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Hairdressing Level 2/3 (19+ Year Old Learners)

If you are looking to become a hairdresser then these qualifications will provide you with a range of essential technical practical skills and knowledge needed to progress towards becoming a salon hair professional.

Learning takes place through classroom activity, demonstrations and working in a realistic salon environment for practical assessment and case studies. Emphasis is placed on correct working procedures and students will be able to develop their individual talents and interests during workshop sessions in our well-equipped salons.

When not working on real-life clients, you are taught through a number of practical sessions and assessments, alongside classroom sessions and guided assignments.
You will also have the opportunity to participate in many exciting enrichment opportunities and the latest upcoming trends.

Course Info

Do I have to pay a fee?

Hairdressing Level 2/3 (19+ Year Old Learners)

Adult (19+) learners will not be required to study English and Maths. You will attend College for approximately 11 hours per week for a mixture of practical and theory sessions.

Level	Level 2 Level 3
Location	Colchester
Duration	Two years: Year 1: Level 2 Year 2: Level 3
Campus / Adult Skills Centre	Colchester Campus
Start Date	September 2025
Attendance	Variable hours per week
Fee(s)	19+ Year 1: £1,838 19+ Year 2: £3,345

Got a Question: Enquire Here Course Enquiry Line: 01206 712777 Upcoming Open Events Fee Exemptions Apply Advanced Learner Loan Available

What Will I Learn?

The Hairdressing Diploma Level 2 study programme is designed to start-off your career and provide the necessary skills and techniques for you to become a hairdresser. With the option to specialise in year two, you are provided with a number of different opportunities and experiences, including working in our commercial campus salon.

The Hairdressing Diploma Level 3 programme is aimed at level 2 stylists wishing to learn the skills needed to become a senior stylist.

Emphasis is placed on students working to an advanced level and developing their individual skills and talents. When not working on real-life clients, you are taught through a number of practical sessions and assessments, alongside classroom sessions and guided assignments.

Course Content

Hairdressing Diploma Level 2 may include the following units:

Maintain Health and Safety in the Salon
Working in Hairdressing
Client Consultation for Hairdressing Services
Promote Products and Services to Clients in a Salon
Cut Women’s Hair
Shampoo and Condition Hair and Scalp
Style and Dress Women’s Hair
Perm and Neutralise Hair
Colour Hair
Salon Reception Duties
Creative Images in the Hair and Beauty Sector

Hairdressing Level 3 Diploma units may include the following:

Monitoring and Maintaining Health and Safety in the Salon
Consultation Support
Cut Women’s Hair to Create a Variety of Looks
Style Women’s Hair Using a Variety of Techniques
Colour Hair to Create a Variety of Looks
Colour Correction
Perm Hair to Create a Variety of Looks
Creative Hairdressing Design Skills

Entry Requirements

Level 2: 4 GCSEs (grades A*-E / 9-3), including English and maths, or Level 1 Functional Skills Equivalent and an interview.

Level 3: Entry on to Level 3 is subject to satisfactory completion of a Level 2 Hairdressing qualification*.

*If you have previously studied and completed a level 2 at another training provider, or are currently studying level 2 with another training provider, and would like to apply to enrol directly onto level 3 you can do so by the ‘Level 3 Apply Online’ button in the next menu.

Kit Costs

Level 2 Hairdressing

Uniform: £40*

Practical Kit: £350*

Level 3 Hairdressing

Uniform: £40*
Textbook: Approx £ 30.00*
Level 3 Hairdressing Kit: £200*

*All prices indicated must be considered as estimated and prices may change without notice.

Course Progression

Successful completion of the Level 2 Diploma allows progression into employment as junior stylist or onto the Level 3 Diploma.

Career Opportunities

Many find work in the local area, others in industry at a supervisory level or technical support with top London salons, major product manufacturers, television/film studios, prestigious hotels, cruise liners or leisure complexes.

Fees and Funding

This course is for learners aged 19 years and over.

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.

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.

Level 2 - Do I have to pay a fee?

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.

Level 3 - Do I have to pay a fee?

The information in this section applies solely to this course and the criteria for a fee waiver is not transferable to any other course offered by the College.

You will not pay tuition fees if you are:

aged 19-24 on the 31st August 2025 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan

aged 19 – 23 and have not already achieved a full Level 3 qualification* then this course will be fully-funded by the government. (In some cases, if you need to first enrol on a lower level course, before progressing to a Level 3, this may also be fully funded by the government)* This means that you have not previously attained a full Level 3 or equivalent (2 A Levels or 4 AS Levels, or QAA Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma at Level 3, or a Level 3 Tech level or applied general qualification (e.g. BTEC)).

You will pay tuition fees if you are:

aged 19 and over at the start of this course and have previously achieved a full Level 3 qualification

Learners required to pay tuition fees can either self-fund (whereby you or your employer pays for the course) or apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover all, or part, of the tuition fees for this course.The minimum loan you can get is £300, but the maximum will depend on how much the fees are and the type of course you take.

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.

Advanced Learner Loans

Am I eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan?

To qualify for an advanced learner loan to cover the fees for this course you must be:

19 years old or over on the first day of your course (there’s no upper age limit)
A UK national or have ‘settled status’ (this means there are no restrictions on how long you can stay)
Living in the UK on the first day of your course, and have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three years immediately before this

Most learners that fall into this bracket will be eligible, it doesn’t depend on your household income and there’s no credit check!

If your nationality or residency status is different to the above, then please contact the national Advanced Learner Loan helpline on 0300 100 0619 or check the Advanced Learner Loan website where you will be able to find further information on eligibility.

How do I apply for an Advanced Learner Loan?

Once you have applied and been offered a place on the course, the college will provide you with a ‘learning and funding information letter’. These are normally sent out in early July.

You need this to complete the loan application and you cannot apply for a loan until you have received this.

Once you have applied for a loan and it has been approved you will receive an official letter from Student Finance England.

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 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 either the:

19+ Bursary Fund

Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund (for students paying tuition fees for Level 3 with an advanced learner loan)**Awards from the Advanced Learner Loans Bursary Fund can only be made to students who have received an Advanced Learner Loan. If you do not intend to apply for an advanced learner loan or if your application has been unsuccessful you will not be eligible for an award from this particular 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*****

Bursary Application Form (Students Starting September 2024)

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.

19+ Bursary Information

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

Online Applications have now closed.

Late applicants will need to book onto an August Advice Day and visit the campus to speak to a course tutor.

Follow the link below to find out what your options are at this stage of the application cycle.

What are my options?

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.