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<p>Many mature students need to study flexibly and we have taken a number of steps
over recent years to encourage more flexible learning. These include greater support
for part-time learners through maintenance support, and removing restrictions which
had prevented students getting loan funding for part-time science, technology, mathematics
and engineering undergraduate degrees if they were equivalent or lower qualifications.</p><p>The
number of part-time students undertaking full undergraduate degrees has increased
in recent years, but the numbers of part-time students overall (including those taking
shorter courses) has declined. Therefore, we need to take much more radical steps
to support lifelong learning. This is why my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister,
announced that we will introduce a flexible lifelong loan entitlement to 4 years of
post-18 education, providing incentives for people to build the skills the economy
needs. This will provide finance for shorter-term studies, rather than people having
to study in 1, 3 or 4-year blocks. People will be able to break up their study into
segments, transfer credits between colleges and universities, and take on more part-time
study.</p><p>As the economy recovers from the COVID-19 outbreak, it will be even more
important that individuals have opportunities to develop their skills over the course
of their lifetimes. We will be consulting on the introduction of a lifelong loan entitlement
in due course. This will set out proposals for how and when we will be introducing
it. Where necessary, we will bring forward legislation in this Parliament.</p>
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