Study online with the University of Edinburgh

Free short online courses

We partner with the world's most popular online learning platforms to provide free online courses which are created and led by world-class academics with a passion for their subjects. The courses are open to anyone in the world, with the option to upgrade to earn a certificate. Gain a new skill or fulfil professional development needs.

Discover your short online course


Free short online courses

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Online masters degrees

Masters degrees, postgraduate diplomas and certificates, delivered entirely online to enable you to study around existing commitments. Our online degrees are designed to help you progress your career and our students often find they can immediately apply what they learn online in their daily profession.

Discover your online masters


A-Z of online masters

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Five recommended free courses

Increase your knowledge on various subject areas such as business, sustainability, arts and culture, health, and politics.  Check out some of our popular courses:  

Don't just take our word for it - connect with current online students and learn more about studying a postgraduate degree online. You might want to ask:

  • What is it like to study online?
  • How do you manage studying with other commitments?
  • How flexible is it?
  • Has it helped you in your career?
  • How does the University support online students?
Video: Learn something new today - trailer for free short online courses
The University of Edinburgh is a world-leader in digital education and is consistently ranked as one of the world's top 50 universities. Our short online courses have been taken by 4 million people worldwide since 2012 and are highly rated by our learners. The courses are created and led by world-class academics with a passion for their subject areas, so you're in expert hands.
Video: Online Masters Students and Graduates
Online masters students and graduates talk about the benefits of studying online