Adult courses in the East Midlands are funded through East Midlands Combined County Authority, which controls a £59.0 million adult skills budget for 2026/27. You can usually get a fully funded course if you are 19 or older and earn under £25,750. There are currently 1,040 funded courses listed at centres in the East Midlands.
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Who qualifies for a free course in the East Midlands?
East Midlands Combined County Authority has not yet published its 2026/27 funding rules. Its last published earnings cut off is £25,750 (from its 2025/26 rules), and that figure stands until new rules appear. People who are unemployed or on certain benefits usually qualify too.
For Free Courses for Jobs the cut off here is higher: £33,796.8.
The provider confirms eligibility when you enrol. The quickest way to check is the eligibility checker, which uses your postcode.
What is different in the East Midlands?
East Midlands Combined County Authority sets its own rules, but has not yet published a 2026/27 rulebook. Everything shown here is its last published position. This page updates when new rules appear.
The core offer follows the national pattern: a free first full Level 3 for adults without one, free English, maths and digital skills, and full funding under the earnings cut off above.
What can you study free in the East Midlands?
The 1,040 funded courses listed at the East Midlands centres are led by functional skills / esol (266), adult social care (115), beauty / hair / nails (98), business admin / management (97), construction (86). Around 3,400 more funded online courses are available wherever you live.
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Browse free courses or search the full course directory to see what is running near you.
Who delivers funded training in the East Midlands?
84 training providers run funded courses at the East Midlands venues. The largest by listed courses:
- Vision West Nottinghamshire College (119 funded courses)
- Nottingham College (96 funded courses)
- Chesterfield College (89 funded courses)
- Derby College Group (66 funded courses)
- RNN Group (58 funded courses)
See all 84 funded training providers in East Midlands.
What does East Midlands Combined County Authority say its priorities are?
Its stated priority areas (ASF Strategic Skills Plan V2 (Jan 2025 – PREDATES 26/27, label)):
- manufacturing, nuclear, hydrogen.
- net zero / green skills.
- transport & logistics, digital, visitor economy, health & social care (incl childcare).
- construction & engineering.
The area’s employer led skills plan (the LSIP) is led by FSB.
How much funding does the East Midlands control?
East Midlands Combined County Authority receives £59.0 million in adult skills funding for 2026/27, as a Section 31 grant. See how that compares to every other area in our adult education funding guide.
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Sources: the authority’s own published funding rules and committee papers, gov.uk grant determination letters and Integrated Settlement tables, and the JobYay course directory. The eligibility estimate is JobYay analysis of ONS ASHE 2025 earnings data. Full figures and sources: adult education funding in England.
Page last updated: 4 August 2026. Course counts refresh with the directory; funding facts refresh when rules are published.