Courses and Careers

Re: RHS exam fees 2012

RHS Qualifications — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:06:10 GMT

Please see below the current examination fees that we charge for the QCF units. This list can be found on the RHS website http://www.rhs.org.uk/Courses/Qualifications/PDFs/Fees-Notice-v1-29-06-10.

RHS Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance

Unit		Fee
R2111	Understanding garden features, plant selection and planning	£12
R2112	Understanding the choice, establishment and maintenance of garden plants and lawns	£10
R2113	Understanding the production of outdoor vegetables and fruit	£10
R2114	Understanding protected environments and their use in plant cultivation	£10

RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation and Development

Unit		Fee
R2101	Plant classification, structure, and function	£12
R2104	Understanding plant propagation	£10
R2102	Plant nutrition and the root environment	£10
R2103	Maintaining plant health	£10

The £35.00 examination fee that you have quoted is for the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture, this qualification is being phased out and is being offered for the final time in February 2012.

Re: RHS exam fees 2012

Hortaddict — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:17:11 GMT

Hi Sue,

There are two separate issues - exam fees from the RHS, and charges by exam centres.

The fees charged by the RHS for exams are designed to offset the costs of writing,moderating, marking and re-marking exam papers etc . The RHS doesn't get money from publishing its qualifications, syllabus,past papers etc., which anyone can use to teach a course in horticulture. The exam fees (£42 total for each level 2 Certificate) to cover running the exams are all it gets from students.

Less than ten years ago the RHS Certificate was only offered once a year in March, one LONG exam, but people complained about waiting a whole year if they missed the day or had to resit. Splitting the exams into bite-sized chunks offered twice a year gave students the chance to take them bit by bit as it suited them. The overall fees haven't changed much for the exams, but because there are more exams being run it does have an effect on the costs charged by the people who give you the opportunity to take them - the exam centres.

The fee set usually results from an administrative decision to try to recoup some of the costs of exam invigilation from external students - their own have already paid a lot more, perhaps £4-500 per certificate, for their courses to cover all these things.

Not many colleges take externals at all now, and I've even heard 'Not our students, so not covered for Health and Safety ' cited by one college exams officer as a reason for not taking anyone.

£25 - £30 is probably going to be the general cost from a college for entering you for the exam and running the exam under the required secure conditions. After all, these are internationally recognised professional qualifications in horticulture, so exams and conditions in which they are taken are subject to a lot of regulation.

If you aren't happy with this you could ask the Examinations Office about 'Exceptional Supervision' arrangements to take the exam somewhere else, but I don't think it would work out much cheaper if you have to pay for invigilation and a venue.

It's the unfortunate down-side of being able to spread the study and exams out, I'm afraid.

best of luck with your studies anyway,

RHS exam fees 2012

sueweller — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:15:27 GMT

Hi,

I have just been quoted £42 to sit the first exam unit of RHS Prinicpals of horticulture at Hadlow College in February 2012 and was shocked at the cost. My course provider; ICS had stated each unit would be around £12 pus a nominal charge for being an external student. That's quite difference.

There are eight units to the course, that's an awful lot of money to pay on top of the course fee.

I checked out the exam fees on the RHS website, here is the link (I hope) http://www.rhs.org.uk/Courses/Qualifications/PDFs/Fees

It says £35 per unit for level two. Unbelievable!