Who can get FREE Functional Skills courses in the UK?

✅ FREE courses are available for:

1. UK Citizens: All British citizens can study Functional Skills for free.
2. EU Citizens: People with Settled Status or Pre‑Settled Status.
3. Refugees and People with Humanitarian Protection
4. ARC Card Holders (Asylum Seekers): Many ARC card holders can get free courses. We will check your Home Office papers.
5. People with the following visas (many are eligible):

Leave to Remain visa
BNO (British National Overseas) – if you have lived in the UK for 3 years or more
Dependant visa
Family Reunion visa
Leave Outside the Rules visa

❌ NOT eligible for free funding:

• Student visa
• Graduate Route visa
• BNO (if you have lived in the UK for less than 3 years)
• Skilled Worker visa (current course, July 2026)
• Partner (dependent) of a Skilled Worker visa holder
• Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Academic Visitor visa
• Any Tier 2 visa (T2 visa) - Please note: applies only to courses in the East Midlands and London
• Earning over £34,194.00 - Please note: applies only to courses in the East Midlands and London