In this article, read by over 10 million people, Class Central has compiled the single largest collection of free certificate courses available online.

Certificates can motivate learners to complete online courses. When the modern online course movement began, platforms such as Coursera and edX offered free certificates. But by 2015, these had largely been replaced by paid ones.

Fortunately, a few universities including Harvard and Stanford still offer some free certificates. And so do some platforms like OpenLearn and LinkedIn Learning. Finally, Google, MATLAB, and other companies also started offering free certificates to promote their products.

Free certificates can be hard to find. So we compiled them all here, testing each platform, and earning a few certificates ourselves along the way. We’ve spent many hours on this article, and we’ll continue to update it.

If you know of a free certificate not listed here, please share it in the comments.

While Coursera and edX are not currently offering free certificates, you can learn from some of their courses for free.

Please note, Class Central is not involved in running the courses or issuing certificates. This is a dynamic field and you may discover that a course you choose is no longer available, or doesn’t have a free certificate any more. We recommend you always check before starting a course.

Table of Contents

This article is long. To make it easy to navigate, we’ve divided it into sections. Reference on a section to jump to the corresponding free certificate courses:

Semrush Free Certificates

Semrush Academy offers 90+ free courses on various aspects of marketing and SEO, many with free certificates. Here’s a selection:

• Become an AI-Powered Marketer
• On-Page and Technical SEO Course
• How to Optimize for Mobile: The CRAFT of Mobile SEO
• Mastering YouTube Search Trends and SEO Strategies
• Content-Led SEO with Brian Dean
• How to Get More Customers with Your Small Business Website with Wes McDowell

You can find more Semrush Academy courses with free certificates here.

CodeSignal Free Certificates

CodeSignal offers 1500+ courses and learning paths with free certificates in coding, AI & ML, data science, interview prep, and more. Here’s a selection:

• Programming Foundations with Python
• Four-Week Coding Interview Prep in Python
• Understanding LLMs and Basic Prompting Techniques
• Introduction to HTML
• JavaScript Programming for Beginners
• Getting Started with Java
• https://www.classcentral.com/course/codesignal-functional-programming-in-c-416615
• Feature Engineering for Text Classification
• Multidimensional Arrays and Their Traversal in Python
• Dart Foundations for Beginners

You can find more CodeSignal courses with free certificates here or for more details on how to earn a free certificate on CodeSignal head to our article: Unlock 800+ Free Certificates: Master Tech & Soft Skills with CodeSignal Learn.

Digital Marketing Free Certificates and Badges

Digital Marketing is a broad domain that includes search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, social media marketing, affiliate marketing, email marketing, online public relations, and more.

Class Central’s catalog of Digital Marketing courses has grown to 7,500+ courses, but most of them either do not offer a certificate or require you to pay for a credential. So we dug deeper and found 300+ Free Digital Marketing Certificates and Badges offered by companies such as Google, Meta, X (Twitter), Semrush, and more.

Here are a few examples:

• Google Analytics Certification via Google
• Google Ads Video Certification via Google
• AI-Powered Performance Ads Certification via Google
• Grow Offline Sales Certification via Google
• Content Marketing Principles for Business via semrush.com
• SEO Certification Course via academy.hubspot.com
• Inbound Course: Get Certified in the Inbound Methodology via academy.hubspot.com
• Inbound Marketing Course: Get Certified in Inbound Marketing via academy.hubspot.com
• Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate via Meta Blueprint
• Boost Your Marketing With Facebook Pixel via Meta Blueprint
• Ads Manager Fundamentals via X
• Mobile App Campaigns via X
• Website Traffic & Sales Campaigns via X

For more details and courses, head to our article: 300+ Free Digital Marketing Certificates and Badges.

freeCodeCamp Free Certificates

freeCodeCamp is a nonprofit that can teach you how to code online for free. It includes thousands of hours of learning content exploring topics ranging from web development to machine learning. Some content does not offer certificates, while other courses are structured into certifications. These are dedicated to a particular topic and lead to a free certificate of completion.

Here are the certifications currently offered by freeCodeCamp:

• Responsive Web Design ★★★★★(105)
• JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures ★★★★★(47)
• JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures (Beta)
• Data Analysis with Python ★★★★★(17)
• Front End Development Libraries> ★★★★★(11)
• Machine Learning with Python ★★★★★(12)
• Quality Assurance ★★★★★(7)
• Information Security ★★★★☆(6)
• Relational Database (Beta) ★★★★★(3)
• Scientific Computing with Python ★★★★★(3)
• Back End Development and APIs ★★★★★(3)
• Data Visualization ★★★★★(1)
• Foundational C# with Microsoft ★★★★★(2)
• College Algebra with Python ★★★★★(1)

More freeCodeCamp courses here.

FutureLearn Free Certificates

FutureLearn offers 70+ online courses with a free “digital upgrade”, which includes unlimited access to the course and quizzes. A digital Certificate of Achievement will be available upon completion. Here’s a selection:

• Agriculture, Economics and Nature from University of Western Australia via FutureLearn ★★★★★(5)
• Digital Skills: Digital Marketing from Accenture via FutureLearn ★★★★☆(16)
• Social Learning and Collaboration in School: Learning to thrive through play from Lego Foundation via FutureLearn ★★★★★(2)
• Digital Skills: Digital Skills for Work and Life from Accenture via FutureLearn ★★★★★(3)
• Digital Skills: Social Media from Accenture via FutureLearn ★★★★☆(8)
• Digital Skills: User Experience from Accenture via FutureLearn ★★★★★(2)
• Digital Skills: Artificial Intelligence from Accenture via FutureLearn ★★★★☆(5)
• Introduction to Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality from Lancaster University via FutureLearn ★★★★★(1)
• Digital Skills: Reimagine Your Career from Accenture via FutureLearn
• Measuring What Matters: Transforming Assessment and Recognition of Complex Learning Competencies from University of Melbourne via FutureLearn
• Digital Skills: Mobile from Accenture via FutureLearn

For the full list and more details of how to earn a free certificate, head to our article: FutureLearn Courses with Free Certificates.

IBM Free Badges and Certificates

IBM Cognitive Class offers over 100 courses and more than 30 learning paths in data science, AI, big data, cloud computing and blockchain. Around 60 courses offer a completion badge or certificate. Check on the Cognitive Class.AI course page for details.

The platform also provides a virtual lab environment allowing users to practice what they’ve learned in the courses.

Here’s a selection:

• Accelerating Deep Learning with GPUs
• Introduction to Open Source
• Text Analytics 101
• Applied Data Science with R
• Big Data Foundations

Some of the 24 free learning paths and 582 free courses from IBM Training have free certificates and badges available from IBM Training or via Credly. Courses are in a range of fields including AI, automation, infrastructure, cloud, security, and more.

MATLAB Free Certificates

MathWorks, the company behind the MATLAB programming language and software, offers 24 free online courses through their MATLAB Academy platform.

The courses introduce learners to the MATLAB language and tools — with a focus on machine learning — and MathWorks’ specialized software, such as Simulink.

Most notably, MATLAB Academy courses include a free certificate of completion as well as an accompanying progress report.

Here is a selection of the free courses currently offered on MATLAB Academy:

• MATLAB Onramp from MathWorks ★★★★★(11)
• Machine Learning Onramp from MathWorks ★★★★★(2)
• Reinforcement Learning Onramp from MathWorks ★★★★★(1)
• Signal Processing Onramp from MathWorks ★★★★★(1)
• Stateflow Onramp from MathWorks ★★★★☆(1)
• Simulink Onramp from MathWorks ★★★★★(1)
• Circuit Simulation Onramp from MathWorks
• App Building Onramp from MathWorks
• Image Processing Onramp from MathWorks ★★★★★(2)
• Statistics Onramp from MathWorks
• Curve Fitting Onramp from MathWorks

For a complete list and details of how to earn a free MATLAB certificate, head to our article: 30 Hours of MATLAB Courses with Free Certificate.

Kaggle Free Certificates

Kaggle is an online community for data scientists and aspiring data scientists alike. It offers over 50K public datasets, allowing you to build your own data science projects through Jupyter notebooks, and participate in competitions.

In addition, the platform offers a series of courses to learn the fundamentals of data science. Each leads to a certificate of completion.

• Python ★★★★★(13)
• Intro to SQL ★★★★☆(8)
• Advanced SQL ★★★★☆(2)
• Intro to Deep Learning ★★★★★(3)
• Data Cleaning ★★★★★(2)
• Time Series ★★★★★(1)
• Computer Vision ★★★★☆(1)
• Intro to Machine Learning ★★★★★(1)
• Pandas ★★★★☆(1)
• Data Visualization
• Intro to AI Ethics
• Machine Learning Explainability
• Feature Engineering
• Intermediate Machine Learning ★★★★★(1)
• Intro to Game AI and Reinforcement Learning

University of Tasmania Free Certificates

The University of Tasmania offers a growing list of certificate courses that are updated regularly:

• Understanding Dementia from University of Tasmania ★★★★★(14000)
• Preventing Dementia from University of Tasmania ★★★★★(7300)
• Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) from University of Tasmania ★★★★★(1300)
• Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from University of Tasmania ★★★★★(1600)
• Mental Health and MS from University of Tasmania ★★★★★(38)
• Deciding about DMTs for MS from University of Tasmania ★★★★★(38)
• Parkinson’s MOOC from University of Tasmania
• Motor Neurone Disease (MND) from University of Tasmania
• Ageing Well with MS from University of Tasmania

Also available is Equip Aged Care Learning Modules, a series of 10-minute modules each offering a free certificate of completion. Although focused in Australia, many of the topics are relevant to aged care worldwide.

Three of these courses have been ranked among Class Central’s Best Free Online Courses of All Time. After completing the final quizzes of each course module, participants are eligible to download certificates of completion.

HackerRank Free Certificates

HackerRank, a platform for learning algorithms and data structures and preparing for coding interviews, provides skills certifications tests in topics such as problem solving, Python, and JavaScript. Upon successfully clearing an assessment, you can promote yourself using the HackerRank certificate to peers and employers.

Here are some of the 24 tests you may complete to earn a certificate:

• Problem Solving (Basic)
• Python (Basic) Skills Certification
• Java (Basic) Skills Certification
• C# (Basic) Skills Certification
• JavaScript (Basic) Skills Certification
• SQL (Basic) Skills Certification
• Go (Basic) Skills Certification
• R (Basic) Skills Certification
• Node (Basic) Skills Certification

University of Helsinki Free Certificates

The University of Helsinki offers academic online courses through its independent course platform, MOOC.fi, including the following courses which include a free certificate of completion:

• Elements of AI ★★★★★(922)
• Full Stack open ★★★★★(36)
• Java Programming ★★★★★(20)
• Cyber Security Base ★★★★★(8)
• Ethics of AI ★★★★★(34)

OpenHPI Free Certificates

The Hasso Plattner Institute offers a range of self-paced courses with free certificates of participation and achievement. Most courses are in German, but some are in English.

Here’s a selection of courses in English:

• Understanding Embeddings for Natural Language Processing
• Data Science Bootcamp
• Introduction to Bayesian Data Analysis
• Introduction to Quantum Computing with Qiskit (with IBM Quantum)

Marginal Revolution University (MRU) Free Certificates

Marginal Revolution University (MRU) now provides 18 economics courses and series to everyone for free, some with a final exam and certificate. Learning videos (without a certificate) are also available on their Youtube Channel. You will earn a certificate on your MRUniversity profile if you pass the final exam of a course.

• Principles of Economics: Microeconomics
• Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics
• Development Economics
• International Trade
• Great Economists: Classical Economics and Its Forerunners
• The Eurozone Crisis
• Economics of the Media

X (Twitter) Marketing Free Badges

X Ads Academy offers free courses and badges on practice tips for advertising and campaigns on X. The courses provide free badges if you score 80% or higher on the Badge Assessments.

• Ads Manager Fundamentals
• Mobile App Campaigns
• Website Traffic & Sales Campaigns

upGrad Free Certificates

upGrad is an online learning platform that offers 100+ free programs and courses on subjects such as data science, business analytics, and technology.

An e-Certificate of Completion is provided in 30 days after you successfully finish all the modules within your program. Your phone number is required while registering a course so you may receive calls and messages from upGrad.

Here are some of the free programs offered on upGrad:

• Programming with Python: Introduction for Beginners
• Introduction to Natural Learning Processing
• Introduction to Data Analysis using Excel
• Introduction to Database Design with MySQL
• Data Science in E-commerce
• Fundamentals of Deep Learning of Neural Networks

Hubspot Academy Free Certificates

HubSpot Academy provides a number of free courses, 26 of which provide free certificates. Here’s a selection:

• Inbound Sales
• Content Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Inbound Marketing
• Inbound
• Digital Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Digital Advertising
• Social Media Marketing

You can find more Hubspot Academy courses with free certificates here.

Wolfram U Free Certificates

Wolfram U offers more than 40 courses with free certificates across various subjects, including Programming, Mathematics, Data Science and Machine Learning, Computational Thinking, and Signal and Image Processing. Here’s a selection:

• Full Interactive Course for Introduction to Wolfram Language
• Quick Start to Wolfram Tech Course
• Wolfram Language Programming Proficiency
• Programming Fundamentals of Wolfram Language
• Introduction to Calculus, Interactive Online Video Course
• Introduction to Discrete Mathematics, Online Video Course
• Visual Explorations in Data Science Course
• Introduction to Image Processing, Interactive Online Video Course
• Signals, Systems and Signal Processing Course

For all the free certificates from Wolfram U, head to our article: 40+ Free Certificates from Wolfram U.

Virtuelle Hochschule Bayern Free Certificates

The OPEN vhb site lists over 100 free courses in German and English, from a range of universities. To receive your certificate, complete 70% to 80% of the tasks correctly. Here’s a selection:

• Flourishing Together: Strengthening Team Health and Collaboration in Hybrid and Virtual Work
• Introduction to Academic Research – For Humanities Students with a Focus on Philosophy and Ethics
• Principles of Fintech Business Models
• Building Confidence in Statistics
• Grundlagen der nachhaltigen Produktion

Santander Open Academy

Established by Spain’s Banco Santander, Santander Open Academy offers 40+ online courses in a range of languages with free completion certificates. Here’s a selection:

• Effective Business Writing
• Introduction to Generative AI
• Business English: Listening and Communication skills – Part 1
• Cloud Computing Course
• Strategic Communication & Teamwork
• Mindfulness & Work-life balance
• Marketing Automation Fundamentals

Complexity Explorer Free Certificates

Complexity Explorer currently offers 5 self-paced courses with free certificates, and a range of free tutorials without a certificate. To receive your certificate, complete all the end-of-unit tests with an average score of 70% or more.

• Introduction to Complexity 
• Introduction to Dynamical Systems and Chaos
• Fractals and Scaling
• Origins of Life
• Nonlinear Dynamics: Mathematical and Computational Approaches

Saylor Academy Free Certificates

Saylor Academy offers 130+ college level courses with free certificates in History, Business, Chemistry, Economics, Computer Science, and many more. To earn a free certificate, you have to pass a final exam with a grade of 70% or higher.

• CS107: C++ Programming via Saylor Academy ★★★★★(3)
• CS201: Elementary Data Structures via Saylor Academy ★★★★★(1)
• PRDV304: Introduction to Supply Chain Management via Saylor Academy ★★★★★(1)
• PRDV410: Introduction to Java and Object-Oriented Programming via Saylor Academy

Hugging Face Free Certificates

Hugging Face develops computation tools for building applications using machine learning and offers several courses, some with free certificates.

• Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• AI Agents
• Deep Reinforcement Learning
• Community Computer Vision
• Audio

Edraak Free Certificates

185 free courses and specializations with free certificates in Arabic. You can apply to receive a certificate after completing all learning materials and quizzes.

• CV Writing
• Introduction to alternative energy systems
• Sustainable energy sources for societies
• Advanced Excel skills
• Introduction to the world of networks
• Basic technical skills
• Introduction to Computer Science – CS50x
• Office 365
• Robotics industry
• Agile Methodology Applications
• Electronic games design
• Programming iPhone applications
• Building websites with WordPress
• Neurosciences in our daily life
• Introduction to drinking water treatment

Stepik Free Certificates

Stepik, an interactive computer science education platform in Russian and English, offers 100 free courses with free certificates. You can automatically receive a certificate after completion of the course.

Here’s a selection:

• “Поколение Python”: курс для продвинутых
• “Поколение Python”: курс для начинающих
• Добрый, добрый Python – обучающий курс от Сергея Балакирева
• Инди-курс программирования на Python от egoroff_channel
• Программирование на Python
• Информатика ЕГЭ 2022. Твой спутник при подготовке
• Введение в программирование (C++)
• Интерактивный тренажер по SQL
• Python: основы и применение
• Основы статистики
• Подготовка к ЕГЭ по русскому языку
• Автоматизация тестирования с помощью Selenium и Python

FAO elearning Academy Free Certificates

The FAO elearning Academy offers 100+ free courses in food and nutrition security, social and economic development, and sustainable management of natural resources. A Digital Badge Certification is granted for some courses by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, after passing the final evaluation with a score of 75% or more.

• International trade in fisheries and aquaculture products
• Pathway to aquaculture biosecurity: managing disease risks in the value chain
• Building a gender-responsive policy and legal framework for agricultural investment and supply chains
• Operation and maintenance of agricultural equipment for hire service businesses
• Implementation of Farmer Field School Programmes
• Monitoring public expenditure on food and agriculture: the MAFAP method
• Monitoring price incentives for food and agriculture: the MAFAP method
• Sharing Forests MOOC
• Course 1: Participatory data collection and investment planning in the field
• Course 2: Business concept – Feasibility snapshot
• Course 3: Business plan – Detailed description
• Managing climate risks through social protection
• Understanding RIMA – An introduction to the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis
• Sustainable food systems: Concept and framework
• Sustainable food systems: An introduction

UN CC:e-Learn Free Certificates

The UN CC:e-Learn platform offers 116 free courses with certificates in climate change, sustainability, and green economy. Courses are in English, French, Spanish, and other languages. Once you complete all learning materials and pass the final quiz with a score of at least 70%, a Certificate of Completion will be available for download on the course’s Certification page.

Here’s a selection:

• Gender and Environment via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(10)
• Sustainable Diet via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(5)
• Green Industrial Policy via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(1)
• Cities and Climate Change via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(2)
• Introduction to Sustainable Finance via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(1)
• Carbon Taxation via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(1)
• An Introduction to Climate Change and Human Rights via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(4)
• Human Health and Climate Change via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★☆(2)
• Children and Climate Change via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(1)
• Introductory Course on Energy Efficient Ship Operation via UN CC:e-Learn ★★★★★(1)
• Sports for Climate Action via UN CC:e-Learn

PhilanthropyU Free Certificates

PhilanthropyU offers 20 free courses with free certificates. To get a Certificate of Achievement, you need to score at least 50% on all quizzes and assignments.

Here’s a selection:

• Branding 101
• Fundraising: Connecting with Donors
• The Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships Playbook
• From Data Collection to Data Use
• Creating a Theory of Change
• Developing an Operating Budget

Global Campus of Human Rights Free Certificates

The Global Campus of Human Rights offers several MOOCs. One ongoing MOOC Promoting and Protecting Human Rights: a Global Overview offers free enrollment and certificate. Upon completion of the course material, you can earn a Certificate of Completion.

Acumen Free Certificates

Acumen offers 30 free scheduled team certificate courses about social change. You can receive a Statement of Accomplishment after completing the course. Here’s a selection:

• Systems Practice
• Social Entrepreneurship 101
• Adaptive Leadership
• Introduction to Human-Centered Design
• Social Impact Analysis
• Nonprofit Fundraising Essentials
• Lean Startup Principles for the Social Sector
• Storytelling for Change
• Lean Data Approaches to Measure Social Impact
• Designing for Environmental Sustainability and Social Impact
• Human-Centered Design 201: Prototyping

ITCILO Free Certificates

ITCILO offers 50 free courses in sustainable enterprise development, labor laws, and gender equality in the workplace. Certificates or badges can be earned by meeting course requirements. Courses are in English and several other languages.

Here’s a selection:

• Continuing Legal Education 1 – Introduction to International labour standards
• Disability in the Workplace
• Essentials of Fire Safety Inspection
• Fire Safety Management
• Igualdad salarial: el enfoque de la OIT
• Introduction to International Labour Standards
• The Future of Work in the Rural Economy
• Training for Rural Economic Empowerment
• Training Toolkit on Establishing Fair Recruitment Processes

CISCO Free Certificates

Cisco, the IT and networking giant, offers a series of self-paced online courses through its Networking Academy platform; some include free badges for skills learned. Here’s a selection:

• Introduction to Cybersecurity from Cisco ★★★★★(8)
• Introduction to IoT from Cisco ★★★★★(2)
• PCAP: Programming Essentials in Python from Cisco ★★★★★(2)
• Computer Hardware Basics from Cisco
• Operating Systems Basics from Cisco

University of Urbino Free Certificates

The University of Urbino offers 10 courses with free certificates in Italian. A certificate and a badge can be obtained after completing all the learning materials and passing the online tests.

• Intelligenza Artificiale
• Laboratorio di Comunicazione Interculturale per la Scuola
• Coding per genitori
• Piattaforme digitali per la gestione del territorio
• Umano digitale
• Uniurb 4 High School

EC-Council Free Certificates

EC-Council Learning  currently offers 9 free cyber security courses with certificates. Here’s the full list:

• A Practical Introduction to Cloud Computing
• Cybersecurity for Businesses – The Fundamental Edition
• Android Bug Bounty Hunting: Hunt Like a Rat
• Introduction to Dark Web, Anonymity, and Cryptocurrency
• Build Your Own NetApp Storage Lab
• Introduction to SAN and NAS Storage
• Cisco LABS Crash Course
• SQL Injection Attacks
• Configure Juniper SRX Router using J-Web