Homebuyer Education Course: Who Needs One and Where to Go

You need a homebuyer education course if your loan or assistance program requires one. That usually means a HomeReady or Home Possible purchase where every borrower is a first-time buyer, or a down payment assistance program. Free online courses from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac meet the rule for their loans, and HUD-approved housing counseling agencies offer free or low-cost classes too.

This guide covers who has to take a first-time home buyer class, which courses your lender will accept, and what the course costs. It also explains how long the certificate lasts and when one-on-one housing counseling is the better choice.

Who has to take a homebuyer education course

No law requires every buyer to take a class. Instead, the rule comes from the loan program or the assistance program you use. So the same buyer might need a course for one loan and not another.

These are the most common triggers, based on the agency guides in effect in November 2026:

Two details matter here. First, only one borrower has to complete the course under the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rules. Also, if even one borrower has owned a home recently, the first-time trigger may not apply. Fannie Mae lists these rules in Selling Guide B2-2-06, and Freddie Mac lists its own in Guide Section 5103.4.

Home Possible and HFA Advantage add one more step for a 2- to 4-unit home. In that case, at least one borrower must also complete landlord education before closing.

FHA loans and down payment assistance

For FHA, the handbook only requires that any counseling a borrower needs comes from a HUD-approved agency. However, many buyers pair an FHA loan with FHA down payment assistance, and that assistance often carries its own class requirement. For example, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority tells borrowers in one of its programs they must attend a free homebuyer education course before closing.

Lender and program rules change, and a lender can add its own requirement. Because of that, your loan officer is the one who confirms whether your file needs a certificate. Ask early, before you sign a purchase contract.

Which homebuyer education courses count

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac accept courses from several kinds of providers. The course must meet the National Industry Standards (NIS) for Homeownership Education and Counseling or HUD standards. Also, it must come from someone independent of your lender.

Courses that generally qualify include:

• Fannie Mae HomeView. This is a free online course that aligns with NIS. You earn a certificate after you finish six modules and score 80% or higher on a final quiz.
• Freddie Mac CreditSmart Homebuyer U. This free online course is named in Freddie Mac’s guide as an acceptable program for Home Possible and HomeOne.
• HUD-approved housing counseling agencies. Many nonprofits offer group classes in person or online, plus one-on-one counseling.
• State housing finance agencies, community development financial institutions and mortgage insurance companies. Freddie Mac lists each of these as acceptable providers.

You may hear a course called “HUD-approved.” In fact, HUD approves counseling agencies and certifies counselors, not courses. Fannie Mae’s HomeView FAQ makes this point directly.

Down payment assistance is where buyers most often get tripped up. A program can require its own course, a specific agency or an in-person class. In that case, a free online certificate might not satisfy it. Before you start a class, check your program’s rules on our down payment assistance programs page and then with the program itself.

On the other hand, one course can sometimes cover two needs. For instance, Freddie Mac says education taken for a competing loan still counts for Home Possible if the course meets its standards.

What a first-time home buyer class covers

Most courses follow the same arc, from deciding to buy through owning the home. HomeView and Homebuyer U both cover these topics:

• Whether you are ready to buy, and how renting compares with owning
• Budgeting and saving for a down payment, closing costs and reserves
• How credit scores work and how to improve yours
• Mortgage types, how to compare lenders, and how to read a Loan Estimate
• Shopping for a home and working with an agent
• Appraisals, closing and the Closing Disclosure
• Keeping up with payments, repairs and the costs of owning a home

If you want a broader view of the steps, our first-time home buyer’s guide walks through the full process.

Cost, time and certificate rules

A homebuyer education course can cost nothing. Fannie Mae says HomeView, its certificate and its resources are free. Likewise, Freddie Mac calls Homebuyer U its free curriculum.

HUD-approved agencies may charge “reasonable and customary” fees under federal rules (24 CFR 214.313). Still, an agency must tell you its fees before it provides services. It cannot charge for intake, and it must serve people who cannot afford the fee at no charge. Some lenders also pay agencies for the class.

How long the course takes

Neither Fannie Mae nor Freddie Mac sets a minimum number of hours. Both online courses are self-paced, so you can pause and return on any device. Agency classes vary, from a single session to several evenings, so ask the agency for its schedule.

Plan for the course early, though. A certificate you finish the week of closing can hold up your file if the lender needs time to review it.

How long the certificate is good for

HomeView certificates show a completion date but no expiration date. However, Fannie Mae notes that lenders may set their own limit on certificate age. Down payment assistance programs can set a limit too.

Use your legal name when you enroll. Fannie Mae advises that the name on the certificate should match your loan application.

Homebuyer education course vs. one-on-one housing counseling

A homebuyer education course teaches a set curriculum, often to a group. Housing counseling, by contrast, is one-on-one help with your own finances. Under Fannie Mae’s definition, counseling always includes a budget and a written action plan.

For Fannie Mae loans, finishing housing counseling before closing also meets the education rule. In addition, HUD-approved agencies that teach group classes must offer individual counseling on the same topics.

Counseling usually helps more when you need:

• Credit repair. A counselor can review your credit report and build a plan to qualify.
• Help combining assistance programs. Some buyers use a first mortgage plus one or more grants or second loans. A counselor familiar with local programs can help you see how the rules fit together.
• Help after you buy. If a job loss or big repair puts payments at risk, a counselor can walk you through options with your servicer.

There can also be a pricing benefit. Fannie Mae’s loan-level price adjustment matrix lists a $500 credit for a HomeReady mortgage when a borrower completes housing counseling within 12 months before closing. That credit applies to the lender’s pricing, so ask whether your lender passes it on to you.

How to take a homebuyer education course, step by step

1. Ask your lender and any assistance program what they require. Get the answer in writing if you can, including which providers count.
2. Pick a course that meets every requirement. If your down payment assistance names a specific class, take that one. Otherwise, HomeView or Homebuyer U may cover a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Home Possible loan.
3. Find local help if you want it. Use the CFPB’s housing counselor search to find HUD-approved agencies by ZIP code. Your lender must also give you a list of counseling organizations within three business days of your application.
4. Download and save the certificate. Keep a PDF copy, since the lender must place it in your loan file.
5. Send it to your lender before closing. If a down payment assistance program is involved, send it there as well.

Once your certificate is in hand, compare loan offers to see which programs fit your income and down payment.

Homebuyer education course FAQ

Do first-time home buyers have to take a class?

Only if your loan or assistance program requires it. HomeReady and Home Possible require it when every borrower is a first-time buyer, and most down payment assistance programs require it too. Many other loans do not.

Is there a free homebuyer education course?

Yes. Fannie Mae’s HomeView and Freddie Mac’s CreditSmart Homebuyer U are both free and online. Many HUD-approved agencies also teach classes at no cost, although some charge a modest fee.

Does FHA require a homebuyer class?

HUD’s FHA handbook has no general class requirement for buyers. Even so, a state or local down payment assistance program paired with your FHA loan may require one. Your lender can confirm.

How long does a homebuyer education course take?

There is no set length under Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac rules. Online courses let you work at your own pace, while agency classes follow their own schedule.

How long is the certificate good for?

Fannie Mae’s HomeView certificate does not expire. Even so, your lender or assistance program may only accept a certificate completed within a set period, so check before you take the course.

Your next step

If you were told to take a class, first ask your lender which courses it accepts. Then finish a free option such as HomeView or Homebuyer U, unless your assistance program names a different one. Many buyers find the budgeting and closing sections worth the time, even when the course is optional.

From there, review our first-time home buyer tips and compare lenders that offer the program you plan to use.