Payment of tuition fees

Once you have received your acceptance documentation (International Admission Document) you will need to make arrangements for your tuition fees and accommodation deposit (if required) to be paid to the College. Advance payment of tuition fees is particularly important for overseas students because it gives credibility to the subsequent visa application.

It is important to remember that your signed Enrolment Form must accompany or arrive soon after your tuition fees. We cannot send out a Visa Letter or CAS until we have received it.

There are four methods of payment: Bank transfer, Bank draft/Cheque, Credit Card and Cash.

Bank transfer: This is an ideal way to send fees from overseas. It is secure, quick and straightforward. When sending funds by bank transfer, the sending bank will require the West London College bank details (see how to pay for full details).

Bankers draft/cheque: Bankers drafts should be made payable to West London College and be sentby courier or registered post to ensure security, along with a signed copy of the Enrolment Form.

Credit Card: (we accept Visa, MasterCard, Switch and Solo but not American Express or Diners Club)

This method of payment is recommended for cardholders in the UK. It is secure (Chip and Pin), cheap (there are no bank charges) and quick (a cheque will take 5 working days to clear). To pay by card, please come in to the College. If this is not possible please call the College and ask to speak to a Course Advisor.

If the cardholder is overseas we will only accept payment from a family member of the student. To pay using a Credit Card your sponsor will need to complete a form which can be downloaded here. Once completed, the form and photocopies of both sides of the card should be sent to us by fax to 00 44 207 499 5853.

Cash: Payments in cash need to be made by visiting the College in person.

Paying fees in instalments: Paying fees in instalments is an option for UK and EU students from the outset and for overseas students who already have a study visa. If a tuition fee is paid in instalments it adds £150 to the cost of one year of study, so a first year undergraduate programme will cost £5100 instead of £4950, and an MBA semester will cost £2975 rather than £2900. The minimum initial tuition fee deposit will vary according to the circumstances (eg. how difficult it is to get a visa in the applicant’s country).

Please see our how to pay page for further information.

Visa Application

Overseas applicants who are not citizens of the European Union or European Economic Area must obtain a study visa before they can enter the UK as a student by making an application to there nearest British Embassy or High Commission. For a visa application to be successful the applicant must demonstrate that they have been accepted by a recognised academic institution (which West London College is) and that they have enough money available to cover the fees and living expenses for the duration of the course. Applications are made in writing, and normally decided on the basis of the information given on the application form and the accompanying documents.

The Visa Letter or CAS (see our application process page) issued by the College on receipt of tuition fees should be submitted with the visa application form and so should evidence that at least £7200 is available for use as living expenses for the first year of study, plus any unpaid balance of the first year’s tuition fees. This evidence should normally be in the form of a bank statement showing that no less than £7200 has been in the account for a minimum of 28 days prior to the date of application. The bank account must either be in the name of the student or in the name of a parent, but not in the name of an aunt, uncle or sibling. If the account is in a foreign currency the final balance must be converted into British pounds using the OandA website and then handwritten beside the final balance on the statement. Alternatively, students can show documentary evidence of a loan in their name, or a scholarship. Further information about the visa application procedure will be sent with the Visa Letter and is also obtainable from the College website or from College representatives.

Please note that in the event of a visa refusal, where the student does not wish to make a fresh application, all fees paid to the College will be refunded in full, less the £100 registration fee.

Booking accommodation

The College offers accommodation on request in one of 12 hostels around West London (see our accommodation pages), all of which are within easy reach of the College. New students are offered a choice of double or dormitory rooms at weekly rents ranging from £95 to £121. Some single rooms are available but these are in demand and not available to new students. The hostels offer half board accommodation, which means that breakfast & evening meal are included, as is the cost of heating, lighting, etc. For new students, the hostels provide excellent first year accommodation and a 'soft landing' in London. To book a hostel place, overseas students must initially pay an accommodation deposit of £300 with their advance payment of tuition fees and then wait until they have a visa and have booked a flight. They must then fax/email the Accommodation Booking Form (sent out with the Visa Letter or CAS when the tuition fee deposit is paid) to the Student Services department using the Parliament House contact details shown on our contact page. This should be done at least 72 hours in advance of arrival, and may be subject to a cancellation fee.

Working in the UK

Overseas students (from non EU/EEA countries) are allowed to work in the UK as follows:

During the course: Students may work 20 hours per week whilst attending classes and unlimited hours during vacation periods. (However the opportunity to work in the UK cannot be proposed as a means of financing study when applying for a visa. Applicants must show that they can manage financially without working).

After the course: Under the new Post-study Work scheme, students completing the following courses at the College can work for a period of 2 years in the UK:

• Bachelors Degree in Computing
• Bachelors Degree in Business Administration
• Bachelors Degree in Business & Finance
• Bachelors Degree in International Hotel & Tourism Management
• Masters Degree in Business Administration
• Masters Degree in Marketing
• Masters Degree in Finance

The 'Job Shop': A key advantage of studying in Central London is the abundance of job opportunities within the immediate vicinity of the College. The campus is in the very heart of the 'West End', London’s biggest and most famous shopping area which people from all over the world come to visit.

Students are encouraged to work during their free time. Part-time employment in the big stores, hotels, travel/marketing agencies, restaurants, tourist & leisure centres, fashion houses etc of Central London provide students with valuable commercial experience relevant to their studies. And it often leads to full time employment on completion of the course.

Part-time work and vacation work can also provide the opportunity for a student to be largely financially independent if they wish. By working 20 hours per week during term-time and 40 hours a week during vacation periods a student will earn at least £6678 annually if aged under 22, and £7918 annually when aged over 22 (calculated on the basis of the legal minimum wage in the UK, although many companies pay significantly more). This is enough to provide for the cost of accommodation at least.

So as to ensure that students who wish to find work are able to do so the College runs a Job Shop, with full time staff who are employed to find work for students, provide references, advise on employment issues etc. This service is provided by the College completely free of charge. The only condition is that that students who use the ‘Job Shop’ service must be attending their classes regularly.

Passports and Visas

The College is pleased to help students with passport and visa formalities. If a student's visa is due to expire whilst he or she is still studying, the college authorities will arrange an extension.

Health

Overseas students who are in the UK for 6 months or longer are entitled to medical treatment under the National Health Service and therefore medical insurance is not necessary. We do advise, however, that students register with a doctor as soon as they arrive in London.

Living expenses & banking

Many parents prefer the College to administer student living expenses because it allows the student to concentrate on his or her studies without having to worry about money matters. It also helps eliminate the problem of overspending. It works very simply. The parent or sponsor deposits the living expenses with the College Bursar who will then release the money to the student on a weekly basis in accordance with instructions given. Rent cheques, for example, can be made payable directly to their hostel and examination fees can be held in reserve. (Note: This is, of course, subject to the student being in funds with the College and so please ensure that funds are sent to the College well in advance of their being required as considerable unnecessary distress can be caused to students whilst waiting for living expenses to arrive from overseas). There is no charge for this service which is entirely optional.

Progress reports

The College will send these, if required, to the student’s nominee - e.g. parent, guardian or employer. Students who wish to take advantage of this service should advise the College of the name and address of the person to whom reports are to be sent.

Terms & conditions

1. Overseas students from outside the European Economic Community are reminded that they must attend a minimum of 85% of their classes in order to comply with United Kingdom Immigration requirements. Absences through ill health must be supported by a medical certificate.
2. The College is unable to supply references or attendance certificates to students who attend less than 85% of their classes.
3. Whilst tuition fees are not normally refundable, if a prospective overseas student is unable to obtain a student visa and can submit written evidence of this (British Immigration form GV51), tuition fees will be refunded in full, less the £100 registration fee.
4. Where an overseas student has been issued with a study visa and subsequently (and successfully) applies for exemption from their course or any part of their course, any consequent surplus of tuition fees will be transferred automatically to a higher level course if one is available, or else refunded on successful completion of the course.
5. Once a student has commenced a course of study he/she may only drop out and subsequently restart at no extra cost if leave of absence has been granted by the Principal or Deputy Principal.
6. The College reserves the right to cancel or postpone a course, or part of a course, if there is insufficient demand.
7. If a student needs to retake an examination and would like to repeat that part of the course, then he/she may do so at 50% of the pro-rata tuition fee.
8. No classes will take place on Public Holidays and no refund is made for classes scheduled to take place on these days.
9. WLC alumni: Students who have completed and fully paid for two academic years of full-time study at the College are entitled to a 50% reduction in tuition fees for subsequent courses of study (excluding the MBA, BBA and final year degree programmes). In addition, children of former WLC full-time students are entitled to a 50% reduction in tuition fees (excluding the MBA, MSc, BBA and final year degree programmes).

A member of the British Study Centres group of colleges, a non profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered office: Parliament House, 35 North Row, Mayfair, London W1K 6DB. Registration No: 2749354. As well as WLC, British Study Centres group consists of 3 English schools: BSC London, BSC Oxford and BSC Brighton as well as another vocational college - Hove College, Brighton