Courses included under the LLE

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
• the foundation year available before some degree courses start, as long as these form part of an overall bachelor’s degree
• all HTQs, including both full courses and modules of those courses
• Level 4 to 6 qualifications currently funded by an Advanced Learner Loan where there is clear learner demand and employer endorsement
• the tuition for designated distance-learning and online courses

Q2: Will all courses need a credit value?

(Updated 5 November 2025)

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, you'll need to assign credits 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: When will the Courses Management Service definition be available and when will SLC need course information?

(Updated 5 November 2025)

A: The Courses Management Service definition has been published in the LLE Resources section of this website. The course management system will go live in June 2026. Providers will begin uploading courses in advance of the launch of the application system.

Q4: When will Courses Management Service (CMS) technical guidance be available?

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

Q5: 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.

Q6: Are there changes to the course information required?

A: For HE providers that currently submit course information to our Courses Management Service (CMS), it’s likely additional course information will be required. We will continue to work with the HE Advisory Group and system user group to confirm feasibility.

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.

Q7: Are the data fields and requirements for courses and modules to be submitted in CMS significantly different under the LLE? And will they require separate exports for courses and module?

(Added 5 November 2025)

Q8: What do providers need to do to offer modules under the LLE?

(Updated 5 November 2025)

A: DfE is inviting OfS registered providers intending to deliver modular provision in England from January 2027 to submit an expression of interest (EOI). The first opportunity to submit an EOI closed on 17 of October, another EOI will launch in spring 2026.

All providers that submit an expression of interest will need to pass an assurance check as part of the approvals process. Providers will not need to submit information or evidence for this check.

A provider will be eligible for a simpler and quicker approval process if they have:

• a teaching excellence framework (TEF) rating of gold or silver
• an Ofsted rating of good or outstanding

Providers that have both TEF and Ofsted ratings will need to meet both of these conditions to be eligible for quicker approval.

To demonstrate their readiness and capability to deliver successfully, providers will need to submit more information if they:

• do not have TEF or Ofsted ratings
• have both TEF and Ofsted ratings, but only meet one of the conditions

Q9: Are foundation years funded?

(Added 5 November 2025)

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 on GOV.UK.

Q10: Why is there little mention of part-time courses? Are these included under the LLE?

(Added 5 November 2025)

A: The LLE uses a credit-based system to directly relate 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.