15 Best Platforms for Free Online Classes

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15 Free Online Classes

Udemy

(Free courses available, but most cost $15)

Udemy has been operating since 2010 with a goal of allowing instructors and teachers to create and run online courses. It is now a massive platform with over 50,000 instructors around the world and 150,000 plus courses. 

Many of the courses are approximately $15, but there are free online courses available all the time. In fact, in 2020 Udemy created its Free Resource Center, which is a collection of approximately 150 courses where you can learn for free. 

EdX

(2600+ courses)

EdX is a big name in free online classes and the virtual campus. If you’re looking for online courses from legit universities, this is the platform for you. It is a non profit platform that allows people to learn without geographical or financial restraints. 

If you have the cash, there are myriad courses, but you can also study for free with plenty of fee free courses. 

Related: 18 Places to Access Free Online Courses

FutureLearn

(Access free course content for 14 day at a time)

Future Learn is a partnership between top UK educational institutions. It is owned by The Open University and The Seek Group, a job seeking platform, so it offers some niche courses that can help you develop your skill set. 

There are online degrees and short courses and you can access the course content for 14 day periods for free. You can then pay for an unlimited membership, which costs $250 a year or upgrade for certification. 

Coursera

(Partners include Stanford and Johns Hopkins)

Coursera has been operating since 2012. It works with top universities around the world such as Stanford, Johns Hopkins and the Imperial College London, and tech companies that offer courses in business, computer science and data science. 

While you can sign up for Coursera Plus, which is a paid annual subscription costing approximately $399 per year, you can also access free courses. Many of the courses are available for free, you just won’t get certification or accreditation. 

General Assembly

(Immersive classes cost up to $15,000)

General Assembly is a great place to upskill some of the talents many employers look for in their applicants. It began in 2011 as a co-working space, but it has developed into a global learning business.

GA operates a variety of online courses in:

Marketing,

Business,

Design,

Coding,

Data

Career development.

However, GA does not have US Department of Education accreditation. 

The full time courses can carry a hefty fee, with some full immersive courses running to $15,000. But, there are some free online classes for shorter courses such as coding. 

SkillShare

(Premium level membership is $19 per month)

SkillShare is a great place to learn some fantastic skills from someone who produces work you admire. There are lots of classes in design, writing, illustration, animation, photography, filmmaking and business. The subjects are taught by people at the top of their fields.

The platform does have a membership fee of $19 per month. This is the Premium level that provides access to all of the classes. However, there are lots of online classes for free too. 

Harvard University

(Over 140 free online classes)

Harvard is a world renowned institution, but it also offers an extensive variety of free online classes. 

This includes some free online courses with certificates. You can find courses in various fields. For example, there is a Fundamentals of Neuroscience course or you can learn about The Science of Weather with the Backyard Meteorology course.

You can browse the courses by subject to see what appeals to you. 

Stanford University

(Approximately 20 free courses)

Stanford University offers affordable and flexible ways to study. You can learn from industry experts and Stanford instructors at no cost. 

The free online classes are grouped into categories. These include:

• Health and Medicine
• Child Nutrition and Cooking
• Education
• Engineering
• Arts and Humanities

You can also browse the full free course catalog.

ClassCentral

(40,000+ courses)

If you want to review classes before you settle on a course, Class Central acts like a search engine 

You can look at the new free online courses on platforms such as EdX, Coursera, Future learn or browse the Ivy League courses. 

Khan Academy

(Work on up to 9 classes at a time)

Khan Academy is a non profit that has a mission to provide world class, free education for anyone, anywhere. 

You can access personalized learning, where you can work at your own pace. This allows filling in the gaps in your understanding before you accelerate your learning. The teachers will help you to identify areas where you need work and tailor the instruction accordingly. 

The content is created by experts with a library of trusted lessons and practice covering the basics of math and science, but also going further. This resource is free for both teachers and students. 

Udacity

(Over 200 free of charge courses)

Udacity is an educational provider offering online courses that are popularly known as MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). 

While there are other MOOC providers, Udacity has a focus on job training. It even offers micro credentials or Nanodegrees. 

Nanodegrees focus on in demand tech skills, with video courses and projects. These courses are often in partnership with industry experts and universities. But, often many elements of these courses are offered for free. 

Udacity has approximately 200 courses that are free of charge, but they do not offer certification. 

LinkedIn Learning

(Eight learning paths)

LinkedIn is more than just a job search site, it offers courses to help you to build crucial skills such as how to find a job, remotely manage a team or cope with stressors. These free online classes can not only help to boost your resume, but also provide practical skills. 

Boost your resume and access practical skills

The LinkedIn Learning center has eight learning paths:

• Job Seekers: These courses help job seekers to navigate today’s job market. Sample courses include video interview tips and recovering from a layoff. 
• Remote Workers: Courses with an aim to help you remain efficient and productive. This includes courses about time management, productivity tips and how to create an executive presence on video conference calls. 
• Managers and Leaders: How leaders can clearly communicate and influence positive changes. 
• Reducing Stress: How to manage stress in work days, including courses such as balancing work and life and how to manage feeling overwhelmed. 
• Educators: These courses guide educators in the transition to teaching online. 
• Talent Acquisition Professionals: Help to adapt to the shifting business landscape.
• Sales Professionals: Courses to improve your sales skills including selling with authenticity and empathy for sales professionals. 
• Small Businesses: Classes to help small businesses navigate today’s economic challenges. 

Related: 38 Job Search Sites to Find Work

Cambridge University

(History dating back 800 years)

Cambridge University has a history spanning 800 years. Its staff and students are passionate about learning and aim to tackle the most urgent problems in the modern world. 

This institution has over 19,000 students across 100 countries with 200,000 alumni globally. Its research partnerships include industry leaders such as Unilever, AstraZeneca and Microsoft. 

While the majority of Cambridge students pay fees, the university does offer free online classes in a variety of topics. You can audit classes for free or pay a small fee to receive a verified certificate. 

Yale University

(Currently 11 free online classes available)

Yale University offers many free courses that are open to the public through the Open Yale Courses program. 

The classes include:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Fundamentals of Physics
• Freshman Organic Chemistry 
• Introduction to Ancient Greek History

There are also less academic courses such as Everyday Parenting, so you can find an area where you would like to study. 

Oxford University

(Many classes 100% free of charge)

Oxford University offers free online courses with qualifications. The short online courses are tailored for distance learning with certificates. 

Oxford issues certificates after you complete the course and there are many subjects that are 100% free of charge. 

So, you can enhance your knowledge and bulk up your resume. 

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Free Online Classes

The best free online courses are only available for a limited time, so it is important to get the most out of your free online classes. Fortunately, there are some tips that can help you accomplish this. 

Create a Learning Environment

Trying to be productive slouched on the couch while Netflix is streaming is never going to be easy. So, if you want to try online classes or homeschool programs, it is a good idea to create a learning environment where you can work away from common distractions. 

Set a Schedule

If you want to maximize your time, you may try to work on several courses at once. However, you will need to set a schedule and work on each class at a specific time. This is a little more like traditional learning, where you work on one class from 10 am until noon and another 1 pm until 3pm. 

By keeping this schedule, you will have time to complete assignments and review tasks so you won’t miss turning something in. 

Interact With Your Peers

Sitting with a group of other students in a library is not really possible with online classes, but you can still find ways to interact with your peers. There are various platforms that allow group collaboration and community, which can help you to receive support or clarifications from your classmates. 

Try to Find Way to Maintain Your Motivation

While you can create a routine and focus on your productivity, there will be times when you feel a lack of motivation. Since you are learning solo, you may feel isolated and struggle. 

So, before you hit a lull, think about how you can boost your motivation. This could be something as simply as trying to increase your interest in the task, so you find it engaging, or try to make your work feel more personally significant. 

The triggers for feeling a drop in motivation will be different for everyone, so you will need to tailor a strategy that will work for you. 

Focus on Problem Solving

When you’re working online, you will not have a tutor or classmates with you as you’re working. So, you will need to have a focus on problem solving. Read the instructions carefully and properly go over each module. 

While the professors may be available to answer questions via email, rather than sending multiple messages, it may be more productive to try to find a solution by yourself first. 

Don’t Forget Your Self Care

While you may want to make the most of your free online classes, remember that it is okay to step away from the computer to get a break or take the time to have a lazy morning once in a while. Taking some time to recover is necessary for productivity, so don’t feel bad about it. 

Whether you want to bulk up your resume to improve your employment prospects or simply expand your knowledge base, there are plenty of free online classes that can help you meet your objectives. 

So, take a little time to think about what area you want to study and check out the offerings on this list, so you can find the best free online courses for you.