Feeling unable to study and reach your full potential due to cost can be very frustrating and lead to unnecessary stress at work. You might find yourself wondering why many qualifications seem to be so expensive! But believe it or not, going with the cheapest option isn’t always the simple solution it seems and there are many good reasons why some learning providers might charge more for their courses than others.

Often the more expensive course providers might be so partly because they have recruited the most experienced tutors to help them create and teach the course.

As well as the top academic tutors in the field, top course providers may even have developed relationships with and secured teaching from industry experts working in marketing who will be able to give learners real life current insights into the field and what skills are most valued by them or other businesses and employers.

Choosing a course with an all-star cast of tutors will really benefit you as a student, as no one is better qualified than these individuals to provide you with unique insights into how you can apply what you’ve learned in the real world of work.

Ask:

• Approximately how many years have the tutors been teaching?
• Are they experts in their field?
• Do the tutors have both industry experience and tutoring experience?

Another big factor which might drive price up on a course is whether or not it’s accredited and who it’s accredited by.

When searching for a study centre it’s important to remember some study centres will be backed by powerful accreditors. For example some of the top marketing courses will probably be accredited by the CIM, the leading international awarding body for professional marketing qualifications, and a global champion of best marketing practice.

Accredited courses will often cost more as some fees will need to go to the accreditor to pay for the assessments, which they provide. However these higher fees can be more than worth it for the benefits undertaking an accredited course will reap for students. The fees will often include membership to the accrediting organisation which can provide a wealth of extra benefits in the form of access to resources like e-books and webinars and powerful alumni networks. Gaining a qualification from a well-respected accreditor like CIM can also dramatically increase your employability and career prospects as being able to put it on your CV will win you instant brownie points with employers.

When you consider some study centers have been accredited for years or even decades this can be a powerful indicator of the quality of their courses, as in order to remain accredited they will probably have to undergo yearly reviews and rigorous tests to prove they are maintaining their standards encouraging them to constantly innovate and improve.

Ask:

• Is this course accredited?
• Who by?
• How long for?

Another factor you should take into account when looking for a course provider is how their qualifications are delivered. 

Courses which offer the best, most up to date content which is going to teach you the relevant skills to make a difference in your field, are likely going to be more expensive as the provider has probably conducted extensive market research and consulted with specialists and employers in the industry in order to create content which is really going to benefit students and their future employers.

Likewise course content needs to be delivered in an engaging and innovative way if students are going to really make the most of it and learn from it. The best course providers will deliver high-end learning materials such as professionally shot videos with expert presenters, audio-content and more, which understandably comes at a higher cost.

You can make sure the course is going to cover the learning that you need by sampling a course brochure, most reputable study centres will make these available to download on their website so you can see what you’ll be learning.

You can also check the quality of the material beforehand as many courses will offer a free trial of their teaching resources which will give you an indication into the quality of the learning experience you can expect.

Ask yourself:

• How do the learning materials look?
• Is this a good fit for my learning style?
• Am I going to be engaged by and enjoy this content?

A good learning provider won’t just try to sell you a course, they will actually get to know you as a person and care about you succeeding, offering you the support you need to pass.

In general, higher-quality learning providers will provide you with far more assistance. They will take the time to talk to you to understand your needs, look at your CV, and demonstrate honesty and integrity by making sure you’re studying at the right level and in the right subject before they sign you up, as if you study at the wrong level or take the wrong subject, it will only waste your time and money.

Better course providers will