Information for New & Prospective Students

Choosing a Higher Education or Degree Course is one of life’s major decisions. It determines what comes afterwards; job, lifestyle, but like all good things, a University degree or other award takes time to achieve and at The College we understand the pressures that this can bring. Whether you are a part-time, full-time or mature student our specialist HE Unit will be happy to answer any queries that you may have about Higher Education. The Bournemouth and Poole College has a team of highly qualified and professional teaching staff, all of whom work closely with the staff from our Partnership Universities.

Foundation Degrees

A Foundation Degree is a modern, vocational Higher Education qualification which combines study with hands-on work experience. Designed, developed and supported by employers who are keen to make sure that these degrees meet their needs, they are highly valued by both employers and students because they equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to get on in the workplace. You can use the letters FdA or FdSc after your name when you’ve gained your Foundation Degree. You can also progress from a Foundation Degree to an Honours Degree or other professional qualifications. A Foundation Degree can also provide a route into Higher Education for people who have never before considered Higher Education.

Some of you may be joining the College in order to go directly on to the Honours top-up year. These degrees have been tailor-made as a formal progression route and will help you to further develop your research and analytical skills.

University Partnerships

We enjoy very good relationships with Bournemouth and Winchester Universities and work in partnership together. If you choose to study at the Bournemouth and Poole College on a Higher Education Course you will automatically be classed as either a Bournemouth University or Winchester University student. All our full-time Foundation Degrees are linked to Bournemouth University. The Diploma in Higher Education is linked to Winchester University. Some Part-time Courses are in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire, Southampton and Leicester.

Higher Education Unit at The College

The Higher Education Manager and Administrator are available on the Lansdowne Campus to help with any general queries throughout the course. The Higher Education Unit regularly meets with student representatives at The College and student union representatives from Bournemouth University. The Unit is the central liaison point with the Higher Education Partners.

Financial Support for Fulltime Students

The Tuition Fee for students starting on all full-time Foundation Degrees and the Diploma in Higher Education Course in September 2009-2010 at the Bournemouth and Poole College (a Partner College of Bournemouth University and Winchester University) is £3,225.   For students starting in the academic year 2010-2011 the fee is only  expected to increase in line with UK inflation.

However, the good news is that you will not have to pay for your Tuition Fees before or during your time at University and can defer payment by taking out a Tuition Fee Loan. You may take out a loan of up to £3,225 at the beginning of the academic year to contribute towards the tuition fee. This is paid directly to the University by the Student Loans Company and you will only need to repay the loan when you have left University and are earning over £15,000 a year.

Also, there is a new non-repayable Maintenance Grant of up to £2,906 a year for new full-time students from households with a lower income. This grant will be based on the household’s income and does not have to be paid back. Students will be assessed automatically for the new grant, at the time you apply to your LEA for your Student Loan.

Furthermore, there is a new non-repayable Special Support Grant of up to £2,906 a year for new full-time students who may be eligible to receive benefits such as Income Support or Housing Benefit while they are studying. This will generally be lone parents, other student parents and students with disabilities. The Special Support Grant will be based on the household’s income and does not have to be paid back. Students who are eligible for the Special Support Grant will not be eligible for the Maintenance Grant.

Student Maintenance Loan

This loan is to help you with your living costs whilst at University and is means-tested. The maximum amount available for 2009 is £4,745 and all students are eligible for 75% of the loan, with eligibility for the remaining 25% based on your household income. As with the Tuition Fee Loan you will only need to start repaying the loan once you have left University and are earning over £15,000 a year. There is other financial help available and details of this, as well as more information on all of the above, can be found on the Bournemouth University website at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/financialhelp for those students wishing to study on one of our Foundation Degrees, and www.winchester.ac.uk for students wishing to study on the Dip HE in English. You can also contact your local LEA for further details.

How can I get a Bournemouth University Bursary?

These are available to UK/EU students starting a full-time BU undergraduate course in the 2009-2010 academic year. Students receiving the full £2,906 Maintenance Grant will automatically receive a £319 bursary.

How can I get a Bournemouth University Partnership Bursary?

Students starting a full time BU undergraduate course at a Partner College (excluding Bridgewater) will automatically receive a £500 bursary per year.  These are not means tested.   Partnership Bursaries are paid in two equal instalments each year, normally the first working day of December and the first working day of the summer term. Where a student is on a placement year and therefore in employment, the bursary will not be paid.

Bournemouth University will be offering support for EU students, please contact the Student Financial Support Advisor there at ksutton@bournemouth.ac.uk For further details of these bursaries, please see www.bournemouth.ac.uk/financialhelp Additional bursaries are available for Social Work and NHS Students, please contact the Institute of Health and Community Studies on (01202) 967358 for information.

Winchester students are also eligible for bursaries and should look at the online calculator on www.winchester.ac.uk

Academic Achievement, Sport, Music and Citizenship Scholarships

 As the Bournemouth and Poole College are linked to Bournemouth University, there are also a number of BU scholarships, available  to UK/EU students, offering an award of up to £1,000 in value per annum. These are non-means tested scholarships based solely on evidence of outstanding achievement in the following areas:

  • Academic Merit
  • Sporting Achievement
  • Music
  • Citizenship

The £1,000 award can be used as money, services or materials that will be of assistance to you during your studies. Applications for scholarships should be made as soon as you accept an offer to study at Bournemouth University.

For further details about these Scholarships please see: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/financialhelp

Financial Support for Part-Time Students

If you are starting a part-time course in higher education, you could get financial help through the Fee Grant or Course Grant - depending on your circumstances.

Fee Grant and Course Grant

The main sources of government-funded help for lower income part-time students are:

  • the Fee Grant - to help with tuition fees
  • the Course Grant - to help with study costs, such as books, materials and travel

The maximum Fee Grant is based on how 'intensive' your course is - how long it takes to complete compared to the equivalent full-time course. For the most intensive courses, the maximum available  through the Fee Grant and Course Grant combined is £1,470 for 2009/2010.

The Part-Time Tuition Fee and Course Grants depend on your household income and other personal circumstances.  Any help received through the Fee Grant or Course Grant does not have to be repaid.  Visit www.direct.gov.uk to download application form for part-time student finance (PTG1).

Accommodation

College Courses are taught either at the Lansdowne Campus, Bournemouth, the North Road or Constitution Hill Campuses, Poole, or at Knighton Heath Music Studios, Bournemouth. It is important that you note where you are studying when completing your UCAS electronic application and when considering accommodation. The College sites are within a four mile radius of Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus.

You can apply through Bournemouth University for accommodation when you have accepted an unconditional offer of a place to study on a Bournemouth University course at The College. A deposit must be paid to the Accommodation Service by the end of August to secure your accommodation.
Telephone: 01202 961671

Website: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/accommodation
E-mail: accommodation@bournemouth.ac.uk for more information.


Alternatively, students wanting to study on the Dip HE in English can find their own accommodation with a private Landlord in Bournemouth.

Learning Support / Students with Learning Difficulties & Disabilities

It is of great importance to us that all of our students are supported throughout their studies to ensure they achieve further academic success and career development. Both the University and The College welcome students with additional support needs. A box on the UCAS electronic application invites you to indicate any learning difficulties or disabilities that could cause educational disadvantage or difficulty in using or accessing facilities. You are advised to arrange a visit to Bournemouth University and the College and to write to the Registry at the same time as transmitting your form to UCAS (if applying to study a Foundation Degree). Registry’s address is: Registry, Bournemouth University, Melbury House, 1st Floor, 1-3 Oxford Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH8 8ES.

For further information, you can contact Dr James Palfreman-Kay (Bournemouth University’s Additional Learning Needs Adviser) on 01202 965327 or email: jmpkay@bournemouth.ac.uk.

For Winchester University students (those wishing to study on the Dip HE in English) it is advised you arrange a visit to the College. Please contact Learning Support at the College (01202 205403) for this to take place.

The College’s Learning and Support Services help students with a range of additional learning needs related to physical difficulties throughout their course. Students with support needs e.g. dyslexia, hearing, visual, physical, mental health problems and certain medical conditions, may be eligible for Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA) to pay for extra costs incurred in order to complete their course, as a direct result of disability. This may include, for example, extra tutorials or specialist IT equipment.

Information regarding Disabled Student Allowance can be found on:

If you feel you may be eligible for DSA, contact your LEA as soon as possible for the correct application forms.

Please feel free to contact Learning Support (01202 205961 North Rd., or 01202 205179 The Lansdowne) if you need help with this process. Different LEAs have different ways of dealing with DSA applications but generally the sooner you apply the better, particularly if you have an unconditional offer of a place. The sooner your support needs are discussed and put in place, the more effective the provision will be, so please contact us as soon as you accept the place. We will contact you again in September if we have not heard from you.

College Calendar

Autumn
Monday 21 September 2009 (start of term)
Friday    18 December  2009 (end of term)

Review Week - 26 October to 30 October 2009

Spring Term
Monday 4 January 2010  (start of term)
Friday    1 April 2010        (end of term)

Half Term 15 February to 19 February 2010

Summer
Monday  19 April   2010   (start of term)
Friday     25th June   2010     (end of term)

Half Term 31 May to 4 June 2010

Part-time courses may start from September 14th or September 21st depending on the Faculty.  Please contact relevant departments.

Some students including Applied Arts, CAD, Finance & Law and Marketing 1st Year students may have an extended Summer Term for work placement. Please refer to your course tutor before you start your course so that your accommodation needs are met.

Travel

The distance between Talbot Campus (Bournemouth University) and the Bournemouth and Poole
College is two miles. Bournemouth University subsidises a frequent bus service called Unilinx, run by
Wilts and Dorset Bus Company between the Campuses and around the town. For further information
about Unilinx, please telephone reception  +44 (0) 1202 965001 or visit the website: www.unilinx.net

 

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