Government-funded AI courses in the UK (2026)
Nine government-funded schemes in the UK can help with AI training.
- Free in every nation
- AI Skills Boost
- Nations covered
- England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
- Status checked
- 7 Nov 2026
AI Skills Boost is free to every adult, and each nation adds its own, such as Skills Bootcamps in England and Personal Learning Accounts in Wales.
Jump to your nation: England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Each scheme's own rules on who can get it are in the table and its section.
Which government funding can you get where you live?
| Scheme | Nation | Who can get it | Who pays | What it costs you | Status, checked on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Skills Boost (AI Skills Hub) | UK-wide | Every adult in the UK | UK government with industry partners | AI Skills Boost courses: free; other hub courses: check each | Running. Announced on 28 January 2026, with no notice on GOV.UK that it has closed.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Skills Bootcamps | England | Adults aged 19 or over | Government; employers training their own staff pay part of the cost | Free if eligible; employers training existing staff pay 10% (1 to 249 employees) or 30% (250 or more) | Running in England, with local funding allocated for the 2026 to 2027 financial year.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Apprenticeship units | England | Employed learners aged 19 or over in a leadership role | For employers who don't pay the levy, government funds all unit training and assessment up to the funding rate | Nothing for an employer that doesn't pay the levy, up to the £750 funding rate. Levy payers use their levy funds; if those run short, government pays all of it for learners aged 19 to 24 and 75% for learners aged 25 and over | Live. The three AI leadership units (AU0009, AU0010 and AU0011) were approved on 21 April 2026, under the funding rules for August 2026 to July 2027.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Free Courses for Jobs | England | Aged 19 or over and earning below £25,750, or unemployed; some areas set different limits | Government | Free for eligible learners | Running. Qualifications on the list must be approved for funding in the 2026 to 2027 funding year. It covers level 3 qualifications, including digital ones, and level 2 qualifications in construction, engineering or manufacturing.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Lifelong Learning Entitlement | England | Under 60 at the start of the course for a tuition loan; returning learners can borrow less | Tuition fee loan (repaid like a student loan) | A tuition fee loan of up to £39,160 for new learners, less if you have had student finance before (a loan, not a grant) | Open: the Student Loans Company announced on 30 October 2026 that applications are now open, for courses and modules starting from 1 January to 31 July 2027.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| New Flexible Workforce Development Fund | Scotland | Workers earning under £33,000 who are a parent or carer of a child under 18 at home, under 24, or care-experienced or disabled and under 30 | Scottish Funding Council, through colleges; up to £15,000 per employer a year | Funded, up to £5,000 per learner | Open for 2026-27: running from August 2026 to December 2027 (Scottish Funding Council guidance, 6 July 2026).Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Personal Learning Accounts | Wales | Living in Wales, 19 or over, and employed, self-employed or a full-time carer, with a basic salary up to £35,796 (no cap for approved digital or green courses) | Welsh Government | Free (funded by the Welsh Government) | Open for 2026-27: Medr's programme specification applies to the 2026/27 academic year. Not for people who are unemployed. Approved digital or green courses have no earnings cap.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Assured Skills Academies | Northern Ireland | 18 or over, with the right to work and train in the UK | Department for the Economy (NI), fully funded | Free, with a training allowance of up to £185 a week | Academies are demand led and run when announced. On 7 November 2026 nidirect listed one open academy, in early learning and childcare (closing 13 November 2026), and none in AI, digital or data.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
| Advance ME (Enhanced Investment Zone skills programme) | Northern Ireland | 18 or over when you enrol, with the right to work and train in the UK | UK Government, fully funded | Fully funded | Running. nidirect lists its courses, AI courses among them. Course dates: not stated by nidirect.Checked 7 Nov 2026 |
Download the data (CSV): the same rows, with each official page's address. Source: each scheme's official page, last checked 7 Nov 2026. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0; credit AI Course Atlas.
What does an employer pay after co-investment?
Skills Bootcamps and apprenticeship units ask employers to pay a share when they train their own staff. A pound figure appears only where the official pages state every number it needs, and it is marked computed; where no price is published, the rule is all there is.
| Scheme | Employer | The rule | Employer's cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills Bootcamps | Employer with 1 to 249 employees, training its own staff | 10% of the training cost | 10% of the provider's price. No national price is published, so there is no figure to work out. |
| Skills Bootcamps | Employer with 250 or more employees, training its own staff | 30% of the training cost | 30% of the provider's price. No national price is published, so there is no figure to work out. |
| AI leadership apprenticeship units | Employer that doesn't pay the apprenticeship levy | Government pays all training and assessment costs, up to the £750 funding rate | Employer pays: £0 (computed: government pays all of the £750 funding rate) |
| AI leadership apprenticeship units | Levy-paying employer with too little in its levy account, learner aged 19 to 24 | Government pays all training and assessment costs, based on the funding rate | Employer pays: £0 (computed: government pays all of the £750 funding rate) |
| AI leadership apprenticeship units | Levy-paying employer with enough in its levy account | The employer spends its levy funds on the unit | Paid from its levy funds, with no extra cash up to the £750 funding rate |
| AI leadership apprenticeship units | Levy-paying employer with too little in its levy account, learner aged 25 or over | Government pays 75% of training and assessment costs, based on the funding rate | Employer pays per learner: £187.50 (computed: the 25% of the £750 funding rate that government doesn't pay) |
| New Flexible Workforce Development Fund | Employer operating in Scotland that is implementing, or commits to, Fair Work practices | Up to £5,000 per learner, and up to £15,000 per employer each year | Not stated by the Scottish Funding Council. Learners funded at the full £5,000 before the employer's yearly cap is used up: 3 (computed: £15,000 divided by £5,000) |
What is free across the whole UK?
AI Skills Boost (AI Skills Hub)
The government's own free AI training, built with industry partners and hosted on the AI Skills Hub. It is the one scheme on this page that works the same in every nation, and finishing selected courses earns a government-backed AI foundations badge.
How to apply: Create a free learning profile on the AI Skills Hub (aiskillshub.org.uk).
In the official words: "Every adult in the UK is eligible to take free, newly benchmarked courses to gain practical AI skills for work." (read from GOV.UK's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
What funding is there in England?
Skills Bootcamps
Free for learners in England. Digital is one of the listed sectors; the national pages don't name AI bootcamps, so search the course finder for AI or data and check each provider's page.
How to apply: Use the find a course tool on the Get careers information and advice service (linked from Skills for Careers), then apply on the training provider's website.
In the official words: "Skills Bootcamps are flexible training courses for adults aged 19 and over. They last up to 16 weeks and offer participants a job interview on completion." (read from the Department for Education's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
Apprenticeship units
Short funded units for people already in work. Skills England has three AI leadership units (AU0009, AU0010 and AU0011), each at Level 5 with at least 30 hours of training.
How to apply: Find a provider through the "Find apprenticeship training providers" link on each unit's Skills England page.
In the official words: "Units are for employed learners aged 19 and over, where their employer has identified that they need to upskill quickly to respond to emerging skills gaps and to support business growth and productivity." (read from Skills England's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
Free Courses for Jobs
A free level 3 qualification, with digital subjects on the list, for adults on lower pay or out of work. GOV.UK doesn't say whether any AI qualification is included, so ask the college.
How to apply: Use the National Careers Service course finder to see which courses are free in your area.
In the official words: "You can get a free qualification if you’re: aged 19 or over earn below £25,750 or are unemployed" (read from GOV.UK's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
The same page adds: "In some areas, there may be slightly different rules about the maximum amount you can earn and the qualifications you already have."
Lifelong Learning Entitlement
A loan you repay, rather than a grant. It pays for courses or modules, including modules of approved Higher Technical Qualifications. Neither GOV.UK page on it mentions AI.
How to apply: Apply for student finance through the new online system, signing in with a GOV.UK One Login account.
In the official words: "Eligible learners can apply now for courses or modules starting between 1 January 2027 and 31 July 2027." (read from GOV.UK's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
Full apprenticeships are on the AI apprenticeships page, with each standard's level and funding.
What funding is there in Scotland?
New Flexible Workforce Development Fund
Employers in any sector apply through a college, if they operate in Scotland and are implementing, or commit to, Fair Work practices. The worker must meet both an income rule and one of three circumstances, quoted below.
How to apply: Apply through a college, as an employer or as a worker whose employer knows. Employer applications need an explicit statement committing to Fair Work practices.
In the official words: "In line with the aim of the New FWDF, funded training opportunities are open only to workers with an individual annual income below £33,000 who are either: parents or carers of a child aged under 18 living at home, individuals aged under 24, or care-experienced/disabled individuals aged under 30." (read from the Scottish Funding Council's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
The same page adds: "Employers must operate in Scotland and be implementing Fair Work practices or, if not yet doing so, be committed to working towards doing so."
What funding is there in Wales?
Personal Learning Accounts
Free courses in Wales for people in work, including the self-employed, and full-time carers. The salary cap stops at approved digital and green courses, so an approved digital course is open to you whatever you earn.
How to apply: Book an appointment with a Careers Wales adviser or contact your local college.
In the official words: "AND your annual basic salary does not go over £35,796. (There is no earning cap on approved courses or qualifications in digital or green skills.)" (read from Careers Wales's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
AI courses you can take with a Personal Learning Account, such as Cardiff and Vale College's BCS Foundation Award: How AI Can Support Your Organisation (PLA) and BCS Foundation Award: Award in Understanding the Role of Ethics in the Responsible Use of AI (PLA), are listed on Personal Learning Account AI courses in Wales, with who qualifies and the salary cap.
What funding is there in Northern Ireland?
Assured Skills Academies
Short pre-employment courses, fully funded, with a weekly training allowance. An academy runs only when one is announced.
How to apply: Current academies are advertised on JobApplyNI, nidirect and job sites.
In the official words: "Applicants must be at least 18 years old." (read from the Department for the Economy's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
Advance ME (Enhanced Investment Zone skills programme)
Fully funded by UK Government for people aged 18 or over with the right to work and train in the UK. AI courses on its list include Belfast Metropolitan College's AI-901 Azure AI Fundamentals Certification (Level 3) and Queen's University Belfast's Foundations in AI (Level 7). nidirect doesn't say whether you need to be in work.
How to apply: Apply to the college or university that runs the course; nidirect links to each one.
In the official words: "Advance ME is the main upskilling and reskilling strand of the Enhanced Investment Zone skills programme" (read from nidirect's page on 7 Nov 2026, source).
Questions people ask
Are there free government AI courses in the UK?
Yes. AI Skills Boost courses on the government's AI Skills Hub cost nothing for any adult in the UK, wherever you live. You sign up by making a free learning profile on the hub.
How much does an employer pay for a Skills Bootcamp?
It depends on headcount. An employer sending its own staff pays 10% of the training cost with 1 to 249 employees, or 30% with 250 or more. The learner pays nothing.
Can a business in Scotland get AI training funded?
Yes, if the business and the worker both qualify. An employer that operates in Scotland and is implementing, or commits to, Fair Work practices can apply through a college for up to £15,000 a year from the New Flexible Workforce Development Fund. The worker must earn under £33,000 and be a parent or carer of a child under 18 at home, under 24, or care-experienced or disabled and under 30.
Do Personal Learning Accounts in Wales cover AI courses?
They can, if the college's course is on the approved digital list, and then the £35,796 salary cap doesn't apply. You need to live in Wales, be 19 or over, and be employed, self-employed or a full-time carer. Careers Wales or the college confirms whether a course is approved.
Is there funded AI training in Northern Ireland?
Yes, through Advance ME, whose course list on nidirect includes AI courses from Belfast Metropolitan College and Queen's University Belfast. Assured Skills Academies are fully funded as well, though none open on 7 Nov 2026 was in AI or digital.
Is the Lifelong Learning Entitlement free?
No. It is a tuition fee loan of up to £39,160 for new learners, which you pay back, for courses and modules in England. The Student Loans Company announced on 30 October 2026 that applications are open.
Cite this page
AI Course Atlas, "Government-funded AI courses in the UK (2026)", https://aicourseatlas.co.uk/funded/. Scheme status checked on 7 Nov 2026. Editor: Jake Boland.
Sources
- AI Skills Boost (AI Skills Hub) (gov.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Skills Bootcamps (find-employer-schemes.education.gov.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Skills Bootcamps (gov.uk): skills bootcamps training providers, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Skills Bootcamps (skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk): your training options, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Skills Bootcamps (gov.uk): skills bootcamps funding allocations 2026 to 2027, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Skills Bootcamps (skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk): skills bootcamp, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Apprenticeship units (skillsengland.education.gov.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Apprenticeship units (gov.uk): apprenticeship unit funding rules august 2026 to july 2027, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Apprenticeship units (find-employer-schemes.education.gov.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Apprenticeship units (gov.uk): apprenticeship funding, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Free Courses for Jobs (gov.uk): guidance / free courses for jobs, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Free Courses for Jobs (gov.uk): qualification funding approval / free courses for jobs, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Lifelong Learning Entitlement (gov.uk): lifelong learning entitlement overview, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Lifelong Learning Entitlement (gov.uk): applications for the lifelong learning entitlement lle are now open, checked 7 Nov 2026
- New Flexible Workforce Development Fund (sfc.ac.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Personal Learning Accounts (careerswales.gov.wales), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Personal Learning Accounts (medr.cymru), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Assured Skills Academies (economy-ni.gov.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Assured Skills Academies (nidirect.gov.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Advance ME (Enhanced Investment Zone skills programme) (nidirect.gov.uk), checked 7 Nov 2026