In principle, nothing.
As it stands, the plan to completely overhaul higher education student finance (HESF) and introduce loans for modularised undergraduate learning (at levels 4-6) leaves postgraduate study (at level 7 and beyond) completely untouched.
To extend Mike Ratcliffe’s wonderful exploration of the government’s “flexi travel card” metaphor, the lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) is a railcard that only travels so far – with master’s and doctoral level study left on an entirely different network.
The recent LLE consultation response does acknowledge the question of whether support should extend to postgraduate programmes. Still, the only answers offered concern the continuation of undergraduate funding for PGCE and integrated master’s qualifications.
