who do not meet these criteria are considered overseas (OS) and will be charged overseas fees.
4. Tuition fees
4.1 Compulsory fees
A level and GCSE course fees
There are three terms per academic year. Fees calculated for A level and GCSE per term take into account the full year’s fees and therefore are not a reflection of the number of teaching weeks in that particular term.
Registration fee
The registration fee is payable upon registration and is non-refundable and non-recurring.
Refundable book deposit
The refundable book deposit covers the books given to the students at the beginning of each academic year. As the books do not have to be returned until the student leaves Ashbourne, the book deposit can only be refunded at the end of the student’s programme at Ashbourne.
The deposit will only be refunded once the following requirements have been satisfied:
The book deposit fee must be settled before the start of the Autumn Term together with the Autumn Term fee and all the other compulsory fees.
Examinations
Examination fees are charged per subject per academic year and have to be settled before the start of the Autumn Term together with the Autumn Term fee and all the other compulsory fees.
If the student wishes to take an exam in a particular subject without tuition and this has been agreed with their Personal Tutor and the Director of Studies, they will be charged an additional examination fee.
Late entries made after the entry deadline (as communicated by the Exams Officer) will be charged a late entry fee per subject in addition to the standard subject entry fee. Very late entries will also be charged a ‘very late entry’ fee per subject in addition to the standard subject entry fee.
4.2 Non-compulsory fees
Practical fees
Practical fees cover the usage of subject-specific materials, science laboratories, theatre hire and educational trips (excluding residential trips) and apply to A level students of art-based subjects (Arts, Graphics, Textiles), science-based subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) as well as Drama and Music.
GCSE students are not charged practical fees.
Practical fees have to be settled before the start of the Autumn Term together with the Autumn Term fee and all the other compulsory fees.
4.3 Easter Revision
Ashbourne offers Easter Revision courses, which comprise of 15 hours tuition over five days either in morning or afternoon sessions. There are two fixed prices for 15 hours of group tuition for current Ashbourne students and for external students. This price is applicable to both A level and GCSE students. GCSE Science and A level Politics Easter Revision courses are full-day sessions and cost the same as two half-day courses. Once confirmed, this fee must be settled before the start of the course.
Current Ashbourne students are entitled to attend one Easter Revision course, or half of the GCSE Science course, per year free of charge.
4.4 English Summer Course
The College will announce the cost of this course closer to the event date. Once confirmed, this fee must be settled before the start of the course.
4.5 Individual tuition
Individual tuition is charged on an hourly basis. External students are charged the same amount as Ashbourne students. In order to confirm the tuition, individual tuition fees must be paid in full before the start of the first lesson. Individual tuition fees are non-refundable and will only be rescheduled if notice has been given before the start of the lesson.
4.5.1 Individual Tuition programme – terms and conditions
4.6 UCAS
There is a fee chargeable to all students wishing to apply to university through UCAS in their final year of studies. The student will not need to pay for this if they wish to apply privately. UCAS fees have to be settled before the start of the Autumn Term together with the Autumn Term fee and all the other compulsory fees.
4.7 Residential trips/overseas trip/student activities
Residential trips including the Art trip, Geography field trip, the annual European trip and other trips are not included in the yearly fees and their price varies depending on several factors including, but not limited to: destination, duration and number of students attending. Once confirmed, this fee must be settled before the deadline set by the Activities Coordinator in order to confirm the booking.
4.8 Post exam results services
Ashbourne offers post exam results services in line with JCQ regulations. These services are priced in line with JCQ charges to the College.
Paper remarks: there is a priority remark service and a standard remark service. Students can only apply for this service after the results are published.
Scripts: If a student wishes to have one or more scripts returned, there is a cost per paper.
Further details and additional information are available from the Exams Officer.
5. Payment timelines
Payment timeline for new UK students:
Autumn Term plus other compulsory fees and non-compulsory fees (if applicable) for the year – 1 July
Spring Term – 1 December
Summer Term – 1 March
Payment timeline for returning UK students:
Autumn Term plus other compulsory fees and non-compulsory fees (if applicable) for the year – 1 August
Spring Term – 1 December
Summer Term – 1 March
Payment timeline for new OS students:
Autumn Term plus Spring Term, other compulsory fees and non-compulsory fees (if applicable) for the year – 1 July
Summer Term – 1 December
Payment timeline for returning OS students:
Autumn Term, Spring Term plus other compulsory fees and non-compulsory fees (if applicable) for the year – 1 August
Summer Term – 1 December
6. Term fees
A level course
Termly fees are fixed for a study of minimum three A level subjects. Only at the point of registration, the Admissions Team may adjust the fees pro-rata on the number of subjects.
If a student signs up for a full-time A level programme for three or more subjects, and subsequently drops one or more subjects, they will still be liable for full fees. Refunds are permitted only at the College’s discretion and provided that proper notice has been given, (see below for notice).
A level students are permitted to change their subject choices within the first two weeks of the term.
GCSE course
These fees do not depend on the number of subjects studied.
7. Scholarships
Ashbourne offers a limited number of scholarship places particularly for Music, Drama and English Literature. Scholarships may range from 10 to 100% of tuition fees. We carefully assess each student’s application to ensure they meet the criteria and have the potential to fully benefit from the scholarship. Please read the Scholarship Policy for further information.
8. Withdrawal and notice
The College requires not less than one complete term’s notice before withdrawing. ‘A term’s notice’ means notice given by the parents in writing to the Principal prior to the first day of the term preceding the term in which the student or parent wishes to withdraw. Thus if a student withdraws for any reason in the middle of one term, the following term’s fees are payable. This requirement of notice does apply to the final term of the academic year for any AS (year 12) or GCSE (year 11) student. In the case of such students, if notice is given during the student’s final term, the first term’s fees of the following academic year are payable. Of course no notice need be given by year 13 students who complete their final academic year with us.
If the student is withdrawn on less than a term’s notice or excluded for more than 28 days for non-payment of fees, a term’s fees in lieu of notice will be immediately due and payable as a debt.
The student’s decision to withdraw from the College shall be treated as a withdrawal by the Parents.
The College may terminate this agreement on one term’s written notice sent by ordinary post or on less than one term’s notice in a case involving expulsion or required removal.
If a student has been offered and formally accepted a place at the College and then fails to take up the place without giving a term’s notice, one term’s fees will be payable as a debt.
9. Expulsion, required removal and suspension
The student may be formally expelled from the College if it is proved on the balance of probabilities that the student has committed a very grave breach of College discipline or a serious criminal offence. In such circumstances there will be no charge of fees in lieu of notice. All arrears of fees and other sums will be payable.
The student may be suspended from College for a limited period either as a disciplinary sanction or pending the outcome of an investigation.
Parents may be required to remove the student, temporarily or permanently, if after consultation with the parents and/or legal guardian, the Principal is of the opinion that by reason of the student’s conduct or progress, the student is unwilling or unable to benefit sufficiently from the educational opportunities and/or the community life offered by the College. This clause will also apply in the case of a parent treating the College or members of its staff unreasonably. In such a case there will be no charge of fees in lieu of notice but all arrears of fees and other sums shall be payable.
If fees are unpaid, the College reserves the right, on three days’ written notice, to suspend the student. If the school fees have not been received before the fee deadline and a late payment is made, this payment must be received before 6pm on weekdays, so that the College has appropriate time to clear the student to be able to attend classes for 9am the following day. If payment is made after 6pm or during the weekend, the College cannot guarantee that the student will be able to attend lessons on the next College day at 9am. Once payment has been successfully received, a member of the Attendance team, will inform the fee payer and the student that they are approved to return on site.
Suspension on these grounds is not a disciplinary matter although the College also reserves the right to withhold references in relation to an application for a place at another college but will not do so in a way that will cause direct and unfair prejudice to the legitimate rights of the student. If fees remain unpaid 28 days after such suspension, the student will be deemed to have withdrawn without proper notice. In this case, as above, one term’s fees become payable in lieu of notice.
10. Payment and interest
The College reserves the right to allocate payments received from parents towards payment of fees due notwithstanding any other allocation accompanying the payment.
Any sum overdue for payment to the College shall be subject to interest at the rate of the bank rate plus 3% for each calendar month (or part) during which such sums remain due for payment (after, as well as before, any judgement in a court of law).
11. Payment methods
Payment of tuition or other fees can be made via:
Please note that cash payments are not accepted.
Ashbourne bank account details