The Women in Agriculture Practical Training Fund was established by the Scottish Government
to support the personal development of women and girls aged thirteen and over, giving them
additional skills to progress their careers and employment opportunities in Scottish
agriculture beyond their current role.
Every ACS course is studied by distance learning, so there is nothing to travel to and
no term dates to fit around. You study at home, at your own pace, with a tutor who
marks your work — which is why these courses suit people working a holding, a
croft or a full-time job alongside their training.
Apply for funding before you enrol
Lantra cannot pay for training that has already been booked, started or paid for.
In their words: “please wait until you get confirmation of funding from us
before you do any training, as we cannot make retrospective payments for training
undertaken before approval is granted.”
So do not use the Enrol Now button on our course pages first. Start
your application on Skills Hub Scotland, wait for Lantra's decision, and enrol once
it comes through.
Who this fund is for
Lantra decide who is eligible, not us. These are the criteria they publish —
if you are close to them, it is worth applying and letting Lantra judge.
- You are a woman or girl aged thirteen or older.
- You live in Scotland.
- You are working in Scottish agriculture, or you are keen to join the industry.
- You would have been unable to undertake the training, or the qualification, without financial support.
- There is no upper age limit.
- Additional travel and accommodation costs can be offered to women and girls living on islands, or in remote rural areas, where those costs would otherwise stop them attending. Studying by distance learning removes that cost in the first place.
You can apply for a maximum of one course per month, and priority goes to people who
have not applied before.
How it works
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Step 1
Choose your course
Pick from the badged ACS courses below. Read the full course outline on our site first — your application asks what you expect to gain from it.
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Step 2
Apply on Skills Hub
Create a free Skills Hub Scotland account and apply against the course. You will need to explain how the training helps you or your business.
-
Step 3
Wait for approval
Lantra assess the application. Do not enrol or pay us anything until their confirmation arrives — funding cannot be awarded afterwards.
-
Step 4
Enrol and start
With approval in hand, enrol with us and start whenever you like. There are no intake dates to wait for.
ACS courses badged for this fund
Lantra have badged 67 ACS courses as eligible for the Women in Agriculture fund. Read the full outline on our course page, then start your application on Skills Hub.
Business and Management (9)
Ecotourism and Adventure Activities (1)
Permaculture and Self Sufficiency (10)
Common questions
How much will the Women in Agriculture fund pay towards an ACS course?
100% of the course fee, up to £500 per course. You can apply for training that costs more than £500, but you will need to explain the value of the training to you or your business in your application.
I am not working in farming yet. Can I still apply?
Yes. The fund is open to women and girls who are keen to join the industry as well as to those already working in Scottish agriculture.
How is this different from the other Scottish training funds?
It has the broadest eligibility of the four. There is no limit on how long you have been in the sector, no restriction on the size of the holding, and the lower age limit is 13. The Next Generation fund requires you to have entered agriculture within the last five years; the Small Producers fund requires a holding of 30 hectares or less with a Business Reference Number. If you qualify for more than one, any of them pays the same 100% up to £500.
I live on an island. Does that affect my application?
It can help. The fund can cover additional travel and accommodation costs for women and girls on islands or in remote rural areas. An ACS course is studied entirely by distance learning, so there is no travel to fund and the whole grant goes on the course itself.
Can I apply if I already hold a qualification?
Yes. The fund exists to give women additional skills to progress beyond their current role, so building on an existing qualification is exactly what it is for. Your application should explain what the new training will let you do that you cannot do now.
Other funds you might qualify for
Most of our badged courses carry more than one fund, and you only need to qualify for
one of them. It is worth reading these before you choose which to apply to.
Next Generation Practical Training Fund
People in Scotland who are new to agriculture
100% of the course fee, up to £500 per course
Eligibility and courses38 ACS courses badged
Small Producers Practical Training Fund
Small-scale food, drink and fibre producers in Scotland
100% of the course fee, up to £500 per course
Eligibility and courses67 ACS courses badged
Peatland Training Fund
People working in, or moving into, peatland restoration in Scotland
50% of the course fee, up to £1,000 per application
Find it on Skills Hub1 ACS course badged
Eligibility, funding amounts and the list of badged courses are set and published by
Lantra Scotland on Skills Hub Scotland,
and can change. We list which of our courses are badged; whether you qualify is Lantra's
decision. Course list last checked 10 September 2026.
Questions about the fund itself go to Lantra Scotland on 01738 310164.