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Applications for the Lifelong Learning Entitlement are now open for students in England who are studying undergraduate and certain postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 January 2027 to 31 July 2027. The Student Loans Company confirmed on 30 October 2026 that learners can now apply for the new funding system through Student Finance England, with the LLE replacing the previous undergraduate funding arrangement for eligible students. The reform is intended to create a single, flexible funding system that supports learners seeking to fit study around working and family life.
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement replaces the previous undergraduate funding system for students who are eligible through Student Finance England. Some postgraduate level courses will also be funded under the new system, including postgraduate healthcare and teaching qualifications. In addition, the LLE will fund some courses that were previously funded by the Advanced Learner Loan system. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the change is designed to give learners greater flexibility across undergraduate, postgraduate and previously advanced learner routes.
The Student Loans Company has confirmed that applications for courses beginning between 1 January and 31 July 2027 are live now. Applications for the 27/28 academic year will go live in Spring 2027. Prospective students need a GOV.UK One Login account to apply for the LLE and can create one if they do not already have one. Applicants will be directed to GOV.UK One Login to sign in or create an account, and they will be told when they sign in if they need to prove their identity.
Students may be able to get Tuition Fee Loans to help pay course tuition fees, Maintenance Loans to help with living costs, and extra help such as grants or an allowance if they are on a low income, are disabled or have children. The amount of support available depends on the number of credits studied. All courses that qualify for funding will be worth a certain number of credits, and a year of studying a bachelor’s degree full time is usually worth 120 credits.
Students who have not received student finance before can get a standard entitlement of a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £39,160, equivalent to approximately 480 credits. Depending on the course or modules studied, learners may be able to fund more than 480 credits with this based on how much their provider charges. If a student has studied and received student finance before, this will be considered when working out how much tuition fee funding they can get through the LLE.
Maintenance Loans up to a maximum of £15,415 per course year are available depending on factors such as household income, where the student lives while studying and the number of credits being studied. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the amount of Maintenance Loan available could change in each year of study. Students may also be able to receive additional financial help from other sources, including money from a university or college such as a bursary, scholarship or hardship fund, or NHS funding or a bursary for certain courses such as nursing or social work.
Daily Dazzling Dawn learned that Derek Ross, Executive Director for HE/FE reform, said: “The Lifelong Learning Entitlement represents a significant reform to higher education funding, giving people the flexibility to access education throughout their working lives and build the skills to support the growth in our economy. From understanding eligibility, applying for funding and managing your account online, we’ve designed a process that supports learners every step of the way. I am delighted the initial application service is now available for learners planning to start their studies in January 2027.”
Loans only need to be repaid once a student has finished or left their course or individual module in line with Repayment Plan 5 earning thresholds. Any loan taken out will have interest applied from the day the first loan payment is made. Any outstanding loan or loans through the LLE will be cancelled 40 years after the April in which the borrower is first due to start repaying.
Full details on eligibility, what students can get and how to apply are available at gov.uk/lifelong-learning-entitlement. The application window now open covers courses starting between 1 January and 31 July 2027, while learners planning for the wider 27/28 academic year will be able to apply from Spring 2027.
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