Free Online Computer Science Courses
- 59 courses
- 52 free
- 7 free to audit
- 19 with a free certificate
Sources: MIT, Stanford, Princeton, AWS and more · Verified
Computer science courses differ from programming courses in emphasis. A free introduction covers programming as a means, but its subject is how computation works: algorithms and their cost, data structures, memory and abstraction, and often a tour of web, database or security topics at the end. Intermediate courses take single threads further: algorithms, computer architecture, operating systems, networks, databases, theory of computation and artificial intelligence. Universities dominate this subject and offer their courses in several ways. Recorded lecture archives are free in full under open licences, with problem sets but no certificate.
Introductory courses run on a university's own site can be free in full with a free certificate, while the same course on edX is free to audit with a paid certificate and time-limited access. Non-profit curricula cover the same ground in a hands-on way with free verifiable certificates. When reading a syllabus, look for stated prerequisites in mathematics, for problem sets and projects rather than lectures alone, and for whether the course assumes a particular language. Computer science suits students weighing a degree in the subject, self-taught programmers who want the theory they skipped, and professionals in adjacent fields who need to understand how systems behave. Programming, Python and IT have their own pages on this site for the practical side of the same territory.
Our three picks
Best for beginners CS50's Introduction to Computer Science FreeCertificate included Full university CS course with a free, shareable certificate and no paywall on any material. Best for AI CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python FreeCertificate included Project-based AI course covering search, optimization, machine learning and LLMs with a free certificate. Best for algorithms Algorithms, Part I FreeNo certificate Sedgewick and Wayne's classic algorithms course, fully free with graded programming assignments.
Filters
| # | Course | Provider | Cost | Certificate | Level | Duration | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CS50's Introduction to Computer Science CS50x is Harvard's entry-level course in computer science and programming, open to people with or without prior codin… | Harvard | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 11 weeks | |
| 2 | CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python This course covers the ideas and algorithms behind modern artificial intelligence, from graph search and classificati… | Harvard | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Intermediate | 7 weeks | |
| 3 | Algorithms, Part I Algorithms, Part I is the first half of Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne's Princeton course on the algorithms and dat… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | Intermediate | 5 weeks | |
| 4 | Algorithms, Part II Algorithms, Part II continues Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne's Princeton course and focuses on graph- and string-pr… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | Intermediate | 6 weeks | |
| 5 | Introduction to Algorithms 6.006 is MIT's introductory algorithms course, and the spring 2020 edition taught by Erik Demaine, Jason Ku and Justi… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 6 | Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines introduces the broader discipline of computer science to people wh… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | Intermediate | 2 weeks | |
| 7 | CS223A - Introduction to Robotics Introduction to Robotics is Oussama Khatib's graduate course CS223A, released on Stanford Engineering Everywhere. | Stanford | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 8 | Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies is Arvind Narayanan's Princeton course on how Bitcoin works at a technical le… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | 2 weeks | |
| 9 | CS229 - Machine Learning Machine Learning is the Stanford Engineering Everywhere release of Andrew Ng's graduate course CS229, a broad introdu… | Stanford | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 10 | Analysis of Algorithms Analysis of Algorithms is Robert Sedgewick's Princeton course on the mathematics used to make precise quantitative pr… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | Advanced | 2 weeks | |
| 11 | Introduction to Deep Learning 6.S191 is MIT's introductory course on deep learning, taught during the January Independent Activities Period by Alex… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 12 | Computer Architecture Computer Architecture is David Wentzlaff's Princeton course on the design of modern processors, pitched at advanced l… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | Advanced | 5 weeks | |
| 13 | Design and Analysis of Algorithms 6.046J is MIT's intermediate algorithms course, and the spring 2015 edition taught by Erik Demaine, Srini Devadas and… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 14 | Artificial Intelligence 6.034 is MIT's undergraduate artificial intelligence course, and Patrick Henry Winston's fall 2010 lectures are publi… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 15 | Computer Science 101 Computer Science 101 is Nick Parlante's StanfordOnline course on edX for people with no prior experience of computer… | Stanford | Free to audit | PaidPaid certificate | Beginner | 6 weeks | |
| 16 | Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 1 Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 1 is Tim Roughgarden's StanfordOnline course on edX, the first half of a two-pa… | Stanford | Free to audit | PaidPaid certificate | Intermediate | 6 weeks | |
| 17 | Prompt Engineering for Everyone Prompt Engineering for Everyone, course code AI0117EN, teaches non-specialists how to write prompts that get useful a… | IBM | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 5 hours | |
| 18 | AI Fluency AI Fluency is a seven-module learning path published by Microsoft Philanthropies for people who want a plain-language… | Microsoft | Free | NoneNo certificate | Beginner | 4.6 hours | |
| 19 | AP®︎/College Computer Science Principles Khan Academy's AP/College Computer Science Principles course follows the topics of the AP CSP curriculum across ten u… | Khan Academy | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 20 | Amazon ECS - Knowledge Badge Readiness Path The Amazon ECS Knowledge Badge Readiness Path is a ten-training Skill Builder learning plan, 12 hours 40 minutes long… | AWS | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Intermediate | 12.7 hours | |
| 21 | Amazon EKS - Knowledge Badge Readiness Path The Amazon EKS Knowledge Badge Readiness Path is a 12-training Skill Builder learning plan, 10 hours 45 minutes long… | AWS | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Intermediate | 10.8 hours | |
| 22 | AWS Cloud Quest: Generative AI Practitioner AWS Cloud Quest: Generative AI Practitioner is the second free role in AWS's game-based Cloud Quest and runs about 10… | AWS | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 10 hours | |
| 23 | Back-End Development and APIs Certification This certification moves JavaScript to the server. | freeCodeCamp | Free | IncludedCertificate included | — | — | |
| 24 | Compute - Knowledge Badge Readiness Path The Compute Knowledge Badge Readiness Path is a Skill Builder learning plan of 14 trainings, 16 hours 20 minutes in t… | AWS | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Intermediate | 16.3 hours | |
| 25 | CS50's Computer Science for Lawyers CS50 for Lawyers adapts CS50x for lawyers and law students, taking a top-down approach that emphasises high-level con… | Harvard | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 10 weeks | |
| 26 | CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch teaches the fundamentals of programming through Scratch, the block-ba… | Harvard | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 9 weeks | |
| 27 | CS50's Web Programming with Python and JavaScript CS50's Web Programming with Python and JavaScript continues from CS50x into building and deploying web applications. | Harvard | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Intermediate | 9 weeks | |
| 28 | Deep Learning Fundamentals Deep Learning Fundamentals, course code ML0115EN, is a concept-only crash course produced by DeepLearning.TV and host… | IBM | Free | IncludedCertificate included | — | 3 hours | |
| 29 | Docker Essentials: A Developer Introduction Docker Essentials: A Developer Introduction, course code CO0101EN, is a compact, lab-driven introduction to containers. | IBM | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 3 hours | |
| 30 | Foundational C# with Microsoft Certification A certification developed with Microsoft and listed by freeCodeCamp under its professional certifications. | freeCodeCamp | Free | IncludedCertificate included | — | — | |
| 31 | Full-Stack Developer Certification The capstone of freeCodeCamp's current curriculum. | freeCodeCamp | Free | IncludedCertificate included | — | — | |
| 32 | Introduction to Cloud Introduction to Cloud, course code CC0101EN, gives the vocabulary of cloud computing from both a business and a pract… | IBM | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 6 hours | |
| 33 | JavaScript Certification The second certification in freeCodeCamp's Full-Stack Developer curriculum and, at 235 blocks, its largest. | freeCodeCamp | Free | IncludedCertificate included | — | — | |
| 34 | Responsive Web Design Certification freeCodeCamp's entry point to web development and the first certification in its current Full-Stack Developer curricu… | freeCodeCamp | Free | IncludedCertificate included | — | — | |
| 35 | SQL and Relational Databases 101 SQL and Relational Databases 101, course code DB0101EN, is a short introduction to querying data with SQL and to the… | IBM | Free | IncludedCertificate included | Beginner | 5 hours | |
| 36 | Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming Code Yourself! | Coursera | Free | PaidPaid certificate | Beginner | 1 week | |
| 37 | Analytic Combinatorics Analytic Combinatorics is Robert Sedgewick's Princeton course on a calculus for making precise quantitative predictio… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | Intermediate | 2 weeks | |
| 38 | AWS Technical Essentials AWS Technical Essentials is a four-hour digital course on AWS Skill Builder for people in technical roles who are new… | AWS | Free | NoneNo certificate | Beginner | 4 hours | |
| 39 | Blockchain and Money 15.S12 Blockchain and Money is a graduate course from the MIT Sloan School of Management, taught by Gary Gensler in f… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 40 | Computer programming - JavaScript and the web This Khan Academy course teaches programming through eight units built around the browser. | Khan Academy | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 41 | Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose is Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne's introductory programming course, b… | Princeton | Free | NoneNo certificate | Beginner | — | |
| 42 | Computer Systems Security 6.858 Computer Systems Security is a graduate course from MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sci… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 43 | CS106A - Programming Methodology Programming Methodology is Stanford's introductory programming course, released in full on Stanford Engineering Every… | Stanford | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 44 | CS106B - Programming Abstractions Programming Abstractions is the second course in Stanford's CS106 sequence, taught here by Julie Zelenski and publish… | Stanford | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 45 | CS107 - Programming Paradigms Programming Paradigms is Jerry Cain's Stanford course on how different languages think, published in full on Stanford… | Stanford | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 46 | EE364A - Convex Optimization I Convex Optimization I is Stephen Boyd's EE364A, published in full on Stanford Engineering Everywhere. | Stanford | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 47 | EE364B - Convex Optimization II Convex Optimization II continues Stephen Boyd's EE364A and is published in full on Stanford Engineering Everywhere. | Stanford | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 48 | GitHub Foundations Part 1 of 2 GitHub Foundations Part 1 of 2 is a Microsoft Learn learning path that introduces Git and GitHub from scratch. | Microsoft | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | 6.7 hours | |
| 49 | Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure: Describe cloud concepts This is the opening learning path in Microsoft's Azure infrastructure fundamentals series, the material behind the AZ… | Microsoft | Free | NoneNo certificate | Beginner | 0.9 hours | |
| 50 | Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science 6.0002 is the second half of MIT's introductory programming sequence, following 6.0001, and the fall 2016 edition by… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 51 | Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python 6.0001 is MIT's fall 2016 half-semester introduction to programming for students with little or no prior experience… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 52 | Introduction to Machine Learning 6.036 Introduction to Machine Learning is MIT's undergraduate machine learning course, offered in the Open Learning L… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | 13 weeks | |
| 53 | Mathematics for Computer Science 6.042J is MIT's discrete mathematics course for computer science and engineering students, and the fall 2010 edition… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | — | |
| 54 | Software Construction in Java 6.005.1x Software Construction in Java is the first of a two-course MITx sequence on writing good software with moder… | MIT | Free | NoneNo certificate | — | 14 weeks | |
| 55 | Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science 6.00.2x is the second course in MITx's introductory sequence, following Introduction to Computer Science and Programm… | MIT | Free to audit | PaidPaid certificate | — | 9 weeks | |
| 56 | Introduction to Computer Science & Programming Using Python 6.00.1x is the MITx Online version of MIT's introductory programming course, the first of a two-course sequence that… | MIT | Free to audit | PaidPaid certificate | — | 9 weeks | |
| 57 | Introduction to Linux Introduction to Linux (LFS101x) is the Linux Foundation's entry-level Linux course on edX. | edX | Free to audit | PaidPaid certificate | Beginner | 14 weeks | |
| 58 | Introduction to Python Introduction to Python is a seven-week BerkeleyX course taught by lecturer Michael Ball and forms part of UC Berkeley… | UC Berkeley | Free to audit | PaidPaid certificate | Intermediate | 7 weeks | |
| 59 | Mining Massive Datasets Mining Massive Datasets is the StanfordOnline edX course taught by Jure Leskovec, Anand Rajaraman and Jeff Ullman, ba… | Stanford | Free to audit | PaidPaid certificate | Advanced | 7 weeks |
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Computer Science courses by provider
Questions about free computer science courses
Do I need to know programming before a computer science course?
Not for an introductory course, which teaches programming as it goes. Intermediate courses in algorithms, systems or theory usually assume you can already write and read code in at least one language.
Can I get a free computer science certificate?
Yes, from some university introductions taught on the university's own site and from non-profit curricula. University courses hosted on edX generally charge for the certificate.
Is a free course a substitute for a computer science degree?
No, but a sequence of free courses can cover much of the content of the early years. What a degree adds is assessment, credit, supervised projects and a recognised credential.
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