Lifelong Learning Entitlement FAQ

Q1: When does the LLE come into effect?

A: The LLE will be the student finance system for all Level 4 to 6 loan funded courses and modules that start in January 2027 onwards at an OfS registered provider. Eligibility criteria for the LLE will align to existing higher education student finance nationality and residency rules.

Q2: When will applications be available for students to apply for LLE?

A: If a student is starting an eligible course or module that begins on or after 1 January 2027, they’ll be able to access the LLE by applying for student finance from September 2026.

Q3: What is the current forecast of students starting courses that begin on or after 1 January 2027?

A: We have forecast, based on the previous year’s figure, that approximately 88,000 students will apply for courses between 1 January 2027 and 31 July 2027.

Q4: Where can students find out more information on LLE?

A: Students can keep an eye on the SFE campaign page.

Q1: Who can qualify under the LLE?

A: The LLE will be available to new learners and learners who have previously studied a course or module in higher education. Learners who are over 60 at the start of their course may qualify for loans for living costs, though not a tuition fee loan. Eligibility criteria for the LLE will align to existing higher education student finance nationality and residency rules.

Q2: What are the eligibility rules for returning (continuing) students and students already in study when the LLE launches?

A: Students who began a course before 1 January 2027 will continue under the funding system they originally started with, such as Higher Education Student Finance (HESF) or the Advanced Learner Loan (ALL).
This also applies if they transfer to another course, provided the first year of the new course also begins before 1 January 2027. In these cases, they are not eligible to apply under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).

Q3: Will the LLE have restrictions/will students from the devolved administrations be eligible for LLE?

A: Eligibility for student finance is a devolved matter and UK students who are ordinarily resident in the devolved administrations should contact their relevant funding body.

Q4: Will providers be given training on eligibility rules and new system requirements ahead of the launch of the LLE?

A: We have an extensive training and awareness programme planned for information and guidance (IAG) practitioners and education provider administrators.
So far we have delivered:

• LLE Funding Information Services (FIS) Webinar (September 2025)
• Regional seminars
• CMS Webinar (December 2025)
• Technical Specifications for CMS, SIS and BAS
• LLE Courses Service Definition
• FIS Webinar (March 2026)
• CMS functional training

And we are planning to deliver the following:

• LLE - Attendance Management and Change of Circumstances Service Definition
• CMS functional guidance
• SIS functional training
• SIS functional guidance
  
  

Q5: How long must a student be out of HE before they move from the current funding model to the LLE? 

A: The core rule for this is:

• where a student is studying on an HE course that commenced prior to 1 January 2027 then they will fall under existing Higher Education Student Finance (HESF) funding systems.
• where a student is studying an HE course that commenced on or after 1 January 2027 then they should apply under the LLE.

If a student takes a break in their studies and is deemed to be continuing on the same HE course that began before 1 January 2027, they will remain on the HESF funding model. If, after the break, the student is considered to be on a new HE course at an OfS registered provider that starts or started on or after 1 January 2027, they will move to the LLE. The funding model essentially depends on whether the HE course they are undertaking after the break is deemed a continuation of their original course or the start of a new one.
Additionally, students will be able to apply under the LLE if they are no longer in receipt of undergraduate HESF funding (subject to meeting eligibility qualifying conditions).

Q1: Which courses are in scope of the LLE funding?

A: LLE learners will apply for their funding in September 2026 for courses and modules starting from 1 January 2027 onwards.

The LLE will fund full years of study on courses currently funded by HE student finance, including:

• traditional bachelor’s degrees
• postgraduate certificates in education (PGCE)
• integrated master’s degrees – a 4-year programme that awards a master’s degree on top of a bachelor’s degree
• foundation years available before some degree courses start, as long as these form part of an overall bachelor’s degree
• foundation degrees

It will fund all higher technical qualifications (HTQs), including both full courses and modules of those courses.

It will fund level 4, 5 and 6 modules from full level 6 parent qualifications – for example, degrees – in subject groups that address priority skills needs and align with the government’s industrial strategy. 

It will fund level 4 to 6 qualifications currently funded by Advanced Learner Loans, if there is clear learner demand and employer endorsement.

Q2: Will all courses need a credit value?

A: Credits will be the basis of fee limits and fee loans under the LLE. To support this, certain types of provision will need to be credit-bearing to be designated for LLE funding. For example, credits will need to be assigned to:

• modules
• Ofqual regulated qualifications
• all parent courses of any modular provision
• courses shorter than one year

We’ll assign default credit values for non-credit bearing study. Fee limits for non-credit bearing course years will be the number of credits, multiplied by the per-credit fee limit.

All LLE courses in CMS will need to have a credit value recorded. For courses or course years that are not credit-bearing, a default credit value will be captured in CMS (for example 360 credits for a three-year undergraduate degree).

Q3: What do providers need to do to offer modules under the LLE?

A: DfE invited providers intending to deliver modular provision to submit an expression of interest (EOI) last year, and a further EOI will launch later in 2026. Guidance on this process is now withdrawn as the window for EOI1 has closed, but some principles of the EOI1 will remain into the second EOI window. DfE intends to update guidance on EOI2 in due course and will notify providers when this is available.

It is important for providers interested in applying for LLE modular funding approval to note that, to be eligible for funding, modules must:

• be part of an existing designated full course, and its parent course delivered by the provider
• be worth at least 30 credits, or a bundle of modules from the same parent course equalling at least 30 credits
• have a single qualification level that should be level 4, 5 or 6 to determine if they are eligible for funding
• be assessed and given a standardised transcript when they’re completed, to support credit transfer and facilitate labour market currency
• not be delivered through franchised arrangements

This funding will only be available to students living and studying in England at a provider registered with the Office for Students (OfS). Eligible learners will be able to apply for LLE funding for modules from September 2026.

Q4: Are foundation years funded?

A: Yes, foundation years that are integrated with an undergraduate course are regarded as specialist periods and will continue to form part of the designated courses under the LLE. For more information, please refer to the per-course amount section in the Tuition fee limits in the Lifelong Learning Entitlement - GOV.UK

Q5: Why is there little mention of part-time courses? Are these included under the LLE?

A: The LLE uses a credit-based system to directly relate fee limits to the amount of study in the course, rather than the number of academic years that are studied, or their intensity. This will work across all higher-level courses and modules funded by the LLE, regardless of whether students study them on a full-time, part-time or accelerated basis.
We understand that providers will continue to describe and market their courses as full‑time or part‑time, and nothing in the LLE is intended to prevent this.

Q6: How will SLC interact with employers under LLE?

A: The main interactions with employers will be through education providers. SLC is developing resources to help employers understand the repayment system. It would only be by exception that SLC staff would directly support employer/provider engagements. The loan contract will remain between SLC and the employee/student.  

Q1: Will LLE replace the current SFE funding package?

A: Yes, for new English domiciled students starting a designated course that begins on or after 1 January 2027, the LLE will replace the current SFE package for level 4-6 study offered by Office for Students (OfS) registered providers. Eligibility criteria for the LLE will track to existing HE Student Finance nationality and residency rules. Under the LLE a student’s LLE eligibility is derived from a ‘course year’ which is defined as the 12-month period starting on the first day of the calendar month in which the student’s course begins (“the first course year”), and each subsequent period of 12 months (if any) in which part of the course is undertaken.

Q2:  How will the LLE balance be determined. Will education providers need to be involved?

A: Students applying for LLE funding will create and have access to a personal account that will host essential details such as, loan entitlement, application status, and study history.

A student will be required to complete a Tuition Fee Loan (TFL) balance application by suppling information relating to residency, previous funding and Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR). We will then calculate the student’s residual entitlement, without requiring any input from the education provider. It is important to note that at this stage this is an estimate and not a guaranteed amount.

Q3: Will the student’s previous loans be taken in account?

A: Yes. Students who've received support for higher level learning from the government administrations of England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland and start a course that begins on or after 1 January 2027 at an OfS registered provider may only have some, or none, of their entitlement left. Those who have not used it all will have access to a residual entitlement.

Q4: Is there a fee cap on what a HE provider can charge for a foundation year?

A: Students enrolling on a foundation year can access tuition fee and maintenance loans for the full duration of their extended course, if it's integral and allows progression to a full degree course designated for student finance.

The maximum tuition fees and loans for foundation years in classroom-based subjects reduced to £5,760 from the 2025 to 2026 academic year. Maximum fees for foundation years in all other subjects will remain aligned to the maximum fee limit of the relevant academic year.
The LLE system will include separate limit-per-credits for these foundation years. This will also depend on whether the provider has a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) rating or Access and Participation Plan (APP).

Q5: What happens if a student has studied abroad? Does this study count in LLE calculations anywhere?

A: For post-2012 study, if the student has studied abroad as part of a UK course and has received funding from student finance, we will make deductions as part of their residual entitlement calculation. We will not make deductions if the student self-financed the overseas study.
For pre-2012 study, we will apply a reduced deduction rate for full and partial self-funding.

Q6: If a student needs to repeat a full year due to Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR), how would this be funded?

A: In cases where CPR are present, we will add the cost of the affected study back on the learner’s LLE balance for study affected by compelling personal reasons, such as illness and bereavement.  There is no definitive list of reasons deemed as CPR as SLC consider each case individually.

Q7: If a student is only required to repeat a 20-credit unit, are they able to access LLE funding to cover this?

A: Current approach

Under the current system, entitlement for student support for full-time designated courses (i.e. where the normal intensity of study in an academic year is 100%), is calculated as: 

Entitlement = course length + 1 additional year − any previous study 

This means a student who needs to repeat some or part of their course can usually access funding unless they have already used up this entitlement.

Underpinning LLE rules

Under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), students must undertake at least 30 credits in the course year. This is known as the “minimum funding requirement”. Learners will be able to draw down loans to study up to 180 credits per year. This includes credits taken across multiple courses or modules within the same “service year”. 

The 30 credit threshold follows the current student finance system, where students must study at least 25% intensity to qualify for support. This also represents a meaningful amount of study, while also allowing for flexible approaches to delivery. 

LLE approach

Under the LLE, repeat study credits will be excluded from maximum per-course amounts. Providers can charge for the exact number of credits being repeated, and students will be able to get funding for the repeat credits provided the student is undertaking a minimum of 30 credits in a course year.  

If a student is required to repeat fewer than 30 credits in a given course year, whether this is as part of a module or a longer programme, the minimum funding requirement may still be satisfied by either:

• the student repeating the credits in the year which they initially failed them in; or
• the student repeating the credits in a subsequent course year when the student is taking additional credits as part of the overall qualification.

If neither applies, the student will not qualify for student support. They will either need to self-fund the remaining credits or identify funding from other sources.    

Q8: Will there be Equivalent or Lower Qualification restrictions under the LLE?

A: The LLE will remove the existing Equivalent or Lower Qualifications rule meaning that students can use their entitlement to fund further tuition fee costs. This is regardless of any prior qualifications they’ve attained (subject to having sufficient entitlement left).

Q9: What will happen to Advanced Learner Loan funding at level 4-6?

A: Some level 4 to 6 FE courses offered by providers not registered with the Office for Students (OfS) will be eligible for extended advanced learner loan funding in the 25/26 to 29/30 academic years.

Q10: How will LLE funding work for modules?

A: Funding will be available for modules starting from 1st January 2027. This will be for modules of Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), and Level 4, 5 and 6 modules from full Level 6 qualifications which address priority skills gaps and meet the government’s industrial strategy in:

• computing
• engineering
• architecture, building and planning (excluding the landscape gardening subgroup)
• chemistry
• physics and astronomy
• mathematical sciences
• economics
• nursing and midwifery
• health and social care
• allied health

This list will remain under review and may be amended.

To be designated for funding, modules must be:

• part of an existing designated full course, its ‘parent course’ delivered by the provider
• at least 30 credits, or a bundle of modules from the same ‘parent course’ equalling at least 30 credits
• have a single qualification level which should be level 4, 5 or 6
• assessed and given a standardised transcript when they’re completed, to support credit transfer and facilitate labour market currency

Modules must not be delivered via franchise arrangements.

Examples of module bundles that equal at least 30 credits are:

• two 20-credit modules (40 credits)
• one 10-credit module and a 20-credit module (30 credits)
• two 15-credit modules (30 credits)
• three 10-credit modules (30 credits)

Unless they wish to, there is no need for providers to redesign their course structures if they do not already operate on a 30-credit basis.

This funding will only be available to students living and studying in England at a provider registered with the Office for Students (OfS). Eligible students will be able to apply for LLE funding for modules from September 2026.

Q11: Is franchising allowed under LLE?

A: At launch of LLE English providers can franchise out full courses to registered and non-registered English providers, however modular courses cannot be franchised out.

Q12: How will credits help determine the fee limits in LLE?

A: The fee limit will relate to the amount of study in the course, rather than the time spent studying. A credit-based method for setting fee limits will be introduced under the LLE. This will work across all courses and modules funded by the LLE, regardless of whether they’re studied on a full-time, part-time, or accelerated basis.

Q13: Is there a minimum number of credits that a student can get funding for?

A: To qualify for tuition fee loans, a student must be undertaking a minimum of 30 credits in a course year.

Q14: What is the mechanism for FE Providers to join the OfS Register?

A: FE Providers will be able to apply for either of the existing OfS registration categories. The OfS will confirm arrangements for any new provider to join the OfS Register from academic year 2026/27. In the interim, the existing ALL funding system will remain in operation until 2030 for providers that have not registered with the OfS under either of the existing categories.

Q15: If a student has previous studies that they funded themselves, will this be included in the Residual Entitlement Calculation?

A: If a student has not received Tuition Fee Loan support previously and instead decided to self-fund their previous study (post-2012), they would retain their full LLE entitlement.

For pre-2012 study a reduced deduction rate is applied for full and partial self-funding.

Q1: How will repayments work for LLE?

A: Students must start repaying their loan once they’ve left their course and earn more than a certain amount. This amount is known as the repayment threshold. A student’s repayments will depend on what they earn over the threshold; not the total amount that's owed. Repayment of LLE loans will follow the repayment terms and conditions of Plan 5, introduced on 1 August 2023 for academic year 2023/2024 onwards.

This means that repayments will only start once a student earns more than £25,000 a year before tax, equal to £2,083 a month or £480 per week. The amount repaid is 9%, or 9p for every £1, of a learner's gross salary over the repayment threshold. For most, this is automatically deducted from their salary at the same time as tax and National Insurance. Repayments continue unless:

• students have repaid their loan
• a student's salary drops below the threshold
• a 40-year period has passed since the loan entered repayment status,
• the borrower receives a disability-related benefit and because of the disability is permanently unfit to work and the loan is cancelled

Those with an existing undergraduate student loan, who then choose to use the residual entitlement they have left under the LLE to fund further undergraduate level study, will continue to make a single repayment of 9% of their gross salary above the repayment threshold.

Q1: Will providers need to capture a record of their students’ learning?

A: All universities, colleges and other providers currently record student's achievements in some form. To support the LLE modular study, the government will introduce a standardised transcript, which will capture a student’s assessed achievements for modules. The standardised transcript will need to contain specific pieces of information which will be outlined in future guidance. We expect this guidance to be published in spring 2026 by DfE.

When a student completes a module, they'll have evidence that they can use when entering a new course or module, or to share with employers. This evidence can also be used to transfer between university, college or training centre. The standardised transcript will capture a student’s assessed achievements under the new credit-based system and must contain specific information that supports

• portability of learning
• consistency of recording outcomes
• credit accumulation
• transfer between providers

These requirements are designed to give learners and providers confidence in how modular attainment is recognised.

This transcript is for providers to use, SLC will not actively monitor that you have provided a transcript in our systems, as is the case with the award of a qualification in respect of full courses.

Q2: Will registration be required for each module?

A: Yes, for all individual modules a student applies for we will need providers to confirm registration for each one. If a student applies for a full course, such as a degree, we require a single registration confirmation for each course year.

Q3: Who makes the final award when a student with aggregated modular study is enrolled on a course to complete all modules of a full qualification?

A: This is not really for the student finance system to determine. The university will make an offer for a full award or modular components, at their discretion. Either way, the student will be able to take out fee loan support to the value of the remaining credits being studied, assuming they have sufficient TFL entitlement available.       

Q4: Will providers have access to students’ LLE accounts to check the amount of funding they have left? 

A: Providers will not have direct access to the students’ LLE information. Students can disclose the information to providers should they wish to do so.

Q1: What is the tuition loan entitlement within the LLE?

A: New students (those who have not yet had government support to undertake courses at level 4 to 6) will be able to access a full entitlement equal to 4 years of full-time tuition. This is currently equal to £39,160, based on the 2026/27 maximum fee limit of £9,790 per year. This means a student could use their £39,160 to pay for more than 480 credits of learning, depending on the per-credit cost of the course.

For example, if a student can borrow £39,160 and they use £6,000 for a 120-credit course, they would have £33,160 of their Lifelong Learning Entitlement left for other courses, regardless of the size or duration of the original programme. Returning students (those who have previously received support from the government administrations of England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland to undertake courses at level 4-6) may only have some, or none of their entitlement left, depending on previous funding they’ve received. Those who have not used it all will have access to a residual entitlement.

For example, a typical graduate who completed a 3-year degree worth £29,370 in today’s fees will have a residual entitlement of £9,790.

An additional entitlement, above the core 4-year entitlement, will be available for some priority subjects. Priority additional entitlement will give learners whose LLE balance is £0 as much tuition fee loan as they need to complete their course. It will come with the usual maintenance support and repayment terms.

Course types that will be eligible for Priority Additional Entitlement are as follows -

• medicine
• dentistry
• nursing
• midwifery
• allied health profession subjects
• initial teacher training
• social work

Priority additional entitlement will only support full courses. Individual modules in these subjects will not be eligible.

Existing graduates who have already used their fee support can access priority additional entitlement to retrain in an eligible subject.

Q2: SLC currently pays providers on a 25/25/50 split across a standard 3 academic terms in HE, and in monthly instalments for Advanced Learner Loans. What is the arrangement under LLE?

A: Under the LLE, tuition fee payment instalments will be made to providers in respect of the number of quarters (13-week intervals) between the start and end date of the specific year of the course. This starts on the first day of study as recorded on CMS and ends with the last day of study as recorded on CMS, inclusive of any holiday periods within these study periods, but exclusive of any holiday periods that fall after the final study day. This will mean a minimum of 1 payment, and a potential maximum of 4 payments are made for each course year.

The total Tuition Fee Loan for the year will be split evenly across each instalment. This would exclude a course year that qualifies for 3 instalments where the established 25% / 25% / 50% payment split will apply.

Payment dates under this model will be scheduled based on traditional HE student finance payment points with sequencing relative to the appropriate AY quarter in which the course start date falls.

All Tuition Fee Loan payments will remain subject to a positive confirmation of attendance.

The table details an example of tuition fee loan instalments based on the start and end dates of the specific year of the course.

This table illustrates the sequencing of TFL payments under the TFL payments model for service year 1 of the LLE:

* under the current HESF system, the July payment date is only used in respect of summer AY quarter start courses. This will continue to be the position under the LLE.

Q3: Do the tuition fees instalment points define the maximum fee that a provider may charge at each point? Or can providers charge according to the number of credits studied, with the SLC releasing the outstanding balance should a student withdraw?

A: Tuition Fee Loan payments are made in set instalments. Each instalment is a pre‑determined percentage of the total tuition fee for that course year.

As with the existing system, if a student leaves their course before the end of the year, the provider will receive an amount that reflects the number of credits the student is liable for at the time they withdraw, in line with the terms and conditions of the provider, as agreed with the student. Providers are responsible for determining the number of credits a student is liable for when they leave.

If a provider determines that the student has studied more credits than the value of the tuition‑fee payments already received, the provider must state the number of credits they consider chargeable at the point of withdrawal when submitting the Change of Circumstances notification.

If the chargeable amount is higher than the amount already paid, the outstanding balance will be scheduled for an additional payment.

Q4: If a student has 60 credits worth of TFL left and they need to repeat 80 credits of study, will they be able to use up their remaining pot and then pay the difference themselves?

A: Yes, the student will be able to self-fund the difference.

Q5: Is there tuition fee funding for distance learning courses? 

A: Students undertaking designated distance learning courses can apply for tuition fee funding under the LLE. Distance learning courses will still be out of scope of maintenance support, as they are in the current system. The government intends to roll over the existing exemptions.

Q6: How much LLE entitlement will be used up if a student withdraws/suspends?

A: The fee limit/fee charge will directly relate to the number of credits that the provider considers the student to have completed at the point of withdrawal. The amount charged will be based on the applicable cost per credit rate for that provider. The fees charged is not dependent on completion of the credits, but the credits the student enrolled for and what the provider considers the student to have undertaken at the point they exit the course.

Q1: Will loans to help students with living costs still be available when LLE is brought in?

A: Maintenance funding will be provided for all courses and modules that qualify for LLE loan funding, if the course is not a distance learning course. Maintenance loans are designed to help students with living costs while they study. There is a maximum limit based on a student’s course features, living location, personal eligibility and household income. Additional information on how maintenance support for living costs at colleges and universities will change when the lifelong learning entitlement launches is available on GOV.UK.

Q2: What courses, in scope of the LLE, will attract maintenance support?

A: Maintenance loans will be available for all designated courses and modules that are not distance learning courses.
Maintenance support will be subject to personal criteria such as household income. Criteria will broadly remain the same as now.

• As now, maintenance support will be available for distance learning students who are unable to attend a course in person for a reason related to their disability.

There is a maximum entitlement based on a student’s course, location and personal circumstances. Entitlement will also be linked to a learner’s tuition fee loan balance. Learners taking fewer than 120 credits in a course year will have their loan reduced proportionally to the number of credits in the year.

Extra financial help, which is subject to separate qualifying criteria, will also be available for:

• learners with disabilities
• support with childcare
• Adult Dependants’ Grants
• travel grants

For new learners under the LLE, targeted support grants will be made available for those studying on a full-time basis (equivalent to at least 120 credits per course year). This covers grants for dependents and travel grants.

The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) will also continue to be available for those studying 30 or more credits per course under the LLE.

For more information on the extra financial help please visit Student finance if your course starts on or after 1 January 2027: What extra financial help you can get - GOV.UK

For more information on Maintenance Loans, please visit Maintenance loans for living costs in the lifelong learning entitlement - GOV.UK

Q3: How is the maintenance loan entitlement calculated?

A: The Maintenance Loan entitlement process is based on:

• calculation of the maximum maintenance support based on factors such as the learner’s age and location, and whether it is their final year of study
• adjustment of the maximum entitlement according to the learner’s household income
• adjustments based on the intensity of study and whether the learner is enrolled in multiple courses simultaneously.

Q1: When will the Courses Management Service (CMS) definition be available and when will SLC need course information?

A: The Courses Management Service definition has been published on the LLE resources page, and the Courses Management Service system will go live in June 2026. Providers will begin uploading courses in advance of the launch of the application system.

Q2: When will Courses Management Service technical guidance be available?

A: CMS technical guidance has been available on the HE Gateway since May 2025.

Q3: Will providers need to upload both courses for continuing students and courses for the LLE for English domiciled students?

A:  Yes, providers will need to submit courses for continuing students under the current student finance regulations. They will also need to submit LLE-funded courses starting on or after 1 January 2027.
The number of versions of courses you will need to enter in CMS depends on what is included in your catalogue:

• If your catalogue of courses will remain the same as they are in the current AY, when course collection opens you will have 2 versions to set up.

1. One version for your returning English/Welsh/Scottish/NI and new Welsh/Scottish/NI students using the current rollover process
2. One version for your new English students for which all the data will need to be entered.

• If your catalogue of courses remains the same as they are today, but you now also wish to add module courses, you will have to set up 3 versions.

1. One version for your returning English/Welsh/Scottish/NI and new Welsh/Scottish/NI students,
2. One version for your new English students
3. One for all the new modules you intend to run

The Courses Service Definition provides more detailed information on this, you can find it in LLE resources page of the HEP Services website.

Q4: Are there changes to the course information required?

A: For HE providers that currently submit course information to our CMS, there will be additional course information required. For example, during course collection providers will be asked to enter the study period dates of each year, and the credits associated to each year of the course. These will determine the maximum Tuition Fee Loan a student can apply for.

If you are an FE only provider that chooses to register with OfS you will need to submit course information onto CMS to allow English domiciled students to apply for LLE funding. We will provide a comprehensive engagement and training programme.

We have published updated technical specifications for modules on the HE Gateway, and we have published the Courses Service definition on the LLE resources page. The document includes details on the new fields needed.

Additionally, we  have delivered functional training in March/April 2026 and we will publish the courses functional guidance for additional support.

Q1: Will you still require attendance confirmation at each liability point?

A: The number of attendance confirmations that are required will be relative to the length of the specific year of the course, between 1 and 4.

Before we release any payment of Tuition Fee Loan support, we must receive a positive attendance confirmation from the relevant provider, in respect of each payment period.

Q2: Will there be system changes under the Student Information Service (SIS)?

A: Yes, there will be changes to SIS export and upload functions. We have published the “LLE Application, Attendance and Registration - Import and Export Files V1.0 - estimated go live date of September 2026” and “LLE Change of Circumstances Bulk CSV Process V1.0 - estimated go live date of September 2026” technical specifications on the HE Gateway. These documents provide information on the files which can be exported from and imported into SIS for LLE applications. We'll be providing SIS functional training and functional guidance documentation as additional support.

Q3: Is SLC communicating with my IT supplier?

A: SLC has a mailing list of all IT suppliers and known contacts at providers that supply IT systems internally. We also have a supplier working group which focuses on discussing proposed changes to the HEP facing systems within SLC. However, we expect providers to liaise with their IT suppliers and share technical specifications and any other requirements that you need for your systems.

Q1: As a Welsh provider do I need to register with OfS?

A: OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England, therefore, Welsh providers and other UK providers need not register.
Education is a devolved matter. The government will work closely with partners in the devolved administrations towards the LLE roll-out from 2027.

Q2: If a provider wants to extend delivery beyond its current ALL offering, will they need to change to an existing registration category?

A:  Yes, a provider in England would need to register with the Office for Students (OfS) to deliver courses designated under the LLE.

Q3: What should providers do if they are not currently registered with OfS?

A: To access the LLE from 1 January 2027, providers in England must be registered in one of the OfS registration categories. To find out more about registering with the OfS, visit the OfS website.

Q4: For providers in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland how will the implementation of LLE impact their course submission?

A: Providers in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with new England domiciled students from 1 January 2027 will be impacted by the introduction of the LLE. To allow new England domiciled students from 1 January 2027 to access LLE funding, regardless of where they are studying in the UK, providers need to submit an LLE version of the course so that students can be assessed correctly. More information on course submission will follow in due course.