Learna

What Learna does

Learna Ltd is a Cardiff-headquartered, privately held online education company founded in 2010 that delivers UK-validated postgraduate qualifications to healthcare professionals globally. It operates two principal sub-brands: Diploma MSc, which offers 100% online Postgraduate Certificates (six months), Postgraduate Diplomas (twelve months), MSc programmes (two years), and an Executive MBA in Healthcare Management (eighteen months); and StudyPRN, a separate platform providing CPD courses and Specialty Certificate Examination (SCE) revision question banks. All programmes are validated by accredited UK universities — University of South Wales, University of Buckingham, and University of Wolverhampton — and span 50+ medical specialisations, with the company claiming 8,000+ graduates from 75 countries.

The core technology stack is a Moodle-based learning management system delivering scenario-based discussion learning, reflective journals, and tutor-led online forums with 24/7 access and no fixed timetable. The platform supports self-paced study designed to accommodate working clinicians, with an online application portal, multiple payment options (interest-free instalments, Lendwise financing up to 8 years), and a recruitment partner programme that pays 20% commissions during a 12-month "Honeymoon" period.

Revenue is generated principally through tuition fees from B2C individual enrolments, supplemented by pharmaceutical-sponsored exam revision content (Kyowa Kirin, British Society for Rheumatology), scholarships via the Merck Foundation, and lower-ticket SCE and CPD unit sales priced from £40–£109. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding or revenue, and operates with 11–50 employees from a single Cardiff office.

Name

Learna

Legal name

Learna Ltd

Website

https://learna.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Learna is a privately held UK-based online education company, founded in 2010, that delivers university-validated postgraduate qualifications, CPD courses, and medical exam revision to healthcare professionals across more than 75 countries through its Diploma MSc and StudyPRN brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Healthcare Professional Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Healthcare & Nursing Universities (Allied Health, RN-to-BSN, etc.) (EDAHALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA), Healthcare & Clinical Professional Development (CME/CE) (EDAGANAJ), Medicine & Allied Health (Clinical) (EDAGABAG), Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Online medical education
• Healthcare professional training
• Postgraduate medical programmes
• Continuing professional development
• Medical exam revision

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Primary revenue stream from postgraduate diploma, MSc, MBA, and certificate programs. Students pay course fees either upfront or through interest-free monthly instalments. Prices vary by program with Executive MBA at £8,880 total and postgraduate certificates/diplomas at various price points.
2. Recruitment Partner Commissions: Revenue sharing with recruitment partners who refer students. Partners receive 20% commission during initial 12-month period, then transition to tiered commission structure. No recruitment caps, scaling with partner success.
3. CPD and Exam Revision Subscriptions: Revenue from continuing professional development courses and specialty certificate exam (SCE) revision question banks through StudyPRN platform. Prices range from £40-£109 per exam preparation course.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Learna delivers 100% online postgraduate qualifications and continuing professional development courses for healthcare professionals worldwide through its Moodle-based learning platform. Core offerings include Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, MSc programmes, an Executive MBA in Healthcare Management, and specialty exam revision resources, validated by partner universities and accessible 24/7 with no fixed timetable.

Product overview

Learna is an online education company operating under two sub-brands: Diploma MSc (medical education) and StudyPRN (CPD and exam revision). The core product is a Moodle-based learning management system that delivers 100% online postgraduate qualifications including Postgraduate Certificates (6 months), Postgraduate Diplomas (12 months), MScs (2 years), and Executive MBA in Healthcare Management. The platform offers 40+ medical specialization courses spanning Cardiology, Dermatology, Diabetes, Neurology, Oncology, and more, along with SCE exam revision resources and 20+ CPD courses. All programmes are validated by partner universities including University of South Wales and University of Buckingham, with 70% of graduates reporting higher salaries within three years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Diploma MSc: Medical education brand offering postgraduate certificates, diplomas, MSc programmes and Executive MBA in Healthcare Management, validated by UK universities.
• StudyPRN

Products and services

• Postgraduate Certificates Six-month, part-time, 100% online postgraduate certificates in medical specializations such as Addiction Medicine, AI in Medicine, Anti-ageing Medicine, Critical Care, Medical Education, Menopause Medicine, Metabolic Medicine, and more, designed for healthcare professionals seeking specialist credentials.
• Postgraduate Diplomas One-year, part-time, 100% online postgraduate diplomas covering 40+ medical specializations including Cardiology, Dermatology, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Neurology, and Oncology, aimed at healthcare professionals seeking in-depth specialty training.
• MSc Programmes Two-year, part-time, 100% online Masters degrees in medical specializations, with Year 1 following the postgraduate diploma curriculum and Year 2 dedicated to research methods and professional projects.
• Executive MBA in Healthcare Management An 18-month, part-time, 100% online Executive MBA validated by the University of Buckingham and accredited by the Institute of Leadership, focusing on business management integrated with healthcare administration — covering organizational behavior, leadership, strategy, financial management, marketing, and change management. Total course fees £8,880.
• SCE Exam Revision Courses Online revision question banks for Specialty Certificate Examinations (SCE), MRCGP AKT exams, and NMC Test of Competence for Nurses, covering Dermatology, Endocrinology, Neurology, Respiratory Medicine, Cardiology, and other specializations. Priced from £40 to £109 per course.
• CPD Courses Over 20 online continuing professional development courses tailored to healthcare professionals and specialties, providing ongoing education and career development opportunities delivered via the StudyPRN platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of graduates report higher salaries within three years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of South WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership delivering postgraduate programmes. The university provides programme validation, with specialised tutors and course directors overseeing curriculum writing and design. Learna extends the university's reach beyond on-campus offerings to a broader, global audience.
• University of BuckinghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership validating Executive MBA in Healthcare Management and other programmes. University of Buckingham is the only independent university in the UK with a Royal Charter and houses its own GMC-accredited medical school.
• University of WolverhamptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership validating Postgraduate Diploma and MSc programmes in Diabetes, Primary Care, and Acute and Urgent Care. Combines cutting-edge content with flexible online delivery.
• Merck FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropic partnership providing scholarships and bursaries to healthcare professionals in developing nations. Collaboration aims to expand access to education and address critical healthcare gaps in underserved regions through cost-effective, accelerated programmes.
• Kyowa KirinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for the European Specialty Exam in Gastroenterology & Hepatology (ESEGH) exam revision course on StudyPRN platform.
• British Society for RheumatologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for Rheumatology SCE exam revision course, providing support for healthcare professionals preparing for the Specialty Certificate Examination in Rheumatology.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BMJ Learning: CPD and continuing medical education platform from BMJ, offering modular modules and exam preparation for healthcare professionals; directly comparable StudyPRN CPD/SCE use case.
• FutureLearn: UK-based online higher education platform owned by Global University Systems, offering postgraduate certificates, diplomas, and short courses including health programmes; closest direct peer given shared UK base and online PG qualification model.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Global online learning platform offering university-validated healthcare and medicine specialisations, master's degrees, and certificates; competes for the same international healthcare professional learner pool but with a much broader catalogue beyond medicine.
• Udacity: Online professional education platform offering nanodegree and certificate programmes in technology and adjacent fields; comparable online professional upskilling model for working adults, though not healthcare-focused.
• edX (2U): Online university-level platform offering postgraduate degrees and micro-credentials, including health-related programmes from Harvard, MIT, and other partners; directly comparable delivery model and credential partnership structure.
• King's College London Online Programmes: Top-tier UK university offering online postgraduate certificates, diplomas, and master's in clinical specialties and health professions; competes for similar international healthcare professional demand with higher brand prestige.
• University of Edinburgh Online Learning: Russell Group university offering a broad portfolio of online postgraduate programmes including health and clinical specialties; provides degree-validated online healthcare education to a global audience.

Emerging players

• Kenhub: Specialised online anatomy and medical education platform serving healthcare students and professionals globally; comparable niche healthcare education focus with subscription-based CPD-style offerings.
• Glass Health: AI-powered clinical learning and decision-support platform for physicians; emerging alternative delivery model for medical knowledge acquisition and CPD that may displace traditional LMS-based medical education.

Others

• Royal College of Physicians (RCP) e-Learning: Royal college offering accredited CPD and specialty training resources for physicians; adjacent authority body that issues competing credentials Learna's students target, and increasingly delivers online CPD content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/diplomamsc
• Facebookfacebook.com/DiplomaMSc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diploma-msc
• Instagraminstagram.com/learna.diplomamsc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Learna