The full-time course and joint full-time course and apprenticeship application window closed on 5th July and online applications have now concluded for this year.
It’s not too late to start a course or apprenticeship with us in this September though, and this section of our website will outline to you what your options are at this stage of the application cycle.
In order for us to provide you with the information most relevant to you please click the menu option below that best applies to your situation.
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Full-time Courses
It is not too late to start a course with us this September!
Thank you for considering applying to study at Colchester Institute from September. Our applications have concluded for this year… but you still have options!
We are still really keen to meet you and see if we can offer you a space on one of our study programmes.
So, what should you do?
Whether you’ve just finished school or are looking to switch to Colchester Institute from another college, we invite you to visit us at our Advice Days, which start at the end of August.
At the Advice Sessions, our tutors will advise you on your next steps, whilst our friendly student services and support teams will also be on hand to help you on the day.
For us to offer you a place on a study programme, the course must still have spaces available, and you must meet the published entry criteria.
Bookings for Advice Sessions open on Thursday, 22nd August 2024 at 8am.
Please remember that registering your interest is not making a booking. You will need to book sessions with subject areas or student support services for any event you wish to attend when bookings are open.
Apprenticeships
So you haven’t made an application yet and you’d like to secure an apprenticeship for this September?
If you have not yet made an application to study at Colchester Institute, or you have applied to another College but changed your mind or want to keep your options open, then there is still time to secure an apprenticeship for September.
Many Level 3 apprenticeships require English and maths at 9-4/A-C or equivalent as a pre-requisite, and for those who would like to do an apprenticeship but are not going to achieve these grades, we offer an Access to Apprenticeships programme, which you can find out about here.
What should you do?
Securing an apprenticeship is different to the set application process of applying to study a full-time course, and the process of researching, choosing, and approaching an employer may be daunting and confusing for some.
The most important thing to remember is that in order to study an apprenticeship you must have an employer willing to take you on as an apprentice and have an offer of employment in place by September, ready for enrolment.
If you do have an employer with an Apprenticeship contract of employment in place, or you are already in employment and your employer would like to put you through an apprenticeship then please contact our Apprenticeship Admissions Team using the Late Apprenticeship Application Form, where they will work with you and your employer to complete the sign-up and enrolment onto the programme. Please do not fill in this form if you don’t have an employer in place.
I don’t have an employer yet
There are several ways to find employers who offer apprenticeships or find an apprenticeship vacancy.
For example, for apprenticeships in the construction trades, many apprentices will have secured an employer willing to take them on as an apprentice through relatives, family ties or friends. Others will approach larger companies in the industry.
Many engineering and manufacturing firms take on large groups of apprentices on an annual basis, and will have details of their apprenticeship scheme on their website, and their vacancies listed on ours if we are their apprenticeship training provider.
Many of our current apprentices will have applied for a live vacancy through our website. This is where we list the vacancies of our employer partners on our website. Employers can recruit for apprentice positions all year round. We have apprenticeship vacancies listed on our website throughout the year in a variety of industries and with employers small, medium and large.
You can view and apply for our current apprenticeship vacancies using the link below.
Access to Apprenticeships
For many apprenticeship programmes, you may need four or five GCSEs at grades 9-4/A-C or equivalent, including English and maths, although entry requirements will depend on the employer and the type and level of apprenticeship.
The Access to Apprenticeships programme is for those wanting to access an apprenticeship but who have an English and maths need.
The programme will run 2 days a week, focusing on important work-based skills, apprenticeship and work applications as well as English and maths (through the completion of Functional Skills).
English and maths can often be seen as a barrier to success on an apprenticeship, and this programme will see students working in a supportive environment to achieve Functional Skills to a level 2 standard (GCSE 4 equivalent).
All students will liaise with our Apprenticeship and Business Support teams in the latter part of the programme to receive individualised guidance to support them through the process of gaining an apprenticeship later in the 2024-25 academic year or for the start of the 2025-26 academic year.
Eligibility criteria:
- Students may only study if they are not completing any other funded course with Colchester Institute or another provider.
- Students must have a English / Maths need and will work towards achieving a Functional skill in either/ both English and maths. Applicants with a 4 (C) GCSE grade in both subjects will not be accepted onto the course
- Students should have an Apprenticeship in mind as the progression route from this course
- All applicants will undertake initial and diagnostic assessments as part of the application process to determine course eligibility
Adult Learners
The information below applies to adult learners who are looking to study a full-time further education course with us this September. If you are looking to study a part-time course, English and maths GCSE/Functional Skills, access to higher education course or degree-level programme, then applications are still open. Please visit our Adult Learners section to view our courses.
Many of our full-time courses have adult learners aged 19 and above, and some learners may not have to pay a fee depending on eligibility criteria.
Our Full-time Further Education (Levels 1-3) courses, known as ‘study programmes’, are one or two year duration NVQ, VRQ, and BTEC Diplomas. These are work related vocational qualifications containing a mixture of theory and practical’s. They are designed to help you get the qualifications you want and the opportunity to gain a more rewarding career or expand your knowledge of that particular subject.
As applications for full-time courses are now closed, we invite you to visit us at our Advice Days at the end of August.
At the Advice Sessions, our tutors will advise you on your next steps, whilst our friendly student services and support teams will also be on hand to help you on the day.
For us to offer you a place on a study programme, the course must accept learners aged 19+, still have spaces available and you must meet the published entry criteria.
Bookings for Advice Sessions open on Thursday, 22nd August 2024 at 8am.
