Who can get a free course? The 2026/27 rules

WarningThese are the rules for England in the 2026/27 academic year (1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027). They change each August.

Most free adult courses in England are paid for by the Adult Skills Fund (formerly the Adult Education Budget). This guide explains who it pays for in the 2026/27 academic year, which runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027.

It’s a guide to the general rules, not a promise. Whether you can study a particular course for free also depends on finding a provider that offers that course and can fund you where you live.

To check for a specific course: choose it from our free online courses, then use the “Am I eligible?” check on its page. It tells you if you’re likely to be eligible and shows which providers offer that course. The provider checks your eligibility when you apply, and they make the final decision.

The short answer

For most free online courses, you can usually study for free if all of these are true:

you were 19 or over on 31 August 2026
you live in England, outside a devolved area (or your devolved area’s own rules say yes)
you’re allowed to live in the UK and normally live here
you’re unemployed, or you earn less than £26,800 a year before tax

Some courses are free whatever you earn. These are your legal entitlements.

Your age

You need to be 19 or over on 31 August at the start of the academic year. For courses starting between August 2026 and July 2027, that’s 31 August 2026.

If you’re 16 to 18, your school, college or sixth form is funded differently. Ask them about free courses.

Where you live

You must normally live in the UK on the day you start, and you must study in England. People here on holiday, or on a student or graduate visa, are not eligible. If your visa is time-limited, you need enough time left on it to finish the course.

Devolved areas

Some parts of England have their own adult skills budget and make their own rules. They include Greater London, Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire, the North East, Tees Valley, the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Cornwall, the East Midlands, and York and North Yorkshire. More areas are taking over adult skills funding during 2026/27.

If you live in one of these areas:

your local authority decides who gets a free course, and its rules can be different
many national online providers can’t fund you, because their funding only covers people outside devolved areas
look for a college or provider that’s funded by your local authority

Your earnings

You can usually study a course at Level 2 or below for free if you:

are unemployed or not working, or
earn less than £26,800 a year before tax (your gross salary)

This limit went up from £25,750 in June 2026. The rules look at your own salary.

Your provider may ask for proof, such as:

a wage slip or Universal Credit statement from the last 3 months
your current employment contract

If you earn £26,800 or more, you can still study, but you may be asked to pay part of the cost. For these courses the government usually pays half, and you or your employer pay the rest.

Legal entitlements

These courses are free if you’re 19 or over, whatever you earn:

English and maths, up to and including Level 2 (such as GCSEs), if you don’t already have a GCSE at grade 4 or above
essential digital skills, up to Level 1, if your digital skills are below that level
your first full Level 2 qualification, if you’re aged 19 to 23
your first full Level 3 qualification, if you’re aged 19 to 23

Providers must not charge course fees to learners using the 19 to 23 entitlement.

Level 3 courses and Free Courses for Jobs

Free Courses for Jobs pays for some Level 3 qualifications, and some Level 2 courses in construction, engineering and manufacturing. You can usually get one free if you’re unemployed or earn less than £26,800. If you’re 19 to 23 and don’t have a full Level 3 yet, you can be funded whatever you earn.

If you’re not eligible, you may be able to get an Advanced Learner Loan for a course at Level 3 to 6. You only start paying it back when you earn over a set amount.

What “free” might still cost

Free means the provider shouldn’t charge you for the course itself. But check these before you sign up:

Withdrawal or admin fees. Some providers charge a fee, often around £125, if you leave early or don’t finish by the deadline.
Out-of-date provider pages. Funding rules change every August. A provider’s page may still show last year’s rules, or a course that’s no longer funded.
Limits on courses. Many providers only let you do one funded course at a time.

What happens when you apply

Choose a course, and use the “Am I eligible?” check on its page to see which providers offer it.
Fill in the provider’s application. You’ll be asked about your age, address, earnings and the qualifications you already have.
Send any proof they ask for, such as ID, proof of address or a wage slip.
The provider checks your answers against the funding rules and tells you if you can study for free.

The provider makes the final decision. If one provider says no, another might say yes, especially if it’s funded by your local area.

Check if you can get a course for free

Whether you can study for free depends on the course you choose and on finding a provider that can fund you. So start with the course:

Choose a course you're interested in.
Answer a few quick questions in the "Am I eligible?" check on its page.
See whether you're likely to be eligible, and which providers offer that course.

Find a free course

Or choose a subject:

The check is a guide, not a promise. The provider makes the final decision.

Questions

Does my partner's income count?

The national rules look at your own gross salary, not your household's. Your provider may ask for a recent wage slip, a Universal Credit statement or your employment contract.

I'm on Universal Credit and I work part time. Can I study for free?

Usually, yes, if you earn less than £26,800 a year before tax. A Universal Credit statement from the last 3 months can be used as evidence. The provider makes the final decision.

I earn more than £26,800. Can I still study?

Yes, but you may have to pay part of the cost. For courses at Level 2 and below, the government usually pays half and you or your employer pay the rest. Some courses are still free whatever you earn, such as English and maths up to Level 2 and digital skills up to Level 1.

I'm an asylum seeker. Can I get a free course?

Under the national rules, asylum seekers can be funded once they have lived in the UK for 6 months or more while their claim is being decided. Devolved areas may have different rules, so check with the provider.

Why did an online provider turn me down because of my postcode?

If you live in a devolved area, such as Greater London or Greater Manchester, your adult skills funding comes from your local authority. Providers can only use their national funding for people who live outside those areas, so some can't take you. Look for a provider that's funded in your area.

Can I do more than one free course at a time?

It depends on the provider. Many only let you study one funded course at a time, and ask you to finish it before you start another.

Sources

Last reviewed: 19 October 2026