Online short courses

There are free optional online courses that all new students can access. These online courses will help you prepare for studies and university life. 

Optional courses

We offer a range of short online courses on Learn. The course content has been written to help you get the best possible start to your academic journey; additionally, it will allow you to practice navigating the main online platform, which will be used for most of your learning.  

There is no University academic credit attached to the courses, and no assignments you need to complete.  Please work through them at your own pace; each course has contact details for staff who can help if you have any questions.

Undergraduate Students

Preparing for study (available from 14th August on Learn in the Essentials section) 

This short online course will help you to prepare for studying at University. This course introduces you to the key academic skills and tools you will use as a new undergraduate student, helps you learn how to find the support you need, and supports your transition to University life. 

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Identify important initial tasks
  • Describe what learning and teaching will look like
  • Develop strategies for effective learning and studying
  • Identify different teams in the University and how they can support you throughout your studies.

Sign up for the prepare to study course (Learn)

 

Postgraduate Students

Academic Skills and Career Planning for Postgraduate Taught students (available from 31st July on Learn in the Essentials section) 

This course will help you to make the most of your time as a postgraduate taught student. It encourages you to develop key academic skills and learn how to find the academic support you need. Alongside this it provides you with the tools to confidently advance your career plans and maximise your time with us whether you are studying on-campus or on a fully online programme. 

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Summarise what you need to do when you start
  • Identify what you want to achieve from your postgraduate study
  • Compile a list of opportunities to develop your skills and experience during your time at the University of Edinburgh
  • Develop strategies for effective learning and studying at postgraduate level
  • Describe how to generate and expand career ideas using career exploration models and tools
  • List relevant resources and know when and how to access these

Sign up for the post graduate online course (Learn)

This course is a lightweight course that gives students information and advice to help avoid information security threats, and accompanying material gives information on where further support and information is available at the University.

Find out more about the Information Security Essentials course


This course will help you to understand how to use academic language appropriately for different audiences and purposes through interactive lectures and self-study tasks. 

On completion of this courses, you should be able to: 

  • Plan, structure, and organise your academic writing
  • Investigate your lecturers’ expectations
  • Develop the critical reading and writing skills needed to have your voice heard  

Sign up now


This course will help you to explore how we teach and learn at Edinburgh. For the first 6 weeks of Semester 1, Dr Donna Murray, Head of Taught Student Development, will be checking the discussion boards, so please feel free to ask any questions you have.  After this point the board will remain as an archive, but will not accept new posts.

On completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe the behaviours and standards of the Edinburgh academic community
  • Explain why these behaviours and standards are important to your academic community
  • Demonstrate that you understand the principles of good academic practice, and how to put them into action in your studies    

Sign up now


This is a course which aims to support you with developing effective study strategies and then show you how to apply this to revision. You can work through the stages in order, or dip in and out as you need.

On completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Understand what is effective studying and learning.
  • Plan an effective revision schedule.
  • Know and use effective strategies to revise.
  • Develop effective strategies for your exams.

Sign up now


This course will help you to practice core information literacy skills

On completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Find the library support you need
  • Access, explore, evaluate, and reference various library resources
  • Know how to explore your own subject pathway and information landscape

Find out more about the LibSmart I course  


Our diverse community brings together different perspectives, personal experiences as well as different religious and cultural backgrounds. As a new member of this community, you have an important role to play in creating and sustaining a respectful, safe, diverse, and inclusive community.

There are many considerations and ways to learn about creating an equal environment. The most important and practical things you can do are to take the free online ‘Consent Matters’ and 'Tackling Harassment' courses to learn about the importance of sexual consent, recognizing harassment and where to get further support for you or others. 

Sign up now


This course addresses all forms of harassment and discrimination. It examines harassment and hate, and how members of the University community can recognise problematic situations and intervene safely.

Consent Matters and Tackling Harassment courses 


We offer free, online, non-credit bearing courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University, whose first language is not English.

English language support for international students


If you come across any issues with accessing any of the courses above, contact EdHelp 

This article was published on