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The Following is a list
of Frequently Asked Questions about our full-time courses.
Please read them carefully and if your question is not
answered here, please try searching the site. Otherwise
please contact us with your query.
•
How do I make an application?
• How long will it take to process
my application?
• Is there an application fee?
• When is the deadline for making
an application?
• Where can I get help with making
an application?
• Can I pay fees in installments?
• Does the College offer scholarships?
• Will I get a refund if my visa application
is refused?
• Can the College contact the Embassy
or High Commission to help me get a visa?
• How many lectures will I have each
week and when can I get my timetable?
• Can I work whilst studying at the
College?
• Once I graduate can I stay in the
UK?
Applying to study at
the College
How do
I make an application?
Making an application to study with us is straightforward.
All you need to do is to complete the FC Application Form,
which is available to download, and attach your high school
results sheet and any other relevant academic qualifications.
Application process for overseas students
Before applying, please read the instructions below.
1. Send completed application form to the College
Registration Department.
Please Send your completed application to us by any of
the following methods:
Airmail to:
The Registrar,
Futures College,
Trocoll House,
Wakering Road ,
Barking,
Essex .IG11 8PD
Fax to: 00 44 208 594 7968
E-mail as scanned attachments to:
info@futurescollege.org.uk
2. Receive
acceptance documentation.
If your application is successful the College will send
you an International Admission Document (offer letter)
confirming your acceptance for the course and itemizing
the cost of tuition fees and living expenses. If you have
quoted the name and address of a UK sponsor on your application
your sponsor will automatically receive copies of your
International Admission Document and an invitation to
visit the College. Please note that the quotation for
living expenses is a recommendation only and is intended
as an approximate cost of living guide. Students who stay
with friends or relatives can often live comfortably on
much less.
3. Pay tuition fees.
Once you have received your acceptance documentation you
can start making arrangements for your tuition fees to
be sent to the College. If you are paying your fees from
overseas you should ask your bank to issue a Banker's
Draft made payable to Futures College which you should
send to us by courier or registered post. If your fees
are to be paid by a sponsor in the United Kingdom you
should ask your sponsor to telephone the College to arrange
an appointment to see a course advisors.
4.
Receive Visa Application Document and Overseas Arrival
Pack.
When your tuition fees have been paid, the College will
send you your Visa Application Document, which you will
be required to present to the British immigration authorities
when you arrive in London.
5. Obtain Student Visa (if required).
Applicants from some countries are required to obtain
a Visa from their local British Embassy or High Commission
prior to traveling to London.
This is likely to involve an interview with an Entry Clearance
Officer who will want to see:
• Your Passport
• Your academic qualifications
•
Your International Admission Document
• Your
Visa Application Document (showing tuition fees paid)
Evidence that you have access to the necessary living
expenses Please note that if you are refused entry to
the United Kingdom by a British Embassy or High Commission
your tuition fees will be refunded less £200 administration
charges.
6. Notify College of flight
details and accommodation requirements.
he College is able to arrange accommodation for you. Most
first year students live in hostel type accommodation
costing between £75 and £110 per week (full
board - except lunch weekdays) depending on location and
facilities. It is important, however, that you notify
us in advance of your accommodation needs, together with
your flight details, so we can make the necessary arrangements.
This is best done by fax on (0044 2085947968) at least
72 hours before arrival. You should also let us know at
this stage whether you want us to arrange for a taxi to
collect you from the airport. We will respond by sending
confirmation to you by return fax or by Phone.
7. Obtain student visa on arrival in United Kingdom
(if not already obtained locally)
When you arrive at the airport in London you will need
to obtain a student visa. The immigration officer will
expect to see your Visa Application Document together
with evidence that you have enough money to live on. If
you are bringing your living expenses with you, you should
have at least enough for 3 months (about £1500).
If instead you have a UK sponsor who is going to provide
for you then you should have evidence of this, in the
form of a sponsorship declaration form which your sponsor
can obtain from the College in advance.
How
long will it take to process my application?
We process most applications within a few days. In fact,
if you have not heard from us within 3 weeks of having
sent us your application form then you should e-mail the
College (info@futures.ac)
so that we can investigate. Please provide us with your
full name and address; tell us which course you applied
for and when and how you sent your application (by airmail,
fax or e-mail).
Is
there an application fee?
The College does not charge a fee at the point of application.
Instead, the cost of assessing your application form and
qualifications is included within the course fee.
When is the deadline for
making an application?
We do not have a deadline for receiving applications.
As long as there are spaces available we are happy to
accommodate new applicants right up until the start of
a course. Please check the list of start dates for our
courses on the college site.
If you are applying from overseas then it is important
to be realistic about the time it might take from the
date you send us your application through to your arrival
at the College. There are a number of steps along the
way, some of which can be quite time consuming.
Once you have received your offer letter you will need
to arrange payment of your course fee and send us a copy
of your signed Enrolment Form. In reply, we will send
you a Visa Application Document which you can use to apply
for a visa from your local British Embassy or High Commission.
The time taken by British Immigration to process a visa
application varies from place to place and from month
to month. For instance, UK visa offices tend to be very
busy in July and August with students hoping to join UK
colleges and universities in September, and at Christmas
with people keen to visit friends and relatives. To avoid
the disappointment of arriving late for a course, or even
having to wait for the next course, you need to allocate
a reasonable amount of time (2-3 months) to the application
process.
Where can I get help with making an application?
If you are already in London then the best thing to do
is to come into the College to see us (and have a look
around if you like). You don't need to make an appointment.
The College is open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm.
Simply come up to Reception on the Second Floor and ask
to speak to a Course Advisor.
In addition to helping you with your application the Course
Advisor will be able to answer any questions that you
may have about the course that you are interested in taking.
In most cases, we will be able to advise you on the spot
whether your application has been successful and we will
provide you with an offer letter to show to your parents,
sponsor or guardian.
Even if you are not already in London you can still get
expert help. You can phone the College and ask to speak
to a Course Advisor or you can send an e-mail to info@futures.ac.
Alternatively, the College has a network of 'Official
Representatives' in over 20 countries around the world.
A FC Representative will be able to assist you with everything
from course selection all the way through to how to make
a successful visa application, as well as accommodation
options in London. If you would like us to provide you
with the contact details of your nearest FC representative
please send us an e-mail stating your name and address
to info@futures.ac.
Can I pay fees in installments?
Yes, although if you are an overseas student coming to
study in the UK for the first time you will need to refer
to the provisions below.
Installments:
Fees can be paid in installments, although we charge an
additional £50 per quarter if this method of payment
is chosen. For example, the course fee for the Diploma
in Hotel Management in 2007 is £4,350 if paid in
full before the start of the course. If paid in installments
the fee increases to £4,500, comprising 3 quarterly
payments of £1,500 each.
Advance
Payment Provisions:
I am a UK, EU, EEA (EU + Norway and Iceland), Swiss or
British Overseas national.
You can pay your fees in installments if you prefer (e.g.
for a course with a tuition fee of £4,350 there
is an initial payment of £1,500 and two further
payments of £1,500 after each quarter).
I am in the UK and have a student, working holiday visa
or residence permit.
You can pay your fees in installments (e.g. for a course
with tuition fee of £4,350 there is an initial payment
of £1,500 and two further payments of £1,500
after each quarter).
I am an African applying from overseas.
You will need to pay a deposit of a minimum of £1500
in order to qualify for a FC Visa Application Document.
On arrival at the College, the Bursar will ask you to
pay the balance of your course fee for the first year
of study or to agree a payment plan in installments.
You can pay for further courses of study in installments.
I am from the Middle East or Indian Subcontinent applying
from overseas.
The UK enjoys strong cultural and economic links with
the countries of the Middle East and Subcontinent. This
has given rise to considerable migration to the UK and
so there are strict immigration controls. Consequently,
you will need to pay a deposit of at least £1500
in order to qualify for a FC Visa Application Document.
You can pay for further courses of study in installments.
I am from a country not listed above and am applying from
overseas:
You can pay your fees in installments (e.g. for a course
with a tuition fee of £4,350 there is an initial
payment of £1,500 and two further payments of £1,500
after each quarter).
Important: It is worth bearing in mind when considering
the question of advance fee payment that immigration officers
are more inclined to issue visas to those that have paid
tuition fees in advance and, often, the more that is paid,
the longer the visa.
Does
the College offer scholarships?
No, the College does not run a scholarship scheme. It
is an important principle of the College that, as far
as possible, students are treated exactly the same. For
instance, we do not discriminate between 'Overseas' and
'Home' (UK & EU) students. All FC students pay the
same course fee, regardless of origin, financial background
or previous academic performance.
Often the best place to ask for financial assistance is
from your own government or your employer. Alternatively,
you might find it useful to contact your nearest British
Council office to ask if they know of any local initiatives
that you may benefit from.
Will
I get a refund if my visa application is refused?
Yes. In case
where a prospective student is refused a student visa, the
College will refund all fees paid less a GBP250
administration fee. However, in such an event, no refund
will be made unless the College has received all
original copies of the College letters of enrolment plus
an original copy of refusal from the appropriate
immigration authority within 2 weeks from the refusal
date. We aim to return fees as quickly as practicably possible,
often within two weeks of a refund request.
The refund procedure:
If your visa is refused, the British immigration authorities
will issue you with a 'Notice of Visa Refusal', also known
as an 'APP200'. This is normally a two-page document that
states the reasons for refusal. You should immediately
send us a copy by fax (to 00 44 2085947968) or as scanned
attachment to an e-mail to info@futurescollege.org.uk.
On receipt of your 'Notice of Visa Refusal', we will e-mail
or fax you an RV Letter with advice on what to do next
because very often it is better to make a fresh application
for a visa (or even an appeal against the refusal) rather
than request an immediate refund. Once you have decided
what you are going to do just tick the appropriate box
on the RV Form (the last page of our letter) and send
it back to the College by fax or e-mail. We will then
act upon your instructions.
Visas:
Do I need a visa (entry clearance) before I travel
to the UK?
The facts:
If you are a national of the European Economic Area (EU
plus Norway and Iceland) or Switzerland you do not need
a visa.
If you are a British National (Overseas), you can apply
for a visa on arrival in the UK. However, this visa will
only be valid for six months and will prohibit you from
working. If you want to work alongside your studies you
will need to apply for entry clearance before you travel.
For further information see the UKCOSA (The Council for
International Students) web site.
If you are an 'overseas student' (non-EU, EEA or Swiss)
and you intend to follow a course of more than six months
then you must apply for entry clearance from your local
British Consulate, Embassy or High Commission.
If you are coming for six months or less and you are not
a 'visa national' (see UKvisas) you can apply for a visa
on arrival, although you will not be permitted to work.
For more information and advice about visas take a look
at the UKCOSA (The Council for International Students)
web site and the British Government's UKvisas web site.
Can the College contact
the Embassy or High Commission to help me get a visa?
Put very simply, to get a student visa you need to show
that you have been accepted on a course provided by an
institution included on the DfES Register of Providers,
and that you have the financial means to support yourself
in the UK, without the need to work or receive support
from the government.
We can certainly help you meet the first requirement.
On receipt of your course fee, we will send you a FC Visa
Application Document (VAD). The VAD (Verified All Data)
is an unconditional letter of acceptance. It confirms
that a place has been reserved for you on a course of
study with the College, which is accredited and DfES registered
(see our accreditations page on the site).
The VAD also states how much of your course fee and living
expenses have been paid to the College, and in this respect
it may also help when it comes to meeting the second requirement.
(The more you have paid to the College the less the likely
it is that your financial viability will be called into
question.) However, regardless of how much you have paid
to the College you will still need to show in your visa
application who paid your fees and, crucially, that you
have access to further funds to support you for as long
as you intend to stay in the UK. This most important aspect
of your application is entirely down to you, your parents
or your sponsor. Clearly the College can't be expected
to vouch for something that it can know nothing or little
about.
So, the VAD tells the Embassy or High Commission all that
we know about you that is relevant to your visa application.
We can't do anymore than that, which is why we don't contact
the Embassy or High Commission.
Timetable/Work:
How
many lectures will I have each week and when can I get
my timetable?
Your timetable will normally be made up of five or six
three-hour lectures per week and will be issued at the
beginning of term. Lecture timings are Monday to Friday,
9am-12 noon, 12 noon -3pm and 3pm-5pm. You will normally
attend one and, at most, two lectures a day.
In addition to attending lectures you will be expected
to do assignments, reading and revision for exams in your
own time, for all of which you can use the College Library.
In total you should expect to study for about 30 hours
per week.
Can I work
whilst studying at the College?
Yes, you can work whilst you study and most students do.
You will probably find that working will enhance your
time in London through meeting new people, acquiring experience
and by earning some extra money.
The facts:
Overseas students coming to the UK to study for a course
of more than 6 months are allowed to work for up to 20
hours a week during term-time. There is no restriction
on the number of hours you can work during College vacations.
The minimum wage in the UK for people aged 22 or over
is £5.35 per hour. If you are aged between 18 and
21 years old, the minimum wage is £4.25 per hour.
However many employers (and especially in London) pay
more than the minimum wage. For example, typical wages
for working in a West End store, restaurant or hotel are
£5.70 per hour.
There are lots of part-time jobs available in London.
You will be able to find something that fits in with your
study and is right for you. However, you might not find
the 'right' job straight away. It might take a matter
of weeks or longer so be prepared to wait if necessary.
The College is not able to find a job for you. However,
our counselors in the Student Services Department will
offer you advice on where and what to look for, as well
as valuable tips on CV presentation and interview technique.
Remember, to meet the Immigration Rules for entry to the
UK as a student you have to show that you have enough
money to pay your course fees and your living expenses
without needing to work.
For more information about working during your studies
take a look at the UKCOSA (The Council for International
Students) web site.
Once I graduate can I stay in the UK?
If you are a national of the European Economic Area (EU
plus Norway and Iceland) or Switzerland you are entitled
to live and work in the UK indefinitely and do not need
a work permit.
If you are an overseas student you can apply to stay in
the UK under any of the following schemes:
Work permits
Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES)
Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP)
For further information see the UKCOSA (The Council for
International Students) web site (see the UKCOSA Guidance
Note 'Working in the UK after your studies') or the British
Government's Working In The UK web site.
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