The traditional three-year, full-time, on-campus path to a first degree remains one of the main routes to higher education. It accounts for 58% of all students at UK universities, and has successfully increased young participation to record levels. However, for those who work while studying or have caring responsibilities, more flexible approaches to learning are required. Flexible learning means offering students a choice in when, how and where they study, to fit learning around other commitments. This includes allowing people to study at a slower or faster pace, providing options for where learning takes place, as well as how to access course information and assessments. This briefing looks at the current extent of flexible learning across the higher education sector from three perspectives: (1) pace of study (from part-time to accelerated courses); (2) flexible learning across higher education institutions, further education colleges and alternative providers; and (3) different ways of delivering learning (including classroom-based, online and employer-based learning). Evidence was gathered as part of the Universities UK (UUK) project on the economic case for flexible learning -- from institutions on the project advisory group, wider UUK membership and a public call for evidence in early 2018 -- and from a range of data sources.