The 65 best free Coursera courses you can take online, from schools like Yale, Princeton, and Stanford

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  • Coursera offers free online courses, many of them led by top colleges or companies like Google.
  • Learners can access all course materials and there’s a small fee for a certificate of completion. 
  • Coursera’s online classes span a range of topics, from public health to resume writing.

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Whether you’re interested in learning computer programming or becoming happier in your daily life, you can probably find a course online — often, completely for free.

In an effort to democratize education, Coursera offers thousands of courses that are completely free to take. Many of Coursera’s offerings are in partnership with top universities like Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Michigan, as well as companies like Facebook and Google. It also caters to a range of demographics, from high schoolers and college students to adults. 

Students can audit a course, freely accessing all the lectures, readings, and discussion forums in a Coursera course. They can also opt to pay a fee (from $49 to a few hundred dollars, depending on the course) for features like graded homework or a certificate of completion to add to their LinkedIn profile or resume. 

Taking free online courses can be a great option for those looking for an affordable alternative to traditional college, helping learners develop new skills for a career switch. They can also be a great tool for personal growth and discovering one’s passions, with classes ranging in topics from fashion to psychology.

The 65 best free Coursera online courses: