The first colleges and universities to deliver short higher education courses through the lifelong learning entitlement have been revealed. From January 2027, eligible adults will be able to access student loans to study “modules” instead of three-year-long qualifications, drawing down a maximum £39,160 of their lifelong learning entitlement (LLE). The Department for Education (DfE) today confirmed the list of 130 providers registered with the Office for Students (OfS) that can deliver modules of courses in the government’s priority skills areas, such as economics, computing and engineering, at levels 4 to 6. It comes as a recent interim report on the “modular acceleration programme” raised concerns around student understanding of the short courses and difficulty engaging employers. The LLE will be available for modules in any subject from a higher technical qualifications (HTQ) and 10 approved subjects for level 4, 5 and 6 modules from full-level 6 “parent” qualifications. These approved subject areas are computing, engineering, architecture, building and planning (excluding landscape gardening), physics and astronomy, mathematical sciences, nursing and midwifery, allied health, chemistry, economics and health and social care. Eligible students will also be able to apply for maintenance support to help with living costs, with funding provided in smaller amounts linked to the size of the course being studied. People who already hold a degree may still access the new funding if they have remaining entitlement available or want to retrain in the above priority subject areas. DfE opened an expression of interest process between July and October 2025, confirming providers can follow two routes of funding approval based on their teaching excellence framework (TEF) status or Ofsted ratings. See the table at the end of the story for the full list of providers. Those with gold or silver TEF ratings and/or high Ofsted grades would be eligible for a “simpler and quicker” approval process. Route two was reserved for providers with lower TEF and/or Ofsted ratings were required to submit more information that demonstrates evidence of high-quality outcomes and established course delivery. Two colleges and one university received funding approval through the alternative entry mechanism to run the following computing, mathematical sciences and engineering courses. Skills minister Jacqui Smith said the modules would open up new opportunities for adults balancing work and family commitments. “Whether it’s fitting study around a job, retraining for a completely new career, juggling childcare, or getting qualifications later in life, the new lifelong learning entitlement will open up new opportunities for thousands more people,” she added. The announcement comes after two government-backed precursors to the full LLE roll failed to deliver results demonstrating demand for short courses. The first trial back in 2022-23 hit a “shocking” 5 per cent of its student enrolment target. The second more recent trial, which cost £5 million, fared marginally better and reached a fifth of its recruitment goal. Here’s the full list of delivery providers below: