TRI-SERVICE FUNDING SCHEMES
(Service personnel only)

The following information is intended to provide only basic guidance in respect of the various Tri-Service Funding Schemes, as they might apply to Bristol Management Centre courses. ALL Service funding is discretionary and is dependent upon the approval of Education/Resettlement Officers or CTP Career Consultants and Commanding Officers. For authoritative information please consult the relevant DINs.

Enhanced Learning Credits (ELCs)

Bristol Management Centre is an Approved Learning Provider under the Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme (Registration No: 1024). ELCs are designed to provide Service personnel, who have 4 years of eligible service (reckoned from 1 April 2000 or enlistment date whichever is the later), with 80% of approved training costs up to a maximum single payment of £1,000 per annum for any three years up to 10 years after leaving the Services, for courses leading to a recognised qualification on the Qualifications and Credit Framework at level 3 or above (see next paragraph). This is referred to as "Lower Tier" ELC. For 8 years of eligible service the figure increases to £2,000 per annum. This is referred to as "Upper Tier" ELC.

The precise rules of eligibility are set out in the relevant DIN (currently 2008DIN07-104).

Bristol Management Centre is an Accredited Training Organisation (ATO) for the Office of Government Commerce PRINCE2^® Project Management, MSP^® Managing Successful Programmes and MoR® Management of Risk qualifications. MSP^® and MoR® are not approved in their own right for ELC support, but BMC offers them as a part of its 1-week QCF Level 7 Success in Deploying Business Strategy, and Success in Risk Management modules respectively.

It is also accredited by the prestigious Institute of Leadership & Management for the Levels 4, 5, 6 and 7 qualifications on the Qualifications & Credit Framework (see Qualifications & Fee Structure - Courses).

Subject to the approval referred to in paragraph one above, delegates are able to fund their Bristol Management Centre Level 5 or 7 qualifications in Executive Management, including those incorporating PRINCE2^®, MSP^® and MoR® using ELCs. However, because there can only be a single claim in any one year, the most effective use of ELCs is for relatively high value courses of £1,250 (if using "Lower Tier") or £2,500 (if using "Upper Tier") or over, where the full amount of £1,000 or £2,000 can be claimed (see Qualifications & Fee Structure - Courses). The balance of fees (up to a maximum of £534) can be claimed via IRTC Grant (see below). The ELC payment procedure, as advised by the ELC Administration Service (ELCAS) is for delegates to make a provisional booking with Bristol Management Centre, who will then advise the course cost in writing. (The provisional booking will normally be held for 21 days, pending formal confirmation and payment of the Course Fee deposit. Otherwise, at the end of 21 days, the provisional place will be released to other applicants). Delegates should then, as soon as possible, submit a completed ELC Claim Form for approval to their Commanding Officer and Education/Resettlement Staff, and AT LEAST 15 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THE COURSE, send it to ELCAS who will, subject to eligibility check, issue a Claims Authorisation Note (CAN). Delegates should then send the original CAN, together with their personal contribution/deposit, as advised by Bristol Management Centre (normally the difference between the course fee and the amount of ELC authorised), to Bristol Management Centre who will then issue an invoice for payment of the balance by the MoD.

It is stressed that it is ONLY ELCs that can be dealt with using this procedure.

Standard Learning Credits (SLCs)

SLCs are designed for use with lower level learning and items such as examination/registration fees etc. They CANNOT be combined with ELCs. SLC claims can be made for 80% of eligible fees up to a maximum claim of £175 in any one year. With effect from 1 September 2008, IRTC grant may be use to fund the balance.  The relevant DIN is currently 2008DIN07 -103. In the context of Bristol Management Centre courses, the most effective use of SLCs is for part-payment of the course fee, where the fee is between £220 and £709, the balance being funded by IRTC grant.

An SLC claim is dealt with internally within the Services. Bristol Management Centre provides the necessary financial documentation prior to the commencement of the course and it is the individual's responsibility to fund the cost in the interim whilst awaiting reimbursement.

Individual Refund of Training Costs (IRTC) Grant

The IRTC Grant currently stands at a single sum of £534 and is available only for Resettlement purposes. Bristol Management Centre delegates usually use this for the payment of single modules or pairs of modules, where the total cost is typically £650 or £1250-£1295 of which the corresponding examination fees are £115 or £220-£250 respectively. Where ELCs or SLCs are used separately, IRTC can be used to fund the balance up to the maximum £534 (although ELCs and SLCs CANNOT be used in combination with one another).

An IRTC Grant claim is dealt with internally within the Services. Bristol Management Centre provides the necessary financial documentation prior to the commencement of the course and it is the individual's responsibility to fund the cost in the interim whilst awaiting reimbursement.