Lifelong learning reforms support new CertHE route

<p>The Department for Education has named Arts University Plymouth among the first providers approved for modular funding through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, known as the LLE.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The LLE is a new student finance system intended to help people in England study, retrain and upskill more flexibly across their lives. For eligible courses and modules starting from January 2027, learners are expected to be able to apply for LLE funding from September 2026. Students from England whose courses start between 31 August and 31 December 2026 can now apply for 2026/27 student finance under the current system.</p> <p dir="ltr">The announcement comes as Arts University Plymouth develops new Certificate of Higher Education routes for people who want to begin higher education, return to study, retrain or take a focused step into a new creative practice. The new LLE rules are expected to make it possible for eligible learners to access loan funding for study at an equivalent or lower qualification level than one they already hold, subject to previous study and remaining entitlement.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Launching in September 2026, <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/cert-he-ceramics-glass">CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass</a> is a one-year Level 4 qualification for students who want a hands-on introduction to clay, glass, material processes and designer-maker practice.</p> <p dir="ltr">The course is rooted in making. Students will explore ceramics and glass processes including mould-making, wheel-throwing, slip-casting, glassblowing and kiln-formed glass, while also using digital tools in Fab Lab South West for prototyping and mould-making.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Professor Stephen Felmingham, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at Arts University Plymouth, said:</strong> “People come to creative education at different points in their lives. Some are ready for a full degree. Others want a focused year to build confidence, return to learning, or find out where a subject might take them. The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is part of a wider shift towards higher education that can work more flexibly for people’s lives and ambitions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass has been developed with that in mind. It offers a practical, supported route into university-level creative study, rooted in making, material knowledge and the specialist workshops we have here in Plymouth.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A Certificate of Higher Education, or CertHE, is a recognised Level 4 higher education qualification. At Arts University Plymouth, CertHE courses are one-year full-time routes that can be studied as qualifications in their own right or used as a step towards further undergraduate study.</p> <p dir="ltr">CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass students can progress directly onto <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-craft-material-practices">BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices</a> at Level 5, subject to successful completion and course requirements.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">September 2026 may be an important intake for some learners aged 60 or over who are considering creative study. Under the current 2026/27 student finance system, there is no upper age limit for Tuition Fee Loans. Under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, which applies to eligible courses and modules starting on or after 1 January 2027, GOV.UK guidance says learners must be under 60 on the first day of their course to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan.</p> <p dir="ltr">This means that, for some people aged 60 or over, starting an eligible course before January 2027 may affect whether a Tuition Fee Loan is available to help cover tuition fees. Student finance depends on individual circumstances, including residency status, previous study, course eligibility and the latest government rules. Prospective students should check official guidance before applying.</p> <p dir="ltr">Find out more about <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/cert-he-ceramics-glass">CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass</a>, read Arts University Plymouth’s <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/what-is-a-certhe">guide to CertHE courses</a>, or explore <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/student-finance-over-60-creative-study-2026">what the student finance changes could mean for learners aged 60 or over</a>.<br /></p>