Adult education

What is adult education?

Adult education relates to the variety of courses and training delivered to those aged 19 and over. The main aim is to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge to improve their job prospects, develop their abilities in a particular area, or learn for personal enjoyment.

According to the Association of Colleges (AoC) College Key Facts 2025/26 report, in 2023/24 adult education accounted for over a tenth (11%) of further education (FE) income, which stood at £7.8billion. In England alone, 914,000 adults aged 19 and over choose to study or train across England's 210 colleges.

Read our overview of the UK's FE sector.

Why do adults return to education?

Adults choose to return to education for many reasons, including:

• changing careers
• enhancing promotion prospects
• gaining the qualifications needed for university
• improving English, maths or digital skills
• pursuing a hobby or personal interest
• updating workplace skills - see CPD opportunities.

Popular adult education options

Adult education covers a broad range of qualifications and training programmes. The table below shows that the best option for you depends on how you prefer to study, your previous qualifications and your goals.

Am I too old to return to education?

No, adult education is available to learners of all ages.

The AoC's College Key Facts report also revealed that 687,000 college students are aged 25 or older, with an average age of 28.

What is it like to return to education as an adult?

Returning to education can feel challenging at first, especially if you've spent several years away from formal study. However, many adult learners find that skills gained through the following help them manage their studies and stay motivated:

• life experiences
• parenting
• volunteering
• work.

Flexible learning options and tutor support can also make the transition easier.

Can I study part time as an adult?

Yes. Many adult education courses are designed to fit around work and family commitments and can be studied part time:

• at weekends
• in the evenings
• online.

Distance learning and hybrid study options are also widely available, allowing learners to combine study with work and caring responsibilities.

Where can adults study?

Adult education is delivered by:

• colleges
• community learning providers
• specialist organisations across the UK.

Here are some of the main options available.

Adult and community education (ACE) providers

Council-run or overseen learning services, known as adult and community education (ACE) providers, play a key role in local communities in supporting adults as they enter, return to or progress in work. Learning centres are based in most towns and cities.

For example, Tameside Adult and Community Education (TACE) has partnered with Tameside College to provide adult learning options in core areas such as:

• employability
• English
• English language
• IT
• maths.

ACE providers often partner with local businesses to offer training and apprenticeships.

See your local authority website for what's available in your area.

Institutes for Adult Learning (IALs)

Of the 253 colleges in the UK, nine are termed specialist designated colleges or IALs. They currently support more than 130,000 adult learners aged 19 and over every year. Many of these have little or no prior qualifications and come from disadvantaged communities.

These include:

• Fircroft College (Birmingham)
• Morley College London
• Northern College (Barnsley)
• Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College (London)
• Ruskin College Oxford

In addition to local centres, IALs offer hundreds of online courses for those living farther away.

Workers' Educational Association (WEA)

The WEA, the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult education in England and Scotland, delivers accessible adult learning courses both online and in person.

Subjects on offer from the WEA include:

• arts and crafts
• languages and culture - creative writing, film and music
• life skills - budgeting and numbers, confidence, parenting, and courses for carers
• work skills - community interpreting, management, education and childcare.

Find out what's available in your area at WEA - Find a course.

What adult courses can I study?

While adults can choose from a range of programmes at college, the following subjects and pathways are frequently on offer in adult education settings:

• Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma - for those without A-levels, this Level 3 qualification is typically completed in one year full time and provides an alternative for those over 19 and who've been out of education for some time. It's a popular choice for those looking to enter specific careers, such as nursing and physiotherapy. You can also read about studying A-levels as an adult.
• Accounting and IT - study bookkeeping or accounting with professional bodies such as the AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians). See the full range of accounting courses. You can also gain skills in ICT (information and communications technology) by learning how to make the most of Microsoft Office software packages that allow you to create databases, spreadsheets and promotional materials for businesses.
• Arts and crafts - these creative and highly practical courses include ceramics and textile art, creative writing, dress making and photography.
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses - if English isn't your first language, discover how to speak, listen, read, and write it. Courses are available from an introductory level to accredited qualifications.
• GCSEs in popular subjects - many mature students choose to study GCSEs in maths, English and science to enhance their career or further study prospects, often after spending many years away from the classroom.
• Language courses - whether you're new to a language or wish to progress to a higher level of proficiency, you can develop beginner, intermediate or advanced level ability in languages such as French, German, Italian or Spanish.
• Skills bootcamps - these free and flexible government-backed online courses lasting up to 16 weeks have been designed to help adults looking to change careers or develop new skills in fields suffering from skills shortages, such as construction, engineering and cyber security. Many skills bootcamps also guarantee an interview with an employer or support progression into a new role within their chosen sector.

What funding is available for adult education?

While college courses are typically free for 16 to 18-year-olds, funding is available for adults interested in further education.

You may be eligible for assistance with:

• childcare
• course costs
• living expenses.

Main forms of financial support for FE courses

If you're 19 or older, the non-means-tested Advanced Learner Loan is a government-funded option to help cover the costs of college courses. You'll only need to start repaying the money once you're earning over £25,000 a year (£2,083 a month).

Other government-backed schemes include:

• Care to Learn - available to those under 20 at the start of a publicly funded (no charges for attendance) course in England, this scheme can help with childcare costs.
• Learner Support - for those aged 19 or over and facing financial difficulties, a loan or grant can assist with travel, accommodation, and equipment such as a laptop. You may also be eligible for funding to improve your English and maths skills by doing your GCSEs.
• Residential Support Scheme - if you're studying far from home, you may be able to get help with the cost of term-time accommodation.
• 16 to 19 Bursary Fund - this fund provides bursaries for education-related costs for people aged 16 to 19 studying at a school or college in England or on a training course.

For the full lowdown on what's available, see GOV.UK - Financial help for FE courses.

Sector-specific grants and bursaries for adults

Bursaries are available at undergraduate level for those looking to enter a specific career, such as:

• Healthcare - the NHS Bursary for those studying to be a doctor or dentist on a five to six-year course.
• Social work - the Social Work Bursary (SWB) provides eligible undergraduate students living in England with help with their living costs.
• Teacher training and education - government organisations and professional bodies offer a variety of teaching bursaries and scholarships, including funding to encourage more graduates to teach certain subjects such as computing, geography or physics.

If you decide to study a degree, explore the full range of university scholarships and bursaries.

Other course-specific grants include:

• The City & Guilds Foundation - the skills development charity provides bursaries of up to £6,000 (most receive £2,500 to £5,000) for UK residents aged 18 or over who are unable to afford to study a City & Guilds or ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) qualification, such as an apprenticeship. Explore business and management apprenticeships.
• Dance and Drama Awards (DADA) - funding is available for those aged 16 to 23 from several specialist private dance and drama schools to help with course fees and living costs. These awards are restricted to specific Level 5 and 6 Trinity College London diplomas.

Explore your eligibility for a range of grants and bursaries at GOV.UK - Grants and bursaries for adult learners.

If you're facing financial uncertainty, you can also browse the Turn2us grants search.

Find out more

• Discover the skills employers want.
• Consider applying for college in the UK.