Training · United Kingdom · Fully funded
Free FutureLearn Short Courses with Free Certificates 2026
Updated 27 October 2026
FutureLearn is a UK online learning platform that offers short courses from universities and organisations around the world, including the British Council, Accenture, SOAS University of London, the University of Reading and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Most FutureLearn courses are free to learn. Some courses also come with a free digital certificate, which you can add to your CV or LinkedIn profile.
Free certificates vs paid certificates
- Free to learn: you can study most course materials at no cost.
- Free certificate: only on courses where the course page shows "Digital upgrade: Free". These are usually sponsored by a partner organisation.
- Paid certificate: on other courses, the certificate costs extra (usually about US$74–149 per course), or comes with a FutureLearn Unlimited subscription.
Free offers change over time, so always check the course page before you start.
12 FutureLearn courses with free certificates
Digital skills (Accenture)
- Digital Skills: Artificial Intelligence
- Digital Skills: Digital Marketing
- Digital Skills: Social Media
- Digital Skills: Digital Skills for Work and Life
Education and teaching
- Inclusive Education: Exploring SEND Practice and Strategies (University of Leeds)
- Teaching and Assessing Core Skills (British Council)
Study abroad and university life
- Study UK: Prepare to Study and Live in the UK (British Council)
- Your Essential Guide to University Life (University of Reading)
Society, health and science
- Making Anti-Corruption Effective (SOAS University of London)
- Drug Use and Harm Reduction (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
- Nutrition for Health and Sustainability (EIT Food)
- An Introduction to Electronic Engineering (UK Electronics Skills Foundation)
Who can join
- Everyone, from any country
- No application or deadline
- A free FutureLearn account and an internet connection
How to enrol and get your certificate
- Go to futurelearn.com/courses and create a free account.
- Search for the course by name.
- On the course page, check that "Digital upgrade" says "Free".
- Click Join course and choose the free digital upgrade.
- Complete the course: mark at least 90% of the steps as complete and score at least 70% on any tests.
- Download your certificate from your "Achievements" page.
Tips
- Click "Mark as complete" on every step, or the course won't count as finished.
- Finish one course at a time. Short courses take only a few hours a week.
- Add your certificates to your CV and LinkedIn. They show employers and scholarship committees that you keep learning.
- Never pay a third party to "register" you for a free course.