Free online courses in the UK: learn and gain qualifications free

You can upgrade your skills or learn a new profession in Britain without spending a pound. Both short online courses from universities and a full Level 3 qualification funded by the government are available free. Here is where to study for free.

OpenLearn: free courses from the Open University

OpenLearn is a free learning platform from The Open University. Everything on it is free to everyone: hundreds of short courses, plus articles, activities and videos across many subjects. Signing up is also free, and on most courses you can earn a free digital badge or a Statement of Participation. You pick a subject, enrol and study at your own pace.

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FutureLearn: short university courses

FutureLearn brings together online courses from universities and experts — from business and cybersecurity to artificial intelligence. Basic access is free: more than 1,400 short courses, with material released weekly. The downsides of the free tier are no certificate and losing access to the material once you finish a course; a certificate and unlimited access cost extra. But free access is usually enough to get into a subject.

A free qualification funded by the state

This is the most valuable part: under the Free Courses for Jobs offer, adults aged 19 or over can get a free Level 3 qualification — for example in accounting and finance, digital, health and social care, or teaching. The condition is earning less than £25,750 a year or being unemployed; Level 2 courses in construction, engineering and manufacturing are also free. You may even get help with childcare and travel costs.

How do you find and enrol?

Free government courses are found through the course finder on the National Careers Service website: you can set the distance and choose in-person, part-time or online. Once you find one, contact the college or training provider, check the entry criteria and apply; if you are accepted, you pay no course fee. And the short online courses on OpenLearn and FutureLearn are available straight away — no college and no payment.