Many people operate under the assumption that online education can only be obtained by applying to a college or university. They also assume that you must obtain a degree to learn something new. The fact is, this isn’t the case. Many different opportunities are available to learn new subjects with a degree or university attached. Below are some of the best alternatives you can try, for free!

edX

In addition to eliminating cost, location, and access barriers to traditional education, edX was founded by Harvard and MIT. Most of the top-ranked universities in the world offer courses on edX, with more than 20 million learners. 

EdX is an open-source platform that’s open to educators and technologists who want to develop new educational tools. EdX offers both free and fee-based courses.

Coursera

In addition to the 35 million students, Coursera has 150 university partners, 2,700 courses, 250 specializations, and four-degree programs. Additionally, Coursera offers courses ranging from $29 to $99. Degrees and specializations are more expensive.

 Expert instructors from world-class colleges and universities teach the courses, which include recorded video lectures, community discussion forums, and graded and peer-reviewed coursework. For each course you complete, you will also receive a certificate.

Khan Academy

A non-profit, Khan Academy offers free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Khan Academy is free for both learners and teachers and offers lessons for students from kindergarten through early college, covering subjects such as math, grammar, science, history, AP exams, SAT, etc. 

Some of Khan Academy’s founding partners include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, Ann & Jon Doerr, and Reed Hastings.

Codecademy

You can learn how to code in multiple programming languages using Codeacademy. The majority of free courses can be completed in less than 11 hours. In topics including web development, programming, computer science, and data science, Codeacademy has trained more than 45 million learners. 

In addition to Google, Facebook, IBM, and Bloomberg, Codeacademy alums work at other top companies. There is also a premium plan available through Codeacademy for a monthly fee.

Udemy

With 30 million students, 100,000 courses in 50 languages, and 42,000 instructors, Udemy is a global education marketplace. On Udemy, content creators are able to curate and teach their own online courses, unlike other online education platforms.

Stanford Online

Stanford University provides an online portal in which students can enroll in free online courses. These courses are directly from some of their most prestigious programs such as their business, law, and medical school. 

They are great resources to gain introductory knowledge to a topic you are considering pursuing but are not sure if it is the right subject for you.

Free Online Education is Possible

Due to technology and passionate educators, free online education is possible. Whether you want to learn about a specific subject, or want to keep your brain focused and expanding, utilizing any of these online course providers will help you gain traction for your future.