Adult courses in South Yorkshire are funded through South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, which controls a £42.7 million adult skills budget for 2026/27. You can usually get a fully funded course if you are 19 or older and earn under £26,227.5. There are currently 1,106 funded courses listed at centres in South Yorkshire.
Embed this chart on your site
Copy the code below. Free to reuse with the credit link.
Who qualifies for a free course in South Yorkshire?
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has not yet published its 2026/27 funding rules. Its last published earnings cut off is £26,227.5 (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 Level 3 courses the cut off here is higher: £34,977.43.
The provider confirms eligibility when you enrol. The quickest way to check is the eligibility checker, which uses your postcode.
What is different in South Yorkshire?
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined 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 South Yorkshire?
The 1,106 funded courses listed at South Yorkshire centres are led by functional skills / esol (339), adult social care (132), beauty / hair / nails (116), construction (85), hospitality / catering (65). Around 3,400 more funded online courses are available wherever you live.
Embed this chart on your site
Copy the code below. Free to reuse with the credit link.
Browse free courses or search the full course directory to see what is running near you.
Who delivers funded training in South Yorkshire?
52 training providers run funded courses at South Yorkshire venues. The largest by listed courses:
- RNN Group (217 funded courses)
- The Sheffield College (208 funded courses)
- Barnsley Council (191 funded courses)
- Barnsley College (80 funded courses)
- The White Rose School of Beauty and Complementary Therapies (59 funded courses)
See all 52 funded training providers in South Yorkshire.
What does South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority say its priorities are?
No 26/27 rules. Skills Strategy missions: far-from-labour-market into work; raise core attainment; high-skilled supply.
The area’s employer led skills plan (the LSIP) is led by Doncaster Chamber.
How much funding does South Yorkshire control?
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority receives £42.7 million in adult skills funding for 2026/27, through its Integrated Settlement. See how that compares to every other area in our adult education funding guide.
Embed this chart on your site
Copy the code below. Free to reuse with the credit link.
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.