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If you’ve checked Coursera out, you may be confused about its costs as Coursera doesn’t have a clear pricing policy. On top of that, a bunch of free courses can be found on its platform. So, you may be left asking yourself “When or why should I pay for a course?”
In this Coursera pricing guide, I’ll try to explain to you how much Coursera is, and what would be the most affordable way to pay for its courses.
What Is Coursera: An Overview
Coursera is one of the most popular online learning platforms on the market that collaborates with 300+ top Universities like Stanford and Duke and Organizations like Google and IBM to create its courses and programs. It offers 2,900+ courses for free, and a wide variety of learning programs from individualcourses, specializations, professional certificates and degree programs. When you successfully complete a paid course or learning program with Coursera you will receive a verified certificate, which can be useful for professional development or to showcase your skills to potential employers. As well as courses for individuals, Coursera offers plans for teams and businesses to upskill its employees and support the company’s needs. Overall, Coursera provides a convenient and accessible way for learners around the globe to access high-quality courses and programs from top Universities and Institutions. If you want to read in more detail about Coursera, you can check out our detailed Coursera review here.
Table of Content
Overview Of Coursera Costs
Coursera offers a broad range of courses and learning programs. You can get start learning on one of its thousands of free courses, with the option to upgrade to a paid version if you want to receive a certificate prices starting at $49 USD. If you’re looking for a quick, hands-on experience, then the Guided Projects take no more than 2 hours and start as little as just $9.99 USD. For those interested in specific job skills, Coursera’s Specializations and Professional Certificates could be a good fit. These start at $49 USD a month and can take up to 6 months to complete. If you’re looking for more extensive courses, MasterTrack Certificates start at $2,000 USD and take less than a year to finish. Coursera also offers online degrees in both Bachelor and Master’s programs, with costs ranging from $9K USDto $50+K USD, taking up to 4 years to complete. Lastly, for anyone interested in taking multiple courses, there’s Coursera Plus, a subscription plan with the option to pay monthly installments of $59 USD a month or with the annual fee of $399.
Coursera offers thousands of its courses for free(with some limitations). Its other learning programs like Guided Projects, Specializations, Professional Certificates, MasterTrack Certificates and Online Degrees don’t offer a free version, but some do come with a 7-day free trial for you to try. Let’s look in more detail about the pricing of each of Coursera’s learning programs.
Coursera Free Courses
Free Courses (Option to Purchase Course)
Coursera offers more than 2,800+ of its courses for free, but it’s important to point out here that they do come with some limitations that include:
No certificate: With the free version of the course you won’t have a completion certificate, something important if you are after an official recognition.
No access to assignments: Another typical limitation of Coursera freebies is that you won’t have access to all the assignments of the course.
No instructor feedback: Free students can’t submit assignments and get back grades and feedback, ‘you are on your own’.
Coursera Purchase Course
There is however the option to purchase the course starting at $29. The paid version of the course comes with the following:
A completion certificate issued by Coursera and its partnered University or Company (see image below) who is behind creating the course (e.g. Duke, Penn or Google). Obviously, assuming you passed the requirements of the course or program.
Ability to access and submit assignments in the course.
You will be able to get the instructor’s feedback and grades for the submitted assignments.
Coursera Partners
Guided Projects were launched in 2020 as a way for learners to work on a hands-on project and demonstrate to employers their ability to know and use that skill e.g. Google Sheets. Guided Projects are no more than 2 hours long, so learners don’t need to invest a huge chunk of time, which means it can easily fit into a busy schedule. Guided Projects currently covers the following subjects Arts and Humanities, Business, Computer Science, Data Science, IT, Personal Development, Social Science, Physical Science and Engineering. With 760+ hands-on Guided Projects available and starting at $9.99 it’s one of the cheapest ways to learn on Coursera.
Specializations
Coursera offers close to 2,000+ Specializations, which are a series of courses (normally around 3 to 10 courses) to master a skill. For example, the ‘Applied Data Science with Python’ bundle organized by the University of Michigan breaks down into 4 courses:
Introduction to Data Science in Python
Applied Plotting, Charting & Data Representation in Python
Applied Machine Learning in Python
Applied Text Mining in Python
Coursera Specialization Pricing
The subscription for the specialization will continue on a monthly basis until you’ve completed all the bundled courses. A 7-day free trial is included with all Specializations, and you will have the option to cancel at anytime or even before the trial ends.
You will get a Verified Certificate when you successfully pass all the courses in the Specialization.
Tip: Not all the courses that are part of a Coursera Specialization are offered as individual courses, that you can pay for individually.
Professional Certificates
Coursera’s Professional Certificates are for you to get job-ready in an in-demand career. It is a similar commitment to its Specializations, where you will need to commit for up to 6 months. Its starting price is $39 a month, and you are entitled to a 7-day free trial. The quicker that you work during your Professional Certificate means that you will pay less, as you only pay for the time you are learning.
MasterTrack Certificates
The MasterTrack Certificates are designed, so you can earn a University issued certificate, which is credit that goes towards your degree. The average time commitment is between 4 and 7 months and its starting price is$2,000 and many give you the option to do a 1 time payment or the payment is broken up into monthly payments. You will need to enroll for your chosen MasterTrack Certificate, as spaces are limited.
Coursera Degrees
Coursera’s Online Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs can take anywhere from 2–7 years. All Bachelor and Master’s degree programs, partner with leading Universities from around the world. The 200+ list of leading Universities include University of London, Arizona State University, University of Michigan and HEC Paris to name a few.
Available Coursera degrees
However, be advised that these aren’t cheap, as they are fully verified certificates by reputable Universities. A full program can cost you from $15,000 and go up to $40,000+. Even though this is a financial commitment, it’s a fraction of the cost of an on-campus degree.
Tip: There are several courses and specializations that are part of a degree, so you could try a couple of courses before you commit thousands of dollars to see if you like the topic. The completed courses will count towards your degree.
Coursera Plus
The Coursera subscription that is, better known as Coursera Plus, will grant you access to 7,000+ courses. It gives you unlimited access to hands-on Guided Projects, Specializations and Professional Certificates. To complete them all would be near to impossible, but it’s not a bad thing to have a decent selection to pick from.
Coursera Plus Membership
You can choose to either pay $59 a month or opt for the $399 annual fee. If you compare it to the cost of a single learning program $49-$79 (see image below), and plan to enroll in 5 courses or more in one year, Coursera Plus defiantly would make more sense.
In case you are wondering, you will receive a verified certificate for each course that you successfully complete. You can potentially earn dozens of certificates if you chain yourself to your desk. The only learning programs that aren’t included in the Coursera Plus subscription are the Degree and MasterTrack programs.
The monthly Coursera Plus subscription can becancelled at anytime and the annual plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Coursera has claimed that, based on their data and research, that typically they see a higher completion rate among Coursera Plus learners, so that might be a motivating facotr to give it a try.
Tip: Keep in mind that if you have paid and working on a single learning program and then subscribe to Coursera Plus the former won’t be cancelled, so make sure you cancel the paid learning program to avoid paying for Coursera twice.
Business Plans
Similarly to other online learning platforms, Coursera offers plans for teams and businesses. Business owners can buy a Coursera membership account for it’s employees, so they can master new skills and feel empowered. There are two plans available, the Team and the Enterprise plan.
Coursera Business Plans
Team Plan
At $399 per user (for each year), Coursera Team plan is designed for teams and smaller organizations between 5 – 125 users. It gives you access to a catalog of 5,000+ courses, verified certificates upon course completion and the catalog of 2,500+ hands-on Guided Projects and much more. You can pay for Coursera Business Team plan using PayPal or a credit card (e.g. Visa, MasterCard or AMEX).
Enterprise plan
The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations of125+users or more. The prices aren’t published on Coursera’s website, and you’ll need to Contact Sales to get a custom quote.
The Enterprise plan includes everything in Teams plus:
Solutions Consulting Services Features
Customer Success Features
Integration Features
Be aware that you’ll be able to pay for this service via ACH or invoice – no PayPal or credit card payments.
You can purchase your Coursera courses or subscriptions using a credit card or PayPal. The available credit cards are Visa, MasterCard, Discover, JCB and AMEX (only for courses priced in $USD). Companies that opt-in for the Enterprise plan will have to pay for it via invoice or ACH.
Coursera credit card payment
Please be aware that PayPal payments aren’t available for all the regions, only students located in Europe, Canada, Hong Kong and the US will be allowed to pay using this popular online payment method.
And for payments in India, you can make payments on Coursera through Razorpay using, local credit/debit cards. As well as Netbanking, eWallet or PayTM, but these do exclude subscriptions, Specializations and MasterTrack products.
Most of Courseras courses are displayed in $USD, while some course prices are shown in the local currency (of where the partnered University is located). If you operate with another currency, you can still pay for it with your credit card – most likely you’ll be charged a little commission by your bank. An alternative could be to use Wise or Revolut to save banking fees when paying in other currencies – I do it all the time.
Strangely, Coursera doesn’t offer gift cards as similar competitors do (e.g. Udemy). So, you won’t be able to buy a course or a subscription for a friend or loved one.
Mobile Payments
Please be aware that if you are using Coursera with your iPhone or iPad and make a payment, this will be processed by Apple. Do keep in mind, though that any refunds that you need when paying via the Apple ecosystem, need to also be handled by Apple.
Financial Resources
Coursera offers different financial resources for you to choose that will help support your learning journey with Coursera. These tools and information will help you take ownership of your finances.
Coursera Financial Resources
Employer Tuition Reimbursement
If you are looking to study for an advanced degree but the costs maybe out of your budget, you can inquire with an employer if they would be able to help with the education expenses. It is definitely worth speaking to the HR department in your company to know whether they would be willing to fund for a professional certificate and make sure you do some research about courses or degrees you think would be beneficial in developing your skills.
Financial Aid
Most Coursera courses can be tried for free, but if you need a certificate, and you can’t afford the course, you may be eligible for Financial Aid or a Scholarship. Learners with Financial Aid or Scholarships in a course will be able to access all of the course content and complete all work required to earn a course certificate. Most courses offer Financial Aid or Scholarships, but be mindful there maybe some courses that don’t.
Coursera financial aid
The process is fairly simple and looks something like this:
Apply by clicking the link on the course homepage (see image above)
Fill out an application that includes information about your educational background, career goals and financial circumstances (needs to be over 150 words)
Wait for the application to be reviewed. The review process can take up to 15 days.
You will get an email letting you know whether it’s been it’s been approved or denied.
If your application is denied, you’ll get an email to let you know and explain why. You will then have another opportunity to review your application, make changes and apply again.
Scholarships & Grants
Applying for a Scholarship and grant is another way to finance your education. There is a wide range of scholarships and grants available based on different factors like academic achievement, demographic background or financial need. You can check out the Federal Student Aid website to help with the range of Scholarships or Grant available.
Coursera Refunds
Refunds with Coursera are possible within 2 weeks of your payment, if this time has already passed, your refund will be denied. Note that if you have earned a certificate for a course, you won’t be able to refund it either.
The same principle applies to the Specializations, you’ll be able to refund them if you request it 2 weeks after the last payment. However, if you’ve pre-paid for a whole Specialization, you won’t be able to get a refund, paying course by course may be wiser if you are unsure.
Since all Coursera Specializations and Coursera Subscriptions (i.e. Coursera Plus) have a 2-week trial period, you won’t be able to refund them after you’ve paid. You can cancel your subscriptions at any time, though.
Coursera Alternatives
After reviewing the article on Coursera costs, you may have concluded that Coursera isn’t the right fit for you, for some of the following reasons.
You aren’t looking for an accredited certificate
There isn’t the category you are looking for
Looking to engage and interact with the community
If that is the case, then I put together some alternative online learning platforms for you to consider.
MasterClass
If you are looking for a big pool of engaging classes in a variety of categories taught by celebrities and VIP instructors, MasterClass may be the platform for you. Looking to learn creativity and leadership from Anna Wintour, photography from Annie Leibovitz or dog training from Brandon McMillan?
MasterClass is a good alternative to Coursera
By signing up for one of MasterClass’s memberships, you can gain access to 150+ classes across 11 categories. The memberships are billed annually, with the Individual plan costing $180 a year(equivalent to $15 per month). Should you do decide that MasterClass isn’t right for you within the first 30 days of your membership, you can request a refund.
Hopefully, you have a clear idea of what to expect from Coursera’s pricing and subscription plans. As we bring this article to a close, it’s important that you consider your needs and budget before choosing the right course or Coursera subscription, let me briefly summarize.
Coursera is best for:
Affordable: If you are only interested in an individual course, it can cost anywhere from $29 – $99, most offer a free version too, but do keep in mind that means limited features, e.g. no certificates, assignments or feedback. If you are on a tight budget, this is your best option.
Cheaper Degree: If you want to earn a Degree or Masters program, learning with Coursera is significantly cheaper than an on-campus learning. Coursera degree programs start around $15,000 and many are from top Universities like Harvard and Stanford.
Unlimited Access: The Coursera subscription, Coursera Plus will give you access to 7,000 courses, hands-on projects and job-ready certificate programs.
Job-Ready: Many of Coursera’s professional programs are designed to prepare learners for a particular career path or promotion.
Collaboration: Coursera collaborates with leading Universities and Companies to bring you the highest quality courses and learning programs.
Refund Policy: Many coursers and specializations have a 14-day refund policy and Coursera plus has a 2-week free trial, which is a nice guarantee if you do change your mind.
If a more comprehensive review on Coursera is what you are looking for, then please check it out here. I hope you have a clearer understanding of what the different Coursera costs are and which course, learning program or subscription is right for you.
Coursera Costs: FAQ
Is there a monthly fee for Coursera?
Coursera offers a subscription plan service called Coursera Plus where you can choose to pay monthly or annually. The monthly plan costs $59 a month, and you cancel at anytime, which includes a 7-day free trial. If you decide you want to commit further, you can opt for the annual plan for $399 which comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Coursera Plus gives you access to 7,000+ courses, hands-on projects and job ready certificate programs.
Is it worth paying for Coursera?
Coursera is a well established online learning platform, that partners with world-class Universities and Organizations to produce its courses and programs. It does offer a big pool of courses for free, but if you are looking to earn a certificate, get access to the full features of the course, including assessments and teacher feedback, it is worth paying the price tag as in amny cases it’s an investment towards your future.
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions, and I’ll do my best to help you out.
Article Updates:
09/17/23 – Overview of Coursera Costs
09/04/23 – Coursera Costs: FAQ – Updated
08/18/23 – Coursera Courses Time Commitment
08/07/23 – Coursera Costs Overview – Updated
06/28/23 – Coursera Financial Aid – Updated
05/31/23 – Coursera Costs: FAQ
04/28/23 – Coursera Alternatives Added
03/27/23 – Overview of Coursera Costs Table Added
03/09/23 – What is Coursera? An Overview Updated
02/28/23 – Coursera Plus Updated
02/04/23 – Coursera collaborates with leading Universities and Companies
01/26/23 – Coursera Costs: Last Thoughts (Coursera is best for)
09/01/22 – Guided Projects
08/12/22 – Updated What is Coursera
07/28/22 – General Update
07/12/22 – Coursera Business Plans
05/13/22 – Scholarships & Grants
05/12/22 – Financial Resources
05/09/22 – Coursera Plus
08/23/21 General Update
08/22/21 Overview of Coursera Costs
Catherine Cooke
Hey. I am Catherine and I have been working as a freelancer for many years now. In 2005, I graduated from a BA honours in Art & Design from BCU and then went onto complete a Master’s Degree in Teaching from UEL. The skills I gained from learning and teaching have led me to create Upskillwise, a place for learners like myself to find the best possible resources and courses to train and upskill themselves, either personally or professionally. If you have a question, please feel free to ask me anything or leave me a comment.
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Joe
3 months ago
Hi Catherine, thank you for this great article.
Coursera not publishing clearly it’s pricing – and putting misleading statements on the course intro pages saying ‘Start this course for free’ – is sketchy and unethical in my opinion.
Have there been any other concerns about how they operate raised by people who actually go ahead and sign up, or is it limited to false marketing and lack of disclosure at time of signup.
Thank you again!
Joe
Hey Joe, Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you feel like this. The truth is Coursera does offer 2,500+ of its courses for free, which gives you access to the course content and many users enjoy this free offering of Coursera, as many alternative online learning platforms don’t offer any free learning. The part of Coursera that is paid is if you want to take exams, receive a certificate or do one of its more advanced Professional Certificates or Degree programs. I hope going forward you are clearer on the requirements of the course and platform. Good luck and… Read more »
Tamikko
4 months ago
Greetings. Thank you so much for this platform. If you complete a free course within the trial period, do you receive a form of confirmation of completion? If you would like a completion certificate in that specific topic but it is not listed in the Coursera certificate options, is there a fee for the completion documentation?
I know that some other online extension programs allow you to take free courses, but charge a separate fee if you would like the certificate of completion for that free course.
Thank you so much for your guidance in this matter, Catherine.
Hey Tamikko, Thanks for your question. Yes, if you want to receive a completion certificate you will need to pay for this. Coursera offers thousands of its courses for free (by choosing the audit option) which excludes a completion certificate, access to assignments and instructor feedback. You can check out all of Coursera’s courses here.
J.Ross
6 months ago
If you take individual courses now and wish to apply them towards certificates or a coursera degree program later is that possible? Understanding that it would cost additional to accomplish.
Thanks for your comment. If you decide to opt in for a paid individual course, then it’s likely you can use it towards a Coursera degree or certificate. It’s important that you know which certificate or degree you are planning on taking in the future, so you can check the requirements they ask for before deciding on an individual course.
I hope that helps 🙂
Andrew
7 months ago
This is a really important article and extremely helpful
Glad to see that this is being constantly updated, the information is super helpful. I had to drop off while taking finishing up the Google Data Analytics course (in my capstone) due to a family emergency and my organization had to stop paying for the course. I’m on my own to finish, but nice to know that it’s quite affordable to do the last month. Any thoughts on Udemy vs. Coursera? I have courses through both (all data analytics), but need to wrap up the Coursera stuff first. Thanks for this!!
Thanks Thomas, for the comment. We try our best to keep our content up to date and relevant 🙂 We do have an article on Udemy vs Coursera hopefully that helps you if you are considering Udemy 🙂
Oh, awesome, thanks for that!! I did get a few courses bought from Udemy, they were on a flash sale (like always, right?), and good for me to at least gain some knowledge from, but I haven’t started the coursework yet. As an older guy that’s trying to level up, these resources are super helpful.
Yes, that’s right Udemy always has its courses discounted. I hope you enjoy the platform and what it has to offer. Happy learning 🙂
Ed B.
9 months ago
After spending a ton of time on the Coursera website looking for answers I could not find, I luckily discovered your website and was able to access the exact information I needed to make an informed decision. Thanks so much! 🙂
Thank you Jennie. Really happy the content is helpful 🙂
Yuki
1 year ago
Hello!
after 7days free trial, would it automatically start charging on my credit card? or will I get confirmation before to proceed subscription?thanks!
Hey Yuki. Thanks for your comment. Yes, your credit card will be automatically charged on the 8th day after the 7-day free trial. If you don’t want that to happen you will need to cancel within the 7-day free trial period. I hope that answers your question 🙂
Hello! Does Coursera offer any financial assistance based on actual income, or is it only in the form of an essay-like application? Are there any “family” or spouse plans so that you can pay one amount for a household, or would you be required to pay up to $399 per person? Thank you!
Hey Kristi, Thanks for your question. Coursera doesn’t specifically offer any financial assistance for a family or couples. If you are looking at Coursera Plus which costs $399 for the annual fee, they don’t offer any financial aid for this specific plan. Individual courses and learning programs offer financial aid and scholarships which you will need to apply for, you can read more about it here. Another option is to take the course using the audit mode, which allows you to learn for free. I really hope that helps answer your query and good luck with everything 🙂
Rasmeet
1 year ago
Can you please tell how much will coursera cost for universities?
Hey Rasmeet. Thanks for your question Coursera Degrees can cost you anywhere from $15,000 and can go up to $40,000. This all depends on the type of degree, the partnered University, the length of the degree etc. You can find all Coursera Online Degrees here I hope you find what you are looking for 🙂
The Coursera Plus Subscription costs $59 a month or $399 for the annual fee. You can start learning with a 7-day free trial here I hope that is what you were looking for 🙂
Do you know if the Team plan requires that the team administrator purchase a membership for themselves? If there’s 1 administrator and 1 learner, is the total cost $399 or $798?
Hey Griffin, Thanks for your message. The cost of the team plan is $399 per user for 12 months. If the team administrator intends to be a user of Coursera then yes they would need to purchase a plan. I would say though it is worth reaching out to Coursera for business here to clarify this. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Nigel Rees
1 year ago
This page was informative. Thank you. I don’t understand, though, why Coursera doesn’t have a tab labelled ‘Cost’ on its every page. One can then see immediately whether the course at which one is looking is financially viable.
Hey Nigel. Thanks for your comment. This is a good point and yes, I agree it would be helpful for users to know if they can afford courses or not. Keep in mind though that Coursera does allow you to audit many of its courses, and then you can decide later on if you want to financially commit to it or not. Happy learning 🙂
Walter
1 year ago
When you buy the coursera plus let say for seven people in a company, will all the 7 be able to get certificates with their names or it will read the name of the company on the certs?
Hey Walter, Thanks for your question. Coursera certificates will have the full name or the name used on the ID verification. This support article may also help answer your question. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Hey Gary. Thanks for your comment. I can assure you that Coursera isn’t a scam and all its courses are legit. Sure to the fact it offers so many courses, its pricing plans aren’t always clear. With many of its courses you can audit them, which means you can learn for free. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Thanks Julio, for sharing this information, it’s helpful for businesses considering the Enterprise plan and the cost for a certain number of users 🙂
Lynne Metzger
1 year ago
Great info. Thanks. The final price info appears to say $15.000 per MasterTrack or Degree programs. Has a decimal after the fifteen not a comma, which could be interpreted at fifteen dollars. Thx
Thanks, Bradron. So happy it was helpful and happy learning 🙂
David Melchor
1 year ago
Hello,
I was just wondering about being able to access the material after finishing the course/certificate. Can someone go back and re-do the work for a refresher? or is it inaccesible after one is done. Thank you
Hey David, Yes you will have access to your paid Coursera course after you have finished if you want to go back and revisit some material. The only thing you won’t have access to is graded assessments. Happy learning 🙂
Kersi Taraporewalla
1 year ago
I do not think this is very clear especially the one week trial. The course fee is not set out at registration. Further I have been charged for a course but have not received a receipt for it. There is NP help or contact us to clarify accounts.
Hey Kersi, I am not sure whether you subscribed to an individual course or another learning program. You should be able to check the amount in your account under ‘My Purchases’ and if you aren’t happy for the course you have a 2 week refund policy from day of purchase. I hope that helps 🙂
Adam R.
1 year ago
Great write-up. So much clearer than anything I could find on the Coursera website.
Thanks so much Adam. So happy it was so helpful. Happy learning 🙂
Gebbie Redman Taniveke
1 year ago
Hi I am very interested to enrol for several of your courses. In fact I have already enrolled in your fundamentals of project management course. Unfortunately I have no visa card or credit card to use to make payment for my course. Is it possible that I can use other alternative such as Telegraphic money transfer (TT) through my local bank to send my send my course fee to your bank account?
Hey Gebbie. Coursera only accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, JCB and American Express to pay for its courses. A money transfer isn’t possible sadly. I hope you are able to find a way to pay through one of those options 🙂
Daniel Ade
1 year ago
For the data science course, would I embark on projects to give me deeper insights into the course and is there a way to preview the course brochure before I sign up for it
Neo Makhetha
1 year ago
I would like to know if studying for free
On the science of the well-being,can I get my certificate?
Meaning there are no fees to be paid even after completing?
Hey Neo. You can take the Science of well-being course for free, but you won’t receive a certificate. If you do want to earn a certificate with Coursera, you will need to pay for it. I hope that helps with your decision. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Talgat
1 year ago
Hello, I’d like to know if I can enroll in BA degree programs with coursera plus?
Hey Talgat. Thank you for your question. Coursera Plus offers access to 7,000+ courses, Guided Projects, Specializations and Professional Certificates. Sadly BA degree programs aren’t included in Coursera Plus. I hope you find the right plan and course for you 🙂
Elaine
1 year ago
Hello,
I was wondering if any of these programs offer assistance getting equipment to attend? Unfortunately I am relying on my cell phone currently.
Hey Elaine. I am not sure is assistance is given for equipment, but Coursera does offer financial aid on most of its courses, which is next to the course information. Plus, you have the option to audit a course (which means you can learn for free). I hope that is some help to you 🙂
Jaleh Williams
1 year ago
I do have two degrees, I haven’t been working for since 2014 I would like to take office courses four for six months. I do not need a certificate or if I want to get certificates what my fee is goona be.
Thanks Jaleh for your comment. As you mentioned that you don’t need a certificate you could take the course in an audit version which would mean studying for free, but it may mean you have some features limited, and you won’t receive a certificate when you complete it. Do you have a course in mind that you want to study?
Catherine Lopez
1 year ago
Dear Miss Catherine,
Good Day!
Im from the Philippines and interested to take an online course in Coursera about English Proficiency.Do you know how much is the cost ? Waiting for your respond,thanks☺️
Thanks Catherine for your comment. Coursera is offering this course in English Proficiency. The payment can be made in 2 installments of $749.50, or you can pay it all at once and save 5%. I hope that is what you are looking for and happy learning 🙂
Barbara
2 years ago
Great article. Thank you. Answered loads of questions
You are welcome Barbara. Happy it was so helpful for you 🙂
Philippe MERCIER
2 years ago
Hello, I am working on a course of specialization called Machine Learning for Production by DeepLearning.ai. It is made of 4 courses. I got already the 2 first certificates during the time I was in the company I just left. So still 2 in order to complete and they will be on my charge. If I finish 1 of them during the 7 free days, will I get the associated certificate. If I finish the 4th one after the 7 free days, what will it cost to me ? If I finish the 3rd and 4th ones after the 7… Read more »
Hey Philippe, Thanks for your message. Yes, that is correct, if you complete 1 of them during the free trial (7 days) you will receive the certificate. Then anything after the free trial, you will have to pay for to receive the certificate. I hope that answers your questions and enjoy learning with Coursera 🙂
Kirsten
2 years ago
It’s next to impossible to find information on what Coursera will charge you to receive your certificate after completing a program. So, for example, if I do the UI/UX Cert program for 6 months and pay the subscription fee for that period, will I get the certificate at no extra cost or is there a fee at the end to release the certificate, and how much is it? There are some orgs that suddenly charge an arm and a leg to get the cert once you’ve completed the course. Just trying to learn this before committing. Thanks!
Hey Kirsten. Thanks for your comment. Yes, if you are planning on taking the UI/UX Design Specialization you are entitled to your certificate for no extra cost when you successfully complete the program. Please see the image attached. You can also enjoy the 7-day free trial before you start paying your monthly subscription. I hope that helps you decide before committing. Happy learning 🙂
Analí Castro
2 years ago
Thank you Catherine! I have one question: what happens if I suscribe to a specialization and I finish all the courses in just one month? Is that possible, or it is necessary to pay for all the months the specialization is supposed to last? Thank you!
Thank you, Analí for your question. Firstly, it depends on the subscription you have for the Specialization as you can either pay monthly until it is complete or you pay a one-time fee for one year. If you have the monthly option, then you will be charged every month until you earn a Specialization Certificate by completing every course in that Specialization. I hope that helps answer your question and happy learning 🙂
Raktim Drivastava
2 years ago
Thank you Catherine.
The article was concise and helpful.
I have a free account with Coursera, which I have linked with the account, my organization has provided on Coursera (though it has a capping of 5 number of courses in a year). I plan to go ahead and do a specialisation, which comprises of 8 courses; 5 of which I would be able to do using my organisations account. How can I complete the rest of the 3 courses, in order to get the specialisation certification?
Hey Raktim, Thanks for your message. Happy to hear you are going ahead with a specialization. To be honest in order for you to complete the 3 remaining courses is something you would need to ask Coursera themselves. As it is a very specific case it is best to contact Coursera here Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Anthony Banks
2 years ago
Thank you for your article. It answered a lot of questions. This is probably a question for Coursera. I am interested in The GIS, Mapping, and Spatial Analysis Specialization and it requires access to ArcGIS Pro, if one have access because one is taking one of their MOOC course, will this give you access to the software need to complete this class?
Thank you, Anthony. I am glad you found the article helpful. As you said, to answer this specific question about the course it is best if you reach out to Coursera’s Contact Us and they should be able to answer your questions. I hope that is helpful 🙂
Karl
2 years ago
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for the detailed information. I made a mistake in my subscription to the Google IT support professional certificate. I subscribed only for a single course instead of the full specialization. How do I change this?
Also I’m not clear on the refund policy. Is it possible to cancel and get a refund within 2 weeks after the free trial?
Hey Karl. Thanks for your message. Coursera will offer a complete refund 14 days after payment (it can take up to 7 days to get the refund). Then you can subscribe to the full specialization. Hope that helps you and happy learning 🙂
Thank you, Douglas. I think Coursera is a really great platform, and I am sure you will enjoy learning with them 🙂
Claudia Brown
2 years ago
Dear Catherine, thank you so much for this valuable information. I was very confused but you have clarified my confusion. You wrote this in such organized way that no one should be confused.
Thanks again.
Hey Mamoun. Which plan are you wanting to get? If your main goal is to do one course and receive a certificate, I would pay for an individual course. I hope that answers your question, if not just let me know, and I will do my best to answer your question 🙂
I’m doing Google IT support specialist, I’ve been studying almost 3 months now and paying 50$ each month so I need 4 months to finish all courses… I was asking is it possible to finish more early. Thanks in advance ❤️
Yes, you can finish the course quicker if you work at a faster pace. If there is any peer assessment on your work during the course, then you may need to wait for other learners. Regarding your certificate you will receive it as soon as you successfully complete the course. I hope that answers your question Mamoun 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing such a brief, clear and so beneficial article.
I was confused about Coursera plans and now I’m not. Your explanation is very helpful.
Having studied it, I’ve made up my mind and ready to choose appropriate plan.
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Hi Catherine, thank you for this great article.
Coursera not publishing clearly it’s pricing – and putting misleading statements on the course intro pages saying ‘Start this course for free’ – is sketchy and unethical in my opinion.
Have there been any other concerns about how they operate raised by people who actually go ahead and sign up, or is it limited to false marketing and lack of disclosure at time of signup.
Thank you again!
Joe
Hey Joe, Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you feel like this. The truth is Coursera does offer 2,500+ of its courses for free, which gives you access to the course content and many users enjoy this free offering of Coursera, as many alternative online learning platforms don’t offer any free learning. The part of Coursera that is paid is if you want to take exams, receive a certificate or do one of its more advanced Professional Certificates or Degree programs. I hope going forward you are clearer on the requirements of the course and platform. Good luck and… Read more »
Greetings. Thank you so much for this platform. If you complete a free course within the trial period, do you receive a form of confirmation of completion? If you would like a completion certificate in that specific topic but it is not listed in the Coursera certificate options, is there a fee for the completion documentation?
I know that some other online extension programs allow you to take free courses, but charge a separate fee if you would like the certificate of completion for that free course.
Thank you so much for your guidance in this matter, Catherine.
~Tamikko
Hey Tamikko, Thanks for your question. Yes, if you want to receive a completion certificate you will need to pay for this. Coursera offers thousands of its courses for free (by choosing the audit option) which excludes a completion certificate, access to assignments and instructor feedback. You can check out all of Coursera’s courses here.
If you take individual courses now and wish to apply them towards certificates or a coursera degree program later is that possible? Understanding that it would cost additional to accomplish.
Hey J.Ross,
Thanks for your comment. If you decide to opt in for a paid individual course, then it’s likely you can use it towards a Coursera degree or certificate. It’s important that you know which certificate or degree you are planning on taking in the future, so you can check the requirements they ask for before deciding on an individual course.
I hope that helps 🙂
This is a really important article and extremely helpful
Thank you, Andrew! Happy it’s so helpful 🙂
Glad to see that this is being constantly updated, the information is super helpful. I had to drop off while taking finishing up the Google Data Analytics course (in my capstone) due to a family emergency and my organization had to stop paying for the course. I’m on my own to finish, but nice to know that it’s quite affordable to do the last month. Any thoughts on Udemy vs. Coursera? I have courses through both (all data analytics), but need to wrap up the Coursera stuff first. Thanks for this!!
Thanks Thomas, for the comment. We try our best to keep our content up to date and relevant 🙂 We do have an article on Udemy vs Coursera hopefully that helps you if you are considering Udemy 🙂
Oh, awesome, thanks for that!! I did get a few courses bought from Udemy, they were on a flash sale (like always, right?), and good for me to at least gain some knowledge from, but I haven’t started the coursework yet. As an older guy that’s trying to level up, these resources are super helpful.
Yes, that’s right Udemy always has its courses discounted. I hope you enjoy the platform and what it has to offer. Happy learning 🙂
After spending a ton of time on the Coursera website looking for answers I could not find, I luckily discovered your website and was able to access the exact information I needed to make an informed decision. Thanks so much! 🙂
Thanks, Ed. So happy the content was helpful and you found the answers you were looking for. Happy learning 🙂
Excellent help. Thank you.
Thank you Usama 🙂 Happy to hear the article was helpful for you.
Very helpful. Thank you.
Thank you Jennie. Really happy the content is helpful 🙂
Hello!
after 7days free trial, would it automatically start charging on my credit card? or will I get confirmation before to proceed subscription?thanks!
Hey Yuki. Thanks for your comment. Yes, your credit card will be automatically charged on the 8th day after the 7-day free trial. If you don’t want that to happen you will need to cancel within the 7-day free trial period. I hope that answers your question 🙂
thanks! you answered all I needed.
Hello! Does Coursera offer any financial assistance based on actual income, or is it only in the form of an essay-like application? Are there any “family” or spouse plans so that you can pay one amount for a household, or would you be required to pay up to $399 per person? Thank you!
Hey Kristi, Thanks for your question. Coursera doesn’t specifically offer any financial assistance for a family or couples. If you are looking at Coursera Plus which costs $399 for the annual fee, they don’t offer any financial aid for this specific plan. Individual courses and learning programs offer financial aid and scholarships which you will need to apply for, you can read more about it here. Another option is to take the course using the audit mode, which allows you to learn for free. I really hope that helps answer your query and good luck with everything 🙂
Can you please tell how much will coursera cost for universities?
Hey Rasmeet. Thanks for your question Coursera Degrees can cost you anywhere from $15,000 and can go up to $40,000. This all depends on the type of degree, the partnered University, the length of the degree etc. You can find all Coursera Online Degrees here I hope you find what you are looking for 🙂
I’m sorry. What I meant by my question is that if a university wants to purchase coursera subscription for their students, then how much will it cost?
The Coursera Plus Subscription costs $59 a month or $399 for the annual fee. You can start learning with a 7-day free trial here I hope that is what you were looking for 🙂
can i get a degree in electronics troboshoting
Thanks for your question. Coursera offers a wide range of courses on Electronics Troubleshooting you can find here Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Do you know if the Team plan requires that the team administrator purchase a membership for themselves? If there’s 1 administrator and 1 learner, is the total cost $399 or $798?
Hey Griffin, Thanks for your message. The cost of the team plan is $399 per user for 12 months. If the team administrator intends to be a user of Coursera then yes they would need to purchase a plan. I would say though it is worth reaching out to Coursera for business here to clarify this. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
This page was informative. Thank you. I don’t understand, though, why Coursera doesn’t have a tab labelled ‘Cost’ on its every page. One can then see immediately whether the course at which one is looking is financially viable.
Hey Nigel. Thanks for your comment. This is a good point and yes, I agree it would be helpful for users to know if they can afford courses or not. Keep in mind though that Coursera does allow you to audit many of its courses, and then you can decide later on if you want to financially commit to it or not. Happy learning 🙂
When you buy the coursera plus let say for seven people in a company, will all the 7 be able to get certificates with their names or it will read the name of the company on the certs?
Hey Walter, Thanks for your question. Coursera certificates will have the full name or the name used on the ID verification. This support article may also help answer your question. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Excellent review. Thanks.
Thanks so much Matteo. So happy you liked the review. Happy learning 🙂
I find Coursera’s site and hidden pricing leaves me feeling that Coursera is a scam.
Hey Gary. Thanks for your comment. I can assure you that Coursera isn’t a scam and all its courses are legit. Sure to the fact it offers so many courses, its pricing plans aren’t always clear. With many of its courses you can audit them, which means you can learn for free. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Regarding enterprise you can see some price reference here: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/prodview-gyjnp7idccuns
I’m including attachment from that page.
Thanks Julio, for sharing this information, it’s helpful for businesses considering the Enterprise plan and the cost for a certain number of users 🙂
Great info. Thanks. The final price info appears to say $15.000 per MasterTrack or Degree programs. Has a decimal after the fifteen not a comma, which could be interpreted at fifteen dollars. Thx
Thanks Lynne, for your comment. You are right it should have a comma. I have made that change now 🙂
Thank you very much for this clear explanation Cath. This was helpful.
Thanks, Bradron. So happy it was helpful and happy learning 🙂
Hello,
I was just wondering about being able to access the material after finishing the course/certificate. Can someone go back and re-do the work for a refresher? or is it inaccesible after one is done. Thank you
Hey David, Yes you will have access to your paid Coursera course after you have finished if you want to go back and revisit some material. The only thing you won’t have access to is graded assessments. Happy learning 🙂
I do not think this is very clear especially the one week trial. The course fee is not set out at registration. Further I have been charged for a course but have not received a receipt for it. There is NP help or contact us to clarify accounts.
Hey Kersi, I am not sure whether you subscribed to an individual course or another learning program. You should be able to check the amount in your account under ‘My Purchases’ and if you aren’t happy for the course you have a 2 week refund policy from day of purchase. I hope that helps 🙂
Great write-up. So much clearer than anything I could find on the Coursera website.
Thanks so much Adam. So happy it was so helpful. Happy learning 🙂
Hi I am very interested to enrol for several of your courses. In fact I have already enrolled in your fundamentals of project management course. Unfortunately I have no visa card or credit card to use to make payment for my course. Is it possible that I can use other alternative such as Telegraphic money transfer (TT) through my local bank to send my send my course fee to your bank account?
Hey Gebbie. Coursera only accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, JCB and American Express to pay for its courses. A money transfer isn’t possible sadly. I hope you are able to find a way to pay through one of those options 🙂
For the data science course, would I embark on projects to give me deeper insights into the course and is there a way to preview the course brochure before I sign up for it
I would like to know if studying for free
On the science of the well-being,can I get my certificate?
Meaning there are no fees to be paid even after completing?
Hey Neo. You can take the Science of well-being course for free, but you won’t receive a certificate. If you do want to earn a certificate with Coursera, you will need to pay for it. I hope that helps with your decision. Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Hello, I’d like to know if I can enroll in BA degree programs with coursera plus?
Hey Talgat. Thank you for your question. Coursera Plus offers access to 7,000+ courses, Guided Projects, Specializations and Professional Certificates. Sadly BA degree programs aren’t included in Coursera Plus. I hope you find the right plan and course for you 🙂
Hello,
I was wondering if any of these programs offer assistance getting equipment to attend? Unfortunately I am relying on my cell phone currently.
Hey Elaine. I am not sure is assistance is given for equipment, but Coursera does offer financial aid on most of its courses, which is next to the course information. Plus, you have the option to audit a course (which means you can learn for free). I hope that is some help to you 🙂
I do have two degrees, I haven’t been working for since 2014 I would like to take office courses four for six months. I do not need a certificate or if I want to get certificates what my fee is goona be.
Thanks Jaleh for your comment. As you mentioned that you don’t need a certificate you could take the course in an audit version which would mean studying for free, but it may mean you have some features limited, and you won’t receive a certificate when you complete it. Do you have a course in mind that you want to study?
Dear Miss Catherine,
Good Day!
Im from the Philippines and interested to take an online course in Coursera about English Proficiency.Do you know how much is the cost ? Waiting for your respond,thanks☺️
Thanks Catherine for your comment. Coursera is offering this course in English Proficiency. The payment can be made in 2 installments of $749.50, or you can pay it all at once and save 5%. I hope that is what you are looking for and happy learning 🙂
Great article. Thank you. Answered loads of questions
You are welcome Barbara. Happy it was so helpful for you 🙂
Hello, I am working on a course of specialization called Machine Learning for Production by DeepLearning.ai. It is made of 4 courses. I got already the 2 first certificates during the time I was in the company I just left. So still 2 in order to complete and they will be on my charge. If I finish 1 of them during the 7 free days, will I get the associated certificate. If I finish the 4th one after the 7 free days, what will it cost to me ? If I finish the 3rd and 4th ones after the 7… Read more »
Hey Philippe, Thanks for your message. Yes, that is correct, if you complete 1 of them during the free trial (7 days) you will receive the certificate. Then anything after the free trial, you will have to pay for to receive the certificate. I hope that answers your questions and enjoy learning with Coursera 🙂
It’s next to impossible to find information on what Coursera will charge you to receive your certificate after completing a program. So, for example, if I do the UI/UX Cert program for 6 months and pay the subscription fee for that period, will I get the certificate at no extra cost or is there a fee at the end to release the certificate, and how much is it? There are some orgs that suddenly charge an arm and a leg to get the cert once you’ve completed the course. Just trying to learn this before committing. Thanks!
Hey Kirsten. Thanks for your comment. Yes, if you are planning on taking the UI/UX Design Specialization you are entitled to your certificate for no extra cost when you successfully complete the program. Please see the image attached. You can also enjoy the 7-day free trial before you start paying your monthly subscription. I hope that helps you decide before committing. Happy learning 🙂
Thank you Catherine! I have one question: what happens if I suscribe to a specialization and I finish all the courses in just one month? Is that possible, or it is necessary to pay for all the months the specialization is supposed to last? Thank you!
Thank you, Analí for your question. Firstly, it depends on the subscription you have for the Specialization as you can either pay monthly until it is complete or you pay a one-time fee for one year. If you have the monthly option, then you will be charged every month until you earn a Specialization Certificate by completing every course in that Specialization. I hope that helps answer your question and happy learning 🙂
Thank you Catherine.
The article was concise and helpful.
I have a free account with Coursera, which I have linked with the account, my organization has provided on Coursera (though it has a capping of 5 number of courses in a year). I plan to go ahead and do a specialisation, which comprises of 8 courses; 5 of which I would be able to do using my organisations account. How can I complete the rest of the 3 courses, in order to get the specialisation certification?
Thank you
Raktim
Hey Raktim, Thanks for your message. Happy to hear you are going ahead with a specialization. To be honest in order for you to complete the 3 remaining courses is something you would need to ask Coursera themselves. As it is a very specific case it is best to contact Coursera here Good luck and happy learning 🙂
Thank you for your article. It answered a lot of questions. This is probably a question for Coursera. I am interested in The GIS, Mapping, and Spatial Analysis Specialization and it requires access to ArcGIS Pro, if one have access because one is taking one of their MOOC course, will this give you access to the software need to complete this class?
Thank you, Anthony. I am glad you found the article helpful. As you said, to answer this specific question about the course it is best if you reach out to Coursera’s Contact Us and they should be able to answer your questions. I hope that is helpful 🙂
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for the detailed information. I made a mistake in my subscription to the Google IT support professional certificate. I subscribed only for a single course instead of the full specialization. How do I change this?
Also I’m not clear on the refund policy. Is it possible to cancel and get a refund within 2 weeks after the free trial?
Hey Karl. Thanks for your message. Coursera will offer a complete refund 14 days after payment (it can take up to 7 days to get the refund). Then you can subscribe to the full specialization. Hope that helps you and happy learning 🙂
Lovely, thank you for the info
Thanks, Ricardo. I am happy it is helpful 🙂
Greetings Catherine,
Thank you for the review I am retired but seeking to update my dated skills for part time work looks like coursera may do the trick.
Doug Bowers
Thank you, Douglas. I think Coursera is a really great platform, and I am sure you will enjoy learning with them 🙂
Dear Catherine, thank you so much for this valuable information. I was very confused but you have clarified my confusion. You wrote this in such organized way that no one should be confused.
Thanks again.
Thanks so much Claudia. You are very welcome and so happy you found it so helpful 🙂
Can I finish and get my certificate if I finish two or three Months earlier out of 6 months courses plan?
Hey Mamoun. Which plan are you wanting to get? If your main goal is to do one course and receive a certificate, I would pay for an individual course. I hope that answers your question, if not just let me know, and I will do my best to answer your question 🙂
I’m doing Google IT support specialist, I’ve been studying almost 3 months now and paying 50$ each month so I need 4 months to finish all courses… I was asking is it possible to finish more early. Thanks in advance ❤️
Yes, you can finish the course quicker if you work at a faster pace. If there is any peer assessment on your work during the course, then you may need to wait for other learners. Regarding your certificate you will receive it as soon as you successfully complete the course. I hope that answers your question Mamoun 🙂
Thank you 😊
Dear Catherine
Thank you so much for sharing such a brief, clear and so beneficial article.
I was confused about Coursera plans and now I’m not. Your explanation is very helpful.
Having studied it, I’ve made up my mind and ready to choose appropriate plan.
Good luck
Thank you, Hamed. So glad you found it helpful 🙂