The 7 best project management courses in the UK for 2025

Virtually every industry relies on Project Managers, from construction to healthcare and tech. These professionals don’t just tell teams what to do. They lead transformation and manage rapid changes, such as artificial intelligence and supply chain challenges.

There are plenty of opportunities for project management training in the UK, but they’re not all created equal. You need a flexible course that fits your hectic schedule and goes beyond memorizing Agile jargon. Here are seven of the best project management courses. With a mix of accredited, free, and hands-on options, there’s something for every upskiller.

Multiverse’s Project Management programme provides paid, on-the-job training through an apprenticeship model.

It’s designed for working professionals without a traditional university degree who want to gain real-world experience. The structured curriculum teaches you how to plan and deliver projects successfully while leading diverse teams.

Learn in-demand project management skills that employers are seeking, including:

As an apprenticeship, Multiverse also places a lot of emphasis on hands-on learning. You’ll immediately start applying what you learnt by managing projects at your current employer. For example, you might try the Agile project management approach to see if daily stand-ups actually help your team communicate better.

Multiverse’s apprenticeships are completely free for students, and you’ll earn a salary as you learn. They also include one-on-one coaching from experienced project professionals and networking with a community of ambitious, supportive peers.

Duration

13 months for course delivery, plus two months for assessment

Price

Free for students

Interested in beefing up your CV with an industry certification? Consider the Association for Project Management’s Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ)(opens new window).

This certificate is designed for early-career professionals who are still learning all the jargon and basic techniques. It covers introductory topics, including project life cycles and scope management.

You can study online for the PFQ by yourself, or take a short course with an APM Accredited Training Provider. You’ll also need to pass the one-hour, 60-question exam to earn the official APM PFQ certification.

Duration

Typically two to three days with a Training Provider

Price

The certification exam costs £238.80 for APM members and £256.80 for non-members. The cost for accredited courses ranges from £324.17 to over £1,300.

PRINCE2®(opens new window) stands for Projects in Controlled Environments. This structured approach was originally developed by the UK government in the 1990s, but now it’s used by organisations around the world. It guides projects through several phases, from startup all the way to delivery.

The Foundation certification introduces you to PRINCE2®’s basic practices and principles. You’ll learn all the steps to manage projects and how to be a good team player.

Building on the Foundation level, the Practitioner certification tests whether you can apply the PRINCE2® approach to real projects. It covers more complex topics like managing group dynamics and overcoming roadblocks.

You can take in-person or online courses through providers like Axelos and QA. Expect these classes to be mostly theoretical, with a few case studies or training scenarios sprinkled in. Some people prefer this approach, but the lack of hands-on experience may not make it the best option for quick upskilling.

Duration

Two to three days, depending on the course and format

Price

Courses start at around £540 for the Foundation level and approximately £800 for the Practitioner.

Project management probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Google, but the tech giant certainly knows a lot about launching major initiatives. It shares some of its knowledge and strategies through the Project Management Professional Certificate(opens new window).

Available on Coursera, this certificate is geared toward beginners interested in entry-level project management careers. It was developed by experienced Project Managers at Google and includes successful (and sometimes not-so successful) case studies from the tech industry.

The programme usually takes about six months to finish, though enthusiastic upskillers may move through it faster. You’ll complete seven self-paced online courses about different project management methodologies and team dynamics.

But it’s not all about theory. In the concluding capstone unit, you’ll put your new skills to the test with real-world projects. The certificate also includes a module about using AI to assist your job search, which could help you step into a new role.

Duration

Approximately six months, but you can study at your own pace

Price

A Coursera Plus subscription costs $59/month or $399/year.

For more academic-minded professionals, the University of Oxford’s Lifelong Learning department offers an intensive project management course(opens new window).

This programme is designed for people with prior experience managing projects, and it focuses on more advanced topics than some of the other options on this list. You’ll attend three in-person or online sessions on content like:

Consider this option if you want to network with successful Project Managers and catch up on the latest trends and methods.

Duration

Three days

Price

£615.00

Maybe you’ve just started exploring a project management career, and you’re not sure if you want to go all-in. Dip your toes in the water with FutureLearn’s project management courses(opens new window).

These short courses are the perfect place to learn about introductory topics, like how to use Jira software or the difference between Agile and Scrum.

It’s free to audit FutureLearn courses if you’re purely interested in learning. But you could also pay to earn “microcredentials” through the Institute of Project Management and several universities. For example, you can earn a Fundamentals of Project Management certificate from the Nottingham Business School by taking courses through FutureLearn.

Price

It’s free to join individual classes for four weeks. For unlimited access to course materials, you must purchase each class for around £80 each or pay for an annual subscription of approximately £250.

No list of project management training courses would be complete without mentioning the Project Management Institute (PMI). It’s based in the US, but don’t let that scare you off. Its certificates are globally recognised, so they’ll still help your application stand out to UK employers.

The Certified Associate in Project Management(opens new window) is completely beginner-friendly — no work experience necessary. It tests your knowledge of basic project planning and other foundational concepts. While you probably won’t be able to manage the most complex projects by the end, it could help you qualify for entry-level Project Manager jobs.

Before you can sign up for the exam, you’ll need to complete at least 23 hours of project management training. The PMI offers an on-demand course for self-study, or you can take an instructor-led class.

If you have at least three years of experience, you can earn the PMI Project Management Professional(opens new window) certificate. The Institute calls it the “gold standard” for industry certification because it demonstrates your ability to lead projects in any industry.

Duration

At least 23 hours of coursework for the CAPM, followed by a three-hour exam.

Price

The CAPM exam costs around £160 for PMI members and approximately £220 for non-members. Training courses start at around £260.

There’s no universal “best” project management qualification. It all depends on your career ambitions and what you want to get out of your training.

Here’s how the seven options on this list stack up:

Consider how much time you’re able to invest, too. Can you only sneak in a couple of hours of studying a week? Try a low-stakes online course from FutureLearn. If you want to immerse yourself in all things project management, a Multiverse apprenticeship guarantees that you’ll get at least six hours of protected learning time a week.

Cost is another huge factor. Multiverse’s project management programme is completely free and lets you keep earning your current salary. But an APM qualification or a PMI certificate can cost hundreds of pounds, especially if you study with an instructor. Ask your employer if they offer professional development funding before you pay for training out of pocket.

Becoming a confident and savvy Project Manager can help you future-proof your career, especially in the age of AI. After all, ChatGPT might be able to plan a basic project, but it can’t respond to crises on the fly like a human. And it certainly can’t mediate a client dispute or convince a competitor to share an out-of-stock piece of equipment.

Multiverse’s Project Management course will help you gain the interpersonal skills and theoretical knowledge needed to thrive in this fast-paced field. It combines structured learning, coaching, and applied practice to give you a well-rounded foundation.

Make upskilling your next big project. Complete our quick application(opens new window) today to learn more!