Free Online Courses Provided by International Universities

Free Online Courses Provided by International Universities

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jun 13, 2025 12:20 PM IST | #Skill Development

The rise of free online courses provided by international universities has revolutionised education, making world-class learning accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Institutions like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Oxford now offer free online courses in fields ranging from computer science to business management. These free online certificate courses from foreign universities provide certifications that enhance employability, making them a valuable asset for students and professionals.

This Story also Contains
  1. Overview of Free Online Courses Provided by International Universities
  2. Free Online Certificate Courses From Foreign Universities
  3. Why Opt For A Free Online Certificate Course From an International University?
  4. Scope of Pursuing Free Online Courses
Free Online Courses Provided by International Universities
Free Online Courses Provided by International Universities

For people who cannot get easy access to world-class education, there are a lot of free online courses from international universities. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn collaborate with top-tier universities to deliver high-quality content, often with optional paid certifications. To help aspirants choose the free online certificate courses from foreign universities that not only cater to their area of interest but also enable them to get clarity on their doubts during the process of study, we have curated a list of some free online certificate courses from foreign universities, available in India.

Explore Now:

Overview of Free Online Courses Provided by International Universities

Aspect

Details

What are International Universities Online Courses?

Free digital courses are offered by global universities via e-learning platforms.

Top Providers

Coursera, edX, FutureLearn, Udacity, Khan Academy

Top Online Courses

Machine Learning (Stanford), Python (MIT), Business Management (Harvard)

Fees Range

Free (audit mode); Rs. 1,500 - Rs. 10,000 for certificates

Top Recruiters

Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Deloitte, TCS

Scope

High demand in IT, business, data science, and healthcare sectors

Skills Learnt

Coding, analytics, leadership, digital marketing, AI

Average Salary (India)

Rs. 4 LPA - Rs. 15 LPA (varies by role and experience)

Free Online Certificate Courses From Foreign Universities

a) Harvard University

Harvard University offers many free online courses with certification and enables you to get a taste of Ivy League education for free. Harvard OCW is Harvard's open online course platform, which includes many free courses with certificates of completion but these do not involve ID verification. Here are a few lessons to enjoy:

  • Shakespeare's Life and Work: Such online certificate courses from foreign universities will help you learn how to read William Shakespeare's plays while studying his biography in four weeks. The study also covers the history of Elizabeth and Jacobean and modern practice.
  • Justice: In these kinds of online certificate courses from foreign universities, one learns about the introduction to moral and political philosophy. Justice course examines an in-depth analysis of past and present ideas in this 12-week study. You will read the writings of Aristotle, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and John Rawls.
  • Health Impact of Climate Change: Climate change has more topics than ever before. In these seven-week online certificate courses from foreign universities, you can learn and discover how global warming affects human health and how we can help reduce its effects.
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b) University of California, Irvine

University of California, Irvine offers a wide range of courses in a variety of disciplines. Certificate programmes offer an in-depth body of knowledge to ensure you master a topic. Here are a few courses that might interest you:

  • Best Business Writing in English: Such online certificate courses from foreign universities promise to help you build your voice in your writing, allowing you to practice your writing skills in a variety of business communications.
  • Electronics Introduction: This online certification course will help you learn about the basics of electronics, transistors, and several other devices. This course is perfect for those who want to understand electrical engineering.
  • Integration Games: These free online certificate courses from foreign universities are like a beginner's guide to the game of integration. The lessons include mathematical theory and simple game analysis without going through the possibilities.

c) Georgia Institute of Technology

The Georgia Institute of Technology has been providing online courses since 2012. Since then, as many as 3.3 million people have enjoyed these world-class free online courses on a variety of topics. Here are a few things you can enjoy:

  • Business Data Statistics: This tutorial helps you understand and analyze business data. Furthermore, it also provides you with a chance to apply complex algorithms to real scenarios and extract valuable business-related data sets.
  • Innovative Leadership: If you are keen to become a leader, this 6-week course is for you. Students will learn why innovation leaders are important for growth and how to become one.
  • Principles of Supply Chain: This is a 15-hour course. It is a good introduction for anyone who wants to pursue a career in procurement and supply chain management. It will help you gain an understanding of the extensions made for you and inform you of the livelihood options available to you.
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d) Ecole Polytechnique

École Polytechnique is a leading French institution that combines advanced research, academics, and innovation in the technology field. The free courses are made for students who are genuinely interested in sciences, technology, and engineering. We’ve listed a couple of such courses in this article.

Introduction to Opportunities: This course is taught in English, this is a two-part course that provides weekly classes that teach the basics of opportunity, giving you a small but complete understanding of opportunities and how to use them in the real world.

  • How to Write and Publish a Science Paper: These kinds of online courses from foreign universities are designed for students with previous experience in the subject matter. This course will help an individual in writing and publishing a scientific paper. This course is taught in English; you will learn to write accurately and publish a full scientific paper in four weeks.
  • From Space to Astronomy: If you have ever wondered how the Universe was formed, how it came to be 14 billion years ago, or even how the universe is composed, then this is your course. The course lasts for ten weeks but it is taught in French.

e) Michigan State University

Counted among the largest universities in the United States, MSU is offering multiple free courses via the Internet. The students can audit the certificate courses for free. There are a couple of free online courses that you’d like from this university.

  • Become a Journalist: This course will help you learn the impact of journalism on social and media issues and trends. It acquaints learners with journalistic practices as well as ethics for news collection processes. This journalism course takes about six months to complete and is suitable for those looking to become journalists.
  • Write Feature-Length Screenplay for Film or Television: In 20 weeks, you will write a full-length film or television feature script. Learners have imparted knowledge through a step-by-step process, which further allows creating a near-perfect script at the end of this course.
  • Game Art Skills: These initially focused lessons will teach you the basics of 2D and 3D art production in six months. If you are interested in working as a game designer or illustrator for video game companies, this course will give you a start in the right direction.

f) California Institute of the Arts

Ranking 20th in the world in art and design at QS World University is in the title category 2019 by the California Institute of Arts. It offers a slew of creative online courses, some of which are -

  • Graphic Design: This six-month graphic design course teaches the basic skills required for graphic design. You will also complete a project that can be used for a professional portfolio.
  • Sharp Ideas and Workplace Poetry: In this ten-hour lesson, you will learn keywords and poems by reading a variety of poems by some of the most celebrated modern and classical poets. You will also have the opportunity to write your poems and get feedback from experts, which will help you improve further.
  • Structural Language: You will make an analysis of the objectives of the graphic design work in this course, and evaluate its application. This is a beginner-level course and will take about eight hours to complete.

g) Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

An international research-oriented university, HKUST adopts advanced teaching methods focusing on research in areas such as science, technology, and management, among others.

Here are a couple of courses offered by them -

  • Introduction to Fintech: Learn about the innovations, technologies, and regulations that change financial transformation in Asia's first FinTech MOOC (Massive Open Online Course).
  • Making News Feature: This six-week online course will improve your critical thinking skills to allow you to see better and more reliable information in news reports and have a better news writing experience.
  • Status, Law, and Economics: If you are interested in learning about economics, this course is a good place to start. The lessons teach important economic concepts relevant to the study of the political economy.

h) University College London (UCL)

Ranking 8th globally in the recent QS World Rankings, they are a premier educational institution in the United Kingdom. They offer a variety of online courses from foreign universities, including:

  • Social Media Anthropology and Why We Post: It is a five-week course on social media results and how to compare and use social media around the world.
  • Citizen Science and Scientific Crowdsourcing: An Introduction. This course is conducted by UCL's geography department, it imparts basic knowledge of crowdsourcing information, while bringing your academic credentials to the field.
  • Culture, Health, and Welfare: An Introduction: This course will help you to develop, deliver and evaluate health and social work within a museum, artistic, heritage, or cultural organisation. It is a good introduction to anyone who wants to work in this field.

i) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

MIT is widely regarded as one of the most respected universities in the world, ranking first in the world in the latest QS World University Rankings. Here is an option for their free online courses:

  • Number I theory: This advanced course will cover a wide umbrella of topics such as algebra & analytic number theory among others.
  • Microeconomic Theory and Social Policy: If you are interested in learning economics, why not learn from the best? Pursuing this course enables you to use microeconomic theory for analysing public policy.
  • Literature: (Renaissance and Modern) For those who want something different, this study examines the impact of new technologies on the recording and distribution of words and images during the invention of the printing press in 1450, the invention of 19th-century telecommunications technology, and digital media today.

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Why Opt For A Free Online Certificate Course From an International University?

  • Cost-Effective Learning
  • Global Recognition
  • Career Advancement
  • Flexible Schedule
  • Diverse Subjects

Scope of Pursuing Free Online Courses

Professionals with certifications from international universities see faster career growth. Industries like IT, finance, and healthcare highly value these credentials. Roles such as Data Analyst, Digital Marketer, and Software Developer offer lucrative salaries.

Free Online Courses by Foreign Universities: Top Job Profiles and Salary Trends

Job Profile

Average Salary

Top Recruiters

Data Scientist

Rs. 10 - Rs. 15 LPA

Amazon, Flipkart

Digital Marketer

Rs. 4 - Rs. 8 LPA

Google, WPP

Software Developer

Rs. 6 - Rs. 12 LPA

TCS, Infosys

(Source: AmbitionBox)

Free online courses with certificates are easily accessible by candidates and are designed in such a way that they are flexible depending on their needs. This kind of course will enhance the existing level of knowledge of the candidates and help them take new steps towards career progression.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do free online certificate courses matter?

Most recruiters from large companies know about online courses and have seen certificates before. If the qualification gained in the foreign universities online courses is relevant, they see certificates as advantageous for an applicant.

2. Can I do online classes on my phone?

The core of free online certificate courses is a virtual learning platform. Some schools may use platforms that work on mobile devices, but not all schools do so. If your programme of study will have you taking these courses where you need a laptop or PC, a mobile device may not be sufficient.

3. Are Google certifications free?

Google AdWords is a free certification. If reading study guides isn't your thing then you can check out the company’s Academy for Ads, which is a freely available resource that can be completed in no time and many of them are available free of cost. 

4. What is Google Level 1 certification?

Level 1 focuses on Google Tools at a foundational level but also gives educators insight into Digital Citizenship and Copyright. Level 1 is perfect for the educator who would like to learn how to integrate technology into the classroom. Users must pass the Level 1 exam at the end of the curriculum to become certified.

5. Which site is best for online courses?

There are multiple e-learning platforms which have partnered with Ivy League institutions to offer online certificate courses from foreign universities for upskilling and learning courses to students across the globe. Most popular platforms for online courses include Coursera, Lynda.com, Udemy, Udacity, Khan Academy and Codecademy.

6. Are online certificates worth it?

There are foreign university free certificate courses which are not accredited and it means that they are not checked or approved by a prestigious educational institution. Real certificates are usually backed by well-known colleges and shall be recognised by employers and likely help improve your resume's worth. Therefore the certificates backed by a recognised institution are always worth it.

7. Can I put online courses on my CV?

Yes, you can put the relevant completed free certificate courses from foreign universities on your CV, as apart from teaching new skills, it can also help in getting a job sometimes.

8. Does online courses in foreign universities count?

Yes, it does not matter if an online course is free or paid as long as you have received its certification, it will count.

9. How many hours in a day does an online course take?

On average, free online certificate courses by foreign universities can take approximately four hours a day. Which includes both the duration of the class as well as the time a student takes to complete his or her online schoolwork. Some days, of course, will take longer and some days you may be lucky and have less.

10. Is an online degree valid in India?

In India too, the government has taken cognizance of the popularity of this mode of education. It has therefore allowed 15% of the Indian universities to offer these online courses from foreign universities to the students.

11. Are Google certifications valuable?

Yes, certifications play an important role in Digital Marketing career as Google gives certificates after completion of Digital Marketing course and it's valuable but it's really important to follow some steps to know the real value of a certificate. You should read all the modules and make notes from it.

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