Qualification funding approval manual

Changes to funding approval principles and processes for 2026 to 2027

The changes we have made to our approval principles and process for the funding year 2026 to 2027.

Changes affecting all offers

Qualifications funding and approvals service tool (QFAST)

The qualifications funding and approvals service tool (QFAST) is the new digital platform designed to streamline the qualifications funding application and funding approvals process.

Register on QFAST now and ensure you are ready for 2026 to 2027. On this page you can also view the onboarding guide, which includes:

• a step-by-step walkthrough of the registration process
• a short video featuring your AI guide, Alex, who will help you navigate the platform
• guidance for organisations without a UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN)

We have added forms that will replace the forms listed at the end of this manual from September 2026.

Availability of qualification specifications

As part of our consideration of funding approval we may want to consult the relevant qualification specification. As part of your manual or QFAST application you must include a working hyperlink to where you publish information about that qualification online.

Continued funding approval into 2027 to 2028

In response to education and training provider feedback we have commenced the extension of funding into the 2027 to 2028 academic year early and notified AOs to update operational end dates by July 2026. We expect to publish the outcomes of the funding extension process in Autumn 2026.

We encourage awarding organisations to use open-ended operational end dates until they are certain a qualification will be withdrawn. Qualifications with an operational end date before 1 August 2026 will not be eligible for continued funding approval into 2026 to 2027.

Unit continued approval 

The process supports the continuation of funding approval where qualifications and their component units continue to meet the requirements to have their funding extended where: 

• units are updated following a qualification review or redevelopment

• unit references, titles, credit values or guided learning hours are amended

• units are added to or removed from the qualification structure

• qualification content is refreshed without changing the unit’s level or sector subject area (SSA)

Awarding organisations seeking approval for unit changes must: 

• provide details of the existing approved qualification 

• identify all units being added, removed or amended

• show the relationship between existing and replacement units

• confirm that the qualification purpose, target learners and progression outcomes remain substantially unchanged

Awarding organisations seeking approval for unit changes must: 

• provide details of the existing approved qualification

• identify all units being added, removed or amended

• show the relationship between existing and replacement units

• confirm that the qualification purpose, target learners and progression outcomes remain substantially unchanged

• provide revised qualification specifications and any supporting documentation

Unit continued approval review 

As part of the annual process, qualification and unit information is reviewed against current regulatory, funding datasets and Ofqual’s register of regulated qualifications. 

Checks may include, but are not limited to: 

• units previously identified as not eligible for continued approval that require further review

• units which have been withdrawn by the awarding organisation and assigned an end date

• units contained within qualifications included in the relevant performance tables

• units associated with qualifications that have previously had funding approval removed for policy reasons

• changes affecting entitlement arrangements, including English and mathematics entitlements

• changes to qualification or unit characteristics that may affect funding approval records

Funding Approval Outcome 

Following completion of the review, units and qualifications that continue to meet the criteria may be rolled forward into the next academic year. 

Where review checks identify issues requiring further consideration, additional evidence may be requested from the awarding organisation, or the qualification may be referred for further funding approval review.

Funding approval end dates

During 2026 to 2027 we will change how funding approval end dates are presented on the List of Qualifications approved for funding and how these interact with the last date for new starts (LDNS) presented on find a learning aim (FaLA).

Many AOs do not use open-ended operational end dates (OEDs) or synchronise their specific OEDs with the end of the funding year.

This means that:

• OEDs extended in-year on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications are not picked up on the website until the next funding approval window
• a qualification can show on the website as no longer having funding approval but remain valid with a LDNS in the future on FaLA

How this will impact your providers

As FaLA updates LDNS fortnightly and is the website used by providers to check for funding information, FaLA will be the authoritative source for LDNS and all other funding information for your providers.

How this will impact awarding organisations

OED extensions:

• with the current funding year will show 2 to 4 weeks later on FaLA as a LDNS of the new OED

• into the next funding year will show 2 to 4 weeks later on FaLA as a LDNS of 31 July of the current funding year (the current maximum approval end date).

Extension into the next funding year will occur when we operate our annual process.

OED shortenings within:

• the current funding year, but still in the future, will show on FaLA 2 to 4 weeks later as a LDNS of the new OED, and the qualification will not be rolled over into the next funding year when this is processed

• the current year, but into the past, will show on FaLA 2 to 4 weeks later as a LDNS of the new OED but will also result in a hard stop being placed on the qualification on the QFAU website

This will be the new OED you have set and once this been processed and will not be reversed.

We may write to you before we process the hard-stop to check you are aware of the consequences of shortening the OED into the past. If the shortening is an error, we will not action the hard stop. However, we will remove this facility where errors occur more than 3 times in a year.

You will need to enter the correct OED on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications, and this will show on FaLA 2 to 4 weeks later as a LDNS of the new OED. If the OED shortening into the past was not an error we will action the hard stop and the qualification will not be eligible for rollover into the next funding year, even if extended by you into that year.

Open-ended OEDs

There is the facility on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications to set OEDs as open-ended. We would ask that, where possible, you use these or synchronise your OEDs to the end of the funding year on 31 July.

Using open-ended OEDs and only setting a specific OED when you are sure you are withdrawing a qualification avoids the risk of a qualification inadvertently losing funding approval or providers uncertainty for your providers.

OEDs timing

OEDs that are set at the beginning of the funding year risk a qualification falling out of funding because the last opportunity for us to process the OED extension is in our Summer funding approval window. You would need to action this OED extension by the end of April. Unless processed, a qualification with an OED of 31 August will automatically become unapproved and unfunded on 1 September and remain so.

Errors impacting funding approval

You can write to us at Qualifications.APPROVAL@education.gov.uk if you have made an OED or other input error on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications that will take or has taken your qualification out of funding. If we are able, we will resolve this as soon as we can, but you may find there is a delay before your qualification shows as available for funding.

Other errors we encounter are found in the following Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications attributes, where the field is changed from ‘TRUE’ or ‘YES’:

• ‘pre-16’, ‘-18’, ‘18+’, ‘19+’ age group attributes – switching any age group attribute to ‘FALSE’ or ‘NO’ immediately removes the affected qualification from the relevant age-related funded offers

• ‘funded in England’ – switching this attribute to ‘FALSE’ or ‘NO’ immediately removes the affected qualification from all funded offers

• ‘offered in England’ – switching this attribute to ‘FALSE’ or ‘NO’ immediately removes the affected qualification from all funded offers

• qualification ‘level’ attribute – switching this attribute to ‘FALSE’ or ‘NO’ immediately removes the affected qualification from all level-related funded offers

We ask that you work to minimise these errors to ensure continued funding approval for your qualifications.

Resetting of operational end dates

For 2026 to 2027 we will continue to monitor if an awarding organisation sets a qualification’s operational end date within the 2026 to 2027 funding year and then subsequently sets it back to be 31 July 2026 or earlier. We will consider ending funding approval for that qualification in all offers on this newest operational end date. If we do this, awarding organisations will have no further opportunity to extend funding approval for that qualification, and funding approval in the year 2026 to 2027 will be lost.

We will apply this principle to subsequent funding years.

Managing and monitoring reformed qualifications  

This section sets out how we will monitor and manage the following, once they are approved for funding: 

• alternative academic qualifications (AAQs) 

• technical occupation qualifications (TOQs)

Managing changes to TOQs

There are several reasons why me may review an approved qualification’s funding status.

This could be because of a change you identify. For example, if: 

• you update an existing qualification 

• there is a change to your scope of recognition 

It could also be because of a change we identify. For example, if: 

• new T Levels or T Level occupational specialisms are introduced 

• there is new evidence that means the qualification no longer meets the funding approval criteria 

• there is a change in policy 

• occupational standards have been revised, and you have not updated your qualification to reflect this

• a TOQ is no longer approved by DfE as a technical qualification

• you have failed to take account of Ofqual feedback provided as part of the approval process

See Higher technical qualifications (HTQs): guidance for applicants for information on how to make or respond to a change request.

Managing changes to AAQs

We understand that you may need to make changes to an approved AAQ. In some cases that could impact funding approval.

Changes you do not need to tell us about 

You do not need to tell us about minor changes to the existing qualification. However, ensure you update Ofqual’s register of regulated qualifications, where this is appropriate. 

Minor changes that you do not need to tell us about are: 

• spelling or grammatical corrections in the qualification title or qualification materials 

• adding additional clarification to the qualification materials that does not change the meaning or interpretation of the qualification - for example, further exemplification of content that does not change the assessment or delivery

Changes you need to tell us about 

Some changes to an existing qualification will be more substantial as they change the meaning and interpretation or delivery of the qualification. These types of changes also may mean you need to develop a new qualification with a new qualification number.

Examples of such changes include but are not limited to: 

• changes to the qualification’s purpose 

• structural changes to the content being covered - for example, new topics added or removed from the specification 

• revisions to assessment strategy 

• changes that impact the mapping or alignment of the qualification and assessment materials

• changes to the qualification title that are more than correcting typos or adding punctuation 

• changes to the number of assessments from that previously described in the specification 

• changes to the controls on assessment tasks 

• changes in grade scale 

• the qualification is no longer available for delivery in England 

• changes in guided learning hours or total qualification time 

• changes in sector subject area 

Where major changes occur, you must inform us of the changes made to the qualification through QFAST. This is so we can review the changes and ensure they do not impact funding approval. You must inform DfE of any changes to TOQs.

Where there are changes to an assessment strategy for a qualification, you must also promptly notify Ofqual of the change in line with the relevant qualification-level conditions.

Ensure the information you provide about changes and the information about your qualification on Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications is accurate.

Changes to your assessment strategy 

Ofqual requires awarding organisations to keep their assessment strategy under review. If the changes you make include a revision to your assessment strategy, you must promptly notify Ofqual. 

Further information is available in Ofqual’s level 3 alternative academic qualifications and technical occupation qualifications qualification level conditions.

Telling us about a change 

If you have changed your qualification and the change is not minor, you must inform us of the change at least four months before you intended to action the change (often the start of the next academic year).

You will need to inform us of the changes using QFAST. This information will then be shared with the relevant organisations as appropriate. 

We will review the information to assess whether your qualification continues to meet the funding approval criteria. This will be alongside any review of the change from any of the relevant organisations. You may be asked to provide further information or evidence supporting the change as part of this process.

Once we have received input from relevant partner organisation we will confirm any impact of the change on funding for your qualification.

Where we’re not content with a change you propose, you have the option to continue to deliver the qualification as originally approved or to withdraw the qualification.

Changes we will tell you about 

You may need to revise your qualification in response to changes that we notify you of. For example, if there are: 

• revisions to occupational standards 

• changes to T Levels 

These changes may mean we need to review the qualification’s approval, including funding approval status. We will inform you of the change and what action you need to take.

Changes that may impact funding 

Major changes to a qualification may also change the qualification’s sector subject area and guided learning hours. These changes may also impact the funding rate for qualifications funded through: 

• 30 April 2026 for outcomes communicated in July 2027

• 16 to 19 study programmes

• the adult skills fund 

• advanced learner loans

Awarding organisation withdraws a qualification 

Qualifications that are approved for funding from 1 August 2026 or 1 August 2027 currently remain showing as approved for funding up to 31 July 2029. If you withdraw a qualification before this date, we will use the operational end date that you set for the qualification on Ofqual’s Register of regulated qualifications to bring forward the funding approval end date. 

Where you withdraw a qualification and replace it with a new qualification and a new qualification number, you must submit the new qualification to be considered as part of the funding approval process.