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Fees and Charges

You can view details of our fees and charges for 2011-12 here (valid from 1st August 2011):

Open College Network South West Region Fees and Charges 2011-12.pdf (44kb)

For learners progressing from Award to Certificate and Certificate to Diploma for Step-UP and Progression Qualifications, charges for 2010-11 will be "nested" - only the difference in the qualification prices will be charged. Please see the document below for more details:

Step-UP and Progression Qual Charging for 2011-12.pdf (27kb)

Date of implementation:   1st August 2011

Annual Fees

1.     Annual Centre Recognition Fee

This is an annual fee banded according to the number of learner registrations during the previous year. Note that if a learner is registered twice in a year, this will count as two learner registrations, three times as three learner registrations, and so on.

The Annual Centre Recognition Fee covers:

- Support and advice from OCNSWR staff on curriculum development and accreditation administration

- Quality audit and centre risk assessment

- Up to two Quality Reviewer visits per year

- Access to units accredited by OCNSWR, units accredited by other OCNs and NOCN National Qualifications

- Administration and account management costs.

2.     New Centres

The minimum charge for new organisations or those rejoining after a Centre Recognition lapse of 1 year or more is £ 625.00, payable on receipt of the Centre Recognition Application.  Centre Recognition status will not be confirmed until this payment has been received by OCNSWR.  The fee is not refundable if Centre Recognition status is not achieved.  This charge will also apply to new Centres delivering only the Access to HE Diploma.

New Centres will receive:

- All of the services covered by the Annual Centre Recognition fee detailed above

- An additional Quality Reviewer “health check” visit to provide full support and guidance

- Advice on Training and CPD opportunities

- One to one mentoring and support as required

Registration Fees

3.     A charge per learner registration based on intended credit target:

A single charge is made for learner registration and certification at the point of learner registration for courses that lead to either full Qualification or Credit awards.

The price of the learner registration fee for each NOCN qualification is provided on the NOCN Website, see http://www.nocn.org.uk/products/fees-and-prices

The price of the learner registration fee for a course that is not a full Qualification is based on the intended credit target for that course as follows:

4.     Late registration fee

There will be a charge of £15 per learner (see registration deadline dates below in Section 11). These charges will be strictly applied.

5.     Access to HE learner registration fees

£110 (includes course external moderation)

Access to HE registrations must be received by 1^st November after this date the late registration fee will be charged (currently an additional £12 per learner).

Access to HE registrations received after 31^st January will be charged a further late registration fee of an additional £50 per learner (total of £62 per learner in addition to registration fee).

Where Access to HE programmes start at different dates through the year the same principles will apply.  For programmes starting outside of the autumn term then please contact your Access to HE officer to confirm registration dates.

 6.     NOCN National Qualification Charges – these are available from the NOCN website http://www.nocn.org.uk/qualifications/fees-and-prices 

Other fees

7.     Replacement certificate fee

£25 per certificate

8.     Quality Assurance Fees

 The Annual Centre Recognition fee includes up to two Quality Reviewer visits (plus an additional visit for new Centres) per year to the centre to verify compliance and the security of the award of credit.  Where extra visits are required to ensure centre compliance with terms and conditions or where the verification of the award of credit makes it necessary then OCNSWR may make a charge for each additional visit required of £260.

9.  Consultancy fee

£500 plus travel costs for a full day (£250 plus travel costs for a half day). This covers all consultancy work previously and separately agreed with organisations and which falls outside OCNSWR’s standard offer.  This also includes recognition/validation of courses for Access to HE programmes for those centres not using the OCNSWR Common Access Framework. This rate will also apply to credit development and bespoke training.

10.  Other charges

 Other charges for services agreed with OCNSWR will be levied at the discretion of the OCNSWR Chief Executive Officer.

 Additional information

11.  Payment and registration.

All course and learner registrations (except Access to HE – see Tutor Handbook) must be received by OCNSWR by the following deadlines in order to allow the quality assurance process to come into operation from the start of the course run.

- For courses of 15 weeks or less, the registration form must be received by OCNSWR within 25 working days of the start date

- For courses of more than 15 weeks, the registration form must be received by OCNSWR within 60 working days of the start date

Where a “roll on roll off” course is being run then the date the learner joins the course must be taken as the start date and should be entered as such on the learner registration form.

Registrations received after these deadlines will be subject to late registration fees.

Learner registration forms must be clearly marked where it states “If a full Qualification or Progression Award please state the title:” which qualification the learners are aiming for or full ICV charges will apply.

12.  Invoice payments.

It is the responsibility of the providing organisation to pay fees and charges within 30 days of the invoice date.

 Late payment charges will be incurred beyond this period of 2% of the invoice value per month. Centres should note that enquiries relating to invoices should be made within 20 working days of the date of the invoice.  No adjustments or credit notes will be produced after this deadline and the original invoice will be due for payment.

For further information please contact us on:

01752 831500 or info@ocnswr.org.uk or OCNSWR, Units 24/25, 237 Union Street, Plymouth, PL1 3HQ