Department For Education
Principles and processes we use to approve qualifications for funding in England.
This manual sets out:
- the common approval principles that we apply to approve qualifications for funding
- where there are specific approval principles, and which offers we apply them to
- how and when we review qualifications for funding approval
- which qualifications we will approve for post-16 funding during the qualification funding approval moratorium
- how we maintain the offers through the funding year
This manual applies to both the remainder of the 2021 to 2022 funding year and to the 2022 to 2023 funding year, which runs from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023. From 19 April 2022, we will use this manual to approve qualifications for funding for 2022 to 2023 and the remainder of 2021 to 2022.
- Using this manual
The section describes what this manual is for, and how to use it.
- What is qualification funding approval?
We will only fund students to undertake qualifications through one of the offers identified in this manual if we have approved those qualifications for funding. This section of the manual describes how we approve qualifications for funding.
- Changes from qualification reviews
This section of the manual describes changes we have made to our approval principles and processes as a result of ongoing qualifications reform.
- Changes to principles and processes
This section of the manual summarises the changes we have made to our approval principles and process for the funding year 2022 to 2023.
- Qualifications with removed funding approval
This section of the manual sets out why and when we have removed or will remove funding approval for specific groups of qualifications.
- Common approval principles
This section explains the common approval principles we use.
- Other approval principles: 14 to 16
This section of the manual describes approval principles that only apply to qualifications in the 14 to 16 offer.
- Other approval principles: 16 to 19
This section of the manual describes approval principles that only apply to qualifications in the 16 to 19 offer.
- Other approval principles: ESFA funded AEB local flexibility offer and ESF offer at level 2 and below
This section of the manual describes approval principles that only apply to qualifications in the ESFA funded AEB local flexibility offer, and qualifications at level 2 and below in the ESF offer.
- Other approval principles: Advanced learner loans
This section explains the approval principles we use for advanced learner loans
- Other approval principles: Statutory entitlements
This section of the manual sets out the criteria we use to approve qualifications for these entitlement offers.
- Other approval principles: Components of qualifications
This section sets out how components that are already approved for funding will be approved in 2022 to 2023.
- Other approval principles: Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs
This section outlines the approval principles for the Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs
- Other approval principles: reviewing qualifications during the moratorium
We use the following processes when we consider approving qualifications for funding, in all the offers covered by this manual. Some offers have extra requirements, and you may need to ask us to review some qualifications.
- How we will review qualifications
This section outlines the stages we use to review qualifications
- Managing the offers
We keep our funded qualification offers up to date, and we may decide to change funding approval information for a qualification if we need to.
- Contact us
This section of the manual describes changes how you can get in touch with us, if you have any questions about the principles and processes in this manual.
- Forms
Some of the processes we describe in this manual state that you need to send us information through a form. This section of the manual contains those