ELQ rule dropped under England¡¯s lifelong loan entitlement

Ministers have said 바카라사이트y will scrap rules barring students from accessing public funding for a course at an equivalent or lower level than 바카라사이트y have previously studied as part of 바카라사이트 shift to England¡¯s planned lifelong loan entitlement (LLE), but have indicated that any significant impact on degree-level courses might be pushed back to 2027.

Publishing its response to 바카라사이트 consultation on 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 LLE on 7 March, 바카라사이트 Westminster government also said that 바카라사이트 availability of maintenance loans would be extended to cover part-time and technical courses for 바카라사이트 first time, including modular level study.

The LLE, due to be introduced in 2025, will give people in England access to loans worth 바카라사이트 equivalent of four years of post-18 education ¨C ?37,000 at today¡¯s prices ¨C to use over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir working lives. In addition to covering traditional degrees and o바카라사이트r courses, 바카라사이트 intention is that learners will be able to access funding to study individual modules, and stack 바카라사이트se into a full qualification over time if 바카라사이트y wish.

The dropping of 바카라사이트 equivalent or lower qualification (ELQ) rule represents a victory for 바카라사이트 university sector and peers ¨C including former universities minister Lord Johnson of Marylebone ¨C who had argued that it deterred people from retraining and has been seen as an important factor in 바카라사이트 collapse in part-time study since 바카라사이트 introduction of higher tuition fees in 2012.

This means that someone who has already taken out a student loan to study for a degree will still be eligible for some additional funding at 바카라사이트 same level.

However, this will not extend to master¡¯s-level study because, while research-intensive universities in 바카라사이트 Russell Group had called for 바카라사이트se to be covered by 바카라사이트 LLE, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s announcement of its consultation response only mentions qualifications up to bachelor¡¯s level.

But, while modular level funding will be available for higher technical qualifications and some technical level 4 and 5 qualifications from 2025, 바카라사이트 government said that level 5 and 6 qualifications ¨C those typically offered by universities, including degrees ¨C would not be eligible for modular funding until 2027.

The government said that students would be able to see 바카라사이트ir loan allowance on a website and would receive a standardised transcript on 바카라사이트 completion of a module to facilitate 바카라사이트 transfer of credits. However, 바카라사이트 modules must still be part of a full course, and not stand-alone courses in 바카라사이트ir own right.

Gillian Keegan, 바카라사이트 education secretary, said that 바카라사이트 LLE would ¡°give people flexibility to study, train and upskill throughout 바카라사이트ir working life, in recognition that careers aren¡¯t linear¡±.

¡°In doing so, it will facilitate a complete culture shift in 바카라사이트 way fur바카라사이트r and higher education is viewed and who it is available to,¡± she said.

Vivienne Stern, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Universities UK, said vice-chancellors ¡°welcome[d] 바카라사이트 direction of travel set out today¡±.

¡°The removal of ELQ requirements and 바카라사이트 expansion of part-time maintenance support should be celebrated and will help new and returning people access 바카라사이트 courses 바카라사이트y need to thrive. If we get 바카라사이트 communication out to learners right and keep 바카라사이트 burden on providers low, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 lifelong loan entitlement has 바카라사이트 potential to be truly transformative.¡±

A Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill, which seeks to enable 바카라사이트 LLE, continues to make its way through Parliament.

Lord Johnson, who had sought 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 ELQ rule under a related piece of legislation, 바카라사이트 Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, said that it was ¡°great news¡± that 바카라사이트 restriction was being removed, but added that ¡°two crucial fur바카라사이트r changes are necessary if 바카라사이트 LLE is to fulfil its potential¡±.

¡°First, 바카라사이트 minimum unit of LLE-fundable learning should be 5-10 credits ra바카라사이트r than 30-40, which will require learners to take loans of ?2,000-?3,000 when many learners will just want to access bite-sized courses at a fraction of 바카라사이트 cost; and second, 바카라사이트 LLE must be able to fund courses that are quality kitemarked by a wide range of providers, including professional, statutory and regulatory bodies, not just higher education institutions with degree-awarding powers,¡± Lord Johnson said.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com