The Open College of Equine Studies

Frequently asked questions

If the question you want answered isn’t listed below please feel free to contact the office on 01787 282123 where someone will be pleased to assist.

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  1. Are any discounts available?
  2. Are there any exams?
  3. Are there any time limits?
  4. Can anyone become a student?
  5. Can I study from overseas?
  6. Do I need to buy lots of books?
  7. How do I enrol?
  8. How much will it cost?
  9. I have been an owner of horses for 15 years and would like to start my own full livery yard. Which course would you recommend?
  10. Is funding available?
  11. Is there an upper age limit? I’m worried I’m going to be the oldest on the course!
  12. I would like to enrol onto a degree programme but want to try a 'taster' module first. How does this work?
  13. The short courses sound perfect for my needs. Can you tell me if I need to have any previous qualifications to take these courses or would you suggest a certain level of knowledge before taking these?
  14. What happens about practical training?
  15. What if I change my mind?
  16. What will I receive as a student?
  17. When can I enrol?
  18. When will I receive my course material?

1. Are any discounts available?

If you enrol on more than one course you may claim a discount of 5 per cent per course. If paying in full, deduct from the total fee sent. If paying by instalments, deduct from the cumulative initial fee sent.

2. Are there any exams?

BHS Stage 1 to 4 students have the option of taking a mock HK & C stage examination at the end of the Study Week.  For BTEC courses, grades attained throughout the course and practical assessments performed during Study Weeks will be combined when assessing the overall qualification award.  BHS Horse Owner’s Certificate students will take the final written examination at home.

TOCES Certificate students are sent an optional End of Course Examination paper on completion of the final work assignment.  This is completed at home, without the use of study books or course material.  The objectives of the final examination paper are to evaluate the level of knowledge acquired, to demonstrate your understanding of the subject and to test your study skills. 

3. Are there any time limits?

The rate at which work assignments are sent in is flexible, enabling you to take a break from studying whenever you wish and start again when it is convenient for you. You can take as long as you like to complete the courses. However if you take longer than two years for TOCES Certificate or BHS courses or five years for BTEC courses, you would incur a small additional tuition fee.

As rough guidance, students tend to send in one work assignment every four weeks.

BTEC registration also has to be renewed after five years.

4. Can anyone become a student?

....Yes!

The only requirements are that you are:

  • English speaking
  • aged 14 or more - there is no upper age limit
  • interested in learning more about horse care and management

5. Can I study from overseas?

... Yes!

You can study from anywhere in the world. There are additional overseas postage fees – please contact the office for details.

If enrolling on a BTEC or degree programme you must attend the study weeks here in England.  We try to organise some Study Weeks 'back-to-back' so international students can reduce the number of trips to England. 

Please note that our bank cannot process Standing Order payments through banks outside the United Kingdom or Channel Islands.  Overseas students can pay monthly by credit card or by arranging bank transfers from their own bank.

6. Do I need to buy lots of books?

You will receive a lot of information within your course material.  For non-BTEC and Degree Programmes lots of extra books are not essential, although they are very useful.  BTEC and Degree Programme students are provided with a reading list and books may be borrowed or purchased from TOCES’ Library Service.

7. How do I enrol?

The course fees quoted on the list of fees apply between the dates shown. If enrolling after this date, please contact us for the updated fees. Fees listed include UK postage and packing. There is no VAT payable.

If paying the full fee or initial instalment by cheque, bank draft, or postal order, complete the Enrolment Form and post to TOCES. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Open College of Equine Studies’.

If paying by credit or debit card, complete the authorisation section of the Enrolment Form and send or fax the Enrolment Form to TOCES. If paying by credit/debit card you may enrol by telephone.

If approved for a Career Development Loan please attach a copy of the bank's approval letter to your Enrolment Form.

If paying in instalments complete the Enrolment Form and Standing Order Mandate. Please do not include the initial payment on your Standing Order Mandate. We will fill in the date of the first and last payment (1st of the next month or the second month following enrolment dependant on the date the enrolment is received). A copy of the mandate will be sent to you with your course.

The instalment payment plan can only operate through banks within the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands.

Monthly instalments payments can be taken from a credit or debit card. On-line enrolment You can enrol on-line using secure payment facilities on-line.

Invoiced Payments.  Payment can only be made against an invoice for colleges and training organisations. If your employer is paying for the course, a letter to this effect must be sent with your Enrolment Form. All invoices must be paid within 30 days.

We can accept the following credit/debit cards: Switch, Visa, MasterCard.

Please refer to the Degree Programme Information for Degree Programme Enrolment Information.

8. How much will it cost?

The fees vary depending on the type of course.  We offer instalment payment plans to help spread the cost.

Click on Course Fees and download the document.  If you have problems downloading it we will be happy to email or post it to you.

9. I have been an owner of horses for 15 years and would like to start my own full livery yard. Which course would you recommend?

Running a livery yard requires a whole range of skills including horsemanship, inter-personal and communication skills,  time management, veterinary knowledge, business and estate management.  TOCES offers a Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma which provide these skills.  The HNC is a 10 module course, the HND is 16 modules (HNC + 6).  Both are academically challenging but are definitely the best courses as they will give potential clients the confidence that you, as yard manager, are a capable and well qualified professional.

If the HNC or HND are too much of a commitment you can study individual modules of the HNC/HND either as BTEC Higher National Units or as Short Courses.

10. Is funding available?

Regrettably, the courses do not qualify for funding from either the Further Education or Higher Education Funding Councils. Students do not therefore qualify for payment of course fees or for student loans.

For information on financial assistance to support your learning, please visit www.direct.gov.uk/adultlearning.

New Deal. Young people, single parents, the disabled and the over 50s may be eligible for funding of training courses under the New Deal programme. Ask your local Employment Office or go to http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/New_Deal/ for details.

11. Is there an upper age limit? I’m worried I’m going to be the oldest on the course!

There is no upper age limit – we believe no one is ever too old to learn! The majority of our students are mature (i.e. over 21) with some being considerably more mature than this! TOCES’ students currently range in age from 16 – 69. 70 years plus most welcome!

12. I would like to enrol onto a degree programme but want to try a 'taster' module first. How does this work?

Using the Non-degree Enrolment Form, enrol onto a BTEC Higher National Indiviudal Module/Unit, choosing a module which features in the degree programme you are interested in. You could select a module which does not involve attendance at a Study Week to avoid travelling to Suffolk.   Page 2 of the Course Fees document details which units involve Study Week attendance.

The Individual Unit is marked to the same standard as the degree modules, by the same tutor team. Upon completion of the Individual Unit you will be awarded a BTEC Certificate. If you then decide to enrol onto a degree programme the credits gained on the Individual Unit will count towards your degree.

Taking into account the BTEC registration fee incurred, the fee you pay for the Individual Unit will be deducted from the degree enrolment fee.

13. The short courses sound perfect for my needs. Can you tell me if I need to have any previous qualifications to take these courses or would you suggest a certain level of knowledge before taking these?
You do not need to have any qualifications before studying a short course.  However, as they are advanced level courses you should have some experience with horses and be prepared for academic work at higher education levels 1 and 2, i.e. the same level as year 1 and 2 of a degree programme.
14. What happens about practical training?

You will receive a Practical Skills Booklet to help you identify the areas you need to work on.  You must take on a level of responsibility for acquiring these practical skills but the booklets will help you.

BTEC and degree students must attend a number of five-day residential Study Weeks to supplement the theoretical knowledge with practical training and assessment. BHS HKC Stage 1 to 4 students can opt to attend Study Weeks. The Study Weeks are held at TOCES’ yard in Suffolk and are open to all students.

15. What if I change my mind?

1. In the unlikely event that you are dissatisfied with your course, simply return it, complete, in good condition and securely packaged, within seven days of receipt and we will refund all fees paid, less an administration fee of £7.00 per course plus postage charges.

2. Once you have retained the material beyond the seven-day period you are deemed to have checked its contents, accepted it and all conditions of payment fully.  The Open College of Equine Studies is unable to refund any fees after the seven-day period.

3. When enrolling on a BTEC or Degree Programme you will be sent a Cancellation Policy to sign before course material is despatched.  This allows you to return your course and get a refund within seven days of receipt.  Subsequent cancellation is subject to a sliding scale of charges

16. What will I receive as a student?

Course Modules - fully illustrated with line drawings and photographs, printed on A4 bound within TOCES ring binders.  The modules contain all of the information needed to gain a pass grade in the course.  Additional study books are not necessary except for the higher level courses where evidence of additional research is required.

Study Guide - this explains how to start studying and gives advice on the presentation of work assignments.

Work Assignments - a number of work assignments are provided for you to complete and submit for assessment.

Tutor Support - all work assignments are marked by one of the team of highly qualified tutors.  Assignments are returned to you, graded (as applicable) with assessments sheets containing detailed tutor feedback.

Practical Skills Workbooks  - skills workbooks are provided for you to work through.

Study Weeks – for BHS Stage 1 to 4 courses, BTEC and Degree courses, students attend a specified number of Study Weeks.  Course fees include food, accommodation and all tuition and assessment fees.

17. When can I enrol?

Enrolments for all courses are taken throughout the year. There are no term times as such.

18. When will I receive my course material?

If received before 3pm, your enrolment will be processed the day it is received.

Course material is normally despatched within 6 working days of receipt of the Enrolment Form, except where payment is made on credit or debit card when material will be despatched within 2 working days of receipt of the Enrolment Form.

Courses are normally sent by Parcelforce.  A signature is required upon delivery. If no one is available to accept and sign for the parcel, the driver will leave a card and take the parcel to the local Parcelforce depot or Royal Mail Sorting Office.  You should ring them to arrange to collect the parcel.

If you do not collect the parcel within the time specified on the card it will be returned to us.  You will then have to pay us the cost of sending the parcel to you for a second time (£7.75 for UK parcels).

Alternatively, you can leave a signed note for the driver, explaining where to leave the parcel, e.g. in a garage, with a neighbour, etc.  The place must be secure - we do not accept responsibility for parcels that are damaged or go missing if you ask the driver to leave the parcel.  The driver must be able to take the note with him as proof of delivery and it must be signed by you.

If the material cannot be delivered to you because you have moved or given us an incorrect or incomplete address, a charge will be made for the second delivery as above.