FAQs

Sometimes just getting from A to B can be a costly affair. That is why at Heart of Worcestershire College we offer travel support through various funds designed to ease the cost of attending a further education course. Support is depended on your household income. We also have an intercampus bus that any of our students can use to get between our Redditch and Bromsgrove campus.

For more information visit our Travel support section and to check your eligibility.

To apply for a bursary please fill out an application form, these are available from each campus Advice Centre, from July. We advise that students complete and submit their application ASAP to aid with the processing of their claim. On submitting your application it will be assessed in accordance with means tested criteria in line with the rules and regulations produced by the Government. Processing is normally completed within six weeks of application although due to volume of applications at the start of the year, applications and notifications are likely to take longer.

For more information regarding bursaries and to check your eligibility.

Navigating your way through the endless rules regarding tax, bursaries and funding can be a nightmare. In short, you’ll usually have to pay Council Tax if you’re 18 or over and own or rent a home. However, you won’t have to pay any Council Tax if everyone in your home, including you, is a full-time student.

For more information about your eligibility or paying for council tax please visit www.gov.uk

No, if your son/daughter is under the age of 19 then their course will be fully-funded.

Yes, students are required to purchase relevant equipment and uniform for their course (unless it is clearly stated that it is included within their course fees and is essential for their course). Many items can be brought through the college’s online shop. Equipment and uniform requirements will be distributed to students on the successful application to their course by the department tutor.

Heart of Worcestershire College can provide support for students with uniform and equipment costs. Information regarding finance and bursaries can be found on the Student Finance section of our website.

At Heart of Worcestershire College we take student welfare extremely seriously. If you are worried or have concerns about your son/daughter please do not hesitate to contact our welfare team.

If you would like to speak to a member of the welfare team can contact us by emailing welfarew&m@howcollege.ac.uk or welfarer&b@howcollege.ac.uk.

The main difference between A-levels and a vocational course is that they focus more closely on one subject area for example beauty therapy, whereas A-levels you select three or four subject to study.

A Level 3 vocational course is equivalent to A-levels, however, you get to focus on a subject area that is more specific to the career path you want to take.

Your child may still want to go to university and think that they must do A-levels to get there. But we’re here to tell you, that is NOT the case.

A Level 3 vocational course is equivalent to A-levels, giving your child the opportunity to earn UCAS point, thus enabling them to progress onto university-level study, whether that be at college or at a university.

Did you know that the College has its own Higher Education and Professional provision? For more information please click here.

The College offers a whole range of different travel schemes to help all our students get to and from college. From support with travel costs to our intercampus bus that runs between our Bromsgrove and Redditch campuses.

Follow the link to find out more on how we can support you with travel.

Not at all, students that have already achieved a grade 3 at GCSE will be enrolled onto our GCSE programme. Those who haven’t achieved a grade 3 or above will study functional skills alongside their course. Our supportive and talented tutors will help students prepare for these qualifications, ensuring they achieve their full potential.

Our proactive Work Experience Co-ordinators will help you find a work placement. We will support students every step of the way and aim to source each student with meaningful and beneficial placement.

HoW College takes students’ welfare extremely seriously. If your child feels unsafe or worried at college we have a dedicated welfare team on-site that they can talk to.

At college the students are responsible for their own learning. However, we expect that our students to abide by the College Values and Student Standards policy at all times. We expect students to make good decisions regarding their use of time, attendance and punctuality; failure to comply with college policies will result in disciplinary action.

All term dates can be found within the College calendar section of our website

If you need a new student card please visit your nearest Learning Centre where our friendly team will be on hand to assist you.

You can apply to any of our courses via our website. Simply find the course you wish to apply for and click the apply now button.

We would recommend attending one of our open days, these are held on several dates throughout the year. During our open days you will be able to look around the campuses and find out more about the courses we offer.

Here at Heart of Worcestershire College we understand that throughout the academic year students may become ill or absent from college. If you are going to be absent for any reason from college we ask that it is reported via our dedicated student absence line 01905 725700 or via email to StudentAbsenceLine@howcollege.ac.uk

Unfortunately, the College can’t provide replacements for any certificates. These will need to be ordered directly from the relevant awarding body. For further assistance please email exams@howcollege.ac.uk

The examination department will contact you by text and email to arrange collection when your certificate has been received at the college. Please make sure your contact details are kept up to date. Any certificates not collected within 12 months will be destroyed or returned to the Awarding Body.