01Key definitions
Understanding GDPR
Build a clear foundation in UK GDPR, personal data and the wider legal landscape.
GDPR Online Training Course (Essentials)
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Don't be fooled by online courses which don't cover the GDPR properly. Our honest opinion? Save yourself time wasted later playing catch-up and minimise any risk for your company from knowledge gaps. Do it properly from the start – it doesn't have to be as boring as you might think.
This online GDPR course is designed for all employees as part of their data protection awareness training. The course gives an overview of where GDPR came from, how it applies today in the UK, the principles of data protection that must be followed under GDPR, the lawful bases under which data can be processed and the rights that each data subject holds with examples of how they work in practice.
It also covers common GDPR compliance risks such as recognising SARs (subject access requests). Situational questions improve data protection confidence throughout the course and help build confidence towards the final assessment.
Inside the course
Explore the course content
02Core principles
The seven principles
Learn the principles that guide lawful, fair and responsible use of personal data.
03Individual rights
Supporting people’s rights
Understand how individuals can control their data and how to respond in practice.
04Security & compliance
Protecting personal data
Put practical physical and cyber-security safeguards into everyday work.
05Assessment
Put learning into practice
Check your knowledge throughout the course and gain a certificate on completion.
GDPR Course Reviews
Informative without giving too much information. Well paced.
Going through the course and doing the tests has proved useful.
Informative and easy to understand – lots of examples provided.
Very thorough and in manageable, bite-sized chunks.
It covered a lot of ground.
Very practical and easy to understand.
Good explanation of each topic.
The lessons were short and easily digestible – bite size videos and modules, it was easy to digest.
It simplified complex definitions making it easier to understand.
Informative and detailed with lots of documents to reference.
Best GDPR training I have done (and I've done a lot!)
Course Updates
February 2026 Update
We’ve updated this course to reflect the Recognised Legitimate Interests provisions that came into force on 5 February 2026 under the Data Use and Access Act 2025.
What’s new:
- Recognised Legitimate Interests – A streamlined route that removes the balancing test for five specific conditions:
- Disclosures to public bodies
- National security, public security, and defence
- Emergencies
- Crime prevention and detection
- Safeguarding vulnerable individuals
- Regular legitimate interests unchanged – We’ve clarified that the standard balancing test still applies for marketing, fraud prevention, and general business operations
- Improved imagery and design – Refreshed visuals throughout the course
August 2025 Update
We’ve updated this course to reflect:
- The Data Use and Access Act 2025
- New enforcement cases from 2024-2025 added to update the materials
- New and more efficient course structure – we’ve removed older content about changes post Brexit, and instead focussed the course on current developments in the UK’s enforcement strategy
Why learn about GDPR?
- Reduce your risk of financial penalties and prosecution for non-compliance
- Delight your customers and colleagues with better respect for their privacy
- Instead of worrying, feel confident using personal data in your day to day tasks
- Demonstrate your commitment to ethical business practices – doing what's right
- Ensure that "GDPR myths" and outdated advice is not holding your business back
Course features
Engaging
Nobody wants to be lectured to. Learners get the knowledge they need through concise and engaging videos. Then, they apply what they've learnt through situational questions.
Ticks every box
Aligns with the ICO's accountability guidelines for data protection training.
Kept up to date
Our team regularly reviews the latest developments in data protection law. We build this knowledge into course updates and email alerts so you can keep ahead.
Comprehensive
For awareness training, this course won't leave any knowledge gaps. It gives staff exactly what they need to know and makes sure they can understand how it is applied in practice.
Learning with us
Course information
Learning outcomes
- Understand the key principles, data subject rights, legal basis for processing and implementation challenges of GDPR
- Know how to handle personal data properly in compliance with GDPR
- Be aware of the biggest GDPR compliance risks that all employees face and how to mitigate their impact.
GDPR Training Recommendations
- All employees should complete some GDPR training. Ideally, before they start processing personal data.
- Employees who process significant volumes of data or who perform high risk data processing activities such as sales and marketing staff should receive additional training. Employees who make strategic decisions or product design decisions (which may concern the processing of personal data) may also benefit from additional training.
- After initial training employees should receive refresher training 1 to 2 times a year. This will also help organisations demonstrate their compliance with the Accountability principle of GDPR.
This course is recommended for
All staff as part of GDPR awareness training.
Prerequisites
There is no prerequisite for this GDPR training.
What do I need for this course?
This course is 100% online and delivered through our online learning platform. Organisations can also access this content via their own LMS on request (different pricing and licensing terms will apply).
Course content
In this section we'll introduce GDPR and make sure you fully understand the key definitions. We'll look at how GDPR fits into the overall data protection law landscape. We'll explain why GDPR was introduced and examine how it works across the UK and EU with particular focus on the small, but important differences that apply following Brexit.
Lessons
- What is GDPR?
- The data protection law landscape – Data Protection Act 2018
- Why GDPR matters
- UK GDPR and EU GDPR – What is the difference?
- GDPR enforcement and penalties
- Defining personal data
- Defining data controllers, data processors and data subjects
- Mini-assessment
In this section we'll dive deep into the principles of GDPR. We'll explain how a solid understanding of these principles can help you achieve full compliance with GDPR. And we'll look at how you can use your knowledge of these principles to tackle different situations that currently lack specific guidance – so your projects will never be stuck at a GDPR roadblock again.
Lessons
- Lawfulness, fairness and transparency
- Purpose limitation
- Data minimisation
- Accuracy
- Storage limitation
- Integrity and confidentiality (security)
- Accountability
- Mini-assessment
In this section we'll look at the different lawful bases for processing data. For brevity, we'll keep our explanations of the least useful legal bases light. We'll use plenty of examples from organisations big and small of the right way and the wrong way to apply these lawful bases. We'll also bust some common GDPR myths.
Lessons
- Consent
- Contract
- Legal obligation
- Vital interests
- Public task
- Legitimate interests
- Mini-assessment
In this section we'll look at the different rights that data subjects have. We'll explore how they can exercise their rights and how you can support these rights in order to improve GDPR compliance by bringing in some practical examples.
Lessons
- The right to be informed
- The right of access
- The right to rectification
- The right to erasure
- The right to restrict processing
- The right to data portability
- The right to object
- Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling
- Mini-assessment
In this section we'll wrap up everything that we've learned. We'll look at some of the biggest issues that organisations face with GDPR. We'll also provide some practical measures that each staff member can apply to improve compliance in their day to day tasks.
Lessons
- The role of data protection officers
- International data transfers (restricted transfers)
- Data security
- Physical
- Cybersecurity
- Data breaches
- The future of GDPR – how to stay up to date
- End of course assessment
How it works
Step 1
Buy course seats
Purchase online using your credit or debit card. You'll be able to login immediately and start learning yourself, or invite your team members to join you.
Step 2
Start learning
Each team member will have access to the learning materials, interactive assessments and quizzes. On completion of the course team members will be issued with a certificate.
Step 3
Keep ahead
If you are opted in to communications we'll let you know when we make updates to the course material, trainees can review any updated lesson materials on the learning platform.
What's included
Training
- Distraction-free online learning platform
- Mini quizzes & end of course assessment
Updates
- Access to all course material updates and enhancements for the length of your access period
Certification
- Certificate on completion
Course FAQs
Yes, on completion of the course you will be issued with a digital certificate. Your certificate will be issued immediately after the final assessment is passed and you have marked the course as complete. You can add your certificate to your LinkedIn profile.
Yes, you can purchase multiple seats for your team. Simply select the number of seats you need during checkout. Each team member will receive their own login credentials and can complete the course independently.
Yes, we offer a 14-day 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the course for any reason, simply contact us within 14 days of purchase for a full refund.
The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) is the UK's implementation of GDPR. It sits alongside the UK GDPR and provides additional provisions specific to the UK context.
Under UK GDPR, organisations can face fines of up to £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover (whichever is higher) for the most serious infringements.
The ICO recommends that organisations provide regular data protection training to all staff who handle personal data. This training should be appropriate to their role and regularly updated.
Our paid GDPR Essentials course provides comprehensive coverage with video lessons, interactive assessments, and a certificate on completion. The free course offers a basic introduction but lacks the depth and certification of the full course.
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Individual Seats
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£16.50 per seat
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- Certificate on completion
- 6 months access
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Measured Collective Plus
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£236 per year
- Access to all paid courses
- Includes 20 seats
- Extra seats at £7.90/year
- 12 months access + updates
SCORM Licensing for Enterprise
Host this course on your own LMS. Ideal for organisations training 100+ employees.
What's included
- SCORM 1.2 & SCORM 2004 packages
- 12-month renewable license
- Completion & quiz tracking
- Instant download after purchase
- Course updates included
Calculate your price
Minimum 100 users
£1,450
£14.50 per user
Volume pricing (graduated)
Each bracket is priced separately. The more users, the lower your effective rate.
First 200
£14.50/user
Next 150
£11.50/user
Next 150
£9.50/user
Next 250
£7.75/user
Next 250
£6.50/user
1001+
Contact us
Email Sales
sales@measuredcollective.com
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Course resources
FREE DOWNLOAD
GDPR documentation requirements guide
An overview of the documents mentioned in UK GDPR. What they are, the legal basis for preparing them and who should prepare them.
Download
FREE DOWNLOAD
GDPR legitimate interests assessment
A template to assist you in making a legitimate interests assessment.
Download
Included in PLUS
