With a catalog of more than 4000 courses, edX should have something for every online learner, no matter the subject they’re interested in. However, free course access on edX is typically limited: most often, you’ll only have access to part of the course content and only for a limited time.

Fortunately, this limitation doesn’t apply to all courses. At Class Central, we’ve scoured the edX catalog to identify courses that still offer free unlimited access, and we’ve put them in a handy list that we’ll continue to update.

If you enjoy this list, you may also want to have a look at our list of 1800+ Coursera Courses Still Completely Free.

Is edX free?

There once was a time when MOOCs (or massive open online courses) were free, including those offered on edX. But in their quest for a sustainable business model, one after the other, online course platforms started introducing paywalls. We reported on this as it happened.

Nowadays, if you want unrestricted access to an edX course, you’ll typically have to pay. More specifically, most edX courses offer the following access modalities:

• Paid full access: In this modality, you’ll have access to all course material and graded assignments, and upon completion of the course, you’ll earn a verified certificate of completion.
• Free audit: In this modality, you’ll have temporary access to the course material (usually, a month), but you won’t have access to graded assignments, and you won’t earn a certificate upon completion.

For example, the popular edX online course Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science in our Best Courses Guide (BCG) to the best data science courses offers these two modalities, as you can see below:

Fully-Free edX Courses

However, while most edX courses default to the two modalities above, fortunately for us, some edX courses still offer free access to all learning materials, including graded assignments.

The only thing these courses don’t include is a certificate (though, for some CS courses, that’s not entirely true). But in terms of content, you’ll have access to the full learning experience.

When you try to enroll into one of these courses, you’ll either immediately have access to the full course, or you’ll be given a choice between paid certificate and free full content access, as shown in the image below.

Note that this is different from the choice shown in the image above. Here the free option isn’t time-limited nor restricted to ungraded assignments. Instead, you’ll have access to all the learning materials, including the assignments. So, unless you want the paid certificate, pick the option on the right.

The difficult thing is finding these fully-free online courses buried among the rest in edX’s catalog. The platform doesn’t offer a handy filter to easily identify them. So instead, we searched the provider’s catalog programmatically and found these fully-free courses for you.

Subjects

We discovered that currently, more than 200 courses on edX are still completely free in terms of learning content. They cover a wide variety of subjects. For your convenience, we’ve broken the list down by subject. Click on a subject to jump to the corresponding courses.

• Humanities (16)
• Computer Science (9)
• Social Sciences (38)
• Programming (11)
• Health & Medicine (38)
• Engineering (7)
• Mathematics (5)
• Science (30)
• Education & Teaching (27)
• Business (25)
• Personal Development (7)
• Information Security (InfoSec) (6)
• Art & Design (8)
• Test Prep (1)
• Data Science (3)

Stats

• Enrollments range from 22 to 6,069,194
• 4 courses have over 1 million enrollments
• Together, they account for 14,706,669 enrollments, with an average of 64,787 enrollments
• Together, they account for 852 reviews at Class Central, with an average of 11 reviews
• Average Rating: 4.63/5
• 121 courses are beginner level, 71 intermediate, and 39 advanced
• 213 are in English, 4 German, 3 Chinese, 3 French, 2 Spanish, 2 Japanese, and 1 each in Arabic, Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian.

More Courses

If you don’t find what you need here and would like to explore more learning opportunities that include a free certificate, Class Central’s got you covered. Check our articles:

• Massive List of Thousands of Free Certificates & Badges
• 1800+ Coursera Courses Still Completely Free
• 900+ Free Developer and IT Certifications
• 1000+ Free Digital Marketing Certificates
• 1000 Open University Free Certificates
• Harvard Computer Science Courses with Free Certificate

You can find all the Class Central free certificate articles here.

Humanities (16)

• HOPE: What Makes Us Human from Tel Aviv University ★★★★★(308)
• Introduction To Food & Health from Stanford Medicine ★★★★☆(3)
• PredictionX: Lost Without Longitude from Harvard University ★★★★★(1)
• Responsible Innovation: Ethics, Safety and Technology from Delft University of Technology ★★★★☆(1)
• Writing Case Studies: Science of Delivery from Princeton University
• (English) International Standards on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists from University of Oxford
• Mao to Now: On Chinese Marxism from University of Newcastle
• Ethics in Action from SDG Academy
• What is Poetry? An Introduction to Literary Analysis from University of Newcastle
• Living Heritage and Sustainable Development from SDG Academy
• (Arabic) المعايير الدولية بشأن حرية التعبير وسلامة الصحفيين from University of Oxford
• (French) Les Normes Internationales en Matière de Liberté d’expression et de Sécurité des Journalistes from University of Oxford
• (Portuguese) Normas Internacionais de Liberdade de Expressão e Segurança dos Jornalistas from University of Oxford
• À la découverte de la civilisation hittite chapitre 1 from Sorbonne Universités
• (Chinese) 关于记者言论自由和安全的国际标准 from University of Oxford
• (Russian) международные стандарты свободы слова и безопасности журналистов from University of Oxford

Computer Science (9)

• CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science from Harvard University ★★★★★(183)
• CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python from Harvard University ★★★★★(23)
• CS50’s Computer Science for Business Professionals from Harvard University ★★★★★(18)
• CS50’s Understanding Technology from Harvard University ★★★★☆(15)
• CS50’s Computer Science for Lawyers from Harvard University ★★★★★(8)
• Large Language Models: Application through Production from Databricks
• Large Language Models: Foundation Models from the Ground Up from Databricks
• Health Informatics for better and safer healthcare from Campus – the Israeli National Project for Digital Learning
• Applications of Machine Learning in Plant Science from Cornell University

Social Sciences (38)

• Constitutional Interpretation from Princeton University ★★★★★(38)
• Age of Sustainable Development from SDG Academy ★★★★★(9)
• Civil Liberties from Princeton University ★★★★★(7)
• Health Across the Gender Spectrum from Stanford University ★★★★★(3)
• Making Government Work in Hard Places from Princeton University ★★★★★(2)
• Climate Action: Solutions for a Changing Planet from SDG Academy ★★★★★(2)
• PredictionX: Omens, Oracles & Prophecies from Harvard University ★★★☆☆(2)
• Sustainable Cities from SDG Academy ★★★★★(2)
• Feeding a Hungry Planet: Agriculture, Nutrition and Sustainability from SDG Academy ★★★★★(2)
• Incarceration’s Witnesses: American Prison Writing from Hamilton College ★★★★★(1)
• Sustainable Food Systems: A Mediterranean Perspective from SDG Academy ★★★★★(1)
• Introduction to American Civics: Presented by Zero-L from Harvard University ★★★★★(1)
• Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs from Columbia University ★★★★★(1)
• The Best Start in Life: Early Childhood Development for Sustainable Development from SDG Academy
• Human Rights, Human Wrongs: Challenging Poverty, Vulnerability and Social Exclusion from SDG Academy
• Cities and the Challenge of Sustainable Development from SDG Academy
• Globalization: Past and Future from SDG Academy
• Making Universal Social Protection a Reality from SDG Academy
• Macroeconomics for a Sustainable Planet from SDG Academy
• High Conflict in Law: An Introduction from University of Newcastle
• Transforming Our World: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals from SDG Academy
• Changing Behaviour for Sustainable Development from Monash University
• Identifying and Responding to Developmental Delay in Young Children from Stanford University
• How to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals from SDG Academy
• Tech for Good: The Role of ICT in Achieving the SDGs from SDG Academy
• Decent work and economic growth: Achieving SDG 8 from SDG Academy
• Sustainable Development: The Post-Capitalist Order from SDG Academy
• The Korean Story: Secrets of an Economic Miracle from SDG Academy
• Laudato si’: On Care for Our Common Home from SDG Academy
• Shaping Urban Futures from SDG Academy
• Understanding Poverty and Inequality from SDG Academy
• The Living Amazon: Science, Cultures and Sustainability in Practice from SDG Academy
• Revitalizing Multilateralism for a Sustainable Future from SDG Academy
• Measuring Sustainable Development from SDG Academy
• Inclusive Energy Systems – Exploring Sustainable Energy for All from Delft University of Technology
• Conversations with Global Leaders: Leading on Sustainable Development from SDG Academy
• Industrial Policy in the 21st Century: The Challenge for Africa from SDG Academy
• 超スマート社会への招待 | Introduction to the Super Smart Society from Tokyo Institute of Technology

Programming (11)

• CS50’s Web Programming with Python and JavaScript from Harvard University ★★★★★(26)
• CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python from Harvard University ★★★★★(11)
• CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Scratch from Harvard University ★★★★☆(6)
• CS50’s Mobile App Development with React Native from Harvard University ★★★★★(2)
• CS50’s Introduction to Databases with SQL from Harvard University ★★★★☆(2)
• SQL for Everyone from Southern New Hampshire University
• SQL for Business Intelligence from Southern New Hampshire University
• Guided Project: Get Started with IBM Db2 on Cloud from IBM
• Scripting with Python from Southern New Hampshire University
• Structured Database Environments with SQL from Southern New Hampshire University
• 将棋で学ぶプログラミング基礎 | Programming for beginners: Learning basics with computer Shogi from Tokyo Institute of Technology

Health & Medicine (38)

• Mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19 from Harvard University ★★★★★(26)
• PredictionX: John Snow and the Cholera Epidemic of 1854 from Harvard University ★★★★★(7)
• Thinking Critically: Interpreting Randomized Clinical Trials from Stanford University ★★★★★(5)
• Focused Bedside TTE and Ultrasound from Stanford University ★★★★☆(5)
• Global Public Health from SDG Academy ★★★★★(4)
• Unconscious Bias in Medicine from Stanford University ★★★★★(3)
• Prescription Drug Misuse and Addiction: Compassionate Care for a Complex Problem from Stanford University ★★★★☆(2)
• Identifying Early Signs of Psychosis in Adolescents and Young Adults from Stanford University ★★★★★(2)
• An Evidence-Based Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Migraines in Adults in the Primary Care and General Neurology Setting from Stanford University ★★★★★(2)
• Antimicrobial Stewardship: Improving Clinical Outcomes By Optimization of Antibiotic Practices from Stanford University ★★★★★(2)
• Healthy Ageing in 6 Steps. Let your environment do the work. from Delft University of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Global Health Case Studies from a Biosocial Perspective from Harvard University ★★★★★(1)
• Congenital Hypothyroidism: What Every Primary Care Provider Needs to Know from Stanford University ★★★★★(1)
• Thinking Critically Series: Interpreting Screening Trials from Stanford University ★★★★★(1)
• Hypertension in Primary Care – Improving Control and Reducing Risk from Stanford University ★★★★★(1)
• To Prescribe or Not To Prescribe? Antibiotics and Outpatient Infections from Stanford University ★★★★☆(1)
• SafetyQuest: Level One – QI Basics from Stanford University ★★★★★(1)
• The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Use of mRNA Vaccines from University of Pennsylvania ★★★★★(1)
• Communicating with Presence from Stanford Medicine ★★★★★(1)
• Virtual Care with Presence from Stanford Medicine ★★★★★(1)
• Neuromuscular Monitoring Course from Stanford University
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I from Southern New Hampshire University
• Human Anatomy and Physiology II from Southern New Hampshire University
• CSI: ME Case Studies in Medical Errors from Stanford University
• Strengthening Community Health Worker Programs from Harvard University
• How To Taper Patients Off Of Chronic Opioid Therapy from Stanford University
• Optimizing Antimicrobial Therapy with Timeouts from Stanford University
• SafetyQuest: Level Two – Moving Beyond QI Basics from Stanford University
• SafetyQuest: Level Three – Implementing QI from Stanford University
• SafetyQuest: Level Four – Mastering QI from Stanford University
• One Health in Practice: Solutions for healthy people in Biosphere reserves from SDG Academy
• Introduction to Population Health from Stanford University
• Safe Surgical Care: Strategies During a Pandemic from The University of British Columbia
• Public Health Advocacy Academy from Columbia University
• Partnering with Patients and the Public in Co-Production from Stanford University
• COVID-19 & Society: Inequality in Global Pandemics from The University of British Columbia
• Ventilación mecánica para pacientes con COVID-19 from Harvard University
• Prise en charge de la personne obèse from Sorbonne Universités

Engineering (7)

• The Art of Structural Engineering: Vaults from Princeton University ★★★★★(22)
• Solar Energy from Delft University of Technology ★★★★★(8)
• The Art of Structural Engineering: Bridges from Princeton University ★★★★★(8)
• Nano @ Stanford from Stanford University ★★★★★(2)
• The Next Generation of Infrastructure from Delft University of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Hyperloop: Changing the Future of Transportation from Delft University of Technology
• Project MARCH: behind the technology of robotic exoskeletons from Delft University of Technology

Mathematics (5)

• How to Learn Math: For Students from Stanford University ★★★★☆(17)
• Convex Optimization from Stanford University ★★★★★(8)
• Calculus Applied! from Harvard University ★★★★★(2)
• Cómo Aprender Matemáticas – Para Estudiantes from Stanford University
• Mathematics of Waves: Visualized with Neural Networks from Purdue University

Science (30)

• Climate Change Science and Negotiations from SDG Academy ★★★★☆(8)
• Planetary Boundaries from SDG Academy ★★★★★(5)
• One Planet, One Ocean from SDG Academy ★★★★★(2)
• Topology in Condensed Matter: Tying Quantum Knots from Delft University of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• MalariaX: Defeating Malaria from the Genes to the Globe from Harvard University ★★★★★(1)
• Molecular Foundations of Medicine from Stanford University ★★★★☆(1)
• Medical Genomics 101 from Davidson College ★★★★☆(1)
• Water: Addressing the Global Crisis from SDG Academy ★★★★★(1)
• Microstructural Evolution of Materials Part 1: Statistical Mechanics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★★★★★(1)
• Mining and Materials for Sustainable Development Transformations from SDG Academy ★★★★☆(1)
• Microbiology from Southern New Hampshire University
• Musculoskeletal Primer for the Non-Orthopedist from Stanford University
• Natural Resources for Sustainable Development from SDG Academy
• Environmental Security and Sustaining Peace from SDG Academy
• Climate Change: The Science and Global Impact from SDG Academy
• From the Ground Up: Managing and Preserving Our Terrestrial Ecosystems from SDG Academy
• Basic Steps in Magnetic Resonance from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• Nature Based Metropolitan Solutions from Wageningen University
• Microstructural Evolution in Materials: Phase Transformations from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Microstructural Evolution of Materials Part 2: Defects and Diffusion from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Nature-based Solutions for Disaster and Climate Resilience from SDG Academy
• Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Working with nature to adapt to a changing climate from SDG Academy
• Science Communication from Campus – the Israeli National Project for Digital Learning
• Energy ─ The Technology You Must Know in the 21st Century | 能源 ─ 21世紀你必須了解的科技! from Open Education Consortium (OEC)
• Transforming Development: The Science and Practice of Resilience Thinking from SDG Academy
• Microstructural Evolution of Materials: Surfaces and Surface-Driven Reactions from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Governance for Transboundary Freshwater Security from SDG Academy
• Path Integral Methods in Atomistic Modelling from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• Mechanik I from RWTH Aachen University
• Thermodynamik I from RWTH Aachen University

Education & Teaching (27)

• Introduction to Family Engagement in Education from Harvard University ★★★★★(8)
• Developing Your Educational Leadership and Management Vision from University of Newcastle ★★★★★(1)
• Introduction to Data Wise: A Collaborative Process to Improve Learning & Teaching from Harvard University ★★★★★(1)
• Applying Strategic Leadership in Education from University of Newcastle ★★★★☆(1)
• How to Thrive Online from Arizona State University
• Attaining Higher Education from Columbia University
• How to Succeed on your Earned Admission Track from Arizona State University
• Strategies for Online Teaching and Learning from The University of British Columbia
• Leading Transformative Change in Education from University of Newcastle
• Online Course Development: Planning and Implementation from The University of British Columbia
• Equity and Inclusion in Education from SDG Academy
• Designing and Developing an Online Course from The University of British Columbia
• Intercultural Education through the metaverse from Campus – the Israeli National Project for Digital Learning
• Advancing Learning Through Evidence-Based STEM Teaching from Dalhousie University
• How You Say It Matters: A Toolkit for Improving Communications About Academic Standing from Stanford University
• University Studies for Student Veterans from Columbia University
• The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project from Boston University
• An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching from Cornell University
• Developing Instructionally-Embedded Performance Assessments for the NGSS Classroom from Stanford University
• Instructional Design with Orchestration Graphs from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• The Postdoc Academy: Building Skills for a Successful Career from Boston University
• Supporting Veteran Success in Higher Education from Columbia University
• Evaluating Student Work from Performance Assessments to Guide NGSS Teaching and Learning: Course 4 from Stanford University
• Performance Assessment in the NGSS Classroom: Course 1 from Stanford University
• The Postdoc Academy: Succeeding as a Postdoc from Boston University
• Developing Instructionally-Embedded Performance Assessments for the NGSS Classroom: Course 2 from Stanford University
• Using Student Work To Strengthen Performance Assessments for NGSS: Course 3 from Stanford University

Business (25)

• Introduction to Bookkeeping from ACCA ★★★★★(2)
• Intermediate Bookkeeping from ACCA
• Introduction to Management Accounting from ACCA
• Intermediate Management Accounting from ACCA
• Financial Accounting Fundamentals from Southern New Hampshire University
• Introduction to Product Management from Emergn
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Thinking & Acting like an Entrepreneur 1 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Venture Capital 2 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Thinking & Acting like an Entrepreneur 4 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Thinking & Acting like an Entrepreneur 2 from RWTH Aachen University
• Critical Business Skills from Southern New Hampshire University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Thinking & Acting like an Entrepreneur 3 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Venture Capital 1 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Getting To Market 1 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Start-up CFO 2 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship for Global Challenges in Emerging Markets from Delft University of Technology
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Getting To Market 2 from RWTH Aachen University
• Entrepreneurship 101 – Start-up CFO 1 from RWTH Aachen University
• Finanzas para no financieros from LCI Education
• Cómo dar y recibir feedback from LCI Education
• Introduction to Agile: Beyond Methodologies from Emergn
• Product Management Foundation
• Business Model Metrics and Advanced Tools from Delft University of Technology
• Einführung in die BWL from RWTH Aachen University
• Absatz und Beschaffung from RWTH Aachen University

Personal Development (7)

• Designing Your Career from Stanford University ★★★★☆(1)
• Find Your Calling: Career Transition Principles for Returning Veterans from Columbia University ★★★★☆(1)
• Work and Employment for a Sustainable Future from SDG Academy
• Odyssey Planning from Stanford University
• Re-Imagine Work: Strategies During COVID-19 and Beyond from The University of British Columbia
• How to Give and Receive Feedback from Davidson College
• Getting a Good Deal: Negotiating Extractive Industry Contracts from SDG Academy

Information Security (InfoSec) (6)

• CS50’s Introduction to Cybersecurity from Harvard University ★★★★☆(1)
• Check Point Jump Start: Harmony Mobile from Checkpoint
• Check Point Jump Start: Quantum Spark Network Security from Checkpoint
• Check Point Jump Start: Harmony Endpoint Security from Checkpoint
• Check Point Jump Start: Quantum Management from Checkpoint
• Check Point Jump Start: CloudGuard Posture Management from Checkpoint

Art & Design (8)

• À la découverte du théâtre classique français – Tome 1 from Sorbonne Universités ★★★★★(1)
• Design Practice in Business: Spark Innovation like a Designer from Delft University of Technology ★★☆☆☆(1)
• À la découverte du théâtre classique français – Tome 2 from Sorbonne Universités ★★★★★(1)
• History of Chinese Architecture | 中国建筑史 from Tsinghua University ★★★★★(1)
• IMAGE | ABILITY – Visualizing the Unimaginable from Delft University of Technology
• Models in Architecture – design through physical & digital models from Delft University of Technology
• The New World of Arnold Schönberg’s Piano Music from Stanford University
• Introductie productontwerpen: van probleem tot prototype from Delft University of Technology

Test Prep (1)

• AP® Psychology – Course 0: Introduction from The University of British Columbia

Data Science (3)

• Dashboards and Data Visualizations from Southern New Hampshire University
• Data Analysis: Building Your Own Business Dashboard from Delft University of Technology
• Applied Statistics with Python from Southern New Hampshire University