Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE): overview
Find out what the LLE is and how this new post-18 student-finance system will work from academic year 2026 to 2027.
- From:
- Department for Education
- Published
- 19 September 2023
- Last updated
-
426NovemberFebruary20242025 — See all updates
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Information for the public about the LLE, including:
- what the LLE is
- how the funding will work
- who is eligible
- which courses we will include
- how learners can repay their LLE
- how we will regulate the LLE
- what the next steps are
Details
Information for the public about the LLE, including:
- what the LLE is
- how the funding will work
- who is eligible
- which courses we will include
- how learners can repay their LLE
- how we will regulate the LLE
- what the next steps are
Updates to this page
Last updated
-
We have updated the 'Next steps' section to give providers more information on upcoming policy announcements.
-
Update to 'Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview' to reflect changes in tuition fees from academic year 2025 to 2026.
-
Updated 'Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview' to reflect the launch of the LLE in the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
-
Added a link to guidance for higher education providers on tuition fees for foundation years in the 'Courses included under the LLE' section.
-
Updated 'Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview' to reflect the phased delivery of the LLE in the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
-
Updated the date for the IfATE consultation end date to 8 April 2024 due to an extension.
-
Removed out-of-date content relating to autumn 2023 in the 'Next steps' section of the 'Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview'.
-
Added information about the qualification gateway, which is an approval process for LLE-funded qualifications, and advanced learner loan funding at providers not registered with OfS.
-
Updated to allow more time for introducing the Office for Students' third registration category.
-
'Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview' updated to reflect changes to fee limits and residual entitlement.
-
First published.
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Update history
2025-04-09 15:33
Updated with minor clarifications, including definitions for foundation years and foundation degrees, and examples of module bundles.
2025-03-06 14:24
Updated ‘Why we need the LLE’ section to clarify existing policy.
2025-02-26 15:00
We have updated the ‘Next steps’ section to give providers more information on upcoming policy announcements.
2024-11-04 17:03
Update to ‘Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview’ to reflect changes in tuition fees from academic year 2025 to 2026.
2024-10-30 14:06
Updated ‘Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview’ to reflect the launch of the LLE in the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
2024-05-10 10:58
Added a link to guidance for higher education providers on tuition fees for foundation years in the ‘Courses included under the LLE’ section.
2024-04-18 10:29
Updated ‘Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview’ to reflect the phased delivery of the LLE in the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
2024-03-22 11:43
Updated the date for the IfATE consultation end date to 8 April 2024 due to an extension.
2024-02-28 16:14
Removed out-of-date content relating to autumn 2023 in the ‘Next steps’ section of the ‘Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview’.
2024-01-16 15:33
Added information about the qualification gateway, which is an approval process for LLE-funded qualifications, and advanced learner loan funding at providers not registered with OfS.
2023-11-24 13:41
Updated to allow more time for introducing the Office for Students’ third registration category.
2023-11-15 14:17
‘Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview’ updated to reflect changes to fee limits and residual entitlement.