diff --git a/course/admin.py b/course/admin.py
index 3495bd164..9dcfcd641 100644
--- a/course/admin.py
+++ b/course/admin.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class CourseInstanceAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
         'course',
         'instance_name',
         'visible_to_students',
+        'group_work_allowed',
         'starting_time',
         'ending_time',
         instance_url,
diff --git a/course/api/full_serializers.py b/course/api/full_serializers.py
index e40b4d4e3..e03d6ce77 100644
--- a/course/api/full_serializers.py
+++ b/course/api/full_serializers.py
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ class Meta(CourseBriefSerializer.Meta):
             'starting_time',
             'ending_time',
             'visible_to_students',
+            'group_work_allowed',
             # links
             'exercises',
             'tree',
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ class Meta(AplusModelSerializer.Meta):
             'starting_time',
             'ending_time',
             'visible_to_students',
+            'group_work_allowed',
             'configure_url',
             'teachers',
         )
@@ -205,6 +207,7 @@ def update(self, instance: CourseInstance, validated_data: OrderedDict) -> Cours
         instance.starting_time = validated_data.get('starting_time', instance.starting_time)
         instance.ending_time = validated_data.get('ending_time', instance.ending_time)
         instance.visible_to_students = validated_data.get('visible_to_students', instance.visible_to_students)
+        instance.group_work_allowed = validated_data.get('group_work_allowed', instance.group_work_allowed)
         instance.configure_url = validated_data.get('configure_url', instance.configure_url)
         instance.save()
         self.set_teachers(instance, self.teachers)
diff --git a/course/migrations/0059_courseinstance_group_work_allowed.py b/course/migrations/0059_courseinstance_group_work_allowed.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3e8f74ad4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/course/migrations/0059_courseinstance_group_work_allowed.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Generated by Django 4.2.13 on 2024-05-22 08:06
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("course", "0058_coursemodule_model_answer_and_more"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="courseinstance",
+            name="group_work_allowed",
+            field=models.BooleanField(
+                default=True, verbose_name="LABEL_GROUP_WORK_ALLOWED"
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/course/models.py b/course/models.py
index 3be2edb8f..58d8c41d1 100644
--- a/course/models.py
+++ b/course/models.py
@@ -614,6 +614,10 @@ class CourseInstance(CourseInstanceProto, models.Model):
         verbose_name=_('LABEL_VISIBLE_TO_STUDENTS'),
         default=True,
     )
+    group_work_allowed = models.BooleanField(
+        verbose_name=_('LABEL_GROUP_WORK_ALLOWED'),
+        default=True,
+    )
     enrollment_audience = models.IntegerField(
         verbose_name=_('LABEL_ENROLLMENT_AUDIENCE'),
         choices=ENROLLMENT_AUDIENCE.choices,
diff --git a/course/templates/course/_course_menu.html b/course/templates/course/_course_menu.html
index 6857390b3..98307d82f 100644
--- a/course/templates/course/_course_menu.html
+++ b/course/templates/course/_course_menu.html
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ <h4 id="course-menu-heading">{% translate "COURSE" %}</h4>
 	</a>
 </li>
 
-{% if instance_max_group_size > 1 %}
+{% if instance.group_work_allowed %}
 <li class="menu-groups">
 	<a href="{{ instance|url:'groups' }}">
 		<span class="glyphicon glyphicon-heart" aria-hidden="true"></span>
diff --git a/course/templates/course/groups.html b/course/templates/course/groups.html
index 5f4a4b7eb..627de5096 100644
--- a/course/templates/course/groups.html
+++ b/course/templates/course/groups.html
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 {% block columns %}
 <div class="col-md-7">
-  {% if instance_max_group_size > 1 %}
+  {% if instance.group_work_allowed %}
 
   <div class="alert alert-info">
     {% translate "[STAFF_HAS_NONE]" as staff_code %}
diff --git a/edit_course/course_forms.py b/edit_course/course_forms.py
index a92b13818..99d08c98b 100644
--- a/edit_course/course_forms.py
+++ b/edit_course/course_forms.py
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ class Meta:
         model = CourseInstance
         fields = [
             'visible_to_students',
+            'group_work_allowed',
             'instance_name',
             'url',
             'image',
diff --git a/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/django.po b/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
index 3daed2aa0..0bf4000ab 100644
--- a/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
+++ b/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
@@ -401,6 +401,10 @@ msgstr "enrolments"
 msgid "LABEL_VISIBLE_TO_STUDENTS"
 msgstr "visible to students"
 
+#: course/models.py
+msgid "LABEL_GROUP_WORK_ALLOWED"
+msgstr "students can form groups"
+
 #: course/models.py
 msgid "MODEL_NAME_USER_TAG"
 msgstr "user tag"
diff --git a/locale/fi/LC_MESSAGES/django.po b/locale/fi/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
index 000bcdca9..39a20e664 100644
--- a/locale/fi/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
+++ b/locale/fi/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
@@ -402,6 +402,10 @@ msgstr "ilmoittautumiset"
 msgid "LABEL_VISIBLE_TO_STUDENTS"
 msgstr "näkyy opiskelijoille"
 
+#: course/models.py
+msgid "LABEL_GROUP_WORK_ALLOWED"
+msgstr "opiskelijat saavat luoda ryhmiä"
+
 #: course/models.py
 msgid "MODEL_NAME_USER_TAG"
 msgstr "käyttäjämerkintä"