Certificates can significantly enhance the value of your resume, giving you a competitive edge over those without certification. They convey motivation, diligence, and a commitment to learning.
Some online learning platforms provide free courses, but the hurdles to obtaining a free certificate can be daunting. Paying to validate your learning can feel unjust at times.
Therefore, here’s a list, not in any specific order, of the top 10 websites offering free online courses that also provide certificates at no cost.
1. Google Analytics Academy
The Google Analytics Academy provides complimentary online courses to educate individuals on Google’s measurement tools for gathering and interpreting data. Additionally, concise tutorials on YouTube guide you through setting up initial reports, tags, and tests, and utilizing tools like Google Tag Manager and Google Optimize.
Number of free courses offered: 6
1. Google Analytics for Beginners
2. Advanced Google Analytics
3. Google Analytics for Power Users
4. Getting Started with Google Analytics 360
5. Introduction to Data Studio
6. Google Tag Manager Fundamentals
Accessing the courses:
To access these courses, simply login to Google Analytics Academy using your Google account credentials. Then, select the course you wish to enroll in, click ‘Register,’ and you’re ready to begin your learning journey!
Earning a certificate of completion:
To obtain a certificate of completion, you must achieve a score of 80% or higher in each assessment associated with the course.
Cost:
Participating in these courses is entirely cost-free! There are no hidden fees or trial sign-ups required.
2. SCRUMstudy
SCRUMstudy serves as a worldwide accreditation entity for Scrum and Agile Certifications. Supported by Sequoia Capital, a prominent private equity firm in Silicon Valley renowned for backing major companies like Oracle, Cisco, and LinkedIn.
Number of free courses available: 7
1. Six Sigma Yellow Belt
2. Scrum Fundamentals Certified
3. Marketing Strategy Fundamentals
4. Digital Marketing Fundamentals
5. Marketing Research Fundamentals
6. Corporate Sales Fundamentals
7. Negotiation Associate
Accessing the courses:
To access these courses, please complete your registration. Once registered, you can access all seven courses and their respective exams for free by logging in. Within the ‘Home’ section, you’ll find the seven free courses available for six months. Upon the conclusion of this period, the courses will no longer be accessible.
Earning a certificate:
Navigate to the ‘My Exams’ section to view a list of both free and paid exams you can undertake. The free exams are conducted online and are un-proctored. Upon successfully passing the exam, you can obtain your certificate from the ‘My Certificates’ section.
Cost:
These seven courses, inclusive of their certification exams, are entirely free of charge. However, it’s important to note that the course materials and videos are accessible only for six months.
3. LinkedIn Learning
Formerly known as Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning operates as a subsidiary of LinkedIn, providing a vast array of video courses instructed by industry experts spanning software, technology, creative, and business skills.
Number of free courses available: 16,000+
Accessing the courses:
To access these courses, visit LinkedIn Learning and click on ‘Start my free month.’ Subsequently, you’ll be directed to sign in through your LinkedIn account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create an account. Once completed, you’re ready to begin exploring the courses.
Earning a certificate of completion:
Upon finishing a course, you can download the certificate as proof of your accomplishment.
Cost:
Access to the courses requires signing up for a 1-month free trial. During the registration process for LinkedIn Learning, you’ll be prompted to provide your Debit/Credit Card information for subscription auto-renewal. Remember to cancel the trial before it concludes to avoid charges. LinkedIn Learning typically sends a reminder email seven days before the trial ends.
4. Oxford Home Study Centre
The UK-based Oxford Home Study Centre, commonly known as OHSC, specializes in providing distance learning professional courses. Its offerings encompass a wide range of subjects, from Management to Finance and beyond.
Number of free courses available: 46
Accessing the courses:
To access these courses, simply click on the course you wish to begin and then select ‘Start your FREE course.’ You’ll be prompted to register, and once completed, you’ll gain access to all the free courses.
Earning a certificate of completion:
Upon finishing a course, the certificate of completion will be sent to you via email.
Cost:
These 46 courses are entirely free of charge. However, if you wish to pursue other courses beyond this selection, a certain fee will be required for each course.
5. Open SAP
OpenSAP serves as SAP’s free knowledge platform, offering a diverse range of learning formats, with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) being the primary format. In addition to courses on SAP’s innovative solutions, OpenSAP also provides content on digital transformation.
Number of free courses offering a certificate: 60
To view the list of 45 self-paced free courses, click here. The remaining 15 courses can be found under the Upcoming and Current Courses sections. Typically, self-paced courses do not include a Record of Achievement. Nevertheless, as a component of the Digital Learning Initiative, 45 self-paced courses have been made available for participants to obtain a Record of Achievement at no cost until June 30, 2020.
Accessing the courses:
To access these courses, create an OpenSAP account. Once your account is created, you’ll gain access to the available courses.
Earning a certificate of completion:
Referred to as the Record of Achievement, you can earn it by scoring at least 50% of the maximum points from all graded assignments within a course.
Cost:
All courses offered on OpenSAP are completely free of charge. However, only 60 courses out of the entire selection allow participants to earn a Record of Achievement.
6. Saylor Academy
Saylor Academy, operating as a non-profit initiative since 2008, is dedicated to providing free and accessible online courses for anyone seeking to expand their knowledge. They offer close to 100 full-length courses at both college and professional levels.
Number of free courses offering a certificate: Approximately 100
Accessing the courses:
To access the free courses, create a new account at Saylor Academy. Once your account is created, you can browse through the list of available courses. Simply select the course you’re interested in and begin your learning journey!
Earning a certificate of completion:
To earn a Course Completion Certificate, you must take a final exam and achieve a score of 70% or higher. If you do not pass the exam on your first attempt, you can retake it multiple times, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt. For more information on how to access the certificate, click here.
Cost:
All courses provided by Saylor Academy are completely free of charge, including certification. There are no additional fees associated with obtaining a certificate of completion.
7. upGrad
Established in 2015, upGrad operates as an online educational platform, offering a range of comprehensive programs tailored to industry needs. These programs are meticulously crafted and delivered in collaboration with esteemed faculty and professionals from various sectors.
How many courses are offered for free?
upGrad provides access to 19 courses at no charge.
How can I access these courses?
To view the list of free courses offered by the upgrade, simply select the ‘Register’ option corresponding to your desired course. Upon selecting, you’ll be prompted to sign up. Once you’ve completed the sign-up process, you’ll gain unrestricted access to the courses.
How do I obtain a certificate of completion?
Upon completing all modules within a course, you will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion. This certificate will be issued after the program’s designated duration.
Is it entirely free, or do I need to sign up for a free trial?
All 19 courses offered by upgrades are completely free of charge, with no additional fees for certification.
8. AWS Training and Certifications
Amazon Web Services, commonly referred to as AWS, operates a Training and Certification division aimed at empowering individuals with cloud expertise to drive business transformation. This division offers a wide array of courses spanning 26 domains, available in both digital and classroom formats.
How many courses are offered for free?
AWS provides access to 664 free courses.
What are the names of these courses?
To discover the titles of these courses, navigate to the ‘Learning Library’ section, where you’ll find various categories of courses. The courses listed under the ‘Digital Learning’ category are provided at no cost.
How can I access these courses?
Access AWS Training and Certification by signing in with your Amazon account. Note that many courses require a subscription to ‘Free Digital Training’. Feel free to subscribe, as it comes at no charge.
How do I obtain a certificate of completion?
Upon completing all modules within a course, you’ll be eligible to receive a certificate of completion. Simply navigate to the ‘Dashboard’, select the completed course, and locate the badge icon below the ‘Launch’ button. Click on it to view and download your certificate.
Is it entirely free, or do I need to sign up for a free trial?
All 664 courses offered by AWS are completely free of charge, including certification. There’s no need to sign up for a free trial.
9. Coursera
Coursera operates as a globally accessible online learning platform that collaborates with leading universities and organizations to offer a diverse range of online courses, degrees, certifications, and specializations.
How many courses are offered for free?
Coursera provides access to 3900+ free courses.
What are the names of these courses?
Coursera introduces ‘Coursera Together,’ featuring over 100 free online courses with certificates at no cost. Additionally, there are 3800+ courses accessible for free with a school or college email ID. After signing up with your school/college email ID, visit this link and input your email ID.
How can I access these courses?
Simply sign up on Coursera and visit the provided links. Choose a course of interest, and begin your learning journey!
How do I obtain a certificate of completion?
Complete the course videos, quizzes, assignments, and final assessments to earn your certificate.
Is it entirely free, or do I need to sign up for a free trial?
All courses offered by Coursera are free if you choose to audit them. The 3900+ courses do not require any payment for course access or certificates.
10. Alison
Alison operates as an online learning platform offering a vast array of courses spanning approximately 16 broad categories, with each course designed to be completed within a few hours.
How many courses are offered for free?
Alison provides access to 24 free courses.
What are the names of these courses?
Below is a compilation of courses that are entirely free and do not incur any certification fees.
How can I access these courses?
To access these free courses, simply sign up on Alison and select a course from the provided list of free courses. You can begin your learning journey right away.
How do I obtain a certificate of completion?
Achieve a score of 80% or higher in each course assessment to qualify for a digital certificate. For more detailed information, refer to the ‘Certificate’ tab located below the course details of each course.
Is it entirely free, or do I need to sign up for a free trial?
All 24 courses offered by Alison are completely free of charge, with no hidden fees involved.
11. JobPrepped
JobPrepped provides free online courses tailored to individuals seeking marketing or business employment opportunities. What sets JobPrepped apart is its unique approach, ensuring that 94.3% of its students secure marketing interviews or job offers within 3 weeks. This is achieved by aligning course content precisely with the requirements outlined in job descriptions, providing on-demand access to the necessary work experience, thus facilitating faster hiring by esteemed companies and securing better salary packages.
How many courses are offered for free?
JobPrepped offers 5 free courses.
What are the names of these courses?
A:1. SEO Digital Marketing
2. Content Marketing
3. SEM Marketing
4. Marketing Resume Guidance
5. Marketing Interview Guidance
How can I access these courses?
Accessing these courses is simple – visit JobPrepped and click on “Try for Free”!
How do I earn a certificate of completion?
Upon completion of any of the aforementioned pieces of training, you’ll receive a certificate.
Is it completely free, or do I need to sign up for a free trial?
These courses are entirely free of charge, with no hidden fees.
For those uninterested in certificates, alternative platforms such as Udemy and edX offer free learning opportunities.
