Is 2020 the year you’re planning on making some real career moves? Maybe you’re gunning for the next big promotion or considering changing industries. Or perhaps you’re just starting out in the professional world on your Tutor Hunt. Whatever your plan, making real progress on your career is going to require a great deal of work, including a skills refresh.
Fortunately, there are plenty of free, online platforms for boosting your skillset. Whether you’re looking to learn software development, a new language, or even the art of negotiation, there’s a way to do it without spending a dime. Here are some of the best options available.
1. edX
A nonprofit, open-source platform, edX offers more than 2,400 courses in topics including computer science, engineering, arts & culture, health & safety, and many others at different levels and in numerous languages. The courses are in charge of 140 leading institutions such as Harvard, UC Berkeley, MIT, Tsinghua University, Microsoft, The Smithsonian, Georgetown, McGill, the University of Oxford, and the University of Hong Kong.
It’s completely free to audit many of these courses, although you’ll usually need to pay to earn credits, professional certificates, and degrees.
2. Coursera
Like edX, Coursera partners with top institutions, including colleges and universities around the world, to offer courses in a wide range of topics, from languages to business to personal development to science. In addition to learning from multimedia material, you’ll also have access to plenty of free resources.
Many classes are completely free, but for degrees and certificates, you’ll have to pay a fee. Still, you’ll be able to audit many of these courses for free, too.
3. Alison
Alison offers a wide range of courses covering many topics, such as technology, language, health, and lifestyle. You can even learn job skills for different career and life stages, whether you’re a high school student or seasoned professional. You can also earn certificates and “diplomas,” signifying extensive mastery of a subject, at no cost.
4. CodeCademy
CodeCademy is just what it sounds like: a place to learn how to code. The website teaches:
HTML & CSS, Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL, Bash/Shell, Ruby, C++, R, C#, PHP, Go, and Swift.
One notable feature is the live practice window, which allows you to practice during the lesson you’re watching. You can also see your progress on a dashboard. Codeacademy boasts having taught 45 million learners around the world.
5. iTunes U
Via the iTunes U app, you can learn from multimedia content, such as podcasts, videos, books, and other resources from top institutions like Stanford, Yale, the University of Tokyo, The Smithsonian Libraries, and others. There’s a wide range of course topics and levels, covering areas such as engineering, health, and communications. Instructors and students can also find resources for planning and keeping track of assignments.
6. Udacity
Udacity offers plenty of paid computer science courses, but it also has many that are free and don’t culminate in certificates as part of its Nanodegree program. Students can learn topics like artificial intelligence, web development, and programming languages at the beginner, intermediate, or advanced level through videos and assignments that measure their progress.
7. Skillshare
Taught by experts and professionals in their fields, Skillshare’s courses span dozens of topics, including productivity, UX design, film & video, creative writing, and music. There are thousands of free courses available in short lengths — in some cases as little as 12 minutes — as well as longer ones. For more content, you can pay for a premium membership.
8. P2PU
Peer to Peer University (P2PU) emphasizes community. You can join “Learning Circles” to study with others and access forums to discuss topics and course material. There are many free online college courses covering subjects such as 3D Printing, American Sign Language, Basic Line Drawing, and Algebra I, as well as in-person classes available in 177 cities all over the world. To celebrate your achievements, you’ll receive badges to post on your social media profiles, portfolio, or website.
9. Khan Academy
Not only does Khan Academy offer lessons of its own, but it also presents a selection of in-depth courses from around the internet. Students learn from videos and additional practice exercises and resources. They’ll also have access to a personalized learning dashboard to help them work at their own pace. There are plenty of subjects, ranging from SAT prep to computer programming to art history. Students have access to topics at different levels in more than 36 languages.
10. OpenCourseWare sites
Many colleges and universities offer free course materials today, including full lectures and course syllabi. OpenCourseWare is a major publisher of these materials. Many institutions use the platform to offer full college courses on plenty of different topics, such as MIT, Yale, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, and Harvard Medical School. Many of the lectures are pre-recorded, but you’ll still have access to materials, which vary depending on the institution and course.
Whether you’re looking to learn a foreign language or want to be more productive, there are plenty of ways to gain new skills — at zero cost. These online learning platforms are a great place to start, no matter what your profession or level of expertise.