What free courses are available on Coursera?

Coursera offers thousands of free courses across topics like data science , business , health , computer science , personal development , and more. While you can explore lectures and course content at no cost, some features—like assessments and certificates—may require payment.

Can I earn a certificate from a free Coursera course?

Yes, but certificates are typically not included in the free version of a course. To earn a certificate, you’ll usually need to pay for the course or apply financial aid if available. You can still learn all the material for free through audit mode.

How do I enroll in a course for free on Coursera?

To start a course for free, choose the “Audit the course” or “Enroll for free” option during sign-up. This lets you access video lectures and some assignments without payment. Look for courses labeled as “Free” or those that offer a free audit option.

What’s the difference between auditing a course and paying for one on Coursera?

Auditing a course gives you free access to the learning materials, like videos and reading content. Paying for a course unlocks graded assignments, assessments, and a certificate upon completion—which may be useful for showcasing your skills or professional development.

Are free Coursera courses from top universities?

Yes, many free courses are taught by instructors from top institutions like Stanford , Yale , University of Pennsylvania , and companies like IBM . These courses offer an accessible way to learn from leading educators and professionals around the world.

Top Free Courses - Learn Free Online

Find the Best Free Course for Your Goals

Status: Free Trial
DeepLearning.AI
Data Storage and Queries
Skills you'll gain: Data Storage, Data Storage Technologies, Query Languages, Data Lakes, Database Systems, SQL, Databases, Data Architecture, Cloud Storage, Data Warehousing, Amazon Web Services, Amazon S3, Performance Tuning
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
65 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Using Databases with Python
Skills you'll gain: Relational Databases, Database Design, SQL, Web Scraping, Data Modeling, Database Systems, Database Management, Data Visualization Software, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Data Processing, Python Programming, Application Programming Interface (API)
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
21K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Introduction to Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Data Store, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Architecture, Data Pipelines, Big Data, Data Warehousing, Data Governance, Apache Hadoop, Relational Databases, Apache Spark, Data Lakes, Databases, SQL, NoSQL, Data Security
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.2K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Davis
SQL Problem Solving
Skills you'll gain: SQL, Data Quality, Complex Problem Solving, Data Visualization, JSON, Business Metrics, Business Reporting, Data Presentation, Forecasting, Data Analysis, Predictive Analytics, Exploratory Data Analysis, Debugging, Data Transformation
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Google Cloud
Modernizing Data Lakes and Data Warehouses with Google Cloud
Skills you'll gain: Data Lakes, Data Warehousing, Cloud Engineering, Google Cloud Platform, Data Infrastructure, Cloud Storage, Data Pipelines, Big Data, Data Processing, Data Transformation, SQL, Scalability
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.9K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Microsoft
Deploy and Maintain Power BI Assets and Capstone project
Skills you'll gain: Power BI, Dashboard, SQL, Microsoft SQL Servers, Data Security, Data Visualization Software, Data Modeling, Data Management
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
244 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Generative AI: Enhance your Data Analytics Career
Skills you'll gain: Generative AI, Data Storytelling, OpenAI, Analytics, Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Dashboard, Prompt Engineering, ChatGPT, Data Ethics, Data Visualization Software, SQL, Python Programming, Query Languages
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
116 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
SAS
SAS Advanced Programmer
Skills you'll gain: SQL, SAS (Software), Database Management, Query Languages, Data Access, Database Management Systems, Program Development, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Data Presentation, Scripting, Perl (Programming Language), Data Processing, Automation, Data Integration, Statistical Programming, Data Manipulation, Data Structures, Data Transformation, Debugging, Data Validation
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
399 reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado System
Data Warehousing for Business Intelligence
Skills you'll gain: Database Design, Data Warehousing, Relational Databases, Decision Support Systems, Business Intelligence, Data Modeling, Database Management Systems, Databases, Dashboard, Business Process Management, SQL, Star Schema, Data Governance, Data Integration, Oracle Databases, Performance Measurement, Extract, Transform, Load, Business Analytics, MicroStrategy, Data Visualization Software
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.1K reviews
Advanced · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado Boulder
The Structured Query Language (SQL)
Skills you'll gain: SQL, Database Management, Query Languages, Relational Databases, Database Design, Database Theory, Data Analysis, Data Access, Data Manipulation, Data Modeling
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Python Project for Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Web Scraping, Data Transformation, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Manipulation, SQL, Integrated Development Environments, Data Processing, Databases, Application Programming Interface (API), Code Review, Restful API, Python Programming, Unit Testing, Style Guides
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
774 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
IBM
SQL: A Practical Introduction for Querying Databases
Skills you'll gain: SQL, Relational Databases, Microsoft SQL Servers, MySQL, Query Languages, Database Systems, Databases, Database Management, Stored Procedure, IBM DB2, Data Manipulation, Data Analysis, Transaction Processing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
595 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months