Taster Mornings, Open Evenings and Skills Events

If you’re in Year 10 or 11, you can attend a Taster Morning to try out a subject and see if it interests you. Many school groups attend, but individuals are also welcome.

Our Open Evenings are a good way for you and your parents/carers to see the whole College, meet our staff and students, and ask questions. You might find it useful to try a Taster and then come to at least one of the Open Evenings.

The Skills Events are for anyone who wants to see what a land-based subject is like and maybe even try out some activities. See the Open Events page form more details on these events.

Schools Visits

We attend a range of events in schools including Careers Fairs and Parents Evenings, and we regularly give talks to year and tutor groups at schools in the area. These are all excellent ways to find out what Bridgwater & Taunton College has to offer, and you can sign-up to receive additional information through the post or email. If you’re not sure whether we visit your school, just ask your careers teacher or check with our School Liaison team on 01278 441216 or email marketing@btc.ac.uk.

Advice and Guidance
There are lots of people who can provide you with help about applying to College. Your careers teacher and Careers Advisor are trained to give you the advice you need. If you think you need some one-to-one advice, we have staff trained to offer impartial guidance. Just call 01278 441234 to make an appointment.

Money and Transport

Courses are still free for under 19s, but you need to pay for course materials, textbook deposits, study trips and residential visits, as well as a bus pass if you need it. The College is able to provide financial support, depending on household income. Contact our Student Support team for the most up-to-date information on 01278 441233 or studentsupport@btc.ac.uk.

Applying

Applying is now even easier with our online application process. To apply online simply find the course that you’re interested in and use the Apply Online button. You can then follow the steps to complete your application or return to add another course. When you’re happy with your choices and have completed the necessary information, submit the form. You’ll receive email notification and we’ll ask your school for a reference.

We’re also happy to accept paper forms. You’ll find one at the back of your School Leavers’ Prospectus or you can download a copy of the Application Form and print it off. Forms are also available from the College or your Careers Teacher.

Whether you’re applying online or by using the paper form, we advise that you submit your application by the end of January.

If you change your mind and want to apply for another course, there’s no need to fill in an additional application. Simply call our Information & Guidance Team on 01278 441234 or email info@btc.ac.uk.

Tips for a Successful Application

If you’re not sure what you want to do or you want to keep your options open, you can apply for more than one course and have more than one interview, but remember to enter all the information on one application form. The most important thing is that you eventually enrol on the right course.

Once you’ve been accepted onto a course, you can still change your mind. If you do not achieve the results you were hoping for or you achieve a better range of grades, call us for advice on alternative courses.

Although it helps to have your application in early, remember that it’s never too late to apply.

Once you’ve filled in your application, there are just a few more steps to go while you work hard to achieve your grades, before you become a College student.

Interviews

If we have all the information we need on your application form, we’ll invite you to attend an interview. The sooner you return your application form, the sooner you’ll receive an interview, and as a general rule, these are held at least once a month and sometimes more often.

Offers

After the interview, you’ll receive a letter confirming what was discussed, including confirmation of any exam grades (or other requirements) you need to achieve to take up the place. If you decide to accept your place, we’ll continue to send you information about starting College.

Welcome Days

These take place at the end of June/beginning of July and give you the chance to meet others who have applied for your course, participate in some fun team-building activities and start to familiarise yourself with college life. You may also find out more about the subjects you’re going to study. It all helps to make the move from school to college that much easier.

Enrolment

After your exam results in August, you’ll be invited to enrol in late August or early September. This is when you officially become a Bridgwater & Taunton College student. You’ll need to bring your exam results and we’ll contact you to tell you exactly when, where and how you start your course.