# The Lifelong Learning (Fee Limits) Regulations 2026, Regulation 16: Top-up courses


(1) A “top-up course” is a course that—
(a) involves substantially less learning time than a full course leading to the same qualification, and
(b) requires students to have substantial relevant prior learning or experience as part of the entry requirements (which could be, but is not limited to, a qualification in the same field).
(2) The per-course amount for a top-up course is the lower of—
(a) the per-course amount for a full course that leads to the same qualification, or
(b) the number of full-time course years, or in the case of a course that is only offered part-time the number of full-time equivalent years, multiplied by 120.
(3) In the case of top-up courses that are only offered part-time, the number of full-time equivalent years is the number of years that it would take to complete the course if studying 120 credits (or 1,200 notional learning hours) per year.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348283327/regulation/16 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/draft-lifelong-learning-fee-limits-regulations-2026/regulation-16
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.