When you work towards a qualification with learndirect you’ll usually have the cost of your learning covered by funding. How much help you get towards the cost depends on two things:
The information on this page applies only to people who live in England. If you live in Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales then you can go into your local learndirect centre for more information on funding in your area. To find your nearest centre visit our centre search page.
If there is funding available to cover the cost of your qualification then it means that some or all of your learning gets paid for by the government.
If you enrol to learn with us in a centre then one of our learndirect advisers will ask you a few simple questions. If you enrol online instead, then one of our advisers will give you a call to explain everything you need to know. Once you've been told you're eligible for funding, you won't need to fill in any difficult forms to get it. We take care of everything so you can start your learning without having to worry about the cost or filling in paperwork.
Which courses are funded generally depends on the amount of tutor support they offer and whether you are working towards a qualification. If you’re working towards a qualification, and you’re eligible for funding, then you'll usually get help towards the cost of your learning. If you take a course where you don't have a tutor at all, like an eCourse, then you won't receive any funding. This is explained in a bit more detail below.
If your personal circumstances mean that your course or qualification is partially funded then the Skills Funding Agency will pay for some of your learning and you’ll pay the rest. The part that you pay is known as a 'fee'. We'll go through this with you before you start learning with us though, so you know exactly how much you might need to pay.
Some of our qualifications are fully funded. This means you don’t have to pay a fee. These are usually qualifications in level 1 or 2 English and maths, but sometimes other qualifications can be fully funded, based on your circumstances. For example, if you're on certain income-based benefits like income support, your course could be fully funded. Again, this is something we'll talk to you about before you start your course.
If you choose to buy an eCourse then you won't get any funding because they're short online courses with no tutor support. However, buying an eCourse isn't expensive - they start from as little as £21.00.
Try using our Funding checker below to see if you'd be likely to get funding for a learndirect course. It's simple and easy to use, but remember that it's only a guideline. If you pop into one of our centres we'll be able to tell you if you can get help with the cost of your course and get you set up
*Please remember, the Funding checker is just a guide. If you visit one of
our centres we'll be able to confirm exactly how much funding is available
to cover the cost of your learning, from the Skills Funding Agency
Thanks for your help,
The learndirect team