How to Apply
Full-time Courses
Part-time Courses
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Study
Full-time Courses
Applications for full-time further education courses commencing in September 2012 will be accepted from 24th October 2011. Applicants will be able to apply for one full-time course at a time but will have the option to apply jointly for both a full time and apprenticeship course if applicable. Applicants will be able to apply either online or by completing a copy of our full-time application form.
On-line Applications
Search through our full-time further education provision and find the course you wish to apply for.
Once you have obtained the course code and title click on the APPLY ONLINE link on the course information page. This will open the online application form, and you will be asked to follow the on screen instructions.
If you do not have an email address you will be unable to apply online. Instead you should download a paper application form and send it to the College by post.
Please note: You will have successfully applied once you have completed all five sections of the online form. At this point an acknowledgment email will be sent to you. If you have not received this within 48 hours please contact the Admissions department on (01206) 712777 to make sure your application has been received. Please be sure to check both your email inbox and your junk mail box prior to contacting the College.
Applicants who apply online will be required to obtain a Pre-Admission Confidential Reference and bring this with them when they are invited to attend an interview at the College. A Pre-Admission Reference template is available to be downloaded for your convenience.
Paper Applications
Once you have selected the course you wish to apply for, you need to complete the full time application form and obtain a pre-admissions academic or character reference. Only when this reference has been obtained should you submit the application.
If you are a school leaver, please obtain the reference from your current school.
Deadline Date
The initial deadline for both paper and online applications is the 31st January 2012, all applications received by this date will be given priority however applications will be accepted throughout the year. All applications are dealt in the date order they are received, therefore early application is advisable.
Applicants will receive an acknowledgement email or card within one week of the application being received by the Admissions department. If you do not receive this you should contact Admissions directly on (01206) 712777 to check that your application has been received.
What Happens Next?
Once your application has been received you will be invited to Colchester Institute to discuss your course choice with an Admissions Officer. You should receive this invitation within three weeks of your application being submitted. The interview will centre on ourselves finding out more about you and confirming you have applied for the correct course. It is also an opportunity for you to find out more about Colchester Institute and the course applied for.
Applicants for Hospitality and Food Studies, Music and Performing Arts, and Art, Design and Media will be required to undertake a tutor interview or audition specific to the course.
Once the interview is complete your application will be forwarded to course tutors for consideration. As a result you may be invited to attend a compulsory course preview. The course preview is an opportunity to meet the tutors and find out more about the course. It is very important that this is attended as Colchester Institute will be unable to make offers to applicants who do not attend course previews. Successful applicants will receive an offer of a place, unsuccessful applicants will be given the opportunity to choose another course or be referred to a Careers advisor for further help.
Enrolment for most courses will take place during the week following GCSE results (23rd August 2012). It is recommended that holidays are not booked during this time as it may affect your place.
Further Details regarding the Further Education Application Process can be found here.
Part-time Courses
The majority of our part time courses commence from September 2012 onwards. Applications for these courses will be accepted from mid-may 2012. Further information about how to apply for courses will be available from April 2012.
Colchester Institute acknowledges all applications within two working days of receipt. If you have not received an acknowledgement slip through the post within a week of submitting your application contact the Admissions department immediately on (01206) 712777.
NOTE: Some part-time courses may not require an application form to be submitted, and this will be noted against the course. Applicants will be able to enrol onto these courses on a first come, first served basis. Dates for part time enrolment will be published nearer to the time.
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Study
Applications for our full time degree programmes are made through UCAS at www.ucas.com (with the exception of the Post Graduate Certificate in Education where applications are made directly to Colchester Institute). Students are advised to apply by the initial UCAS deadline of the 15th January, and the 24th March for Art and Design courses. Colchester Institute will usually consider late applications for courses with places available after the UCAS deadlines and through Clearing.
Applications for part time undergraduate and postgraduate study are made directly to Colchester Institute on a higher education part-time application form or a postgraduate application form both of which can be found on the Courses Application Forms Downloads Page of the website.
