Community Governance – Additional Costs

The tuition fee for each qualification is £6,500 (£3,250 per year) normally paid in instalments over two years with an initial deposit of £375 (the deposit covers administration and registration process for starting the course) which will be deducted from the first invoice. Tuition fees cover the costs of all teaching and assessment and accommodation costs for study days (see additional information below). Please note that the fees will be reviewed for the 2025 intake.

You or your council(s) will be invoiced immediately for the deposit, and then in April each year. The invoices are due for payment by the end of the following month. If you are self-funding you can pay in 20 instalments – please contact the Community Governance Administrator on [email protected] for details of how to do this.

In undertaking this course, you may incur further costs that are not included in the tuition fee.

• In addition, students should provide for the travel costs involved in attendance at our study days. Whilst course fees include some accommodation and meals (dependent on venue), you would need to pay for your travel which will vary depending on your location. Study days are a combination of in-person and virtual delivery:
  • In-Person – late January/early February
  • Virtual delivery – late April/early May, September (tbc)
• The programme is delivered in part via an online learning platform which facilitates discussion, holds course materials and enables assignment submission. It is vital that you have access to a computer and the internet whether it is at home or at work. The costs will depend on your supplier and the type of computer you use.
• We provide detailed advice on how to obtain library books and other resources. More detailed reading lists (for optional reading) are available in our student handbook (known as the Elephant Guide) which is available when you apply and in each module handbook. In addition, the key textbook for SLCC Local Council Law & Procedures is the latest edition of ‘Arnold-Baker on Local Council Administration’ 13th ed, Butterworths, LexisNexis. If you are employed by a council, your employer should purchase this book.
• The Community Governance Library is our specialist postal library contains a wide range of books for Community Governance students. Students with borrowing membership can borrow books via post using our postal loans service. Borrowing membership costs £40 and entitles you to borrow up to five books in an academic year. Contact [email protected] to obtain borrowing membership. To request a postal loan, email your name, delivery details, the title and author of the book you require to [email protected].
  Books are normally shipped within three working days and are sent with a free self-addressed envelope for return.
• Graduation costs: Graduation is the ceremony to celebrate the achievements of your studies. Students gaining an award at each level will be invited to receive recognition at an SLCC graduation event in March. Friends and family of the student will be invited to attend the ceremony (costs approximately £30 per person.) Students will also be invited to attend will also be able to attend a graduation ceremony at DMU in July. DMU will provide details of cost when they send invitations out to all graduating students. DMU offer additional photography packages which range in price from £15 to £200+. For both SLCC and DMU graduations, you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award)
  • DMU graduation ceremony academic gowns are compulsory
  • SLCC graduation event academic gowns are optional

  Attendance at the graduation ceremony is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost.