Free Online Courses With Certificates for 2020 Intake (2023)

The latest development in technology has made it easy to disseminate education to students all across the globe via the internet. This ability to study online and gain the required knowledge as well as expertise has helped numerous students across the globe to further their career and better their job prospects.

While there are many degrees as well as certificate courses online, very few courses actually dish out certificates to their students. Free online courses with certificates are offered by leading universities and are extremely useful for students looking to add weightage to their educational qualifications.

These free certificate coursesare also ideal for students who are unable to attend college due to financial limitations but have the inclination to learn more.

Importance of Online Certificate Courses

There are a number of providers of online courses who put together university course materials in the form of videos, texts, lectures and interactive classrooms. These courses are free and open for anyone interested. Such courses have revolutionized learning and millions of students are benefitting from them.

These online courses are appropriate for students from low-income places who cannot otherwise afford specialized courses from top-notch world universities can benefit from the free courses online. Furthermore, these courses are also good for those who are already doing a job but do not have the time to attend college. These courses are also taken up by students pursuing other fields or by housewives who wish to increase their skill levels.

Best Free Online Courses With Certificates

University of Cambridge Free IELTS Preparation Course

The University of Cambridge is offering a free online course to prepare for IELTS (International English Language Testing System). IELTS is the English language proficiency test for non-native English language speakers required by the universities in UK, Australia, and New Zealand for admission purposes.

Free TOEFL® Test Preparation Course by ETSx

Educational Testing Service [ETS] is offering a free online course for the TOEFL® exam preparation. Prepare for the TOEFL® test and improve your chance to get financial aid in American universities. The course is a self-paced program.

British Council Free Online Course For Understanding IELTS

British Council and FutureLearn have teamed up to create an interactive online course, ‘Understanding IELTS: Techniques for English Language Tests‡ like no other. This 6-week English language course is aimed at non-native English speakers at around intermediate level (approximately B1 on the CEFR) or above.

Free Online Course on Learning to Teach Online

UNSW Australia is offering a free online course on Learning to Teach Online. The Learning to Teach Online (LTTO) MOOC will help you develop a working understanding of successful online teaching strategies that you can apply in your own practice. You can start this course any-time.

Free Online Course on Fashion as Design

Museum of Modern Art is offering a free online course on Fashion as Design. This course is open for general audiences and those specifically interested in art, design, and fashion. You can start this course any-time.

Free Contract Management Online Course

The University of Southampton and IACCM are offering a free online course on Contract Management: Building Relationships in Business. In this three week course, applicants will learn to build relationships and manage contracts successfully.

How to Apply to US Universities Free Course

The University of Pennsylvania is offering the free online course for Applying to U.S. Universities. This course is for undergraduate freshmen applicants who have not attended any university. You can start this course according to your schedule.

Free Online Course On English Composition

This summer Arizona State University is offering an open online course on English Composition. This course is intended for students proficient in English. The overall objective of this course is to help in improving students‡ writing skills.

ASU Online Course On English Writing

Arizona State University is currently offering an online course on English Composition. This 8-week course will emphasize on improving your writing skills. The overall objective of this writing course is to help you develop and express ideas effectively for a variety of purposes, audiences, and occasions.

Free Online Course on English for Career Development

The University of Pennsylvania is offering a free online course on English for Career Development. This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in advancing their careers in the global marketplace. This course has reset deadlines in accordance with your schedule.

Online Course For IELTS Test Preparation

The University of Queensland is currently offering an online course on IELTS Academic Test Preparation. This 8-weeks course is available for anyone preparing to take the Academic IELTS test. The overall objective of this course is to help in preparing for the IELTS Academic tests. The course is a self-paced program.

Best Platforms for Free Online Courses with Certificates

While there are a number of free online courses‡ platforms, some of the best ones which offer certificates are listed below:

HarvardX

Harvard University in collaboration with edX offers a range of free online courses to students in a variety of subjects. The courses can be taken up by students and upon their completion, they receive a verified certificate for a small fee. Right from Science to arts to Humanities, this platform offers courses in many streams. You can take the course at your pace; there is no pressure to complete it in a set amount of time. The classroom is open 24X7 and thus you can address your issues whenever you want. Once done, you receive a verified certificate. You can have a look at some of their top free courses here.

Yale Online

The famous Yale University has taken up dedicated online learning initiatives by launching Yale Online. It constitutes of learning resources made available to students wanting to learn online. Under the online education, there are both, for credit as well as free online courses. Some of the free courses do not offer certification while others do. Go through the free courses to identify which courses offer certification and which don‡t.

Alisona

They offer standard-based certified courses in a range of subjects. These courses are free of charge and they all provide high-quality resources to finish the courses. Firstly you identify the courses you want to study by going through their list of courses and get enrolled. Once you commence the course, you will get all the relevant information and resources to study the course after which assessment will be carried out. Once you have completed the course, you can either download a certificate or in case of something official, you can request for a certificate.

Open2Study

On this web portal, students will get a chance to explore a number of courses ranging in many subjects. Firstly, you must make an account or sign up using Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter account. There are a total of 49 courses which are available for pursuing free of cost. Once you have chosen the course you want to pursue, you will be intimidated regarding its commencement. You can follow it and do the assessments as instructed. Every course here is divided into 4 modules, each to be studied in the course of a week. Every module is further divided into 10 topics and at the end of every topic; students have to give a multiple-choice question paper which will test their understanding of the topic. At the end of every module, the assessment will be carried out. Once the course finishes, students can download the certificate of achievement.

Coursera

This platform provides access to free online courses developed by top-notch universities across the globe. There are hundreds of courses to choose from, all developed by leading universities. The courses have no eligibility criteria and are open to all for free. There are video lectures quizzes and peer assessments so that students get a thorough understanding of the course. After finishing the course students can go for option Verified Certificate.

Udacity

Udacity is another famous online platform that offers certificate courses to students for free. The courses are developed by industry giants and thus the course material is relevant to the current trends. Students will come across courses developed by stalwarts such as Google, Facebook, and at&t, etc. The one thing that sets the Udacity courses apart from others is that not only are the courses developed by leading educational institutes but inputs are also given by industry experts. After successfully completing the final course project, students will have a live exit interview and based on that students receive an official Udacity verified the certificate.

Future Learn

They offer a diverse selection of courses developed by leading universities from across the globe. The courses are available online and can be accessed from any place. Students will have to first go through the courses provided by the platform and choose the one that they wish to study. Once enrolled, the courses are divided into weeks and they contain a number of activities which must be finished within that week. Students are provided with necessary resources such as audio, video, articles and quizzes. All these resources have margins at the side wherein you can comment about your doubts or ask the professor for their guidance. Once students finish it, it can be marked complete to move to the next topic. Regularly students are also given a discussion topic so that they can interact amongst themselves virtually and come up with new ideas. Assignments are also given for most courses to judge whether the students have understood the concept. At the end of the course, students can purchase a Statement of Participation. In some courses and invigilated exam can also be given based on which students receive Statement of Attainment.

NPTEL

National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) is an initiative by IIT and IISc wherein online courses and certification is provided to students. The courses are free for all and the certification at the end of the course is provided for a nominal fee, after successfully passing the certification exam. This project is funded by the Government of India and is a very reputed one. Students must register first and then choose the course of their choice of which further details will be given only after logging in.

OpenLearn

This platform provides a high number of educational resources for students across the globe. The courses vary in length and type. The Badged Open Courses provide a free badge to students upon successful completion of the course, as a testimonial that the student had taken up the course and has completed it successfully. Students will also be able to download a Statement of Participation upon course completion.

Saylor

This is a non-profit, fully online academy which offers a wide range of courses for students to choose from. Students are at the liberty to start the course at any time and work through it in their own pace. Once the course has been completed, students earn certificates that prove that they have successfully completed the course. Furthermore, in some courses, students can even earn college credits which can be transferred to the accredited college partners.