Ashbourne has decided to introduce a new examination payment scheme for the 2009/2010 academic year. In the past, Ashbourne charged a fee per module. However, we have now decided to charge for entries on a subject-by-subject basis, allowing unlimited module entries for each A Level subject. The costs for these examinations will be split over two years. Therefore, even though students are likely to sit more examinations during their A2 year than their AS year, they will be charged the same amount each year, to keep things simple.
Costs
Ashbourne will charge £125 per subject per year for A Level and £75 per subject per year for GCSE (Entries made after the entry deadline date will be charged a late entry fee).
Late Entries
Examination boards give centres (e.g. Ashbourne) a date to submit their examination entries. If entries are made after this date, then examination boards will charge the centres late fees. This is called a “late entry.” There are two phases of late entries. In the first phase fees are doubled and in the second phase fees are trebled.
If an Ashbourne student makes a late entry, then they have to pay extra. A Level late entries will cost £75 per module in the first late penalty phase and £150 per module will be charged in the second penalty phase (dates for these penalty phases will be discussed later). GCSE late entries will be charged at £150 per subject in the first late penalty phase and £300 per subject in the second late penalty phase.
Please note – The situation changes slightly if a student is entering an A level module, during the first late entry phase, for a subject that they have previously not been entered for or invoiced. In these cases the students will be charged £125 for the first late entry module and £75 for each subsequent module.
Frequently asked questions
What happens when a student drops a subject, for which they have already paid an examination subject fee, and does not take any examinations in this subject for this particular academic year? Assuming the student indicates that they wish to be withdrawn from these examinations before the deadline date, then their Ashbourne student account will be credited for this subject.
When are the late penalty dates?
The examination boards have yet to confirm these dates. The dates will be released in August and will be updated on this website in due course. Please note, Ashbourne deadline dates will be a few days before the examination boards. This allows sufficient time to process these entries.
Does a student who decides to take Further Maths have to pay for a separate subject?
Yes. Ashbourne will charge Further Mathematics as a separate subject from Mathematics. The charge will incur when the college is aware that the student needs to be entered for either; FP1, FP2 or FP3 examination modules.
Is a student allowed to re-sit AS examinations when they are studying A2 at no extra cost?
Yes, assuming they are already paying for A2 examinations in this subject.
Does the price allow students to sit unlimited examinations in January and June for the subjects they have paid for?
Yes.
What do A Level students, who take GCSE exams, have to pay for GCSE subjects?
£75 per subject.
When are examination fees due?
Friday October 2nd 2009
If students only take 1 unit of an A level subject do they still have to pay £125 per subject?
Yes.
Do these costs include IELTS, university admissions test or other tests other than A level and GCSE examinations?
No. These will be invoiced separately.
If a student’s subject only involves coursework, do they have to pay an examination fee for this subject?
Yes. Students will have to pay for an examination entry, regardless of whether this involves coursework, an actual examination or a combination of both.
Can fees be transferred between subjects? For example, if a student wants to take Physics before coming to Ashbourne, then decides to switch to Chemistry, can their fees be transferred?
Yes the fees can, and will be, transferred.
If a student withdraws from the college, during the middle of the academic year, will the student be able to get a refund for the examination fees?
Ashbourne has no obligation to refund these fees.
The fees are unfair to AS students as they are unlikely to sit as many modules as A2 students. Why is there not a lower fee for AS students and a higher fee for A2 students?
Ashbourne decided on this fee structure in order to keep things simple. It is true that Ashbourne could decrease the fees for the AS students and increase fees for the A2 students. However, as we expect all AS students to continue onto A2, differentiating the cost seemed unnecessary.
Does this mean that I can sit a module in January and then repeat this examination in June at no extra cost?
Yes, unless it is a late examination entry.
If the student joins Ashbourne after the January examination period, do they still have to pay these fees or do they get a discount?
The student still has the pay the standard price.
If the student takes no examinations in January, but takes some examinations in June, do they get a refund for not taking examinations in January?
No.
