Learning aim reference service (LARS)
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-06)

Information for colleges, training organisations and employers about the learning aim reference service, also known as LARS.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

Learning aim reference service (LARS)

LARS offers a web based search facility called find a learning aim (https://submit-learner-data.service.gov.uk/find-a-learning-aim/). It allows users to search by most commonly used fields for qualifications, units, apprenticeship frameworks and apprenticeship standards and their associated validity and funding details.

LARS downloads are available to allow colleges, training organisations and employers (providers) to interrogate the same LARS data set that is used in the Funding Information System (FIS).

Learning aim reference service: category codes

The learning aim reference service category codes (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learning-aims-reference-service-lars-category-codes/learning-aims-reference-service-lars) provides definitions and guidance for each category on the LARS.

Find a learning aim

Use find a learning aim (https://submit-learner-data.service.gov.uk/find-a-learning-aim/) to search for specific aims, including qualifications, standards, apprenticeships, T Levels and units.

You can download the complete learnings aims dataset for the current academic year in various formats, as well as previous years.

Higher education learning aim request due date

Providers requesting new learning aims for provision recognised as higher education for Office for Students funding purposes must submit completed forms, together with all approval information, to us by:

Friday 12 September 2025 for 2024 to 2025

Friday 11 September 2026 for 2025 to 2026

Monday 13 September 2027 for 2026 to 2027

This allows for them to be added to the find a learning aim database for the R14 individualised learner record (ILR) submission.

We recommend that providers request learning aims throughout the funding year to ensure that their ILR submissions are up to date.

Guidance on completion of necessary forms and background information can be found in provision recognised as higher education for Office for Students funding purposes (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/provision-recognised-as-higher-education-for-funding-purposes/provision-recognised-as-higher-education-for-office-for-students-funding-purposes--2).

The higher education learning aim request form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/674d9888649db05b051ee204/Learning_aim_request_form_HE_aims_v2_.ods) (ODS, 17.4 KB) is available to download. You should use our Customer Help Portal (https://customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk/) to submit your completed form and approval letter.

Learning aim class codes

The learning aim class codes guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learning-aim-class-codes) sets out details of the classification and coding system used to record non-regulated activity in the individualised learning record.

Downloads of the LARS datasets

The LARS datasets (https://submit-learner-data.service.gov.uk/find-a-learning-aim/DownloadData) can be found in 3 formats and are updated in line with the data collection maintenance schedule (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-collection-maintenance-schedule-for-2014-to-2015).