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Ready for a Change?

Full time, 1 year, Foundation Certificate courses. No prior qualifications needed, bursaries and accommodation available for eligible applicants. Next intake September 2010.

Week and weekend courses in Coleg Harlech

How to Apply for a Full Time Course

Before you apply please take a moment to read the following information.

It is designed to make clear the initial application criteria and also runs through what happens after you apply. Once you are ready you can either download an application form from this page or contact Julie Roberts 01766 781900.

  1. Application Criteria
  2. Interview
  3. Taster Courses
  4. References
  5. Medicals
  6. Acceptance
  7. Study Skills

Download the application form for September 2010

Application Criteria

From experience the following four items are the main reasons that applications fail. Please check that you meet the criteria before applying in order to avoid being disappointed later.
Feel free to contact us if you have any queries or concerns.

1. Will you be over 20 years of age on 1st September 2010?

The bursaries are only available to students over 20 years of age.

2. Have you studied at a higher level?

If you have already gained a qualification at a higher level (ie Degree, HND) then you will not be eligible for a bursary even if your qualification is in a completely different subject area.
It would be possible to attend on a full fee paying basis, please ask for further information about this option.

3. Have you been a resident in the UK for over 3 years?

In order to be eligible for a bursary you must have been ordinarily resident in England and Wales for 3 years prior to and including the first day of the academic year in which your course starts and have settled status.

It is possible to attend the college if you have been in the country for less than 3 years but this would be on a full fee paying basis.

4. Have you been addiction free for 18 months?

The organisation’s drug and alcohol policy is only to accept people who have been free from addiction for at least eighteen months.

Please contact us if you require more information.

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Interview

You will be invited to an interview. This is fairly informal and will give you the opportunity to discuss your reasons for applying.

You can also arrange to take a look around Coleg Harlech - it is better to arrange with the Student Admissions officer in advance to ensure she is available.

Travel costs to the interview will be paid AFTER you have returned home.

Please keep relevant receipts (ie train costs, petrol)
Collect a claim form from reception when at Coleg Harlech.
When you get home complete the form and return it to the college.

If you are concerned about paying for the transport costs in advance please contact us and we may be able to make alternative arrangements.

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Taster Courses

There are a number of taster courses throughout the year. These give applicants the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a student, meet the tutors and get to know their way around Harlech.

After you have been interviewed

If you are successful we will offer you a place.

This offer will be dependent upon receiving references and a medical report.

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References

The best referees are normally people who have seen you in a working or educational environment such as past employers or teachers. Please note that relatives cannot be used to provide a reference.

One of the main delays in confirming your place occurs because we are waiting to receive references so we would advise you to chase these up.

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Medicals

We will ask you to take a form to your GP for him/her to complete and send directly to our GP. This is totally confidential and at no stage will we have access to the report. Our GP will advise us if you are able to study or if they feel that the course would be detrimental to your health.

In order to confirm your place we must receive notice from our GP that you are ‘fit to study’

This is another area when delays can occur – without the medical report you will not receive a bursary so it is essential that you ensure this happens quickly.

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Acceptance

After successfully completing the stages above you will be sent an Acceptance Pack which will include a Bursary Application form. You will need to return this to the grants officer. In order to ensure your bursary is in place when you start your course it is important that you return it promptly.

Study Skills weeks

After you have been accepted you will be given the opportunity to attend a study skills week. The purpose of this week is to prepare you for returning to study. It is also an ideal opportunity to get to know the staff and fellow students before the start of term.

Sessions cover topics including:

Time Management, Active Listening, Debating, Note Taking, Research Skills, Introduction to IT, Essay Planning and Writing

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