Qualification funding approval: funding year 2020 to 2021

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 moratorium, which starts from September 2020
• how we maintain the offers through the funding year

This manual applies to the 2020 to 2021 funding year, which runs from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021. It also applies to the rest of the 2019 to 2020 funding year and replaces the qualification funding approval principles we previously published for the year 2019 to 2020. From 19 May 2020, we will use this manual to approve qualifications for funding.

• Using this manualThe 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 our offers if we have approved those qualifications for funding. This section of the manual described why we approve qualifications for funding.
• Changes from the qualification reviewsThis section of the manual describes changes we have made to our approval principles and processes as a result of ongoing qualifications reviews and reform.
• Changes to principles and processesThis section of the manual summarises the changes we have made to our approval principles and process for the funding year 2020 to 2021.
• Common approval principlesThis section explains the common approval principles we use.
• Other approval principles: 14 to 16This section of the manual describes approval principles that only apply to qualifications in the 14 to 16 offer.
• Other approval principles: 16 to 19This 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 belowThis 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 loansThis section explains the approval principles we use for advanced learner loans
• Other approval principles: Statutory entitlementsThis section of the manual sets out the criteria we use to approve qualifications for these entitlement offers.
• Other approval principles: Components of qualificationsIf we have approved a qualification for funding in the ESFA funded AEB local flexibility offer, you can also ask us to approve its components (units) for funding in a standalone context.
• Reviewing qualifications and components before September 2020We use the following process when we consider approving qualifications for funding, in all of the offers covered by this manual. Some offers have extra requirements, and you may need to ask us to review some qualifications or components.
• Reviewing qualifications and components in the September 2020 review monthThis section sets out how we will review and approve qualifications and components in the September 2020 review.
• Reviewing qualifications and components during the moratoriumFrom 1 September 2020, we will stop considering new regulated qualifications for funding approval, for students aged 16 and over (including 19 plus). We refer to this as a ‘moratorium’.
• Managing the offersWe keep our funded qualification offers up to date, and we may decide to change funding approval information for a qualification if we need to. This section of the manual describes why and how we make those changes, and how you can ask us to consider approving a qualification for funding again.
• Contact usThis 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.
• FormsSome 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 forms.
• DefinitionsHelp with terms used in this manual
• Annex A: ESF higher level skills offerInformation on the European Social Fund (ESF) higher level skills offer
• Annex B: Review and download scheduleWe will take a download of data from Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications on the last but one Tuesday in the month before the reviews scheduled for the following month.
• Annex C: Qualification approval journeyThis outlines the journey a qualification takes to get approved.
• Annex D: Qualifications and courses in academies and maintained schoolsQualifications must be approved for funding for 14 to 16 and/or the 16 to 19 offer before academies and maintained schools can offer them to young people.
• Annex E: Information in Ofqual’s Register of Regulated QualificationsThis section explains the information we use from Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications