Unique Learner Numbers

What is a Unique Learner Number?

A Unique Learner Number or ULN is a 10 digit number issued by the Learning Records Service (LRS) formerly Managing Information Across Partners (MIAP).  The number is given to anyone aged over 14 years and involved in education and training.

What is the ULN for?

A ULN will be used by awarding organisations to populate a central Personal Learner Record (LR) in relation to qualifications achieved by the learner within the Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF).

The learner will be able to access their Learner Record and to share their Learner Record with partner organisations, selected by the learner, allowing them to access the information. 

The ULN itself is just to identify the record and is not designed to have any additional meaning, for example a learner’s age, location, sex, gender, ethnicity, level of learning, etc

Learners will retain the same number for accessing their Personal Learning Record throughout their lives, whatever their level of learning and wherever they choose to participate.

Is a ULN Mandatory?

Every learner has the right to chose not to have a ULN. 

However a ULN is required for OCNSWR registrations on Diploma and Functional Skills Qualifications.  If a centre has a learner who wishes to study for these qualifications and does not wish to have a ULN then please contact us to discuss the implications.

For all other registrations centres must have arrangements in place to obtain ULNs for their learners.

Without a ULN achievement cannot be added to the Personal Learner Record.

Who obtains the ULN?

It is the responsibility of the centre, where the learner is registered, to obtain and validate the ULN for the learner and to supply this information to OCNSWR as part of the learner registration process. If a learner supplies the centre with a ULN the centre will be required to validate this before they submit registrations to OCNSWR.

How do centres obtain the ULN? 

Centres must be registered with the Learner Registration Service

( http://www.miap.gov.uk/products/lrs/implementationguide/ ) as a Learner Registration Body (LRB).  Once registered centres can then generate ULNs on behalf of learners.

If you need any further information please contact your OCNSWR office.