Top 15 Platforms with Free Online Courses in STEM
These days, online learning is everywhere! Students around the globe are just a click away from top-notch courses, right from their phones or laptops. And guess what? STEM courses—once only available in traditional classrooms—are now easily accessible, opening doors for anyone looking to dive into science, tech, engineering, or math.
Why study STEM online?
- Save money: You don’t need to shell out big bucks. Most platforms offer free or low-cost courses that rival expensive in-person education.
- Flexibility: Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, online courses let you study when it suits you.
- Learn from Anywhere: Whether you’re in a bustling city or a remote village, you can access world-class education from anywhere with an internet connection.
- Endless Variety: Whatever your passion—coding, chemistry, or space exploration—there’s a course out there for you
We will explore the top online learning sites with free STEM courses, highlighting platforms that offer resourceful, well-structured content for learners of all levels. Whether you’re just starting or looking to expand your expertise, these websites provide valuable learning opportunities across various STEM fields.
What Makes a Great STEM Learning Platform?
To help you find the best of the best, we looked for platforms that deliver top-tier learning experiences. Here’s what we prioritized:
- High-quality courses: Well-structured, clear, and interactive content that’s engaging and easy to follow.
- Qualified instructors: Courses taught by well-known professionals from prestigious universities and affiliate organizations
- Diverse offerings: A wide range of topics across STEM fields, so there’s something for everyone
- User-friendly platforms: Easy navigation, mobile access, and interactive tools like forums and live chats to enhance your learning
- User reviews: Excellent student reviews and success stories from past participants
- Certification: Free or affordable certificates that boost your resume and showcase your achievements
With this in mind, let’s explore the top 15 platforms offering free STEM courses.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is your go-to for free education, with courses for every level—from elementary school to college. While it offers a variety of subjects, including arts and humanities, its STEM courses are a big hit, especially for students who want foundational knowledge.
Why You’ll Love It:
You can learn everything from the basics of algebra and calculus to complex topics like chemistry and electrical engineering. With instructional videos, practice exercises, and personalized learning dashboards, you’ll get a solid foundation at your own pace.
Plus, they have exam prep materials for standardized tests like the SAT!
STEM Highlights: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Algebra, Calculus, Computing, Electrical Engineering.
OpenLearn by The Open University
If you’re looking for variety, OpenLearn is a treasure trove of over 1,000 free courses from The Open University.
Why You’ll Love It:
OpenLearn organizes its content into easy-to-navigate categories, with STEM courses grouped under Science, Math, Technology, and Digital Computing. It has downloadable notes, videos, and games that keep learning fun.
You don’t need to register to start learning. Create an account if you want to track your learning progress and earn achievement badges to share on social media.
The Open University also offers OpenLearn Create–a Moodle platform where experts can publish and collaborate on courses and resources and members can access them freely.
STEM Highlights: Math, Technology, Coding.
edX
Dream of learning from MIT, Harvard, or Google? edX makes it possible with 4,000+ courses from world-famous universities and tech giants.
Why You’ll Love It:
edX offers a free audit track which lets you access most of the course material for a limited time. Certificates are available at a small fee or you can upgrade to the paid verified track to access graded assignments and exams.
STEM Highlights: Data Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Math.
Coursera
Coursera partners with prestigious universities like Yale and Stanford to bring high-quality education to your fingertips.
Why You’ll Love It:
Coursera offers over 3,000 courses, including specialization series that allow you to dive deep into subjects. You can study on Coursera without spending a dime by:
- Taking advantage of the 7-day free trial on all courses
- Doing the free-to-audit courses that give you limited-time full access to content but without graded assignments and certificates
- Searching for fully free courses with unlimited content access, revision checks, exams, and certificates
- Applying for financial aid from Coursera for funding of the paid courses
STEM Highlights: Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Physical Science and Engineering, Math and Logic.
OpenCulture
OpenCulture isn’t a platform itself—it’s more like an online library that curates the best free resources from the web. It’s perfect if you’re looking for free courses, certificate programs, notable lectures, degrees, audiobooks, ebooks, podcasts, or even documentaries on STEM subjects.
Why You’ll Love It:
Access a rich variety of free educational resources from diverse sources in one place. No sign-up is required—click on a listed resource, and the link redirects to the provider where you can start learning.
STEM Highlights: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics.
FutureLearn
FutureLearn brings together over 200 top universities and companies to create 1400+ expert-designed courses, taught by seasoned professionals.
Why You’ll Love It:
It covers plenty of STEM subjects grouped in two categories; Math, Science, and Engineering, and IT and Computer Science. You can join these courses for free while they’re live or upgrade to a paid option if you want unlimited access or certificates. The courses are bite-sized and easy to follow, with weekly steps that include a mix of video lectures, engaging articles, and interactive discussions.
STEM Highlights: Robotics, AI, Cloud Computing, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Data Engineering.
Udemy
Udemy’s Free Resource Center offers a wide selection of beginner-friendly courses that cover the basics of STEM subjects like Blockchain Technology, Machine Learning, and Software Engineering.
Why You’ll Love It:
The free courses are excellent for building a solid foundation in STEM-related topics. If you want to access premium content for cheap, look out for Udemy’s promo vouchers and flash sales. Websites like UdemyFreebies frequently list free coupons and discount codes, making it easier to upgrade to paid courses without breaking the bank
STEM Highlights: Web Development, Game Development, Programming Languages, Network and Security.
Brilliant for Educators
Brilliant offers a fun and interactive way for elementary, middle, and high school students to learn STEM subjects.
Why You’ll Love It:
Accredited teachers get free annual access to the platform where they can create classes, assign specific courses, and invite their students. It has engaging learning resources, including puzzles, challenges, and experiments to help STEM students master difficult concepts.
STEM Highlights: Math, Science, Computer Science.
Udacity
Udacity partners with top tech companies, like Google, IBM, and Amazon, to design 200+ courses for beginners and experienced professionals.
Why You’ll Love It:
If you’re new to tech, the free courses cover foundational topics and give you a taste of what to expect from their more in-depth Nanodegree programs. You can also apply for Udacity’s scholarships for a chance to study the mini-degrees for free.
STEM Highlights: Data Engineering, Introduction to Programming, Business Analytics.
Alison
If you’re looking for a completely free platform with quality courses, have a look at Alison. It lists over 4,000 courses, including in STEM subjects, all crafted by industry experts and accredited by the UK CPD (Continuing Professional Development) body.
Why You’ll Love It:
Access free certificate and diploma-level courses with rich content, including lectures, detailed notes, and assessments.
Upon completion, you can buy a digital certificate to showcase your achievement.
STEM Highlights: Technology, Programming, Engineering, Science, Web Development, Physics, Electronics, Mathematics.
MIT OpenCourseWare
MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) gives you access to the same content taught in MIT classrooms for free making it one of the most valuable platforms for learners seeking world-class STEM education.
Why You’ll Love It:
Explore thousands of courses, including lecture notes, videos, assignments, and lab exercises from MIT’s graduate and undergraduate programs. It’s like having MIT in your back pocket!
Besides the free courses on OCW, MIT also uploads full lecture recordings on its YouTube channel and hosts the Chalk Radio podcast, where instructors and industry experts share insights and discuss trending topics.
STEM Highlights: Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics.
Codecademy
If you’re into coding, Codecademy is one of the best places to start.
Why You’ll Love It:
Start learning with the free plan that includes foundational courses and an AI learning assistant that reviews your code. Once you understand the basic concepts, you can upgrade to the paid plans to explore advanced content, real-world projects, and personalized feedback.
You’ll also have access to a job readiness checker and an interview simulator that assesses your skills and provides practical tips to help you prepare for the job market.
STEM Highlights: Web Development, Computer Science, AI/ML, Data Science, Web Design.
Class Central
Class Central is an aggregator that curates free online courses from top universities and learning platforms like edX and Coursera, making it a gem for students on a budget.
Why You’ll Love It:
Massive listing of 250,000+ courses and learning resources and a user-friendly interface that enables you to search for STEM topics. You can also filter courses based on your experience level, the course duration, language of instruction, or certificate availability. Plus, the detailed rankings and reviews from former students can help you decide what to learn next.
STEM Highlights: Computer Science, Cyber Security, Web Development, Data Science.
Saylor Academy
Saylor Academy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making quality education accessible to everyone. The platform has over 100 expertly crafted courses across various subjects, including STEM, for high school and college students.
Why You’ll Love It:
Get a solid foundation in STEM with self-paced courses consisting of reading materials–often from open educational resources (OER), quizzes, discussion forums, and final assessments. You can purchase a certificate of completion for a small fee to showcase your achievements.
Plus, some courses are recognized for college credit through partner institutions, giving students a head start on their degree without the price tag.
STEM Highlights: Computer Science, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
Harvard Online
Harvard Online opens up a world of learning with access to a range of Harvard’s open courses through sites like edX, HBS Online, and GetSmarter. It’s like having a front-row seat in Harvard’s classrooms from the comfort of your home!
Why You’ll Love It:
Harvard Online offers a diverse lineup of STEM courses on edX, letting you explore foundational subjects for free. Want to dive deeper? You can upgrade for advanced content and certificates, adding extra value to your resume or skillset. Plus, the courses are self-paced, so you can study when it fits your schedule—all while benefiting from the world-class quality Harvard is known for.
STEM Highlights: Data Science, Programming, Biology.
Stay Ahead in STEM with the Latest Opportunities
With so many platforms offering free STEM courses, you can easily access quality education from the comfort of your home. From Khan Academy’s foundational lessons to edX’s university-level content, and platforms like Codecademy and MIT OpenCourseWare, there are plenty of resources to help you learn at your own pace. Whether you’re looking to dive into data science, coding, engineering, or math, these platforms offer a wide range of options for learners at all levels.
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