The cost of college these days is insane. But here’s the good news: there are ways to earn a degree or pick up new skills with tuition-free online scholarships.
We’ve rounded up the best top tuition-free online scholarships available for all courses in 2024.
These scholarships offer funding for everything from short-term skills training and boot camps all the way up to full bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
The best part? They’re open to students of all backgrounds and education levels. If you’ve got the drive to learn, these scholarships have the means to make it happen.
Keep reading to discover four opportunities to earn a free education and achieve your new year goals.
Top 5 Tuition-Free Online Scholarships For All Courses 2024
If you’re looking to pick up new skills or advance your education without the high costs, there are top tuition-free online platforms that provide scholarships for all courses.
The scholarship provides access to courses only – you won’t receive any monetary award or stipend.
Also, the courses are all online and self-paced. You can learn on your schedule.
1. Coursera Financial Aid Program
If you’re looking for free online courses, Coursera offers full scholarships through their Financial Aid program.
You’ll need to apply and be approved to qualify – but many students receive total funding.
Once approved, you’ll have access to their entire catalog of courses for free. This includes guided projects, specializations, and business, computer science degrees, and data science.
These courses are from top universities like Yale, the University of Toronto, and Imperial College London.
To apply, you must create a Coursera account and submit basic information about your financial situation.
Coursera aims to provide access to anyone who wants to learn, regardless of their ability to pay.
If money is tight, but you’re eager to advance your education or skills, it’s worth applying.
The deadlines vary depending on the course, but you should generally apply 2-4 weeks before the start date.
The review process usually takes 7-14 days. If approved, you’ll receive an email with details on activating your financial aid and enrolling in courses.
Once enrolled, you can complete assignments, earn certificates, and even work towards certain degrees – all free.
The courses follow the same high-quality curriculum and instruction as regular Coursera courses. You’ll just pay nothing to access them.
2. edX Scholarship Program
edX is a massive open online course (MOOC) provider and online learning platform founded by Harvard and MIT as a nonprofit organization.
It hosts online university-level courses in a wide range of disciplines to a worldwide student body, including some courses at no charge.
edX offers a generous scholarship program that provides up to 100% tuition coverage for their MicroMasters and Professional Certificate programs.
The edX Scholarship program is open to learners from all backgrounds. Winners are selected based on their passion for learning, financial need, and how the program can impact their lives.
To be eligible for an edX scholarship, you must:
- Enroll in an edX MicroMasters or Professional Certificate program.
- Complete the scholarship application, including a short essay.
- Meet any additional criteria specified for your program.
edX aims to make high-quality education accessible to everyone. The application periods for edX Scholarships vary by program, so check the scholarship page for your program of interest for specific dates.
While an edX Scholarship is not guaranteed, many are awarded each application period.
If selected as a recipient, edX will notify you by email with the next steps to claim your scholarship and enroll in your courses.
3. FutureLearn Free Program
FutureLearn offers free online courses, from programming and data science to photography and well-being.
Top universities and specialists create their courses in their fields from around the world.
The best part is they offer full scholarships for selected courses so that you can learn for free.
They have over 200 free courses across 15 categories like Business & Management, Creative Arts & Media, Healthcare & Medicine, IT & Computer Science, Science, Engineering & Math.
These courses typically run for 3 to 10 weeks, but you can start anytime and take as long as you need.
Also, if you complete a course, you’ll earn an official digital badge to share on social media and add to your CV.
Whether you want to gain new knowledge for fun or advance in your career, FutureLearn has a free online course.
4. Udemy 100% Free Courses: Learn in-Demand Skills at No Cost
Udemy is one of the world’s largest online learning platforms, with over 130,000 video courses on business, tech, design, and personal development.
They are dedicated to enabling lifelong learning and access to job-relevant education for millions worldwide.
Even better, Udemy offers thousands of courses that are completely free to enroll in.
Check out some of the top free courses:
Business Courses
Learn in-demand skills like digital marketing, business strategy, and project management. Free courses cover social media marketing, SEO fundamentals, and more.
Tech Courses
Pick up technical skills for free, including web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), programming languages (Python, Java), and software like Excel, PowerPoint, and Photoshop.
Design Courses
Develop your creative skills with free courses on design tools (Illustrator, InDesign), photography, drawing, and sketching techniques. Learn UI/UX design, graphic design, and other visual arts.
Personal Development
Improve yourself with free productivity, leadership, mindfulness, and more courses.
Learn communication skills, motivation, goal setting, and overcoming obstacles.
5. Udacity Scholarship Program
Udacity is an online learning platform that offers nano degree programs in areas such as artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, and web development.
They believe that higher education should be available to anyone, anywhere. To that end, they offer scholarships and financial aid to help students complete their courses.
Udacity’s scholarship program provides 100% tuition funding for their nano degree programs.
The Nanodegree certificate program is an educational program designed to teach various skills such as coding, mobile programming, artificial intelligence, data science, and robotics.
Both current students and new applicants are eligible to apply. Scholarships are awarded based on the student’s country of residence and financial need.
Read Also: 2-Year Nursing Programs in the USA for International Students
Udacity considers many factors when reviewing scholarship applications, including:
- Your current financial situation
- How the scholarship will help you achieve your goals
- Your plan to use the new skills you learn
- How you will contribute back to your community
To apply, you must enroll in the nano degree program you wish to pursue and complete the first few lessons.
Then, submit an application with a short video explaining your situation, goals, and impact.
If awarded a scholarship, Udacity will refund 100% of your tuition. You must still complete all coursework and projects to earn your nanodegree.
Scholarship recipients may be asked to share their stories to help inspire others.
Their scholarship program allows students to access cutting-edge and impactful curricula regardless of their financial means.
FAQ
Is Nitro Scholarship Legit
Yes, the Nitro Scholarship is a legitimate opportunity for students needing financial assistance.
The Nitro scholarship is a monthly program that provides financial assistance to college students and encourages those needing financial support to continue their academic pursuits.
It offers a monthly scholarship of $2,000 to college students who meet the requirements and submit an application.
It operates so that each month’s winner can only participate again if Nitro accepts it for particular reasons.
This allows other individuals to have the opportunity to participate and receive financial assistance.
In other words, the Nitro scholarship is not renewable, ensuring fairness and giving more students a chance to benefit from the program.
How Do I Know a Scholarship Is Genuine and Not a Scam?
You can identify a real scholarship by ensuring it only asks for relevant information and does not require debit or credit card details.
Legitimate scholarship programs aim to provide financial assistance or support to students based on their qualifications and the program’s objectives.
It’s essential to be cautious when selecting a scholarship opportunity, as many fake scholarships aim to exploit applicants.
In addition, Government-sponsored scholarships or those offered by well-known organizations are often considered more reliable.
While private scholarships may raise suspicions and can be difficult to verify, they won’t ask for money or ridiculous details.
Conclusion
These top tuition-free online scholarships are available to students looking to fund their education in 2024.
Whether you’re interested in completing a short course to boost your skills, working towards an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or pursuing a vocational program, one of these scholarships should meet your needs.
The application processes vary in their complexity, but all provide the opportunity to study at your own pace for free.
