My course is no longer what it was - what to do

[WhatToDoNowHuh]

In January I started a very expensive course that would see me qualified in a certain area by July. This involved face to face training, experiential groups, supervision and a client contact placement.

For obvious reasons the lectures or my placement can no longer go ahead.

I have emailed my college to ask to either defer my course or give me a refund.

The course are not replying to any of my emails.

Instead, they are emailing delegates to say how they're moving lectures online and we are expected to do our placement online.

Not only it is incredibly difficult to carry out this type of work online if you've never done it before (and even if you have in all fairness), but this is just not what I paid for. I don't want to gain my qualification via online training. I'd rather wait.

I paid for face to face training and face to face placement. This is quite vital. I do realise it is not the college's fault that this has happened but surely, am I supposed to just forget about my 6K?

What can I do if the college won't answer to any of my emails?

Phone them?

What sort of college is it? Could they be trying to negotiate requirements for gcse, a level, btec/nvq at the moment? There is little alternative for your course than to go online. There is no guarantee your course would be available in Autumn for you to defer it.

Not answering the phone. Not that type of college, it's not a college as such, it's a counselling course. If deferring is not possible, do I not have a right to have my money refunded?

I doubt it if they are offering an alternative route to the same qualification. What are other providers doing?

Other providers have stopped altogether until September

The alternative is genuinely something I would have never embarked on

I'm also studying counselling, I'm pretty sure I can't complete this year (level 7 Scotland which is between 3/4 in England) because everything left is practical assessments. Luckily in Scotland I get my fees paid one less worry.

I don't think the BACP have come up with any clear answers about whether or not practicals can be done via video, my college do not know yet and a lot of placements have shut down completely. It's bad that your institution is not communicating with you, we have had daily messages and updates and general chat from our tutor.

I think it is too early to say what is happening and whether courses will defer and provide what has been missed from September.

I would post on the counselling tutor facebook page to see if anyone else is in the same position.