College Accommodation
Accommodation Package and Facilities
We’re very proud of our live-in accommodation at Plumpton College.
Our excellent residential facilities accommodate up to 203 students in modern comfortable rooms. Rated by Ofsted as ‘Outstanding’ across all areas, you’ll find them a fantastic place to stay.
We offer our students accommodation on a full board basis only to ensure that all students studying here have all of their needs met and can focus on achieving the best they can on their programme.
As a residential student at Plumpton College, you can look forward to a package that includes:
- Full board catering (breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening snacks - 7 days a week)
- All utility bills
- Free Wi-Fi in all hostel areas
- Full 24hr staff support
- Daily cleaning and maintenance support
- Access to all enrichment activities and facilities
- Transport to local supermarkets and doctors surgeries
Students are housed dependent on their age and gender. Apart from our ensuite rooms, our bedrooms have communal bathing and toilet facilities. You’ll be responsible for bringing your own bed linen, plus you’ll need to ensure that you have a TV licence if you choose to bring your own TV.
The on-site accommodation comprises over 200 rooms, the majority of which are single, but we do also have a very limited amount of shared accommodation available (dependent on the students' age and gender). Over 18 year olds and under 18 year old students are housed in separate corridors, with under 18 females housed separately to under 18 males.
Living in our student accommodation is a fantastic way to meet new people and fully immerse yourself in life at the College. Due to the comprehensive nature of our accommodation package, parents and young people can be confident that students will be well looked after and cared for.
Our accommodation is heavily oversubscribed, and we would recommend applying as early as possible.
Our resident students can also access the college’s Esports gaming room outside of normal college hours, and also have the opportunity to represent the college in the British Esports Student Champs (see image below).
Outcomes for students are outstanding, because they make significant progress in their academic and vocational studies from their starting points, compared to their non-resident peers and students in other local colleges.
Accommodation Documents
With a wide range of budget options for you to choose from, we accommodate students across all age groups in our live-in accommodation. If you’re under the age of 18, we realise that we take the place of a parent, so you can be reassured that we take our responsibility very seriously – your safeguarding is our priority. In fact, if it’s the first time you’ve lived away from home, you can rest assured you will receieve great support. We’ve put together a number of documents to help you discover all the information you’ll need to know about residential life at Plumpton:
- Residents’ Information Book
- Terms and Conditions of Residency
- Ofsted Residential Inspection Report - March 2023
Unlike some other residential colleges, Plumpton College offers a full care package for all of its residential students to ensure that they have the best college experience possible. Ofsted have rated our residential provision as “Outstanding” in our 2013, 2016 and 2018 inspections, directly relating the exemplary care of the students to high success rates and their good employability. The residential community at the College was described as one that fostered friendships and raised personal confidence, through an atmosphere that is rich in good family values, trust and respect.
Accommodation Costs
Our costs cover your room for the whole academic year and you may be able to get a grant to offset some of these costs. If you’re studying our Level 3 Agriculture and Equine courses you’ll be able to access flexible accommodation during your ‘routine’ periods.
If you’re studying our Level 3 Agriculture, Animal Care and Equine courses, you’ll be able to access flexible accommodation during your ‘routine’ periods. Your routine requirements will be organised through your course tutor so you are not required to apply for accommodation at this time. Your tutor will discuss this process with you further on your induction week which is scheduled to take place at the start of term.
Full Time Accomodation Costs
| Type of room | Cost |
|---|---|
| Small single | £5,600 (per year) |
| Single room, with Basin | £6,400 (per year) |
| Ensuite, Limited Availability) | £7,330 (per year) |
| Routine room (daily and 7 for the price of 5) | £35 |
| Room damage / breakages deposit (all students) | £200 (per year) |
Accommodation FAQs
How do I pay facility and accommodation fees?
Facility fees, trips and many other items are purchased via our online shop.
Accommodation fees are paid via a separate secure online portal, details of which you will receive with your room offer.
A non-refundable deposit payment of £200 is required before moving in, along with either payment of the balance in full, or an instalment plan put in place.
You can either pay the accommodation fees balance in full at the start of the academic year or set up a recurring card payment plan. The first payment and the recurring card payment plan must be made before moving in.
With a recurring card payment plan your debit or credit card is charged either monthly or termly.
A damage deposit of £200 is required to be paid in addition to the cost of the room. It is refundable once room is vacated and will be subject to deductions if there has been damage.
Payment of damage deposit is spread across the payment plan.
If a monthly payment plan is selected, the balance is then collected in seven equal instalments on these dates:
- 1st September (paid before moving in)
- 1st October
- 1st November
- 1st December
- 1st January
- 1st February
- 1st March
If a termly payment plan is selected, the balance is then collected in three equal instalments on these dates:
- 1st September (paid before moving in)
- 1st January
- 1st April
A payment plan can be set up on any debit or credit card, with the exception of American Express.
To ensure a bursary award is applied against the first instalment, bursary applications for accommodation must be submitted (including all evidence required) by 31 July. If the bursary has not been awarded the full amount will be due and the bursary award amount will be adjusted when a satisfactory bursary application is completed.
A two-week cooling off period is given in September where a student may move out and will only be charged the £200 non-refundable deposit payment. After the cooling off period 6 weeks (term time) notice is required, and from the day that notice is given a further six weeks is payable, excluding Christmas and Easter holidays.
Accommodation fees must be paid in full before the close of the summer term in June, as any outstanding debts may affect the ability to enrol as a returning student or graduate from the course.
What is the facility fee?
This is a fixed annual fee payable by all FE students, it assists in providing non-educational facilities.
For 2023/24 the full time day and resident students at Main Site: £150
The facility fee covers:
- Unlimited Wi-Fi and broadband for personal use
- Students use of sports amenities, enrichment, and wellbeing
- Car parking facilities
- Security, minibuses, on site medical care, free lockers for use
Is there a bursary to help with accommodation costs?
A bursary is available for accommodation costs for students from households that have an income below £34,000.
The purpose of the bursary is to support students in financial hardship and to ensure access to education. The level of bursary awarded will depend on circumstance and can be used for accommodation, transport, equipment and other costs necessary for access to education.
HE students can receive a cash award paid termly, ranging from £600 to £1000 per year, pro rata for part time students.
The bursary is conditional on good attendance, punctuality and behaviour.
To apply for the bursary you will need the following supporting info: P60, benefit letters /allowances, bank statements, income and expenditure accounts. They need to be recent, within last 3 months.
Contact details for help with the Bursary application:
Bursary Team
01273892102 or bursary-team@plumpton.ac.uk
Residential Accommodation
Allocation Policy
We have great demand for our rooms here at Plumpton. Consequently we have a priority system for allocation. Linked to our Residential Fund Criteria, priority is based on the following conditions, you’ll need to show that:
- You’re on a full-time study programme which may need you to be available on-site at unsociable hours.
- You would otherwise be travelling from remote areas not regularly serviced by public transport and travelling daily would be difficult.
- An assessment of your ability to live independently.
If you do not meet these criteria and there are room vacancies available, you will be allocated a room. During your application process, you can indicate which type of room you’d prefer. We’ll make every effort to meet your requirements where possible.
You can apply for accommodation from the autumn term of the year before you join us at Plumpton College. As demand is high, we recommend that you apply as early as possible to help with our planning and room allocation process. We make our room allocation decisions in July. You’ll have 14 days to accept or reject the room you’ve been offered.
