Free adult courses

It can be difficult to get back into education. One thing people find hard is paying for courses. We have a lot of courses with no course fees. Take a look below.

Level 2 courses for people earning up to £20,319

You can choose to study a wide range of full and part-time courses** without having to pay any tuition fees.

This means you could potentially save thousands of pounds.

To be eligible for free adult courses you must:

  • be 19 or older; and
  • be in full or part-time employment and earn less than £20,319 (you will need to provide wage slips or your last self-assessment form to evidence this), and
  • want to study a pre-entry, entry, level 1 or level 2*** course.

Many courses are also free for people in receipt of certain benefits, including Job Seekers Allowance, Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.

To find out more about your eligibility take a look at our fee disclaimers or contact us.

You can choose to study more than one part-time course a year if you want to and it does not matter whether you already have higher qualifications, so long as you are applying to study something different.

Courses are available in a wide range of subjects** including:

On some courses, there are also materials fees to pay, to cover the costs of equipment and materials that you use while studying. However, depending on your circumstances you may be able to apply to our Learner Support Fund for help with paying these.

You may also be interested in our level 2 distance learning courses, which are all free to anyone who is 19 or older.

 

* You must be 19 or older on 31 August 2022. Tuition fees remission is subject to eligibility criteria. If you are unsure about whether you are eligible, or if remission is available on the course you are interested in please contact us for advice, 0116 224 2240 or see full details of our course fee disclaimers

**We have tried to list courses which are eligible for funding, but there are occasionally anomalies. Please check individual courses for details.

***A full level 2 qualification is equivalent to five or more GCSEs at grade 9 to 4.

Level 3 courses for adults aged 24 and over

Free technical certificate or diploma (equivalent to 2 A levels) courses are on offer* in a range of subjects to help boost careers, including 

Please note that T Levels are not included in this promotion as they are a new qualification aimed at those who are 16-18.

If you are interested in a course, and you are 24 or over you can simply apply from the course page. If you are unsure about which course may be right for you our independent careers team are free to talk to.  

Adults aged between 19 and 23 year olds who do not already have a full level 3 qualification will continue to be able to apply and study for their first level 3 qualification without having to pay tuition fees.  

Please contact us to check the eligibility for funding. T levels are not eligible for funding.

 *Adults aged 24 and over with a full level 3 qualification may not have to pay tuition fees. There might be material fees or other costs that are associated with the course that may be payable. Our Learner Support Fund may be able to help to cover these costs.  

Maths and English courses

We have a large choice of English and maths courses. Starting at entry level, through level 1 and to GCSE. Whatever your current level we can help you to get better. Maths and English are often essential for many jobs or other courses.

There are no course fees for adults who don’t have GCSE (or equal) maths and/or English qualifications.

Take a look at our English and maths courses.

Distance learning courses

Our level 2 distance learning courses are free for people who are 19 or over (if you are 19-24 years old you must have a full level 2 qualification already to be eligible for free funding). Courses are available in a large choice of subjects including mental health, counselling, team leading, and understanding autism. Take a look.

 

 

People who are out of work or claiming Universal Credit

If you are out of work or claiming Universal Credit there is funding available to pay course fees for a range of courses, including our Skills for Work courses. Contact us for more details about which courses are eligible.