Updated April 22, 2022

The transition from high school to college courses and a college workload can be a difficult experience in any year. 

One effective way that students can get ready for college coursework is by taking online courses in their major or in subjects they anticipate studying in the fall. Getting a taste of the pace and rigor of a college class before starting in earnest can help make the adjustment easier.

With that in mind, here are 25 excellent online courses that students can take for free to prepare for college.

Personal Development 

The Science of Well-Being

Taughty by Yale professor Laurie Santos, this course is designed to help you improve your own happiness and increase your productivity. The professor dives into misconceptions about happiness, why our mind tricks us into thinking the way we do, and ways to help us change. The course will help you incorporate wellness into your life.  

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 19 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Persian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Moralities of Everyday Life

What is morality? How do we develop our morals? What is kindness, and what is cruelty? This course, taught by a Yale professor, seeks to answer those questions and others as it “explores the psychological foundations of our moral lives.” The course dives into topics such as compassion, the origins of morality, and our moral feelings towards family, friends, and loved ones, among others. 

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 24 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Albanian, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (European), Romanian, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese

Vendor: Coursera

Arts and Humanities

Academic Writing Made Easy

Taught by a group from Technical University Munich, this is a great writing course for incoming freshmen that will help you learn the tenets, techniques, and style of academic writing. Learn how to structure and edit your writing to make it clearer and more cohesive, as well as strategies for overcoming writer’s block and other common issues that writers face.

• University: Technical University Munich
• College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a $49 fee to earn and buy a Verified Certificate 
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 8 weeks, 2-3 hours per week
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English
• Vendor: EdX

Music and Social Action

What is the role of a classical musician? Do classical musicians “have an obligation and an opportunity to serve the needs of the world with their musicianship?” This course dives into answering those questions and others as it explores examples of musical and artistic initiatives that were focused on positive social impact in the past. 

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 26 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English, French, Portuguese (European), Russian, and Spanish
• Vendor: Coursera

Modern Poetry

Looking to expand your understanding of poetry? This is the perfect opportunity. This course dives into the techniques, concerns, and practitioners of modern poetry. It covers many famous poets, including Yeats, Eliot, Pound, Stevens, Moore, Bishop, and Frost, and explores the poetry of World War I, Imagism, and the Harlem Renaissance.

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO
• Price: FREE to audit — There is no course certificate upon completion
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 25 50-minute lectures
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Open Yale Courses

Introduction to Theory of Literature

Whether you’re new to the subject or consider yourself to be a literature buff, you will learn from this course. It dives into the main trends in twentieth-century literary theory and explores fundamental questions, including what is literature, how is it produced, how can it be understood, and what is its purpose?

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO 
• Price: FREE to audit — There is no course certificate upon completion
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 26 50-minute lectures
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Open Yale Courses

Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner

This course dives into the works of three historically significant and celebrated authors, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and William Faulkner. According to the course description, this course explores their interconnections on three scales, including “the macro history of the United States and the world; the formal and stylistic innovations of modernism; and the small details of sensory input and psychic life.”

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO 
• Price: FREE to audit — There is no course certificate upon completion
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 25 50-minute lectures
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Open Yale Courses

International Women’s Health and Human Rights

This course focuses on global issues of women’s health through the lens of human rights. With lessons on a variety of issues affecting women of all age groups, in many areas around the world. An important course for students interested in international politics and humanitarian work.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 58 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Love as a Force for Social Justice

This sociology course explores the potentiality of love as an agent of social justice. The course will delve into love as a philosophical and religious concept as well as its application in political theory and practice.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 28 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English, French, Portuguese (European), Russian, and Spanish
• Vendor: Coursera

Health Sciences

Introduction to Psychology

This course is an exciting introduction to the subject of psychology. In an effort to provide an overview of the scientific study of thought and behavior, the course dives into answering many fascinating questions, including “What are people most afraid of? What do our dreams mean? Are we natural-born racists? What makes us happy? What are the causes and cures of mental illness?” It explores a wide variety of topics, including perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, persuasion, emotions, and social behavior.

• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 15 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Child Nutrition and Cooking

Eating habits during childhood have long-term effects on health and wellness. This course examines the effects of processed foods on childhood health and lifelong well-being. An excellent course for students interested in nutrition or pediatrics.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 11 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified), Croatian, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (European), Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Introduction to Food and Health

Nutrition is the issue at the center of some of the most important issues in public health. Chronic diseases such as heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and obesity are rooted in diet, food access, and nutrition. This course explores the complex relationship between food and public health.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 7 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Persian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Math and Computer Science

Introduction to Mathematical Thinking

If you are planning on studying mathematics, this course can help you prepare cognitively for your major and future career. Stanford’s “Introduction to Mathematical Thinking” teaches students how to think critically and creatively about mathematical concepts and problems.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 39 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Computer Science: Programming With A Purpose

An introduction to major concepts in computing, this course is a great opportunity to develop a familiarity with the basics of computer science before diving into more advanced topics. Undeclared students who are considering a computer science major may also want to take this class to get a sense of the discipline.

• University: Princeton University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 88 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, and Spanish
• Vendor: Coursera

Cryptography I

With the continued expansion of the digital world, cybersecurity has grown into one of the most important fields in computer science. In this course, students with some computer science background can dive headfirst into cryptography, a central tool in protecting digital information and one of the most relevant and interesting topics in computer science. Students who enjoyed this course and are eager for more can take Cryptography II, which will cover more advanced cryptographic tasks.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 23 hours
• Difficulty level: Intermediate
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Introduction to Logic

This course is an introductory course on logic through a computer science lens. Learn about logic technology and its applications in science, mathematics, engineering, business, and more.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 54 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Introduction to Statistics

This course will introduce you to fundamental concepts in statistics that will help you effectively learn from data and communicate it. According to the course description, you’ll learn how to “perform exploratory data analysis, understand key principles of sampling, and select appropriate tests of significance for multiple contexts.” You’ll walk away from this course with foundational skills that you can build on. 

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 15 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Coursera

Sciences

Basic Analytical Chemistry

In the University of Tokyo’s “Basic Analytical Chemistry,” students learn about the role of analytical chemistry in experimental science, as well as its applications in industry and clinical settings.

• University: University of Tokyo
• College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Verified Certificate 
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 8 weeks, 2-3 hours per week
• Difficulty level: Introductory
• Languages: English
• Vendor: EdX

Introduction to Biology – The Secret of Life

If you’re planning on pursuing a biology or pre-med degree, this is a great course to help you get up to speed on some of the concepts you may cover in your first semester classes. In it, students learn about the structure and function of biological macromolecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins and their functions in the body, as well as the function of heredity and the communication of information between cells. 

• University: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Verified Certificate 
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 8 weeks, 2-3 hours per week
• Difficulty level: Introductory
• Languages: English
• Vendor: EdX

Fundamentals of Physics I

This course dives into the introductory principles and methods of physics, with an emphasis on problem-solving and quantitative reasoning. Specifically, the course covers Newtonian mechanics, special relativity, gravitation, thermodynamics, and waves.

A follow-up course, called Fundamentals of Physics II, dives into more advanced topics. 

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO 
• Price: FREE to audit — There is no course certificate upon completion 
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 24 75-minute lectures
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Open Yale Courses

Freshman Organic Chemistry I

Organic chemistry is well known as one of the most difficult courses an undergraduate student can take. If you’re currently enrolled in an organic chemistry course at your university, this course could easily supplement your education to help you get some extra practice and better understand the topics. According to the course description, it “is focused on current theories of structure and mechanism in organic chemistry, their historical development, and their basis in experimental observation.”

A follow-up course, called Freshman Organic Chemistry II, dives into more advanced topics. 

• University: Yale University
• College credits: NO 
• Price: FREE to audit — There is no course certificate upon completion 
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 37 50-minute lectures
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Open Yale Courses

Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science

Taking this course is a fun and interesting way to engage with major concepts in physics. Explore how cooking — and the physical transformation of food during cooking — elucidates various principles of chemistry, physics, and engineering. During the course, you’ll hear from various renowned chefs about different cooking techniques and explore how their techniques can be explained through science.

• University: Harvard University
• College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Verified Certificate 
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 8 weeks, 2-3 hours per week
• Difficulty level: Introductory
• Languages: English
• Vendor: EdX

Writing in the Sciences

This course teaches students to produce clearer and more communicative technical writing. Students will learn strategies for writing quickly and effectively and also how to write in the style and format of various kinds of scientific writing, including grant writing and writing for general audiences.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 30 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

Business

Advertising and Society

This course examines advertising from a sociological perspective. Explore the history of advertising and its role in the economy and in culture.

• University: Duke University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 13 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, and Spanish
• Vendor: Coursera

Organizational Analysis

In Stanford’s “Organizational Analysis” course, students learn about various theories of organizational management, behavior, and change. A must-take for students interested in careers in management.

• University: Stanford University
• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Pace: Self-paced
• Time needed for completion: 54 hours
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Languages: English with subtitles in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (European), Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese
• Vendor: Coursera

For more online courses, check TUN’s list of curated classes, or use the online classes search engine to find the best online courses in any subject.