Christmas Closure Information
Our campuses close on Friday 20th December and re-open on Thursday 2nd January 2025 for the Christmas Break.
Students will return to timetabled lessons on Monday 6th January 2025.
For information on term dates and enquiries please visit our information page using the button below.
Electronics, Automation and Robotics Level 2
Smartphones, game consoles, satellite navigation systems and life support systems all have electronic components that make them function. Students studying this pathway shall learn how electronic components work and how circuits are built from these. Skills such as the selection of correct components and cabling to interconnect the assemblies shall be developed whilst learners shall also develop an understanding of the different types of measurement instruments commonly used by test engineers. The course also develops an understanding of how and why automation is used in a variety of industrial situations. Students will learn automation and control principles using a variety of technologies such as VEX Robotics, Arduino and PLC’s in order to develop their understanding of the advantages of automation, whilst also being introduced to a range of input and output devices used in a control system.
Engineering and Manufacturing are vital to the UK economy where a variety of businesses operate in an industry that is worth over £1 trillion annually to the UK. This course develops both practical and technical skills to enable students to progress in their chosen field.
Learners will be given the opportunity to develop both their skills and knowledge to design, innovate and analyse solutions that are essential to modern day life.
Who is this course for?
If you like to explore how simple components and complex machines are designed, made or maintained and are keen to develop both practical and technical skills, then this qualification is for you.
What will I learn?
Learners will study theoretical aspects of the subject and apply them to practical tasks. At Level 3 learners will study for either the Advanced Technical Certificate or Diploma depending on their grades from the first year.
Intermediate Technical Certificate – Electronics, Automation & Robotics
This course develops the essential skills and knowledge needed within the field of Electronic Engineering. The core units provide a broad range of underpinning hand skills and knowledge needed to function in all industry sectors including mathematics, science, business operations and materials in the process that allows engineers to overcome a range of challenges. This pathway covers the following units:
- Principles of Engineering
- Engineering Workshop Practice
- Working in Engineering Businesses
- Electronic Components
- Electronic Assembly
- Electronic Test Equipment
- Automation
Click here to view unit outlines
In addition to your main study programme you will also engage in activities to develop your English, maths and employability skills.
You will study both the practical use and underpinning knowledge of the subject, which may involve local employers providing real examples as part of the training.
Set sessions consist of a blended learning in theory and practical subjects. Learners will be assessed by external exams at set time periods and a synoptic assessment lasting four weeks.
Entry Requirements
- 4 GCSEs (9-4), including English and maths, or Level 2 Functional Skills Equivalent, or satisfactory results (Merit/Distinction) in a relevant Level 1 qualification including English and maths at 9-3, or Level 1 Functional Skills Equivalent.
- Candidates must be deemed to have the potential and opportunity to successfully gain the qualification.
- An interview
Applicants with previous experience of engineering technologies will be considered on an individual basis.
What Can I Do Next?
Successful learners can progress onto the relevant Level 3 Engineering course or onto an Advanced Apprenticeship, which are equivalent to 2 A Levels and available in a number of industry pathways including Manufacturing, Mechanical/Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
Career routes within the Engineering industry include roles within the Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics, Robotics and Maintenance sectors in roles such as Mechanical Engineers
Fees and Finance
Students’ college education is funded for three academic years after leaving secondary school in year 11. Please click the button below which will apply to your age on the 31st August 2025 in order to find out more information about fees and finance relating to your course.
16-18 - Do I have to pay a fee?
All students aged 16-18 on the first day of their course will have their course fully-funded by the government.
Costs of studying
If you are/will be aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August in the calendar year when you begin a programme of study, you DO NOT pay tuition fees, College registration fees or examination/board registration fees. However, there are some courses which have additional costs which could include:
- Equipment costs – such as uniforms, kits, books and so on
- Trips and enrichment activities
- DBS checks (formerly CRB checks)
- Occupational Health Screening
You will be informed of any additional costs associated with your chosen programme as early as possible to allow time for payment to be made.
Applicants thinking of enrolling on this course can apply for funding to help with the costs associated with attending college. Bursary awards can help with your course related costs such as travel, books and equipment and much more.
The bursary fund cannot provide help with costs unrelated to your course, such as general living expenses, nor can it be used as an attendance incentive.
Applications to the fund are not normally considered if the household income exceeds £30,000 but may be considered in some instances if the household is experiencing severe financial hardship.
| The 16-19 Bursary Fund is aimed at helping: |
| Students who are aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August 2025 |
| Students aged 19 who started a two-year programme before their 19th birthday |
| Students aged 19 or over on 31st August 2025 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) |
When can I apply?
******Applications for student funding for learners who started in September 2024 are still open. Applications can be made from this page using the button below.
Applications for student funding for learners starting in September 2025 will not open until the end of June 2025*****
For courses starting in September 2024, applications should be made by 1st November 2024. If you find yourself in financial hardship after this date it is important that you still contact Student Services. Applications received after 1st November will be considered on a pro-rata basis subject to need and the availability of funds.
You are advised to read the notes and policies at the beginning of the form and ensure that you provide all the evidence that is required when submitting your application.
Full details of the bursary funds, including making an application, can be found here:
I will be 19 or over on the 31st August 2025
Aged 19+ - Do I have to pay a fee?
If you are aged 19 and over, in certain circumstances you may be eligible for a fee waiver and therefore you will not have to pay for your course.Â
Eligibility for a fee waiver will depend your age at the start of the course, your previous qualifications, your employment status and whether you claim certain benefits.
If you do not meet the criteria for a fee waiver, you may be eligible for some assistance from the College’s Bursary Funds, depending on the household financial circumstances.
If you do not meet the criteria for a fee waiver, and are not eligible for assistance from the Bursary Fund, you will have to pay for this course.
This programme may be free if you meet the eligibility criteria listed below. If these do not apply, you will need to pay a fee, and the published fee is located further down the course information page.Â
The information in this section applies to this course, and may not apply to other courses with different funding criteria.
| You will not pay tuition fees if you are: |
| aged 19-24 at the 31st August 2025 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan. |
| aged 19-23 and have not achieved a level 2 qualification in any other subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4). |
| aged 19+ and employed, or self-employed and your annual gross income is below £25,000. |
| aged 19+, unemployed and not on benefits or in receipt of benefits with an income less than £892 a month or £1,437 a month with a joint benefit claim. |
| You will not meet the low income or unemployment criteria if you: |
| are aged 19-23 at the start of the course and have previously achieved a level 2 qualification or you are 19+, employed, or self-employed and your annual gross income is over £25,000. |
| Therefore you will pay tuition fees. |
In certain circumstances, the College’s discretionary bursary fund maybe able to assist with a contribution towards tuition fees. Eligibility to the fund depends on the household’s financial circumstances. Further information regarding the discretionary bursary fund can be found further down this page.
Other Additional Costs
Regardless of whether tuition fees apply, some of our programmes incur additional costs which could include:
- Equipment costs – such as uniforms, kits, books and so on
- Trips and enrichment activities
- DBS checks (formerly CRB checks)
- Occupational Health Screening
You will be informed of any additional costs associated with your chosen programme as early as possible to allow time for payment to be made.
Am I eligible for a bursary?
Applicants thinking of enrolling on this course can apply for funding to help with the costs associated with attending college. Bursary funds are targeted at students where there is an identified low household income.
The bursary fund cannot provide help with costs unrelated to your course, such as general living expenses, nor can it be used as an attendance incentive.
Applications to the fund are not normally considered if the household income exceeds £25,000 but may be considered in some instances if the household is experiencing severe financial hardship.
| The 16-19 Bursary Fund is aimed at helping: |
| Students who are aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August 2025 |
| Students aged 19 who started a two-year programme before their 19th birthday |
| Students aged 19 or over on 31st August 2025 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) |
If you do not meet the above criteria then you are likely to be eligible for support through the 19+ Bursary Fund
Funds are targeted at course related costs such as travel, childcare, books and equipment.
Regardless of income or employment status, students self-funding (including where an employer is covering course fees), are not eligible for financial assistance through any discretionary bursary funds.
When can I apply?
******Applications for student funding for learners who started in September 2024 are still open. Applications can be made from this page using the button below.
Applications for student funding for learners starting in September 2025 will not open until the end of June 2025*****
For courses starting in September 2024, applications should be made by 1st November 2024. If you find yourself in financial hardship after this date it is important that you still contact Student Services. Applications received after 1st November will be considered on a pro-rata basis subject to need and the availability of funds.
Payment Options
Payment should be made in full at the time of enrolment. Acceptable payment methods include Debit Card and Credit Card (excluding American Express). Please note that we are no longer able to accept cash or cheque payments.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes, you can spread the cost of fees. Any student of the College who pays his/her own programme costs is entitled to do so on a monthly payment plan basis, providing the total course fees exceed £200 and the student is aged 19 years, or over, on 31st August in the current academic year.
Where total course fees exceed £200 you (or your employer, if they are paying your course fees) can choose to pay your fees in instalments through a monthly payment plan and 40% of the fee or £500 (whichever is lower) will be payable at enrolment.
The balance must be paid within 6 months or by the end date if the course is less than 6 months in duration.
The monthly instalment payments will also be set up at the point of enrolment, or if you are enrolling using our online enrolment process, a member of our Finance team will contact you to set up the instalment plan after you have submitted your online enrolment.
In order to pay through monthly instalments, students must sign the Colchester Institute Instalment Payment Plan terms and conditions!
If a student fails to sign up to an instalment plan at enrolment all fees will become due for payment within 30 days.
Failure to fulfil any terms and conditions of an instalment agreement will result in you becoming immediately liable for the full outstanding balance and you may not be entitled to pay any future fees by instalments.
Please download and save the form below, then fill it in and sign it. These forms can either be emailed to registry@colchester.ac.uk prior to enrolment, or if you are completing an online enrolment you can upload these documents during the enrolment process.
Further Education Fee Instalment Student Terms and Conditions
Employers who are funding a student’s fees must complete and sign an authorisation form which must be submitted either prior to or at enrolment together with an advance payment of 40% of the course fee or £500, whichever is lower. This can be paid via the online store prior to or at the point of Enrolment.
If the advance payment is not made prior to or at Enrolment the student will not be eligible to attend college.
Further Education Employer Authorisation Form, Instalment Plan, Terms and Conditions
How to make an Application – Watch our video guide!
****Applications for courses starting in September 2025 are now open!****
The application window for full-time courses and joint apprenticeship applications starting in September 2025 opens on Tuesday 1st October at 12pm.
Please see the information below, which provides details on things to be aware of before making an application, and what happens after you apply. We have also prepared a step-by-step video guide on how to make an application below – please view this video which will guide you through the application process.
Application Dos and Don'ts
Before submitting your online application, make sure you have got an email address which you will check frequently and which is professional and appropriate for this purpose, and use this when you create your account. Submit the application as early as possible and remember to make a note of your USERNAME and PASSWORD details! You will need these later.
Application Tips
If you have chosen the study programme you would like to apply for then you are almost there. We recommend that you read our handy application tips, watch our video and then make your application.
You can only apply for one full-time programme and one apprenticeship. You can do this together within the same application form, in what is known as a joint application.
Remember, you cannot study more than one core subject. For example, you would not be able to study two full-time programmes in different subjects simultaneously. You would take Plumbing or Music, not Plumbing and Music.
Your subject will be your primary qualification and forms the bulk of your programme of study.
Application Dos
- Apply as early as possible. We start accepting applications from 1st October 2024 and have set an initial deadline of 31st January 2025 for a priority application on your chosen programme (subject to you satisfying the entry requirements), although we still accept applications after this date but may not be able to guarantee you a place on your chosen programme.
- Think carefully about your course choice before you apply. Talk to your head of year or careers adviser at school to make sure you have explored all your options and have found a course that suits you best. You may wish to attend one of our open days to find out more before applying.
- Make sure you attend any interviews or assessments we invite you to. These are a mandatory part of our process. They give you the opportunity to find out more about our courses, as well as allowing us to make sure you are on the most appropriate course for you. Some courses may invite you to attend a second interview or audition to demonstrate your skills and to ensure you are on the most appropriate level for you.
- Please let us know if your contact details or address change. We will use a variety of letters, emails and texts to communicate with you throughout the process, and the information we provide is both confidential and vital to your application. If you move home or change your phone number and don’t inform us of any changes, you could miss some vital information.
Application Don’ts
- Do not make multiple applications. If you are unsure, for example, of which construction/trade subject you would like to study, please only make an application for one of them. Likewise, if you later wish you had applied for a different course, please don’t worry – we can change your application. Whatever the reason for wanting to change, there is no need to make another application.
- Do not use a school email address when you create your account. Remember, you will need to access this account later in the summer after you have left school.
- Do not create another account if you have previously applied. If you have applied in previous years, please do not create a new account. If you are unsure, contact us to check which username and password to use.
Just call us on 01206 712777
What Happens After I Apply?
What happens after I apply?
Once your application has been submitted our admissions team will complete some data checks
Once you have submitted your application form, a member of the Admissions team will check all of your details and your predicted (or actual) grades, including checking that you meet the published entry criteria for your chosen subject. They might email you to ask for more information.
Once your application has been checked, for most programmes you will receive an email asking you to log in to your account and book your interview. The interview is to determine that you have applied for the most suitable programme of study.
Make sure you check your emails regularly or you may miss your interview slot.
If you have applied for Music or Performing Arts we will email you with a date and time for an audition.
All communications will be sent by email, so please check them regularly or you may miss your opportunity to come in for your interview.
Interviews could be in person or they could be on the phone. This will be confirmed in the email, so please check your emails regularly so that you don’t miss important information about your interview.
When do interviews start?
Interviews for those who we have received an application from will start to take place after our Autumn Open Events. The earlier in the academic year an application is made, the earlier an interview can take place.
What happens at my telephone interview?
What happens at my telephone interview?
You will be asked to book a pre-arranged timeslot and you will need to be ready to answer your phones between the times stated. The call will come from either an 01206 number or it might show as withheld or unknown.
The interview is designed to let out teaching staff find out about you and your interest in the course. To prepare you might want to think about what you enjoy doing, why you have applied for this course, what subjects you expect to do well in (if you are still at school/college) and how you will manage your revision in readiness for any exams.
How will I know if have been offered a place?
Once you have had your interview / audition we will email you to let you know if you have an offer. Offers will be subject to you meeting the published entry requirements of the chosen programme, once GCSE results have been published and provided to the College.
If you are not offered a place on your chosen programme, we will do our best to support you in finding an appropriate alternative.
Your offer
After your interview you will be sent an email to confirm whether you have been offered a place. Please remember to keep checking your email account so that you don’t miss this as it will include important information on your next steps.
Got another question?
For any further questions relating to the post-application process please see our application and enrolment FAQ.
Watch Our Video Guide
Electronics, Automation and Robotics Level 2
| Level | Level 2 |
|---|---|
| Location | Colchester |
| Duration | One Years |
| Study Mode | Full-Time |
| Campus / Adult Skills Centre | Colchester Campus |
| Start Date | September 2025 |
| Fee(s) | 16-18 year olds: Free 19+: £1,846 |
Other courses in this area
Level 1 Courses
Level 2 Courses
Disclaimer
All fees, prices and funding information shown on this page are for courses starting in the 2024-25 academic year unless stated otherwise, and are correct at the time of entering/printing information, however these may be subject to change due to factors outside of our control. The College cannot accept legal or financial liability as a result of any such changes.
Courses fees are generally not confirmed for September until June / July due to the above factors.
The course information describes programmes offered by Colchester Institute. The College takes all reasonable steps to provide courses as described, but cannot guarantee provision. The information is for guidance and does not form any part of a contract.
The College reserves the right to update and amend information as and when necessary. Colchester Institute will do its best to provide the courses shown, but may have to modify or withdraw a course depending on customer demand and other factors.
