Starting Your Own Government-Funded Training Provider

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Setting up your own government-funded training provider may not be as simple and as easy as you may think. If you feel like government-funded training is for you or you want to see what options you may have. Then you’re in the right place. We’re going to go through everything you need to know and do to set up.

What are Government-Funded courses?

Generally, government-funded courses are those that are paid for in full or in part by the government. The education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) manages the funding. Which is an executive agency of the government. It funds a variety of standalone courses and apprenticeships. The student loans company can pay course fees on behalf of the ESFA through a contract or through an advanced learner loans facility. Funding is applied for via a tendering process, but training providers must be approved before they can tender.

What will I need to offer Government-Funded courses?

What a training provider needs to offer courses funded by the government varies. It depends on what type of training you offer and how you wish to fund it. There are a variety of funding models, which we’re going to go through each one and how it may be suitable for your company.

Advanced Learner Loans

Advanced learner loans provide funding to help people aged 19 and over cover the cost of undertaking regulated qualifications at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6. You, as the provider, are directly paid the funding. Each month, the Student Loans Company (SLC) pays for the learner’s attendance; however, before any payments are made, the student’s attendance must be confirmed.

In addition, to become an approved provider able to offer advanced learner loans, you must have an advanced learner loans facility agreement with the ESFA.

What are the fees?

The amount that an eligible learner can access depends on the course you are offering. In addition to the fees you charge.

Is there a time limit?

The course you’re offering must also be at least 2 weeks long, to be eligible for funding. However, there isn’t a maximum time limit in which a learner has to complete their course. The ESFA does have a maximum limit on how long they can pay a loan. More often than not this is 2 to 3 years. However, the government website has a lot more information on this.

Apprenticeships

There are 3 types of apprenticeship training providers:

  • Main provider
  • Employer provider and
  • Supporting provider.

Adult Education Budget

The adult education budget (AEB) is the main source of funding for all adult education outside of apprenticeships. It has 4 main strands it funds.

These are:

  • Training for the unemployed
  • Traineeships
  • Community learning
  • And statutory entitlements.

If you want to find out more about government funded course, then you can visit the page on our website that goes into a bit more detail. If you have any questions about anything in the blog, you can also book an initial consultation to get started on your training provider journey.