What is the Lifelong Learning Entitlement?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) is the new way to get student finance in England for courses starting on or after 1 January 2027. It replaces the previous system for most undergraduate courses, and some postgraduate and further education courses, from levels 4 to 6 and some at level 7.
How it works
- You get a lifetime Tuition Fee Loan allowance of up to £39,160, about 4 years of full-time study (480 credits)
- How much you get each year depends on the number of credits you study. A full-time year of a bachelor’s degree is usually 120 credits
- You can use it for full courses or, for some courses, individual modules, so you can study in steps
- You can also apply for a Maintenance Loan for living costs
- You apply for each course, and reapply each year if your course is longer than a year
If you have studied before
If you studied at university before, the loan you already used counts towards your allowance. Once you create an LLE student finance account, you can see an estimate of how much Tuition Fee Loan you have left, without applying.
Repaying
- You start repaying when you earn over £25,000 a year
- Interest is currently 4.1%
- Loans are written off 40 years after the April you are first due to repay
Extra help
You may be able to get an extra Tuition Fee Loan for longer courses, grants if you are on a low income, are disabled or have children, and bursaries or scholarships from your university.
Starting in January or February 2027?
Your course will be funded through LLE. We check which courses suit you, help you apply to the university, and guide you through your LLE application step by step.
Official information: GOV.UK: student finance if your course starts on or after 1 January 2027. Student Finance England decides eligibility and amounts.
