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Further education (FE) colleges are not only a place for school leavers to gain qualifications, as many adults also take a range of part-time, professional skills and vocational courses to progress their careers or continue their 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 these individuals with the skills and knowledge to improve their job prospects, develop their abilities in a particular area or allow them to learn for personal enjoyment.

According to the Association of Colleges (AoC) report, in 2021/22, £776million was spent on adult education, accounting for over a tenth (12%) of the FE budget. They reported that nearly 1.3 million adults aged 19 and over choose to study or train across England's 217 colleges.

It was also revealed that 694,000 college students are aged 25 and over, with the average age being 28. This shows that age is no barrier to learning or achieving a qualification.

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, 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 as part of their service offerings.

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

Institutes for adult learning (IAL)

Of the 260 colleges in the UK, ten have been described as specialist designated colleges or institutes for adult learning (IAL). 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:

• (Birmingham)
• (Barnsley)
• (London)

In addition to local centres, IALs can also provide hundreds of online courses for those living further 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.

The variety of subjects on offer from the WEA includes:

• 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 .

Adult learning courses

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 one-year, part-time diploma provides an alternative route to university for those over 19 and who've been out of education for some time. It's a popular choice for those looking to get into specific careers such as nursing and physiotherapy. You can also read about studying A-levels at college as an adult.
• Accounting and IT - study bookkeeping or accounting with professional bodies such as the . 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 career-changing adults aged 19 and over develop their skills in fields suffering from skills shortages, such as construction, engineering and cyber security.

FE funding and support

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

The government-backed schemes include:

• - 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.
• - 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.
• - if you're studying far from home, you may be able to get help with the cost of term-time accommodation.
• - this fund provides a bursary for education-related costs for people aged 16 to 19 who are studying at a school or college in England or on a training course.

If you're 19 or older, the non-means-tested is another government-funded option for helping with college course costs. As a Plan 5 loan, you'll only need to start repaying the money once you're earning over £25,000 a year (£2,083 a month).

For the full lowdown on what's available, see .

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 for those studying to be a doctor or dentist on a five to six-year course.
• Social work - the 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 skills development charity provides bursaries of up to £6,000 for UK residents aged 18 or over who are unable to afford to study a City & Guilds or qualification, such as an apprenticeship. Explore business and management apprenticeships.
• - funding is available for those aged 16 to 23 from a number of specialist private dance and drama schools to help with course fees and living costs. These awards are restricted to specific Level 5 and 6 .

Explore your eligibility for a range of grants and bursaries at .

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

Find out more

• Discover the skills employers want.
• Consider applying for college in the UK.
• Read our overview of the UK's FE sector.