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Whether you’re interested in software development, web applications, machine learning, or Cloud computing, you can learn it online — and often, for free.
E-learning platforms such as Coursera and edX offer free online courses in computer science — with optional paid certificates of completion — from schools like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, the University of Michigan, and more from the best colleges in the world. You can also find programs developed by prominent employers and institutions, such as Google Cloud.
Alongside mini and full degrees programs, you can audit many Coursera and edX courses for free, which can be a great way to explore new interests or quickly brush up on some skills.
To access the full programs, including graded homework, unlimited course access, and a verified certificate of completion, you’ll have to pay a one-time fee on edX or a monthly fee on Coursera until you finish the course.
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Offered by: Harvard University
Length: 12 weeks
In this introductory computer science course, students learn “how to think algorithmically and solve programming problems efficiently” using concepts like abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development.
They also become familiar with programming languages such as C, Python, SQL, and JavaScript, plus CSS and HTML. By the end of the course, students develop and present a final programming project to their peers.
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Offered by: MIT
Length: 9 weeks
This course is part one of an introduction to computational thinking, programming, and computer and data science.
Without any prior experience in computer science or programming, students should be able to exit both with an understanding of how to think computationally and write programs to tackle problems.
The class focuses on breadth rather than depth, covering Python, simple algorithms, testing, debugging, data structures, and an informal introduction to algorithm complexity.
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Offered by: Harvard University
Length: 12 weeks
Intended for students who completed the introductory CS50 course, this class focuses on database design, scalability, security, and user experience, using the popular programming languages Python and JavaScript.
It features many hands-on projects to teach students how to use APIs, interactive UIs, GitHub, Heroku, and more so that they can leave the course better equipped to design Internet applications.
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Offered by: Harvard University
Length: 12 weeks
Learn about the development of 2D and 3D interactive games. Using lectures and hands-on projects, students explore the design of popular games such as Super Mario Bros., Pokémon, Angry Birds, and more.
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Offered by: Harvard University
Length: 6 weeks
This course is designed for business professionals such as managers, product managers, founders, and decision-makers so they can make technological decisions even if they’re not actual tech experts.
Unlike CS50’s bottom-up approach, this course is also top-down, emphasizing mastery of high-level concepts and related decisions. Topics include computational thinking and web development.
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Offered by: Stanford University
Length: 6 weeks
Algorithms are at the core of computer science, and this course offers a big-picture introduction to learners with a bit of programming background.
The course covers topics such as sorting and searching to data structures and graph primitives, using several types of assessments to check comprehension. Upon completion, students should be able to speak knowledgeably about algorithms in interviews and with other programmers and computer scientists.
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Offered by: The University of Michigan
Length: 7 weeks
This course introduces you to the core data structures of Python and builds upon the basics to show you how to use built-in data structures such as lists, dictionaries, and tuples to perform complex data analysis. It covers chapters 6-10 of the textbook “Python for Everybody.“
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Offered by: The University at Buffalo and The State University of New York
Length: 13 hours
This course covers the main principles of computer vision: Digital signal processing, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. Topics include color, light, and image formation; early, mid- and high-level vision; and mathematics essential for computer vision.
It’ll be good for anyone interested in exploring the concepts of computer vision or could use a refresher in mathematical concepts of computer vision. The course recommends that learners have basic programming skills and experience, specifically in MATLAB, with basic linear algebra; 3D co-ordinate systems and transformations; basic calculus, and basic probability.
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Offered by: The University of Edinburgh and Universidad ORT Uruguay
Length: 12 hours
This is a good course for beginners. It’ll teach you how to program in Scratch, an easy-to-use visual programming language, and provide an introduction to the fundamental principles of computing and thought processes of software engineers. Students will gain skills in Graph Theory, C++11, C++, and Graph Algorithms.
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Offered by: CentraleSupélec
Length: 22 hours
In this project-centered course, you’ll design, build, and distribute your own unique application for the Android mobile platform. You’ll exit it with the understanding of Android specificities that make moving onto more advanced coursework possible.
This course is best suited for those who have some prior Java programming experience.
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Offered by: Google Cloud
Length: 15 hours
Google Cloud’s Industrial IoT course covers network architecture in its entirety, from sensors and devices to analysis. According to Google Cloud, you’ll be able to create a streaming data pipeline; registries with Cloud IoT Core; topics and subscriptions with Cloud Pub/Sub; store data on Google Cloud Storage; query the data in BigQuery, and gain data insights with Dataprep by the end of the course.
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Offered by: Google Cloud
Length: 13 hours
This is an accelerated, six-hour course that introduces students to the core capabilities of Google Cloud Platform through four technology pillars: networking, compute, storage, and database. It’s designed for AWS professionals with at least a basic proficiency with networking technologies like subnets and routing, and experience with Amazon VPC, Amazon EC2 instances, and disks.
Enroll for free with a 7-day trial or audit for free
Offered by: Vanderbilt University
Length: 35 hours
This course uses the programming system and language MATLAB to teach computer programming to those with little to no previous experience because it’s “easy to learn, versatile, and very useful for engineers and other professionals.”
However, it’s good to note that it’s not a MATLAB tutorial; it’s an introductory programming course that uses MATLAB to illustrate general concepts in computer science and programming.
Enroll for free with a 7-day trial or audit for free
Offered by: The University of California, Santa Cruz
Length: 13 hours
This course is aimed at C programmers who want to program in C++, and requires a basic understanding of algorithms and object-oriented software to understand examples and exercises. You’ll gain skills in Graph Theory, C++11, C++, and Graph Algorithms.
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Offered by: Yonsei University
Length: 8 hours
Learn “everything about the Internet” in this course, starting with the operational functions of Internet technologies (IPv4, IPv6, TCP, UDP, addressing, routing, domain names, etc.) and your PC/laptop’s security and gateway Internet setup. Through a Wireshark experiment, you’ll also observe how the TCP/IP packets and security systems serve your PC/laptop.
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