Key Takeaways:
- Top 10 online learning platforms include Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, MIT Open Courseware, and others offering free courses.
- Popular free online college courses cover topics like Data Science, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Python Programming, and Contact Tracing.
- Online platforms provide over 19,000 free courses to 220 million learners worldwide, promoting accessibility to quality education.
Not everyone interested in learning online takes distance learning courses with the ambition of earning a degree, or even a certificate/diploma. Some students appreciate learning for the sake of learning. In fact, during the pandemic, learning for learning’s sake exploded. This is thanks to millions of adults seeking intellectual stimulation while stuck at home. Much of this virus-induced studying took place via online platforms offering MOOCs—massive open online courses. In this article, we’ll investigate the top ten free (or almost free) online learning platforms. We’ll also identify the fifteen most popular free online courses. Consider this your beginner’s guide to online learning!
Top 10 Online Learning Platforms
Online learning platforms have unique features and offerings. This can make it difficult if not impossible to rank alongside one another. Regarding popularity, Coursera and edX are clearly leading the pack. When it comes to quality and affordability, though, the platforms are comparable. Choosing the best place to learn online is really an individual choice. You must closely examine your own preference and learning style. Thus, we’ve listed our picks for the top 10 no-fee online learning platforms in random order:
Coursera
Founded in 2012, Coursera is an online learning platform designed to expand access to education to people around the world. Today, the site offers hundreds of free online courses from more than 200 different accredited universities. This includes top colleges like Duke, Yale, University of Michigan, UC Boulder, Arizona State University, California Institute of the Arts, and many more. So many of these free online courses are available through Coursera that it’s even possible to earn an entire degree on the platform!
Coursera isn’t just large, though; it’s also extremely diverse. The platform features many learning pathways. Examples include online college courses for credit, free online courses for senior citizens, and free courses online with certificates.
edX
A massive open online course provider and learning platform like Coursera, edX was even founded in the same year (i.e., 2012). Beginning with a single course from MIT, the platform would eventually grow to encompass thousands of individual courses (including free online courses and archived courses) hosted by over 150 different member institutions. Standout providers include top schools like the University of California- Berkeley, Harvard, Boston University, and the University of Texas system. With edX, students can work towards a degree or take a course purely for personal development. Likewise, career-oriented learners can choose to take classes with certificates. These certificates are available for professional development and career advancement.
Khan Academy
Unlike Coursera or edX, Khan Academy is a free platform that caters to younger students. Aside from PreK-12 classes, the site also offers courses for high school students, including AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP US History, and more. Though academics are the focus, Khan also offers “life skills” courses. Examples include classes for careers, personal finance, public speaking, political philosophy, college admissions, and entrepreneurship.
MIT Open Courseware
This platform is best for those looking for college courses for adults without all the bells and whistles. MIT Open Courseware is a large repository of MIT’s archived courses, including course material that is free and accessible to learners around the world. There is no fee or registration required to use MIT Open Courseware. But there is also no learner support like the kind you will find with more structured online learning platforms for massive open online courses like Coursera or edX, for example. With these free online courses, learning is truly self-paced. Yet, all materials for a particular course may not be available, depending on the instructor’s discretion. Still, this is an incredible resource for individuals seeking truly free classes for purely intellectual purposes. No degrees or certificates are issued through MIT Open Courseware.
Open Learning Initiative (OLI)
Operated by Carnegie Mellon University, the Open Learning Initiative—or OLI—is a resource for the university’s students as well as independent learners. Like MIT Open Courseware, OLI offers bare-bones online courses. This means students will have access to archived courses and course materials from top schools, but there are no instructors or free resources/support. Free online courses span various disciplines. Examples include arts and humanities, world literature, public speaking, life sciences, computer science and programming, mathematics and logic, data science, public health, and more.
FutureLearn
FutureLearn was founded in 2013. Since then, the free platform has formed partnerships with leading colleges and universities across the globe. These partner schools include reputable U.S. institutions of higher learning such as the University of California-Irvine, University of Colorado, Johns Hopkins University, Penn State University, and the University of Michigan,. Like most other e-learning sites, FutureLearn offers both free online courses as well as premium options. Premium options include certificates and even degrees. Topics include global history, political philosophy, world literature, and sustainable development among many others. FutureLearn has been criticized for being a little behind the times in terms of its interface and lack of mobile features. But, if you’re willing to dig a little and learn on your PC versus your Smartphone, there are some good opportunities to be had here at no charge.
Stanford Online
The opportunity to study at one of the most prestigious universities in the world at absolutely no cost and without rigorous admissions requirements? Opportunities like that don’t usually come along every day. With Stanford Online, they do, though. There is a bit of a catch. The free classes available from this accredited university are not-for-credit classes. They can’t be transferred or count towards a degree program. Still, adults looking for professional or personal development alone will find some quality offerings here. Free online courses span subjects such as engineering, design thinking, education, health and medicine, climate change, and arts and humanities.
Harvard University Online
While it may seem too good to be true, it is actually possible to take free classes at your own pace from the distinguished Harvard University. In fact, there are currently over 100 free online courses available through the school’s online division. These span topics such as computer science, political philosophy, humanities, social sciences, business, and more. In addition to these free classes, the university also offers nearly twice as many paid courses, many of them extremely affordable. These paid classes are usually associated with some sort of credential such as a certificate of completion.
Udacity
While it doesn’t exactly offer free college classes, Udacity does extend free opportunities. These are mostly for individuals with career advancement aspirations, particularly in the field of technology. The platform’s scholarships enable some eligible students to study topics such as machine learning, design thinking, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity at no cost. Still, it’s important to note that students who do not receive financial aid will be responsible for fees associated with Udacity’s course offerings. Keep in mind, though, that payment plans and discounts are available. Though not affiliated with any college or university, Udacity does offer its own signature credentials in the form of “nanodegrees.”
OpenLearn (The Open University)
OpenLearn is affiliated with The Open University, a UK school. This platform offers open access to its catalog of approximately one thousand online courses free of charge. These free online courses span difficulty levels from introductory to advanced. A variety of academic disciplines from The Open University are also represented. Examples include business, modern psychology, education, political economy, sustainable development, and technology. There are no formal credentials awarded from The Open University for these free opportunities. But certificates of participation along with digital badges are available.
Top 15 Most Popular Free College Classes Online
The following fifteen free online courses are listed by popularity, based on the number of enrolled students to date.
#15—The Data Scientist’s Toolbox
Platform: Coursera
College: Johns Hopkins University
Among the most versatile free online courses in our ranking, Johns Hopkins University’s The Data Scientist Toolbox can be completed as a standalone data science course. Alternatively, it can be applied to one of two available data science specializations. Once enrolled, students will be asked to devote 18 hours of independent study to the required coursework. Concepts addressed over the duration of the class include:
- The Data Science Process
- R Studio
- Github and Git
- Experimental Design
Nearly 650,000 data science students have taken this course to date. An impressive 96% reported a satisfactory experience.
Cost: $0-49/month
#14—Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
Platform: edX
College: Harvard University
Harvard University’s Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies is a 6-week course offered via edX. Taught by the university’s Business School professor Tarun Khanna, the class covers concepts in:
- Drivers of Entrepreneurship
- Understanding Innovation in Emerging Markets
- Innovation and Legal Constraints
- Branding and Entrepreneurship
- Political Economy
- Global Financial Crisis
This is not one of the few free online courses with certificates. But the verified track for this class is less than $200, and a shareable certificate is available upon completion to show potential employers.
Cost: $0-169
#13—Write Professional Emails in English
Platform: Coursera
College: Georgia Institute of Technology
Coursera’s Write Professional Emails in English is the introductory course of a specialization offered through Georgia Institute of Technology called Improve Your English Communication Skills. The course in effective communication takes approximately 14 hours to complete, and students can work at their own pace. It is taught by the university’s Language Institute Lecturer Gerry Landers. Students enrolled in this course will successfully compose four to five business emails in English and study topics such as:
- Common Errors in Punctuation and Capitalization
- Basic Email Structures
- Effective Subject Lines
- Apology and Request Emails
Nearly 700,000 people have taken this free course at their own pace, and it has maintained a 97% approval rating.
Cost: $0-49/month
#12—Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online, and On the Phone
Platform: Coursera
College: Georgia Tech
This is one of several popular and free online courses for English language learners. Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone is part of a larger specialization offered by Georgia Tech entitled Improve Your English Communication Skills. The class is available through Coursera and requires approximately 16 hours of online study to complete. Students work at their own pace, and topics include:
- Conversational Vocabulary
- Body Language
- Pronunciation: Stress and Intonation
- Group Discussion Language
Twenty percent of people who have taken this course report benefiting professionally from the content.
Cost: $0-49/month
#11—Python Data Structures
Platform: Coursera
College: University of Michigan
This data science class is part of an entire data science specialization entitled Python for Everybody offered through the University of Michigan. Python Data Structures is a 19-hour class available fully online and at no charge to students. The class provides an introduction to Python core data structures. Specific topics for data science students working at their own pace include:
- Building Blocks of Computing
- Python Syntax and Semantics
- Tuple
- Python 3 Programming
To date, over 775,000 students have taken the course, and 98% reported being satisfied with the content.
Cost: $0-49/month
#10—Algorithms, Part One
Platform: Coursera
College: Princeton University
