Here at Class Central, we often get asked about academic credit. While many free and free-to-audit courses are made by universities and in some cases are direct recordings of live university lectures, the opportunities to use these free and low-cost courses for official academic credit can be somewhat limited. It’s important to check whether your institution will allow credit before taking a course. Note also that there may be maximum limits on the number of credits you can earn from other institutions.

One pathway adopted by thousands of educational institutions in America is ACE credit.

ACE Credit

ACE credit is administered by the American Council on Education and is powered by the digital credential provider Credly. Many institutions allow credit for prior learning (CPL) towards their degrees. “Prior learning” can include work experience, military service, or education from different institutions including online courses. You can ask your institution if it will consider ACE credit towards your degree.

Some providers offer ACE credit and list partner institutions on their sites.

StraighterLine

Some courses from StraighterLine offer ACE credit. Here’s a selection:

• Introduction to Communication
• Introduction to Psychology
• Business Communication
• Business Ethics
• Medical Terminology
• Pharmacology
• Introduction to Philosophy
• Introduction to Sociology
• Microbiology
• College Algebra

Study.com

Study.com has 220 courses offering ACE credit. Here’s a selection:

• English 104: College Composition I
• Computer Science 111: Programming in C
• Computer Science 112: Programming in C++
• Math 103: Precalculus
• Math 104: Calculus
• Criminal Justice 101: Intro to Criminal Justice
• History 101: Western Civilization I
• Humanities 101: Intro to the Humanities
• Biology 105: Anatomy & Physiology
• Business 101: Principles of Management

Saylor Academy

Saylor Academy offers 38 courses with ACE credit. Courses are free, but you pay a small fee for online proctoring while you sit the exam. Don’t forget to check on the course info page for details and how to get college credit.

Here’s a selection:

• ARTH101: Art Appreciation
• BIO101: Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology
• BUS202: Principles of Finance
• BUS402: Project Management
• CUST105: Customer Service
• PHYS102: Introduction to Electromagnetism
• POLSC201: Introduction to Western Political Thought
• PSYCH101: Introduction to Psychology
• CS302: Software Engineering
• CS105: Introduction to Python

Coursera

Coursera has some microcredentials offering ACE credit. Note, you may need to finish the courses before the expiry dates; check the information carefully.

• Deep Learning Specialization from DeepLearning.AI via Coursera (10 ACE credits)
• Google Cloud Cybersecurity Professional Certificate from Google Cloud via Coursera (9 ACE credits)
• Google IT Support Professional Certificate from Google via Coursera (15 ACE credits)
• Applied Data Science Specialization from IBM via Coursera (12 ACE credits)
• Google UX Design Professional Certificate from Google via Coursera (10 ACE credits)
• SAS Programmer Professional Certificate from SAS via Coursera (4 ACE credits)

More details and courses here.

Other Online Credit Options

Online Degrees

The major course providers offer complete online degrees in a range of subjects and universities.

Verified Certificates

Providers including Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn offer verified certificates for a fee. All three providers have specific microcredentials that can be used as a stepping-stone to a degree from particular universities. After you complete the microcredential, you may need to apply to the university to enroll in the degree and receive credit.

Some institutions may allow verified certificates for credit. You may need to provide the course syllabus and your grades. Since course providers rarely issue transcripts, be prepared to supply screenshots or similar if they are required. Another point to remember is that many online courses have a lower time commitment than a semester-long on-campus course, so you may need to take several courses to cover enough material for credit.

EdX MicroBachelors and MicroMasters

edX MicroBachelors and MicroMasters courses can be used for credit towards a degree with particular universities. If you gain the required results on the edX course, you can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) towards your degree. Again, if you want to study at a different university, you will need to check if the course is accepted for RPL. Always check the details before starting to study. Some courses may be session-based, with deadlines for applications.

Here’s a selection:

• Writing for Success MicroBachelors from Thomas Edison State University (credit at Thomas Edison State University)
• Statistics Fundamentals MicroBachelors from LSE (30 UK credits towards a University of London degree)
• Principles of Manufacturing MicroMasters from MIT (credit towards Master’s degrees at various universities worldwide)
• Cybersecurity Micromasters from Rochester Institute of Technology (9 credits towards a RIT Master’s degree)
• Algorithms and Data Structures MicroMasters from University of California, San Diego (credit for 25% of a RIT Master’s degree)

FutureLearn Microcredentials

Microcredentials have been specifically designed to provide credit at particular partner universities. Credit varies from course to course. Again, if you want to earn credit towards your current degree, you will need to talk to your own institution about how to apply for accreditation or RPL.

Here’s a selection:

• Cyber Security Operations (Cisco CCNA) from The Open University offers 15 UK credits at Postgraduate level from The Open University
• Teacher Training: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum from The Open University offers 15 UK credits at Postgraduate level from The Open University
• The Psychology of Wellbeing offers 15 university credits at master’s level that you can use towards the University of Aberdeen’s MSc in Psychological Studies.

University of Helsinki

A free certificate and, for Finnish students, ECTS credits through the University of Helsinki Open University are available for some courses.

Here’s a selection:

• Elements of AI (2 ECTS)
• Ethics of AI (2 ECTS)
• Python programming (5 ECTS)
• Full Stack (5-14 credits)
• Building AI (1-2 ECTS)

More Articles About University Credit

Beginners’ Guide: University Accreditations in the US

European MOOC Platforms Plan New Generation of Microcredentials