In the wake of COVID-19, many people find themselves stuck at home and wondering how to use their time more productively. If you’re itching to continue (or start) learning, here is a list that will tell you where to take free online classes while you’re stuck at home.
The options are endless, and the internet is full of interesting and useful classes that you can complete from the comfort of your own home. Whether you’re interested in earning a degree, advancing your career, or just learning for fun, there’s something for everyone on this list.
The Benefits Of Online Classes
Keeps You Motivated When You’re Stuck At Home
While being stuck at home, especially if you’re used to having a more structured schedule, it can be hard to stay motivated and get things done. Online classes are a great way to create a schedule for yourself, get your brain going, and stay interested and busy while you’re at home.
Earn A Degree
Many are learning the benefits of distance learning, and now is a great time to invest in your future by earning a degree online. If you find that you enjoy the online learning format, or that it works well with your schedule, take advantage of your time and earn a degree in anything from business administration and computer science to health science and education, all from the comfort of your home.
Advance Your Career
Even if you’re not earning a degree, online classes can help advance your career by providing you with more skills and knowledge in your field, or in the working field in general. You can add some more skills to your existing toolbox, learn how to start a job as a graphic designer, freelance writer, or the many available options in the field of technology.
Just For Fun
Being stuck at home can be a great time to invest in your own hobbies, interests, or passions. You don’t need to be in school or university in order to continue learning. Take advantage of extra free time on your hands and have a little fun.
Where To Take Online Classes To Advance Your Career
Below is an extensive list of online courses to advance your career. Whether you learn invaluable skills to add to your resume, or take extra college credits in preparation for school, these courses will help give you a push in your career while you’re stuck at home.
1. Coursera
Price: Free to audit (pay to receive certificate of completion)
Coursera is an online platform that provides courses in a wide range of topics from universities around the world. Exploring Coursera’s website is fun, and you can find anything from business and marketing courses, to software development and design, data science, and languages. Whether you’re looking to get into a new field or gaining additional skills for your current job, these courses will help move you along in your career.
2. Class Central
Price: Free to audit (pay to receive certificate of completion)
Class Central is another website that offers a range of subjects. Their home page includes beginner courses on quantum mechanics, computer science and programming, grammar and writing, journalism, and career development, as well as a course on learning how to learn.
3. Alison
Price: Free for individuals
Alison is an ad-supported site which allows individuals to access a wide range of courses. Alison has courses on pretty much anything, but a quick peek at the home page includes courses on health science, supervision skills and management, working with students in special education, marketing, and psychology.
4. edX
Price: Free (pay to receive certificate of completion)
Like Coursera, edX offers free courses from major universities around the world in many different subjects ranging from practical career advancement to just for fun. edX offers many useful courses including data science, computer science, engineering, and topics in the humanities.
5. Khan Academy
Price: Free
Khan Academy is great for learning or brushing up on basic skills such as math, grammar, or science, and also offers courses on personal finance skills. Many people use Khan Academy for test prep, such as studying for the SAT, and they even offer a course on college admissions if you’re struggling with the decision or application process.
6. YouTube
Price: Free
Ah, YouTube. You can pretty much find anything on YouTube, from professional tips of the trade, to tutorials on any skill imaginable, and lifestyle and self-improvement lectures to help you advance your personal skills and your career.
7. Kadenze
Price: Free for most courses, but not all
Kadenze focuses on courses in the creative field, including those that combine arts and technology. This ranges from digital arts, to audio programming and music.
8. Udemy
Price: $11+ per course
Udemy includes courses on many different subjects, but they are known for having quality courses in the fields of technology and coding. They also offer many other courses in business, photoshop, health, and more.
9. SkillShare
Price: $15 a month (2 months free)
SkillShare offers courses that are geared toward design and the arts, such as illustration, design, animation, writing, photography, and film. Though SkillShare costs a monthly fee, they also offer a selection of free courses on their site, and the first two months are free.
10. Codecademy
Price: $20 (but offers free beginner courses)
Codecademy offers many beginner’s courses on coding and web development for free. Although you’ll need to pay for a membership for the more advanced courses, you can definitely get the basics down with their free courses, and their website is geared toward career advancement.
11. LinkedIn Learning
Price: $20 a month (first month free)
LinkedIn Learning is great for learning or advancing specific work skills such as training in Excel, graphic design tips and tricks, data analysis, creative thinking, time management, and more. For those who are studying at home now due to school and university shutdowns, LinkedIn Learning also has courses on how to learn online.
12. DataCamp
Price: $25 per month (first chapter of courses free)
For courses in coding, DataCamp offers the first chapter of their courses free of charge. Though their monthly membership is the most expensive on our list, you’ll be able to sample all of the courses before you commit to them to make sure that you are getting quality training.
If you’re looking to learn how to play an instrument, take a music theory class, or learn how to do audio programming, try out YouTube, Kadenze, or SkillShare.
Cooking
For cooking classes, nutrition, or tips and tricks in the kitchen, take a look at Coursera or edX for health and nutrition, or YouTube for a huge range of cooking tips and recipes.
Self-Improvement
Yale has been offering a popular course on the Science of Well-Being which can be found on Coursera. In addition, you can find more self-development courses on ClassCentral, or channels such as Ted-Ed on YouTube.
Art
For your creative side, take a look at the courses offered on Kadenze or SkillShare. You can learn anything from illustration and doodling, to comics and animation.
New Language
If you’re looking to learn a new language with the time on your hands, try out Coursera, Alison, edX, or the Duolingo app.
Coronavirus And Health Studies
If you’d like to learn more about global health or the science of COVID-19, Alison offers a course called Coronavirus: What You Need To Know, and Coursera is offering a free course called Science Matters: Let’s Talk About COVID-19, as well as a course on Foundations of Global Health.
University of the People is dedicated to offering affordable, quality online higher education and is the first US accredited, non-profit university to offer tuition-free higher education on a global level. We view higher education as a basic human right and aim to make it accessible and affordable to any qualifying students.
There’s no need to stop learning while you’re stuck at home. The internet is full of interesting and free courses that you can take, whether you’re bored and want to learn something new, or whether you’d like to take this time to earn a degree or advance your career.
There are so many skills you can learn from the comfort of your home, and hopefully this list can help you find out where to take free online classes while you’re stuck at home.
At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone. Read More
