Free General English Courses for Displaced People

Guidance on how displaced people can take up the opportunity to take General English courses for free.

The Centre for Open Learning offers displaced persons the opportunity to take General English courses for free. 

These free places are available only for displaced people in Scotland, they are people from an area of instability or a zone of conflict who have refugee status, or indefinite leave to remain, are asylum seekers, or under humanitarian protection. 

This includes people from Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. If you do not meet this criterion, please do not apply.

We have the following free courses on offer:

  • General English - three 10-week courses at Beginners and Elementary level, in the mornings
  • English for University study - 10 week course

Our Term 2 starts on Monday 20 January 2025.

We will offer three courses at Beginners and Elementary level in the mornings. These are exclusively for displaced persons. The course details are as follows:

  • Beginners Step 2 (CEFR A1) – Thursdays, 11.10am – 12.40pm
  • Elementary Step 2 (CEFR A2.1) – Tuesdays, 11.10am – 12.40pm
  • Elementary Step 5 (CEFR A2.2) – Thursdays, 11.10am – 12.40pm

We will also offer one course at Intermediate level in the evenings. This course is available for the wider public here  but has places reserved for displaced persons. The course details are as follows:

  • Intermediate Step 5 (CEFR B1.2) – Tuesdays, 5.30pm – 7.00pm

Please, note that in Intermediate Step 5, students with displaced backgrounds will learn side by side with learners from different backgrounds from the local community.

Do you want to sign up?

If you would like to join one of our courses, please complete these 3 steps:

  1. Complete our self-assessment for General English by following this link here

It is very important that you answer honestly so we can identify your level of English, and you can benefit from the most suitable course. 

  1. Write down your current level
  2. Complete a short form to register for a free place
  • Before you can complete the registration form, please, remember to do your self-assessment here.
  • Registration for free places will be open from 03 December 2024 to 03 January 2025.
  • On 03 December we will open this link for you to register. 
  • If you have any questions about our English courses for displaced persons beforehand, please, contact Laura (languagesforall-english@ed.ac.uk).

To find other institutions in Edinburgh that offer General English courses, please, visit the Edinburgh Council ESOL Providers webpage .

Please be aware of the following:

  • You must be aged 16 years or over
  • Please, complete the form only once
  • This form is for one individual person to apply
  • We can only offer a place to the person named on the form
  • Placements will be given on a first come, first served basis
  • We will email you to confirm your registration

If you have any further questions about the courses, please, contact Laura at languagesforall-english@ed.ac.uk.

We look forward to welcoming you to our English courses!


This short English for University Study course is aimed at people who wish to improve their academic language and literacies in preparation for study at university in English speaking contexts. 

Over ten weekly classes, you will explore academic language, cultures, and digital learning technology. Course content will be transferable to your area of interest so that the skills you learn can be applied to topics that interest you. 

Designed specifically for people from displaced backgrounds, this course aims to provide you with better understanding of the expectations of higher education, the process of applying for a Pre-sessional English language programme or for a university programme.

Course Dates and Fees

  • Course will start w/c 20th January 2025 and end w/c 31st March 2025
  • Please note that w/c 10th February is a mid-term break
  • The course will take place on Wednesdays 11:00 - 13:00 (2 hours x 10 weeks)
  • This course is FREE for people of displaced backgrounds

Visit English for University Study webpage for full details and information on how to apply Please note that this course is now full and applications are closed.


This article was published on