Chris SamFree University & College Certification Courses (edX)
One of the top e-learning websites in today’s world, edX is fully committed to making sure that learners get access to the best available content irrespective of their field of choice. With an impressive array of top colleges and universities such as MIT, Harvard, Berkeley on their panel, they are one impressive place to hone your skills online. Free online certification courses and training programs ranging from Project Management, Data Science, Computer Science to even TOEFL preparation courses among language courses like that around Mandarin are present. You will find some of the best business certifications, online certifications, free online it training and much more. You may also want to check out Best edX Courses available online.
– Take your pick from professional certificates, individual programs, and micromasters degree.
– The instructors help you to work with the foundational concepts with the help of practical examples.
– Plenty of opportunities to implement the skills covered in the lessons by attempting the hands-on assignments and case studies.
– The certification can be earned for a certain fee but the lessons and materials can be accessed for free.
Free Creativity Classes Online (Skillshare)
Wow is the word! This website offers thousands (17,000+ to be precise) of courses and online lessons across categories such as Design, Business, Technology, Photography, Film, Writing, Crafts and much more, all for, believe it or not, FREE! Yes you heard that correct, this ‘netflix for education’ gives you access to all its online training for absolutely free for two whole months.
Key USPs-
– Work on the class project to create your portfolio and get feedback.
– Gain the best practices and tips from the instructor.
– Concise lessons that get straight to the point.
– Packed with exercises, prompts and tried and true techniques.
Free Online Courses and Nanodegrees (Udacity)
Udacity is a leader when it comes to online learning and it provides a tonne of resources to learn from for absolutely free. To earn the certification, enrolment in the programs require a certain price but if you are only interested in gaining access to the content and learning then Udacity can be very helpful in that aspect. Go ahead and take the course that suits you, to supplement your knowledge or just delve into a completely new topic.
Key USPs –
– Industry associations with the likes of Google
– Makes students job ready for the market
– Offers both paid nano degree programs as well as free courses
– You can learn via their app
– Courses around a variety of topics including Dev Ops, self driving car, digital marketing, web development and so on
Free Creativity Classes Online (Creative Live)
True to its name, this platform helps you to bring out the creative side in you. If you want to start learning for free then you can go ahead with the live and on-air classes. Join thousands of students and get your questions answered by the experts.
Visit the website to get updates about the upcoming classes and RSVP to get free access to the lessons. Topics covered include photography, music theory, becoming a working artist, Etsy 101, intro to home recording and drawing fundamentals among others.
Key USPs-
– Learn from the likes of Grammy winners, authors, entrepreneurs, international fashion photographers.
– Draw inspiration, share highs and lows from fellow students, pros, influencers, and staff.
– Stay engaged with challenges, live events, and new content.
– Stream classes 24/7, drop in daily and watch for free.
Free Online Courses (Khan Academy)
The courses on this non-profit platform are primarily aimed to provide free world-class education to students. Get guidance to gain a better understanding of your coursework, complete your homework and prepare for your advanced placement examinations. There are lectures on an array of subjects such as mathematics, science, computing, arts an humanities, economics and finance, test prep.
Key USPs-
– The beginner level programs do not need any prior experience.
– Personalized learning experience allows you to practice at your own pace.
– Fill in the gaps in your understanding and then accelerate your learning.
– Lectures cover math K-12 through early college, grammar, science, history, SAT and more.
Free Online Courses (Microsoft)
These edX lectures are taught by Microsoft experts and are perfect for hands-on learners. Broaden your experience with cutting edge technologies in areas like cloud services, mobile development, and data sciences. The classes can be audited for free by anyone starting from students to seasoned technologists. Build innovative applications, services, and experiences that will let you make a meaningful impact in today’s interconnected world.
Key USPs-
– The introductory lectures tell you how to configure the necessary software and tools.
– Well structured content with a gradual increase in difficulty makes it easy to follow along.
– Concepts are explained with interactive examples and demonstrations.
– Complete the graded assignments and assessments to measure your grasp on the topics covered.
Free IT Training Certifications (Microsoft Learn)
With hundreds of IT training programs, this academy makes it easy to find the apt course to elevate your career. The classes are divided based on your current experience level namely developers, IT pros, and data pros. You can get into database, web, cloud, game, or mobile development, virtualization, enterprise security, Azure, DevOps, business intelligence, advanced analytics, SQL server to name a few. There are classes designed specifically for beginners as well to help them get a solid start before focusing on a particular specialization.
Key USPs-
– Learn the latest technology on your terms, pick up where you left off across any device or download videos for offline viewing.
– Create and manage playlists that align with the technical skills you want to acquire.
– Test your knowledge with self-assessments, and earn certificates of completion for the courses you’ve mastered.
– Attend live events and participate in the live Q&A with instructors.
Lessons worth Sharing (TedEd Courses)
One hidden gem not many know about is TedEd. Yes that’s the same famous TED, but in this case, its a collection of best courses and lessons to help everybody learn. You will find interesting lessons on topics such as Business & Economics, Literature & Language, Mathematics, Philosophy & Religion, Social Studies and even Teaching & Education.
Key USPs –
– Includes subjects like Business & Economics, Literature & Language, Philosophy & Religion among others
– Lot of crisp short term video tutorials to help you get a quick grasp on a subject
– Hundreds of contributors from all over the world have created courses on the platform
– Includes the TED-Ed Clubs program that helps students discover, explore and present big ideas in TED-style talks.
Free Online Learning (Alison)
If you want to gain critical knowledge of individual concepts within a field then these programs will help you with that. The certifications include an abundance of subjects such as languages, media studies, journalism, public relations, health and fitness, business studies, computer programming, networking and much more! Use the search bar, career guide to find out the best choices for your chosen field.
Key USPs-
– Learn from over 1000 high-quality certifications available across 9 distinct categories all of which are absolutely free to complete.
– Designed by subject matter experts all the content is self-paced.
– Interactive and enriching learning experience.
– Filter down options based on categories, course type, level and feature, and learning area.
Online Programs (MIT Open Courseware)
This is the online hub of resources, materials, and videos on all various disciplines created by some of the world’s best academic and industrial experts. Explore topics as well as interdisciplinary subjects such as chemistry, calculus, entrepreneurship, energy, transportation, introduction to programming and life science. By the end of your chosen class, you will be proficient in the concepts covered and be ready to apply them in industrial scenarios.
Key USPs-
– Choose from the collection of free classes, audio/video lectures and more.
– Use supplementary resources, and online textbooks to enhance the learning experience.
– Complete the graded assessments, assignments and pass the examinations to complete the certifications.
As explained in the part 1 as the top 10 BEST Online Certifications to enrich your Resume — here is the part 2 update for you.
So that was our compilation of some of the best free websites where you can enhance and upgrade your skills with Free Online Certifications. Hope one or more them helped you find what you were looking for. As we come across more good sources, we will keep adding the same to this list. For now, we wish you happy learning and hope that you keep growing
Chris Sam