Petroc College of Continuing Education

• Location: Barnstaple and Tiverton, Devon, England,
• Year of foundation: 2008,
• Number of students: up to 11,000,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of studying: mixed.

Petroc College is an educational institution of further and higher education, which has several campuses in England: North and Middle Devon. Local and foreign students have the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge, applied skills and degrees that open access to a wide range of opportunities: admission to leading universities in the country and abroad, the start of serious career activities, cooperation with internationally influential organizations. Petroc College teaches accredited industry-specific educationa; programs, T-Level and A-Level courses, professional courses, and many others.

Petroc College opened  in 2008 when two educational institutions, North Devon College and East Devon College, merged. Both had a long and eventful history, thanks to which Petroc College today has a high ranking and demand among local and foreign students. In 2022, the college celebrated its 70th anniversary, which dates back to the opening of one of the founding institutions.

Every year, about 11,000 students study in educational areas and in an online format. With flexibility and a wide choice of academic opportunities, foreign students can enroll and complete programs without even visiting campus.

Many of Petroc College's courses are available in two formats: in-person and remote. When choosing online learning, students do not visit the campus, but take modules using an educational platform on which video lectures are conducted, academic material is stored, and teacher support is organized.

Petroc College has several specialized academies focused on teaching narrow-profile areas:

• Care
• Soccer
• Construction
• Creation
• Jurisprudence
• Preparation for admission to the universities of the Russel Group, Oxbridge,
• Sport
• STEAM,
• Surfing
• Sustainable development
• Military
• Veterinary.

Living quarters for students are being prepared on the Tiverton campus - in the near future, the college will announce the opening of rooms to accommodate its students. Both learning areas are equipped with large dining rooms, restaurants and cafes with an extensive menu of dishes to suit all tastes, including vegan and vegetarian options.

Sports, creativity, volunteering, scientific research - these and many other areas are embodied in the work of sports sections, interest clubs, research centers. Students are offered a wide range of areas in which they can develop new interests, maintain their abilities in existing hobbies, and find like-minded people.

The sports infrastructure of the campuses allows students to devote their free time to maintaining good physical shape or more serious achievements - playing in a national team, competitions in pair sports:

• Basketball
• Rock climbing
• Soccer
• Netball
• Rugby
• Volleyball.

Creativity is an important area of extracurricular activities - members of musical and theatrical groups take part in most of the college events. Students are offered to develop their talents in various fields of art: acting, visual arts, contemporary choir, media, cinema and others under the guidance of professional artists, designers.

Thematic clubs are small communities of like-minded people united by common interests: from cooking, handicrafts and video games to biological sciences, cybersecurity, and law. Each freshman has the opportunity to choose a club based on their wishes or create their own if there is no suitable association on campus.

Every year, a variety of events are held in the study areas: musical concerts, scientific seminars with invited specialists, theatrical performances, sports competitions and many others, focused on the consolidation of the students the speedy adaptation of foreign students to a new place of study.

The Petroc Go program offers students the opportunity to spend up to 17 days abroad, gaining valuable academic and work experience around the world. Petroc College currently cooperates with 8 organizations to provide many opportunities: for example, learning to ski in France, working for a large international corporation in the USA, work experience in Sweden and Spain.

• Higher education programs are taught in conjunction with the University of Plymouth,
• Opportunity to study full-time or remotely,
• Rating "Good" from the ranking agency Ofsted in 2015,
• Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Silver Ranking in 2017,
• Several campuses in the Devon region,
• A wide range of academic directions for studying, including STEAM, law, VETMED, medicine.

Petroc College has two campuses: in North Devon and Middle Devon. The learning areas offer truly exceptional opportunities and spaces where students can learn, practice professional skills, develop individual interests, and relax. The academic facilities and workshops are among the best in the region, boasting state-of-the-art equipment for many professions, from hairdressing to automotive. Campuses have a large selection of quiet areas for self-study, classes for team projects and research.

The North Devon campus, located on Sticklepath Hill in Barnstaple, has an amazing array of state-of-the-art equipment to motivate and inspire students. Here you can find purpose-built workshops at the Engineering Center of Excellence, commercial hair salons, nail salons and massage therapy rooms at the Lifestyle Center, workshops for carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and automotive work.

Following a major renovation in 2022, the Tiverton Learning Grounds offers dozens of special facilities:

• Large public spaces for socializing, relaxing,
• A digital educational and social center, including a virtual and augmented reality complex, training modules, a library and collaborative areas,
• Business suite with modern common learning space, renovated classrooms, computer labs,
• A clinical simulation package, providing a realistic medical environment where students can practice practical clinical skills,
• A fitness center equipped with a variety of new equipment, a studio, a functional training room with rubber floors and exercise equipment, changing rooms and showers,
• A construction center that includes industry-standard carpentry workshops, bricklaying and plastering areas for the development of applied skills,
• The Student Success Center, which is a space for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It will include new classrooms and workshops, a study kitchen and café, a therapy room, a sensory garden, quiet rooms and living spaces. The building also has an accessible toilet and changing rooms with a ceiling rail and a lift (for students with disabilities).

Depending on the chosen format of study, student's schedule will vary. The college campuses are open almost all year round: from early autumn to mid-summer, and online education is individual for each group.

In full-time study, students attend classes on the campus on weekdays: from Monday to Friday. Rest is provided on weekends, on international and national holidays, vacations.

Approximate list of additional costs includes:

• Registration fees,
• Accommodation and meals,
• Customized study materials,
• Additional academic and other support,
• Some extracurricular activities,
• Personal expenses.

Prospective students of Petroc College need to fill out an online application and provide the required documents, pay the application fees. The admissions committee will review the application and invite the candidate for an interview, and then (if necessary) offer to take entrance tests in the core subjects of the chosen program. Applicants who successfully complete these stages will receive an official letter of admission, after which they will be able to arrive on campus and begin their studies.

The Careers team is committed to supporting each student by offering them industry-specific internships during the program. Graduates of Petroc College have excellent results in the final exams, thanks to which they successfully find a job or continue their academic path.

Foreign applicants must have a full package of personal documents: passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit. Depending on the level of education for which the candidate is enrolled, he will need a certificate of complete secondary education or another academic document confirming the completion of the previous educational stage. A test for the level of English proficiency will be mandatory: IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent at a minimum B2 level.

All documents should be translated into English and certified by the authorized agencies.

The college's scholarship fund rewards students for exceptional academic achievement, allocating funding to those who are in difficulty and unable to pay for the program on their own. Students can apply for one of the scholarships, take advantage of the financing programs of partner organizations, or enlist state support in the form of credits, loans.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision