Adult education budget: level 3 qualifications flow charts
Updated 14 May 2024
Applies to England
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1. Introduction and purpose of the guidance
The flow charts below set out the options available to a learner who wishes to enrol on a level 3 qualification funded by ESFA. The charts are supplementary to the adult education budget (AEB) funding rules and advanced learner loans rules. These documents contain full details of each policy.
2. Level 3 qualifications flow charts
Once a learner has been funded by free courses for jobs (FCFJ) in line with the AEB funding rules, they will have exhausted their eligibility for the offer and can no longer access FCFJ funding. Learners accessing the low wage and unemployment flexibilities cannot be funded if they have previously been funded via FCFJ.
3. Chart 1: 19 to 23-year-olds
4. Chart 2: 24+
5. Annex A: level 3 qualifications flow charts – text version
6. Chart 1: 19 to 23-year-olds
- step 1: learner is aged 19 to 23
- step 2: learner has a level 3 qualification?
If no, go to step 3.
If yes, go to step 10.
- step 3: qualification to be studied is on the legal entitlement list?
If yes, go to step 4.
If no, go to step 7.
- step 4: if the qualification is on the legal entitlement list and on the level 3 free courses for jobs offer list, the learner will have exercised their level 3 legal entitlement
- step 5: level 3 legal entitlement
- step 6: fully funded
- step 7: qualification to be studied is on the level 3 free courses for jobs list?
If yes, go to step 8.
If no, go to step 12.
- step 8: level 3 free courses for jobs offer
- step 9: fully funded
- step 10: previous level 3 qualification is a ‘short’ or ‘non-full’ qualification?
If yes, go to step 3.
If no, go to step 11.
- step 11: qualification to be studied is on the level 3 free courses for jobs list?
If no, go to step 12.
If yes, go to step 15.
- step 12: loan funded
- step 13: level 3 advanced learner loans
- step 14: advanced learner loans bursary fund
- step 15: learner meets the definition of unemployed or is in receipt of low wage?
If no, go to step 12.
If yes, go to step 16.
- step 16: fully funded
7. Chart 2: 24+
- step 1: learner is aged 24+
- step 2: learner has a level 3 qualification?
If no, go to step 3.
If yes, go to step 8.
- step 3: qualification to be studied is on the level 3 free courses for jobs list?
If yes, go to step 4.
If no, go to step 5.
- step 4: fully funded
- step 5: loan funded
- step 6: level 3 advanced learner loans
- step 7: advanced learner loans bursary fund
- step 8: previous level 3 qualification is a ‘short’ or ‘non-full’ qualification?
If yes, go to step 3.
If no, go to step 9.
- step 9: qualification to be studied is on the level 3 free courses for jobs list?
If no, go to step 10.
If yes, go to step 12.
- step 10: where 24+ learners are not eligible for the level 3 adult offer, providers must refer to the advanced learner loans rules
- step 11: loan funded
Go to step 6.
- step 12: learner meets the definition of unemployed or is in receipt of low wage?
If no, go to step 11.
If yes, go to step 13.
- step 13: fully funded