Personal Learning Account AI courses in Wales
A Personal Learning Account pays for approved AI courses if you live in Wales, are 19 or over and employed, self-employed or a full-time carer. Agency and zero-hours contracts count.
- Where
- Wales
- Cost to you
- Free (funded by the Welsh Government)
- Courses listed
- 5 courses
Approved digital courses have no salary cap.
Is the Personal Learning Account open for 2026-27?
Yes. Scheme status checked on 7 Nov 2026: Medr, which sets the programme's rules for colleges, says of its programme specification: "This version of the specification is applicable for the 2026/27 Academic Year." Careers Wales gives no closing date.
Which AI courses can a Personal Learning Account pay for?
Cardiff and Vale College lists five AI courses as free with a Personal Learning Account, from BCS certificates in AI to short awards in machine learning and the ethics of AI. They are in the table further down, soonest first. The BCS Foundation Award: Award in Machine Learning (PLA) run from 9 Nov 2026 shows a waitlist rather than an apply button on the college's page.
The salary cap is lifted on two of them: the college's pages for BCS* Essentials Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) (PLA) and BCS* Foundation Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) (PLA) say each is "a non salary cap PLA course". The other three pages don't say, so if you earn over the cap, ask the college whether your course is on the approved digital list. One catch: two of the college's course pages give the usual cap as £34,303; its PLA page and Careers Wales give £35,796.
To find AI or digital courses at other colleges, use the Careers Wales course search: "Use the course type filter and select 'eligible for Personal Learning Account funding'."
Do you qualify for a Personal Learning Account?
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Where you live | In Wales |
| Age | 19 or over. No upper age limit is stated. |
| Work | At least one of: employed (including agency or zero-hour contracts); self-employed; a full-time carer paid or non-paid (where there is capacity on existing courses) |
| Salary | Basic salary up to £35,796, the median gross annual figure for full-time adults working in Wales in the tax year to 5 April 2025 (Medr). Medr defines basic salary as pay "before any extras are added or payments are deducted". No cap on approved digital or green courses. |
| At risk of redundancy | You can still apply. Careers Wales encourages you to carry on, where circumstances allow, should you be made redundant during the course. |
| Not eligible (Careers Wales) | Under the age of 19; attending school, college, or university full-time as a pupil or student; in Welsh Government funded Work Based Learning; an ineligible overseas national; in receipt of an Assembly Learning Grant or Education Maintenance Allowance; unemployed (you do not have a contract of employment) |
Which kinds of course does a Personal Learning Account cover?
Courses in sectors with skills shortages. Careers Wales lists six, and AI courses sit under digital skills:
- Net Zero and Green technologies
- Digital Skills (for various abilities)
- Logistics (in particular HGV/LGV driving)
- Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (including technical engineers)
- Hospitality (including chefs, catering assistants, waiting and front of house staff)
- Health and Social Care re-engagement
Medr's rules are where the digital exception comes from: "For the Personal Learning Account confirmed interventions (Digital, Net-Zero and Tata) the salary cap does not apply."
A course has to teach, too. Medr bars exam-only places: "Further Education Institutions must not deliver types of courses that fall within statutory requirements as defined in the Post-16 Funding Framework: Guidance ... and any activities such as refresher, reassessment, test / exam or resit only."
Which colleges offer Personal Learning Accounts?
Careers Wales names eleven colleges:
- Bridgend College
- Cardiff and Vale College
- Coleg Cambria
- Coleg Gwent
- Gower College Swansea
- Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
- Coleg Sir Gâr
- Coleg y Cymoedd
- The College Merthyr Tydfil
- Neath Port Talbot (NPTC) Group of colleges
- Pembrokeshire College
Medr says: "Individuals can apply either directly to the colleges or through Working Wales." It adds that a course should start soon after you apply: "No more than 90 days should pass between an application being received and the candidate starting the Personal Learning Account course ..."
Who can get Personal Learning Accounts?
In the official words (official page, checked 7 Nov 2026):
- "You must: Live in Wales Be 19 years old or over"
- "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.)"
- "All courses available through the Personal Learning Account programme are funded by the Welsh Government."
Who pays: Welsh Government.
How do I apply?
Book an appointment with a Careers Wales adviser or contact your local college.
Status: 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.
AI courses funded by Personal Learning Accounts
| Course | Next start | Cost | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCS Foundation Award: How AI Can Support Your Organisation (PLA)Cardiff and Vale College | 18 Jan 2027 | FundedFree under Personal Learning Accounts | Live sessionsDuration (as stated by provider): Part Time 3 hours per week |
| BCS Foundation Award: Award in Understanding the Role of Ethics in the Responsible Use of AI (PLA)Cardiff and Vale College | 8 Mar 2027 | FundedFree under Personal Learning Accounts | Live sessionsDuration (as stated by provider): Part Time 3 hours per week |
| BCS* Foundation Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) (PLA)Cardiff and Vale College | Next intake not announced | FundedFree under Personal Learning Accounts | BlendedDuration (as stated by provider): two half-day workshops |
| BCS* Essentials Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) (PLA)Cardiff and Vale College | Next intake not announced | FundedFree under Personal Learning Accounts | BlendedDuration (as stated by provider): four half-day workshops |
| BCS Foundation Award: Award in Machine Learning (PLA)Cardiff and Vale College | Applications closed | FundedFree under Personal Learning Accounts | Live sessionsDuration (as stated by provider): Part Time 3 hours per week |
Questions people ask
Can I get a Personal Learning Account if I am unemployed?
No. You need a contract of employment, or to be self-employed or a full-time carer. If you're at risk of redundancy, you can still apply.
Can a Personal Learning Account pay for an AI certification exam on its own?
No. Medr bars exam-only, resit and refresher places, so the account pays for a course with teaching. Where a course ends in an exam, check with the college what the place includes.
What is the salary cap for a Personal Learning Account?
Your basic salary must not go over £35,796 a year, unless the course is an approved digital or green one, where there is no cap. Basic salary is your pay before extras or deductions.
Cite this page
AI Course Atlas, "Personal Learning Account AI courses in Wales", https://aicourseatlas.co.uk/funded/personal-learning-accounts/. Checked on 7 Nov 2026. Editor: Jake Boland.
Sources
- Personal Learning Accounts: official page, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Medr: Personal Learning Account programme specification, 2026/27 academic year (PDF, July 2026), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Cardiff and Vale College: Personal Learning Accounts (PLA), checked 7 Nov 2026