Free Skill Courses

• Some platforms may look like they are offering free courses, but you find part way through the course that you can only get part way through without being blocked by a paywall, or having to pay at the end for your certificate.

• Some people will just complete a course to get the certificate at the end. Whilst a certificate provides evidence that the course was completed, if you take this approach you probably haven't actually learned anything. Is there much point having a certificate to share when the reality is you have very little knowledge on the subject matter?

• Some courses vary in quality as they're free, might not be as rigorous as paid courses or allow for interaction and live teaching. You might also be limited in the support offered when completing a free course.

• If you'd like a specific qualification, it might be unlikely that there is free course available, but there are various Level 2 and 3 qualifications available for free so it's worth having a search if you know the exact course you'd like to complete. If not, if you're interested in a specific management course, whilst the official qualification might not be free, you could find a similar free course that will help build your skills and knowledge before you choose to splash the cash on a paid course if you wish too.

1000 courses to choose from, focusing on specific areas of learning or academic subjects. You can work through the courses at your own pace, and if you sign up you can track your progress and work towards a statement of participation. There are also no start or end dates, so you can get started right away or at a time that suits you. You'll get a free digital 'statement of participation' when you finish the course.

There are three levels: Level 1 Introductory, Level 2 Intermediate and Level 3 Advanced. 

Some courses are based on Open University course materials, whilst others are written specifically for OpenLearn.

You can check out their full Course Catalogue, or filter through the range of course topics they offer.

Access courses designed by global institutions and organisations like Google, Yale, Adobe and Microsoft. Free courses on Coursera can help you learn coding languages like Python and JavaScript, data analysis techniques, and web development fundamentals. You can build skills in problem-solving, algorithm design, and creating interactive websites. Many courses introduce tools such as Git for version control, SQL for database management, and various frameworks that streamline web development, allowing you to apply your skills in practical projects. 

You can find free courses available on Coursera here.

Designed by York academics, MOOCs are free and open to everyone. By trying a MOOC you can join the global learning community, engaging on courses designed by world-leading academics giving an insight into a wide range of subjects. You can also study alongside York tutors and other learners on 'facilitated' courses at set dates across the year. MOOCs last between two to four weeks, and are delivered through videos, quizzes, case studies and discussion groups.

Find the full list of the online short courses available to all.

FutureLearn provides over 1,000 courses across a range of subjects ran by global companies and education institutions.

One thing to note, many FutureLearn courses are only free for a limited period of time or have a paid for option if you want to receive a certificate. This might not be an issue if you'd just like to build your skills and knowledge and can do it within the limited time frame.

Explore all the FutureLearn courses here.

The Academic Skills Community, or ASC, is the University of York approach to learning and communication support designed to help you advance your academic, language and interpersonal abilities. 

The Academic Skills Community brings together staff, workshops, and resources from across the University. These are:

• the Library

• the Writing Centre

• the Maths Skills Centre

• the Careers and Placements Team

• Integrity (for Integrity tutorials, referencing and Turnitin)

Free, interactive courses to build digital confidence.

Top courses to look out for: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Data Machine Learning and AI Essentials and Introduction to Generative AI.

A platform to learn by doing. They have zero video lectures, instead, you write actual code into your browser from the first lesson.

Top courses to look out for: Responsive Web Design Certification and Python for Data Science.

Well-known for interactive lessons for complete novices in tech.

Top courses to look out for: Code Foundations, INtroduction to UI and UX Design and Intorduction to Cybersecurity.

Canva’s official, free learning platform. They offer short, video-based courses explicitly built for beginner creators. 

Top Courses to Look Out For: Canva Essentials or Canva Design Skills for Students. Both give you hands-on practice building graphics and presentations, and come with a shareable digital certificate. 

A global name in marketing offering high-quality, free video courses that are well regarded in the marketing industry.

Top courses to look out for: Social Media Marketing Certification or Content Marketing Course.