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University message about the Centre for Lifelong Learning 

25 June 2025

It is with profound sadness that the University announces the closure of the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of York.

This decision has been an incredibly hard one, made in response to the challenging financial climate currently facing the higher education sector. We have tried to protect this provision for as long as we can, having seen many other institutions also having to face similar difficult decisions.

We have regretfully informed our current tutors and students enrolled on our evening and day courses, with offers of support and guidance on how best to take forward learning opportunities. The Centre will close from 31 July 2025, so all teaching activity for the summer term will continue as planned, including June Saturday Schools. We recognise, however, what this means for our valued community of learners. 

For more than 40 years, the Centre has been a place where individuals have pursued their passions, achieved accreditation or simply learned for pleasure. The legacy of our learners - with its vibrant community and spirited exchange of ideas - is something we will always cherish and we are truly sorry that we are no longer able to sustain this model of provision.

While this chapter closes, our dedication to public engagement and supporting learners continues in other ways.

Our commitment to skills development, lifelong opportunities, widening access and our role in the local community is represented through a wide range of activities and initiatives. 

We work with our local community partners to encourage people from all backgrounds to consider studying at university, for example through The Place, which provides free activities for children, young people and adults, or through our free online courses, which help people of all ages explore new subjects or prepare for higher education. Our annual Festival of Ideas and year around digital platform, #YorkIdeas youtube channel, offers free in-person and online events designed to educate, entertain and inspire.

But we know the Centre for Lifelong Learning has been a special place run by extraordinary people, and we are incredibly grateful for the trust and dedication of all our learners and tutors over the years. 

We are sorry it has become unsustainable in its current form, and hope that our continued commitment to widening access and innovative learning will still allow us to support your educational journeys in new ways.

2024/25 Programme Update

This academic year we will continue to offer a mix of online and classroom based courses. 

Please ensure when you make a booking for a course that the mode of delivery meets with personal requirements - each course is only offered via one delivery mode.

We have now released the details for  our Saturday Courses. All course information is available online through this website, and we would encourage you to register at your earliest convenience as many courses sell out quickly.

Students signing up to work towards a Certificate of Higher Education should bear in mind that for future terms they may need to attend courses in York, in person.

The Centre also offers a reduction in course fees for people receiving benefits: any such reduction is at the discretion of the Head of Lifelong Learning and appropriate evidence must be supplied with the application. Please contact the Centre for more information about eligible benefits and reduced fees.

^{Whilst every effort is made to avoid changes to the programme, details may be altered without notice at any time. The Centre for Lifelong Learning reserves the right to withdraw or amend any part of its programme without prior notice. The Centre operates within the complaints procedure of the University as a whole.}