This information was published on 13 August 2026. 

From 2027, the way students in England use UK Government student loans to fund their higher education is changing.  

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will replace the current student finance system, giving students a single funding entitlement to draw on throughout their working life. 

The LLE will apply to everyone seeking funding for eligible courses starting from January 2027, not just those choosing to study module by module. 

Details of the scheme are still being finalised by the UK Government. The information below reflects current guidance at time of publication, and we'll keep this page updated as more is confirmed. 

Important note: LLE and student funding arrangements are different for students in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

What is LLE?

The LLE is a UK Government scheme that treats student finance as something you can use across your whole life, not just once. Eligible learners will have access to a personal entitlement worth the equivalent of four years of higher education (university) study. 

How you use it is up to you.  

You might spend it all at once on a full undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree. You might draw on it over several years, funding shorter courses as your career develops. Or you might come back to it later in life to retrain for something completely new. For more information, the Department for Education has published this explainer video. 

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A modular approach to study 

One of the biggest changes the LLE brings is the option to fund individual modules of approved courses, rather than committing to a full qualification from the outset. You'll be able to build up credits in smaller steps, at a pace that fits around work, family and everything else in your life. 

The UK Government and the Student Loans Company will define which courses, modules and study modes are approved. 

Eligibility and funding levels will be decided by Student Finance England and the Student Loans Company rather than by universities. We'll share details of which Falmouth University courses and modules are covered as soon as they're confirmed. 

The LLE will fund tuition fees for approved higher education courses and modules at Levels 4 to 6: this includes full undergraduate degrees to shorter, flexible courses. Whatever you borrow will come out of your overall lifetime entitlement. 

There's one exception. Learners on designated priority courses - such as Medicine and Dentistry, Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health Professions, Initial Teacher Training and Social Work - are expected to receive the full tuition fee loan they need to complete their course, even where it goes beyond the standard entitlement. 

Maintenance support to help with costs like rent, food and travel will form part of the LLE, though the details are still to be confirmed by the government. Whether you qualify, and how much you can borrow, is likely to depend on how you study (full-time or part-time), the intensity of your course, and your household income. 

With all student finance, any maintenance loan would be added to your overall student loan balance and repaid later. 

Applications for LLE funding are expected to open in September 2026, covering eligible courses and modules starting from January 2027. As with everything on this page, these dates are based on current government plans at time of publication, and could change. 

The government has provided information about repayment arrangements for LLE here. Terms are likely to vary depending on the type of loan you take and your personal circumstances, including your income, and different thresholds, rates and conditions may apply. 

Find out more

For the latest on eligibility, applications, funding amounts and repayments, visit the UK government website.