Frequently Asked Questions - Applications

Course entry requirements are set for each course before applications open. Course entry requirements are provided on the course details pages. You must check course entry requirements carefully before you make an application to ensure you are currently studying towards meeting the course entry requirements

You must also ensure that you are meet the age entry requirements:

• For courses running during academic year September 2024 – August 2025, you must be 16 years old by 1 July 2024 (born before 2nd July 2008) to apply to or enrol with us at Belfast Met.
• For courses running during academic year September 2025 – August 2026, you must be 16 years old by 1 July 2025 (born before 2nd July 2009).

You must also have the right to study in the UK.

You can check the progress of your application by signing into your online account. To do that, click here. If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot Password? option to get an email containing a link to reset your password.  

Contact us if you need extra support to attend the college in person. Please use contact details already provided to get in touch. If you are not sure who to contact, you can email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265

If you think that you have an offer but cannot the email, contact studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk with your name, date of birth and course(s) applied for.

You must accept your offer and keep your appointment with the College.  You can then discuss your options with a member of the Curriculum team.  Before attending your enrolment appointment, you must:

• Record your qualifications in your online application account and/or update Pending to your actual grade. To do that, sign into your account at https://ebsontrackprospect.belfastmet.ac.uk/ or via the Belfast Met Engage App (Android/IOS) If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot Password? option here to get an email containing a link to reset your password.
   
• Upload photographs of exam certificates and/or results slips.  Higher education applicants must also ensure that they record and upload photographs of GCSE results.
• Upload photographs of your identity and your right to study.

Read our Terms and Conditions before enrolling on any of our courses

Follow the instructions contained in your email.

• Record your qualifications in your online application account and/or update Pending to your actual grade. To do that, sign into your account at https://ebsontrackprospect.belfastmet.ac.uk/ or via the Belfast Met Engage App (Android/IOS) If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot Password? option here to get an email containing a link to reset your password.
  
  
• Upload photographs of exam certificates and/or results slips.  Higher education applicants must also ensure that they record and upload photographs of GCSE results.
  
  
• Upload photographs of your identity and your right to study.
  
  
• Read our Terms and Conditions before enrolling on any of our courses.
  
  
• Make sure that you answer your phone and check your emails regularly particularly from results day onwards.

• Record your qualifications in your online application account and/or update Pending to your actual grade. To do that, sign into your account at https://ebsontrackprospect.belfastmet.ac.uk/ or via the Belfast Met Engage App (Android/IOS) If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot Password? option here to get an email containing a link to reset your password.
   
• Upload photographs of exam certificates and/or results slips.  Higher education applicants must also ensure that they record and photographs of GCSE results.
  
  
• Upload photographs of your identity and your right to study. 

If you need help, please email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265.

• Record your qualifications in your online application account and/or update Pending to your actual grade. To do that, sign into your account at https://ebsontrackprospect.belfastmet.ac.uk/  or via the Belfast Met Engage App (Android/IOS) If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot Password? option here to get an email containing a link to reset your password.
  
  
• Upload photographs of your exam certificates and/or results slips.  Higher education applicants must also ensure that they record and upload evidence of GCSE results.
  
  
• Upload photographs of your evidence of your identity and your right to study. 

If you need help, please email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265.

If you have lost your exam certificates, you should contact the exams Awarding Organisation who awarded your qualification, e.g. CCEA, AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, City and Guilds. Most Awarding Organisations have a section on their website for ‘replacement certificates’. You will have to pay for a replacement. If you are not sure which Awarding Organisation awarded your qualification, contact the school or college where you completed this qualification and they will be able to tell you.

Exam certificates are the preferred evidence for applications to Belfast Met, particularly for HE courses. In some cases, the College will accept your Statement of Results. The statement must be on school/college letterheaded paper showing the school stamp, principal’s name (printed), principal’s signature and date.

However, exam certificates are required for progression to study at any other Higher Education Institution, e.g. Ulster University or Queen’s University Belfast. Any form of evidence that states ‘provisional’ will not be accepted.

Applicants experiencing difficulty obtaining evidence of qualifications should contact the School Support Team as soon as possible.

Belfast Met is required to verify your identity and your right to study at Belfast Met. A list of acceptable identity and right to study evidence is available here.

To provide evidence of identity and right to study:

• sign into your account at https://ebsontrackprospect.belfastmet.ac.uk/  or via the Belfast Met Engage App (Android/IOS) If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot Password? option to get an email containing a link to reset your password.
  
  
• Upload photographs of your evidence of your identity and your right to study. 

We cannot process offers until we have confirmed your identity and your right to study.

We understand that it might be problematic for trans students to produce official documentation such as photographic identification and birth certificates at enrolment and exam time. We therefore have in place a separate, confidential notification process to support trans students.

For confidential notification, contact the Head of Student Support email: studentsupport@belfastmet.ac.uk

There is a free text ‘Other’ option available directly underneath the Qualifications line.

Either leave the grade box blank or enter ‘Pending’.

If you reject your offer, we will keep you on the course waiting list. This means that if you change your mind, or if you do not meet the entry requirements of your first choice, you may be offered a place on your second choice.

This usually happens in late August/September. If you are no longer interested in the course, you should withdraw your application as soon as possible.

You can do this by contacting studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk to ask for your application to be withdrawn.

If you need more information and/or help, please email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265.

Enrolment appointment emails will be sent to applicants with offers. Applicants on waiting lists will be contacted by phone or email if a place becomes available.

If you already have an offer with an enrolment appointment, you should accept your offer and keep your appointment with the College. You can then discuss your options with a member of the Curriculum team. Before attending your enrolment appointment, you must:

• Record your qualifications in your online application account and/or update Pending to your actual grade. To do that, sign into your account at https://ebsontrackprospect.belfastmet.ac.uk/ or via the Belfast Met Engage App (Android/IOS) If you have forgotten your password, click on the Forgot Password? option here to get an email containing a link to reset your password.
  
  
• Upload photographs of exam certificates and/or results slips.  Higher education applicants must also ensure that they record and photographs of GCSE results.
  
  
• Upload photographs of your identity and your right to study. 

If you have applied and still waiting to hear from us about your original choice, do not cancel your application as entry requirements may be lowered and we may still contact you.  However, in the meantime, you should check our other courses and apply for other courses to increase your chances of studying at Belfast Met. 

Our staff can support you through the application process. To get started, browse our prospectuses by clicking here. Add course(s) to the basket and follow the instructions to make your application.  Make sure you keep your contact details up-to-date and follow instructions contained in emails from us.

Our Careers and Employability Team can help you decide on your career path.  Contact them by email at careers@belfastmet.ac.uk or telephone on 028 9026 5066. They can provide the support you need by either telephone, email, on campus, or via online Teams audio or video call.

If you still need help, please contact us email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk  or telephone 028 90265 265.

If you have applied for more than one course, you may receive other offers. You can only hold one offer for the course you are most interested in and you must reject any other offers you receive. There are exceptions to this and you will be told about this when you receive your offer.

Please email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265.

Log into your account by clicking here. Check that your contact telephone number is correct, and update it if it has changed since you first applied. We cannot progress your application if we cannot get in contact with you by phone.

Information and progress updates about your application will be sent to the email address you provided on your online application account.

Log into your online application account by clicking here. Check that your email address is correct, and update it if it has changed since you first applied. You will miss essential information if the wrong email address is listed.

Log into your online application account to update your address. To log in, click here.

The username is made up of the first part of applicant email address up to @ symbol. Contact Campus Admin on 028 90265 265 between 9am and 5pm or email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk

Wait a few moments and try again. Sometimes the system needs time to recognise your account. If the message continues to be displayed, email studentportal@belfast.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265 for help.

Check your emails from Belfast Met (emails may appear in your Junk Email inbox). If you have not received a confirmation email from the College, you may not have completed all of the steps to finish setting up an account. Repeat creating a new account.

If you continue to experience difficulties email studentportal@belfast.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265 for help.

Log out of your online application system. Remove courses from your basket. Search for your course again and add your course to the basket. Then log in again.

If you continue to experience differences email studentportal@belfast.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265 for help.

You can track your application by logging back into your online application account and use the menu on the left hand side to your details. You can also check courses applied for by checking your emails. We will update you on the progress of your application.

Log into your online application account to amend your name and address. To log in, click here.

Please include your name and the full name of the course you would like to withdraw from. Email studentportal@belfastportal.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265.

For courses running during academic year September 2024 – August 2025, you must be 16 years old by 1 July 2024 (born before 2nd July 2008) to apply to or enrol with us at Belfast Met.

For courses running during academic year September 2025 – August 2026, you must be 16 years old by 1 July 2025 (born before 2nd July 2009).

This is set out in the Further Education (NI) Order 1997.  Exceptions to this are the arrangements under formal School-College Partnerships – please contact us or your own post-primary school to check if this arrangement might be available to you.

If you have completed Year 12/Form 5 in school but will not be 16 years old by the required date, you should contact the Education Authority NI for further advice at info@eani.org.uk or tel. 02890 564000.

Please email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk or telephone 028 90265 265 if you require any further information from Belfast Met to help with your query.

Visit our Student Funding page here to find out how to fund your studies.

Students with a UK bank account that facilitates direct debit can arrange for fees to be paid in instalments if they are enrolling on a course(s) of 16 weeks duration or more and the total cost is greater than £200. Students will have to pay a minimum of 25% of the total fee at time of enrolment, followed by three consecutive monthly equal payments by direct debit. Fully completed Direct Debit Forms must be provided at time of enrolment.

If your fees are to be paid by the Student Loan Company (SLC) or by a sponsor such as your employer, please ensure that all the information is available to enable us to raise the appropriate invoices and to allow your sponsor to make payment on your behalf.

You must present a letter from your SLC or your employer at time of enrolment where possible. It is your personal responsibility to ensure that your fees are paid.

Tuition fees apply to the College financial year and are chargeable in each year of study. Tuition fees are payable in full at the time of enrolment and can comprise course fees, registration fees or any other charge relating to the course.  Payment is accepted by cash, credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard), direct debit or World Pay. 

Before you can enrol, you must upload a photograph of your Student Loan letter OR confirmation of Student Loan application. Log into your online application account by clicking here.

The latest update on access to buildings and car parks can be found here.

You will get your student ID card during the first week of your course. You will be given an appointment to go to Campus Administration to get your photograph and ID card.

Course timetables will be emailed to students after they enrol.

Information about uniform and kit requirements can be found on the course details pages.

Course timetables including the building you will be studying in will be emailed to students after they enrol.

The College has a student Criminal Convictions Disclosure Policy therefore you must disclose criminal convictions when applying or enrolling onto a course.  More information is available on our Student Criminal Disclosures webpage at Student Criminal Disclosures https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/life-at-the-met/students-support/student-criminal-disclosures/ Failure to disclose will impact on your place at the College including work placements.

Belfast Met must verify that applicants meet course entry requirements before they can be enrolled onto a course.  Before you attend your enrolment appointment, you must:

•           Get a full English language translation of your qualifications. Belfast Met will accept the full English translation from UK ENIC www.enic.org.uk/ .  UK ENIC is the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills.
  
  
•           Ensure that the translation provides clear evidence that your qualifications meet or exceed the course  entry requirements.  UK ENIC  can also  help with Statements of Comparability and UK Qualification Reference Statements. 

There is a charge for this service.  For more information on UK ENIC, visit their website at www.enic.org.uk/

The Department for Communities can also provide information and/or help with qualification equivalencies.  For more information, visit their website at Are your country's qualifications recognised in the UK? | Department for Communities (communities-ni.gov.uk)

Applicants must bring the above evidence to their enrolment appointment.

Belfast Met must verify that applicants meet course entry requirements before they can be enrolled onto a course.  Before you attend your enrolment appointment, you must:

•            Get a full English language translation of your qualifications. Belfast Met will accept the full English translation from UK ENIC https://www.enic.org.uk/ .  UK ENIC is the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills.
  
  
•            Ensure that the translation provides clear evidence that your qualifications meet or exceed the course  entry requirements.  UK ENIC  can also  help with Statements of Comparability and UK Qualification Reference Statements. 

There is a charge for this service.  For more information on UK ENIC, visit their website at www.enic.org.uk/

The Department for Communities can also provide information and/or help with qualification equivalencies.  For more information, visit their website at Are your country's qualifications recognised in the UK? | Department for Communities (communities-ni.gov.uk)

Applicants must bring the above evidence to their enrolment appointment.

You can get guidance on the types of documents and evidence required to enrol at Belfast Met is available on our Student Status / Residency page at https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/full-time/student-status/ 

If you need more information or cannot provide any of these documents, please visit About Northern Ireland | nidirect which provides more information for those wishing to live and study in Northern Ireland.  The Final copy - FE 04 24 FE Residency Funding requirement - 10th July 2024.pdf (economy-ni.gov.uk) will also provide more information on residency requirements.

Belfast Met do not sponsor applicants. This only applies to new student enrolments and does not impact upon learners on a student visa who are already enrolled on a multi-year course at the College.

There are minimum English Language requirements for full-time Level 0 – 2 Further Education programmes.  For most courses, students must have achieved grade D-G in GCSE English Language.   The College may accept an equivalent level of qualification. 

Some courses may require higher than the minimum grade D-G.  You are advised to check the individual course entry requirements.  You can find these within the Entry Requirements section under each individual course.  Where a GCSE grade in English is specified as the only qualification accepted, other English competency qualifications may not apply.

If you have not achieved GCSE English Language grade D-G or an equivalent level, you will be asked to provide evidence of English Language competency.   Other qualifications may be accepted as evidence of level of competency on a case-by-case basis.

To provide evidence of English Language competency, please contact us on 028 90 265 265 or email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk You will be referred to the appropriate curriculum area who will guide you on your next steps. 

Where an ESOL qualification is used, the appropriate level must be achieved across all skills - Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening.

Applicants should also check the English language criteria for progression to other further and higher education institutions as these may vary.

For most full-time Level 3 courses, students must have achieved grade C in GCSE English Language.  The College may accept an equivalent level of qualification.  Some courses will accept lower than GCSE Grade C or equivalent, but students will be required to undertake Essential Skills Communication as part of their programme of study.

Some courses may require higher than the minimum grade C.  You are advised to check the individual course entry requirements.  You can find these within the Entry Requirements section under each individual course.  Where a GCSE grade C in English is specified as the only qualification accepted, other English competency qualifications may not apply.

If you have not achieved the required level GCSE English Language or an equivalent level, you will be asked to provide evidence of English Language competency.   Other qualifications may be accepted as evidence of level of competency on a case-by-case basis.

To provide evidence of English Language competency, please contact us on 028 90 265 265 or email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk You will be referred to the appropriate curriculum area who will guide you on your next steps. 

Where an ESOL qualification is used, the appropriate level must be achieved across all skills - Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening.

Applicants should also check the English language criteria for progression to other further and higher education institutions as these may vary.

There are minimum English Language requirements for full-time Higher Education programmes. Applicants must hold a GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above in English Language. Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills Literacy may be regarded as an acceptable alternative to GCSE English Language. The College may accept an equivalent level of qualification. Some courses may require higher than the minimum Grade C/4. You are advised to check the individual course entry requirements. You can find these within the Entry Requirements section under each individual course. Where a GCSE grade in English is specified as the only qualification accepted, other English competency qualifications may not apply.

Please also note: The College reserves the right to increase the entry requirements for all Higher Education provision before offers are made and required academic standards, as specified by the Awarding Body/ validating organisation. 

International Qualifications 
Belfast Met and University partners (UU, QUB and UU) must verify that applicants holding international qualifications meet course entry requirements before they can be enrolled onto a course. To help us verify that course entry requirements are met, applicants must: Get a full English language translation of your qualifications. Belfast Met will accept the full English translation from UK ENIC www.enic.org.uk 

UK ENIC is the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills. Ensure that the translation provides clear evidence that your qualifications meet or exceed the course entry requirements. UK ENIC can also help with Statements of Comparability and UK Qualification Reference Statements. There is a charge for this service. For more information on UK ENIC, visit their website at www.enic.org.uk. 

The Department for Communities can also provide information and/ or help with qualification equivalencies. For more information, visit their website at: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/. 

If you have not achieved GCSE English Language Grade C/4 or an equivalent level, you will be asked to provide evidence of English Language competency. Other qualifications may be accepted as evidence of level of competency on a case-by-case basis. 

To provide evidence of English Language competency, please contact us on 028 90 265 265 or email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk. You will be referred to the appropriate curriculum area who will guide you on your next steps. Where an ESOL qualification is used, the appropriate level must be achieved across all skills - Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening. Applicants should also check the English language criteria for progression to other further and higher education institutions as these may vary.

You are encouraged to carefully check course entry requirements when applying for a course.  You can find these within the Entry Requirements section under each individual course. 

Following application, you will be provided with pre-entry advice.  Following pre-entry advice, you can transfer your application to a more appropriate level within a required timeframe. 

To request a transfer to a more suitable level, use the contact details contained in the pre-entry advice.  You must contact us no later than 24 hours after the pre-entry event or receiving pre-entry advice information by email.