# The Lifelong Learning (Student Support) (Amendment of Fees and Awards etc.) Regulations 2026, Regulation 7: Eligible students

Extent: E+W

(1) An eligible student qualifies for support in connection with a designated course.
(2) Subject to regulation 8, a person (“A”) is an eligible student in connection with a designated course if, in assessing A’s application for support, the Secretary of State determines that either—
(a) A falls within one of the categories set out in Part 2 of Schedule 2 (eligible students: categories), or
(b) A is a returning student.
(3) In connection with a course beginning on or after 1st January 2028, paragraph (2) has effect as if Part 2 of Schedule 2 did not contain paragraphs 14, 16, 17 and 20.
(4) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(b), A is a returning student if—
(a) A is awarded support under these Regulations in connection with a course which began before the current course (with the earlier course being referred to in this regulation as “the previous course”),
(b) the current course began on a date that fell within the period of eligibility of the previous course,
(c) there has been no relevant change in A’s circumstances since A was determined to be an eligible student in connection with the previous course.
(5) For the purposes of paragraph (4)(c)—
(a) there is a relevant change in A’s circumstances if—
(i) A was a person described in Schedule 2 for the purposes of the previous course by virtue of being ordinarily resident in England, and A has ceased to be ordinarily resident in England, or
(ii) any provision in Schedule 3 (termination of eligibility due to change of circumstances) applies to A, and
(b) this change in A’s circumstances applies immediately before the first day of the course year of the current course.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/858/regulation/7 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/lifelong-learning-student-support-amendment-of-fees-and-awards-etc-regulations-2026/regulation-7
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.