Learning something new can be a daunting task, especially if you have to do it on your own. Maybe you want to improve your Photoshop skills. Maybe you want to learn a new language for your next trip abroad. Or maybe you want to unleash your inner tita and take up knitting. Unfortunately, enrolling in a school or getting an actual tutor might probably empty your pockets, especially if you’re still a student.
But don’t fret. The internet sure has a lot of strange things on it, but it’s a wide playground for those in search for wholesome and productive knowledge. And it has the perfect solution for all you nerds (and we say that as a compliment) out there: free online classes.
Check out these websites that you can learn a thing or two from for free.
HarvardX
Try it if you’re: an all-around nerd
As one of the first universities to open their course materials to the public, Harvard University’s HarvardX is one of the most diverse websites for free online courses. It includes a variety of classes from different areas of learning, may it be architecture, data analysis or even soft skills. They also offer a option for certifications, for those who want to make things legit.
Duolingo
Try if if you’re: into a certain culture or language, like French or Japanese
No, for last time, this ain’t “New Rules” singer Dua Lipa. Duolingo is the place to go if you want to learn a new language. It has almost every language out there, and the best part is that it’s very simple to use. Its engaging graphics will make you think that you’re only playing a game. It is also available as an app, and it even has a supplementary app called Tinycards which helps you refresh your memory through flash cards.
Open Yale Courses
Try it if you’re: in love with anything art and literature
Open Yale Courses gives access to recorded lectures from Yale University so it will surely give you student vibes. Most of the classes offered are about the liberal arts, so for all you history and arts buffs out there, this is the place for you.
Alison
Try it if you’re: a budding photographer
Alison is most known for its free photography classes that cater to both beginner and intermediate photographers. They have tutorials for the basics, like how to operate a DSLR, as well as tutorials on post-processing software like Adobe Photoshop.
Coursera
Try it if you’re: wanting more degrees than the one you have/are taking already
Coursera offers courses and specializations on a lot of subjects. They have also partnered up with different universities and organizations to offer online degrees that are university-recognized.
Khan Academy
Try it if you’re: in need of some help in your required core subjects, like Math or English
Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that aims to provide free education for everyone. They offer classes in different subjects, but they are most known for their video tutorials for Math that offer step-by-step solutions that are easy to understand.
Codecadamy
Try it if you’re: wanting to be the next Mr. Robot
If you want to immerse yourself in the different coding languages, then Codecadamy is for you. They offer interactive classes for web development, design, and coding languages.
Youtube
Try it if you’re: obsessed with watching Youtube videos
Ah, trusty old Youtube. With the abundance of videos from different creators like universities, companies, or even that random dude from the other side of the world who surprisingly knows how to solve your Calculus problem, Youtube is definitely a place for learning and not only entertainment. You can easily look for specific topics, like how to use the quick selection tool in Photoshop, and there’d be a lot of search results to choose from.
By Bea Amador