Version 2 - Last Updated: 09 Jun 2025

Applying for an Advanced Learner Loan

Loan application statuses


When a learner applies for an Advanced Learner Loan (ALL) their application will be set to a certain status. This status will depend on the information and evidence they have given, as well as any omissions. 

An application may go through a few statuses on the way to being approved. You will be able to see most of these statuses on the Learning Provider Portal.

If learners have any difficulty with the application process or do not know how to respond to us, they should call our ALL learner helpline.

In the meantime, you can use this factsheet to explain:

  • application statuses on the Learning Provider Portal
  • the automatic cancellation process
  • the statuses of automatically cancelled applications

Description of application statuses

Application search values

Application status values

Description

Application in Progress

In Data Entry

Paper form: We are entering and processing the data from the loan application.

Online form: The learner has not submitted the loan application.

You will not see applications at this status.

Awaiting Validation

We are reviewing the application to confirm that the learner has provided all information and evidence.

You should inform learners that we may need additional residency information following the initial Home Office check. This check may take longer during peak processing times at the Home Office, which can cause delays to our assessment.

Awaiting Investigation

We have told the learner that we need more information to assess their eligibility. They’ve provided this and we will process the application in due course.

If we find there is still information missing once we have checked the evidence, we will ask the learner to send this. The application will then move to Missing Evidence status. Once we have the relevant information, we will move the application to Approved or Ineligible status.

Awaiting Rejection

We have processed the application and decided it is ineligible. It is now awaiting rejection.

Awaiting Approval

We have manually processed the application and decided it is eligible. It is now awaiting approval by a manager.

Missing Evidence

Missing Evidence

We have put the application on hold until the learner provides further evidence.

We have written to the learner, asking for the outstanding evidence.

Eligibility Incomplete

Eligibility Incomplete

There is information or evidence missing. We have not been able to decide if the learner is eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan.

We have written to the learner, asking for the outstanding information and evidence.

Approved

Approved

We have approved the learner’s application in full. We have their valid signature confirming that they agree to the loan terms and conditions.

When the application is at this work stage we can send the learner’s National Insurance number for verification.

Ineligible

Ineligible

The learner is not eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Cancelled

Cancelled

The loan application has been cancelled.

Withdrawn

Withdrawn

The learner has withdrawn from their learning aim.

Suspended

Suspended

The learner has suspended their studies.

The automatic cancellation process

The system will pick up applications for automatic cancellation when they have been in one of the following states for a set period:

  • In Data Entry – 30 days from the date the application was received or submitted, whichever is the latest

  • Missing Evidence – 45 days from when the application entered Missing Evidence status

  • Eligibility Incomplete – 45 days from when the application entered Eligibility Incomplete status

  • Approved (without positive attendance confirmation) – 90 days from the course start date or the approval date, whichever is the latest

  • Missing ULN (without positive attendance confirmation) – 90 days from the course start date or the approval date, whichever is the latest

For example, if an application moves to Missing Evidence status and remains there for 45 days, the system will pick it up for automatic cancellation. However, if it spends 30 days at Missing Evidence status and then moves to Eligibility Incomplete status, the time will reset. The system will then pick up the application for automatic cancellation if it stays in Eligibility Incomplete status for 45 days.

The automatic cancellation is applied by a weekly batch run. We run this every Sunday evening. Any applications this batch run picks up will be updated to Cancelled.

  1. The application state will be set to Cancelled.
  2. The loan amount will be set to zero.
  3. Any attendance confirmation schedules linked to the application will be removed.
  4. Any payment schedules linked to the application will be removed.
  5. A Cancellation CoC will be created.
  6. The cancelled application will be given an Auto Cancel Reason Type.

Application state before automatic cancellation

Auto Cancel Reason Type

Missing ULN

Cancelled: Auto – Missing ULN

In Data Entry

Cancelled: Auto – In Data Entry

Eligibility Incomplete

Cancelled: Auto – Eligibility Incomplete

Missing Evidence

Cancelled: Auto – Missing Evidence

Approved

Cancelled: Auto – Approved

You can view any applications that have been automatically cancelled.

  1. Go to the Learner Search or Learning Aim Search tab.
     
  2. Use the Application State search and select the Auto Cancel Reason Type. Cancel will still appear as a separate option that lets you search for all.

If an application has been automatically cancelled you will see the application state reason on the Assessment Information page.

An image of the assessment information available on the LP Portal.

We will not issue correspondence for automatically cancelled applications.

However, we will send learners letters to ask for missing evidence. These letters will tell them that we may cancel their application if they do not return the evidence we need.

If the application is still relevant and should not have been cancelled, the learner will not need to reapply. If we receive evidence after the automatic cancellation, the application will be reinstated and processed.

You have a 60 days to reinstate an application once it has been cancelled. We count this period from the effective date of the original cancellation CoC to the date of the reinstatement. This applies to both manually and automatically cancelled applications. If you try to reinstate an application after the 60 days you will get an error message:

'It is not possible to reinstate a cancelled application after 60 days.  Please ask learner to contact SLC.'

Description of automatically cancelled application statuses

Application search values

Application state values

Description

Cancelled

Cancelled: Auto – Missing ULN

It is 90 days from the course start date or approval date, whichever is the latest. We have not received a positive attendance confirmation. The application has therefore been cancelled.

 

Cancelled: Auto – In Data Entry

It is 30 days since the application was received or submitted, whichever is the latest. The application has been cancelled.

Cancelled: Auto – Eligibility Incomplete

It is 45 days since the application entered Eligibility Incomplete status. It has therefore been cancelled.

 

Cancelled: Auto – Missing Evidence

It is 45 days since the application entered Missing Evidence status. It has therefore been cancelled.

 

Cancelled: Auto – Awaiting Signature

It is 45 days since the application entered Approved Awaiting Signature Status. It has therefore been cancelled.

 

Cancelled: Auto – Approved

It is 90 days from the course start date or approval date, whichever is the latest. We have not received a positive attendance confirmation. The application has therefore been cancelled.