Business courses

Find business courses that you can study online, often for free. They cover topics such as customer service, business administration, team leading, data protection and cyber security.

We’re an independent guide. We don’t run courses. We help you compare them, check whether you can study for free, and see where each one could lead.

Who these courses are for

These courses suit you if you:

• work in an office, shop, warehouse, hotel or call centre and want to build your skills
• are looking for work and want something recent on your CV
• manage a team, or want to
• are thinking about starting your own business

Most courses are Level 2. That’s about the same level as a GCSE at grade 4 or above. You don’t need any qualifications to start.

Can I study for free?

Most of these courses are paid for by the government’s Adult Skills Fund (formerly the Adult Education Budget). In the 2026/27 academic year, you can usually study for free if you:

• are 19 or over
• live in England and meet the residency rules
• are unemployed, or earn less than £26,800 a year

Some places, such as Greater London and Greater Manchester, have their own adult skills budget and set their own rules. Because of this, some online providers can’t take learners from those areas.

“Free” doesn’t always mean no cost at all. Some providers charge an admin or withdrawal fee if you leave early or don’t finish. Always check before you sign up. The provider makes the final decision on whether you can study for free.

Check whether you’re eligible for a free course

Courses at a glance

• Courses: 18, 17 free if you're eligible
• Level: Level 2
• How you study: Online, from home
• Funding:
  • Adult Skills Fund

Check whether you're eligible or filter these with all free courses.

Courses

• Cleaning Principles

  Level 2

  For learners who work, or want to work, in the cleaning sector.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Creating a Business Start-Up

  Level 2

  For learners seeking the skills and knowledge needed to develop a business start-up.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Digital Promotion for Business

  Level 2

  For learners looking to increase their knowledge and understanding of digital promotion in a business setting.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Equality and Diversity

  Level 2

  For learners looking to develop an awareness of the issues surrounding equality and diversity.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Information, Advice or Guidance

  Level 2

  For learners working in, or looking to work in, an information, advice or guidance role.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Lean Organisation Management Techniques

  Level 2

  For learners looking to increase their knowledge and understanding of lean organisation management techniques.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Principles of Business Administration

  Level 2

  For learners looking to increase their knowledge and understanding of business administration.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Principles of Customer Service

  Level 2

  For learners looking to increase their knowledge and understanding of customer service.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Principles of Cyber Security

  Level 2

  For learners looking to gain a greater understanding of, or build upon their existing knowledge of, cyber security issues.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Principles of Team Leading

  Level 2

  For learners looking to gain the knowledge and understanding required to successfully lead a team.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Principles of Warehousing and Storage

  Level 2

  For learners looking to enter and/or progress from entry roles in the warehousing and storage industries.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Understanding Business Improvement Techniques

  Level 2

  For learners looking to increase their knowledge and understanding of business improvement techniques.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Understanding Coding

  Level 2

  For learners looking to gain an introduction to coding within the digital sector.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Understanding Data Protection and Data Security

  Level 2

  For learners looking to improve their knowledge of data protection and data security.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Understanding Excellence in Customer Service for Hospitality

  Level 2

  For learners looking to enter, or progress within, employment in the hospitality sector.

  • Adult Skills Fund

• Understanding Retail Operations

  Level 2

  For learners looking to increase their knowledge and understanding of the different aspects of working in the retail sector.

  We're checking this course's funding.

• Understanding Workplace Violence and Harassment

  Level 2

  For learners looking to increase their knowledge and understanding of workplace violence and harassment across any sector.

  • Adult Skills Fund

Related courses from other subjects

These courses are listed under another subject, but they're also useful for business.

• Customer Service for Health and Social Care Settings

  Level 2

  For learners who want to develop an understanding of how to deliver effective customer service in health and social care settings.

  • Adult Skills Fund

See all free online courses

Where these courses can lead

1. 1Start with a Level 2 certificate

   The courses on this page cover everyday workplace skills, such as customer service, business admin, data protection and team leading. Pick one that matches the job you do now, or the job you want.

2. 2Move up to Level 3

   Level 3 courses go further in subjects like management, cyber security and accounting. Some are free through Free Courses for Jobs if you're unemployed or earn less than £26,800 a year, or if you're 19 to 23 and don't have a full Level 3 yet.

3. 3Learn on the job with an apprenticeship

   An apprenticeship lets you earn while you train. There's no upper age limit, and your employer and the government pay for the training.

Questions

Are these business courses free?

Most are free if you're eligible for the Adult Skills Fund. In 2026/27 that usually means you're 19 or over, you live in England, and you're unemployed or earn less than £26,800 a year. Areas with their own adult skills budget, such as Greater London, set their own rules. The provider makes the final decision.

Can I study a business course while I'm working?

Yes. These courses are online and you study in your own time, so most people fit them around work. Many learners spend 4 to 5 hours a week on a course.

Will a Level 2 business course help me get a job?

It can help. A certificate shows employers you've learned the basics and that you can finish a course. It won't guarantee a job, so it works best alongside work experience or volunteering.

Which business course should I start with?

Start with the job you want. Customer service and business administration suit office and front-line roles. Team leading suits people who manage others or want to. Data protection and cyber security suit anyone who handles information at work.

Is the Level 2 Team Leading course the same as a team leader apprenticeship?

No. The Level 2 certificate is a short online knowledge course. An apprenticeship is a longer programme you do as part of a job. The Level 3 Team Leader apprenticeship lost its government funding for new starts from September 2026, so check with a provider before you look for one.

Sources

• Adult skills fund: funding and performance management rules 2026 to 2027gov.uk
• What qualification levels mean: England, Wales and Northern Irelandgov.uk
• Apprenticeship technical funding guide from August 2026gov.uk
• Streamlining apprenticeshipshelp.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk

Last reviewed: 19 October 2026