Part Time Funding
Free courses for unemployed adults or adults in receipt of specific benefits
Some courses and professional qualifications offered by Cardiff and Vale College have a fee to pay. However, this year (Sept 2023-Aug 2024), the College is offering ‘fee remission’ to all adults who are unemployed or in receipt of specific benefits. This means if you can show the evidence below you can access these courses FREE OF CHARGE*.
To access these courses FREE OF CHARGE* you will need to show evidence that, at the time of applying for the course, you are:
- Unemployed
- and in receipt of one of the following benefits only:
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Job Seekers Allowance
- Carers Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
Other benefits including Pension Credit; Child Benefit; Council Tax Reduction Scheme; Statutory Sick Pay are not eligible for fee remission.
All part-time courses for adults shown on www.cavc.ac.uk with a £ icon qualify for this.
* Please note: A registration fee of £10-40 may be charged, depending on length of course/ number of courses studied during the year. Some courses also require professional registration/ examinations/ additional equipment to be paid for by the learner to complete the course and be awarded a qualification. Detail on this can be found on the course information for each course at www.cavc.ac.uk . Financial support for these costs may be available through the College’s Financial Contingency Fund (FCF), a fund to support learners with specific financial hardship.
Free Course for Employed Adults
Many courses offered by CAVC are available through a Personal Learning Account (PLA). A Personal Learning Account (PLA) is funded by Welsh Government to help boost your career. They are simple to set up and allow you to access a huge range of courses and professional qualifications FREE OF CHARGE.
To access a PLA you will need to show evidence that, at the time of applying for the course, you are:
If you’re aged 19 or over (on commencement of the training course), living in Wales and any of the below apply to you, then you could be eligible:
- Earning under the median income £29,534 (subject to change after 1st August 2022)
- Working on a zero-hour contract
- At risk of being made redundant
- Agency staff
- Full time carer (you provide unpaid care at home)
You cannot get a PLA if you are under 19 years of age (on commencement of the training course), live outside of Wales, or in full-time education, or on an apprenticeship or unemployed or in receipt of an Assembly Learning Grant or Education Maintenance Allowance.
A PLA is not available if you are unemployed, in full-time education or learning and in receipt of ALG or EMA funding.
All part-time courses for adults that can be accessed for free through a PLA are shown on www.cavc.ac.uk with a 
Free courses for all
Cardiff and Vale College also offers all Adult Basic Education (English, Maths and IT) and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses, up to and including Level 1, FREE OF CHARGE* for all adults, whether unemployed or employed.
To apply for Adult Basic Education courses in English, Maths or IT go to /en/abe
To apply for an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) course go to /en/esolplus
* Please note: A registration fee of £10-40 may be charged, depending on length of course/ number of courses studied during the year. Financial support for these costs may be available through the College’s Financial Contingency Fund (FCF), a fund to support learners with specific financial hardship.
Got a question? We can help
Our friendly Customer Service team are here to answer any questions you may have.
Go to www.cavc.ac.uk and click the LiveChat icon (add icon here)
Call 02920 250 250
Or email info@cavc.ac.uk
Cardiff and Vale College has a Fee Policy. The purpose of this is to outline the approach for the charging of tuition and other fees to students and users of College Services. For a full copy of this policy click here.