Adult education means organised studies pursued for the acquisition, retention or development of knowledge, skills and experience. Studies may be pursued at any stage and according to any methodology. Adult education can also replace or continue initial education acquired in general education or vocational school, or an institution of higher education.

Adult education is designed for learners who combine studies with employment, family responsibilities or other commitments. For adult learners, studying is not their main activity, but one component of a broader set of life roles.

Adult education can be divided into formal education and continuing education.

The organisation of formal education is governed by the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, Vocational Educational Institutions Act, Higher Education Act and Private Schools Act. Adults have an opportunity to acquire basic education and general secondary education in the form of non-stationary studies or as an external student, and to pursue studies in any type of vocational training and at any level of higher education. 

Continuing education means targeted and organised studies conducted under a curriculum outside the formal education, which comprise both continuing education with the purpose of professional development and informal education.

Continuing education is governed by the Adult Education Act, which sets out terms for obtaining the right to organise continuing education and the requirements for the activities of continuing education institutions, organisation of trainings and disclosure of information. The act primarily governs the activities of the institutions that organise continuing education financed from the state or local government funds or from the European Structural Funds, and trainings to which additional requirements set out in the respective legislation apply.

The Adult Education Act also establishes the right to study leave. Study leave may be granted for participation in both formal education and continuing education. To participate in training, an employer shall grant an employee or official up to 30 calendar days of study leave per year. For study leave related to formal education or continuing education aimed at professional development, the employer is required to pay the employee or official their average wages for up to 20 calendar days. This obligation does not apply in the case of participation in hobby education. In addition, for the completion of formal education, the employer shall grant, upon the employee’s request, an additional 15 calendar days of study leave, during which the employee or official is entitled to receive the statutory minimum wage.