{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-student-support-for-postgraduate-and-lifelong-learning-provision-amendment-regulations-2026/note",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-student-support-for-postgraduate-and-lifelong-learning-provision-amendment-regulations-2026/note.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2026/1139",
  "legislation_title": "The Education (Student Support for Postgraduate and Lifelong Learning Provision) (Amendment) Regulations 2026",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-student-support-for-postgraduate-and-lifelong-learning-provision-amendment-regulations-2026",
  "path": "note",
  "kind": "note",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory note",
  "text": "(This note is not part of the Regulations)\nThese Regulations make amendments to the Lifelong Learning (Student Support) (Amendment of Fees and Awards etc.) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/858) (“the Lifelong Learning Regulations”), the Education (Postgraduate Master’s Degree Loans) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/606), the Education (Postgraduate Doctoral Degree Loans and the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) (No. 2) etc.) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/599) and the Education (Student Support for Postgraduate Provision) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/581).\nPart 2 amends regulation 10 of the Lifelong Learning Regulations and inserts a new Part 2A into the Lifelong Learning Regulations. The amendments to regulation 10 introduce the changes made by the new Part 2A. The new Part 2A removes the automatic designation of courses offered by unregistered providers on behalf of registered providers. For a course to be designated under the Lifelong Learning Regulations it must be taught or delivered by a registered provider or an unregistered provider with less than 300 students or any other number published by the Secretary of State (the “threshold”), or a provider which is a specified school, state-funded or public body (a “qualifying franchised provider”). The new Part 2A additionally sets out how the Secretary of State will calculate the student population, notify providers, and revoke designation in the following year if the provider’s student population exceeds the threshold, for the purposes of the Lifelong Learning Regulations. Part 2A also contains provision enabling providers to appeal a notice provided by the Secretary of State under this Part.\nParts 3 and 4 make amendments to S.I. 2016/606 and S.I. 2018/599, each of which contains similar provisions to those in the new Part 2A of the Lifelong Learning Regulations. The Regulations are amended to update the date on which the restriction on the designation of courses provided by franchised providers takes effect, to make other amendments consequential on this change and to make updates regarding the threshold. Part 5 amends transitional provisions contained within S.I. 2026/581, to align with the changes made in Parts 3 and 4.\nPart 6 provides for transitional provision under which providers which have applied for registration with the Office for Students before 1st July 2026 and are awaiting a registration decision on 1st September 2027 will be treated as if they are a qualifying franchised provider, for the purposes of courses commencing during the period of 12 months beginning with 1st August 2028. It also contains transitional provision for appealing a notice issued by the Secretary of State under new Part 2A, where a provider’s student population is less than the threshold in the academic year before that notice is issued.\nA full impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector has been produced and is available within the impact assessment for S.I. 2026/459 and is also published alongside these Regulations on www.legislation.gov.uk. Hard copies are available from the Department for Education, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1139/note",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-05T03:45:38.234277+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}