10 Great Free Online Courses for Data Science Certification

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Data science is an interdisciplinary subject that involves scientific processes, algorithms, and machine learning to extract and analyze data in order to understand trends or phenomena. In the modern age, data science typically involves importing data, analyzing or visualizing it, building machine learning models, and creating reports. These tasks can be integral to businesses when it comes to their financial modeling, marketing strategies, and even their hiring practices.

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Disclaimer: Some courses may include an affiliate link. Courses were chosen first based on the methodology with affiliate links only added after the ranking was complete.

While learning about data science can seem very daunting, there are a lot of different online courses that can help. Since the primary functions of data science are carried out online, it only makes sense that you learn about them online as well. Using Online Course Report’s exclusive methodology, we’ve searched high and low for the best no-fee courses for data science.

The courses on the list below are all entirely free for students and are hosted by preeminent learning institutions and educational sites. If you have always been curious about data science and wondered whether or not you could do it, look no further than our list of ten free online courses for data science certification.

Ranking 10 Great Free Online Courses for Data Science Certification

1. IBM Data Science Professional Certificate

Hosted by IBM via Coursera

IBM is perhaps the most prolific company in computer history and is certainly a reputable resource from which to learn about data science. IBM has partnered with Coursera to create this data science specialization, which includes 9 courses that take approximately 11 months to fully complete. This is truly an in-depth look at data science that will fully prepare you to enter the IT world and start working. Coursera is a free platform that partners with pioneering and preeminent US institutions or universities to bring students a variety of free courses and degree programs.

The courses within this specialization include topics like what exactly data science is, tools for data science, data science methodology, Python, databases and SQL, and data visualization. At the end of the specialization, you will also complete a capstone project that is designed to give you a sense of what real data scientists deal with in their everyday careers. Nearly 40-percent of the students who completed this best free data science online program began a new career upon finishing, and you can earn a shareable certificate for free when you fully complete the specialization.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

Time to Complete: Approximately 11 months

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Learn from the most prolific computer company
Finish specialization with a culminating capstone project

Cons:

Longer course, takes 11 months to complete

2. Data Science: R Basics

Hosted by Harvard University via edX

For 100-percent free, you can take a data science course taught by professors at Harvard University, which has long been considered the most prestigious university in the United States. edX has partnered with Harvard to create this data science course, which takes approximately 8 weeks to complete if you work at a pace of 1 to 2 hours a week. The course is specifically aimed at teaching users about data science using the R programming language, and you can add a verified certificate to the course for $149 to share with employers, on a resume, or on a professional networking site like LinkedIn.

This top free online data science course is self-paced and instead of offering you every possible R skill you might need, it aims to give you a solid foundation for further study and practice. Throughout the course, you will learn about the basic commands of R, including vectors, sorting, “for loop” commands, and how to wrangle and analyze data. The course is taught by Professor Rafael Irizarry, who is the Professor of Biostatistics at Harvard and is more than qualified to teach you about data science and R programming.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes (With $149 fee)

Time to Complete: Approximately 8 weeks

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Offered by the US’s most prestigious university
Learn the fundamentals of R programming

Cons:

Certificate of achievement costs $149

3. Applied Data Science

Hosted by Future Learn

For this course, Future Learn has partnered with Coventry University, the Institute of Coding, and Birkbeck University of London to provide students with the fundamentals of applied data science. Future Learn is an online learning community that offers an array of courses in their catalog that range from business and professional courses to artistic ones like filmmaking and painting. The site is free to join and courses are free to enjoy for as long as they are available on the site. For $74, you can add extra benefits to this course, which would include a certificate of achievement, among other perks.

During this free online course, you will be asked important questions about why business executives everywhere use data science, and how data science and machine learning have become so prevalent. The course will cover topics like terminology used in the data science sector, visualization techniques, making use of geolocation data, feature extraction, clustering text, and application of machine learning to text and images. By the end of the course, you will be able to explore and interpret visualized data, apply clustering to high-dimensional data, and more.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes (With $74 fee)

Time to Complete: Approximately 2 weeks

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Gives an introduction to data science as well as Python
No prerequisites necessary

Cons:

Certificate of achievement costs $74

4. Introduction to Data Science

Hosted by Alison

Alison is a free educational website founded in Ireland that is primarily focused on sharpening your skills for the workplace. Most of the courses found on the site are geared toward working professionals, including subjects like math, science, humanities, and more. Over 34,000 students have enrolled in this introductory data science class so far, and it has garnered a rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars on the website. The course only takes between 1.5 and 3 hours to complete, offering a certification at the end of the class.

During the free data science course with certificate, you will learn how to extract information and trends from data using methods that are specific to data science. You will get a fundamental understanding of what data science is and how it is performed under different circumstances. Subjects you will learn about include data science processes, machine learning, data models for structuring data, and how to gain knowledge from both unstructured and structured data. By the time the course has completed, you will know how to use scientific methods, algorithms, and systems within data science.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

Time to Complete: Approximately 1.5 to 3 hours

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Offers a certification at the end of the course
Shorter course, good for those who want basic fundamentals

Cons:

Short lessons, do not go extremely in-depth on the subject matter

5. Data Science And Machine Learning With Python

Hosted by Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning community that allows users to have two different membership programs; regular member or premium member. Their premium membership typically costs a handsome $19 a month or $99 per year, giving users access to significantly more courses and instructors on their premium level. This free online course is one of many that fall under this premium umbrella, and typically you would be required to pay for it. Luckily, Skillshare is currently offering a two-week free trial of premium membership to new members, which could be enough time for you to work through this 10-hour course if you work quickly.

This free online data science course is taught by Frank Kane, who spent more than 9 years working at Amazon and IMDB. He holds 17 patents in fields related to data mining, computing, and machine learning, and is more than qualified to help students learn about data science. Throughout the course, you will learn about important data science topics like multivariate regression, regression analysis, ensemble learning, term frequency, and K-means clustering. The class starts with a crash course on Python, which is perfect for those unfamiliar with the programming language.

Cost: Free (With Skillshare Premium free trial)

Certificate: No

Time to Complete: Approximately 10 hours

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Taught by an instructor with nearly a decade of experience
Gives a crash course in Python

Cons:

No certificate of achievement
Content is locked behind a paywall after two-week free trial

6. Introduction to Data Science Using Python

Hosted by Udemy

This 2.5-hour course from Udemy doesn’t require any prerequisites or prior experience, and all you need to start is a Windows or Mac computer. If you’re completely new to data science, this course from Udemy is the right one for you. Rakesh Gopalakrishnan, the instructor for the course, teaches data science from absolute scratch and teaches students everything they need to know to start their career or switch careers to something data science-related. Gopalakrishnan also assumes you have no prior knowledge of Python, meaning that he will be teaching you the essentials of the programming language along the way.

By the end of the free online data science course, you will have a solid understanding of data science and analytics, Python and Scikit, and all of the larger data science buzz words. You will also understand what goes on in a data scientist’s daily life and what they have to accomplish in their daily job. Since this is a free course from Udemy, only the video lecture content is included and there is no certificate of achievement. This course takes only 2.5 hours to complete, and over 100,000 students have given it a 4.4 out of 5-star rating.

Cost: Free

Certificate: No

Time to Complete: Approximately 2.5 hours

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Starts from square one, does not assume prior knowledge
Gives a crash course in Python

Cons:

No certificate of achievement
More of a brief overview, does not go in-depth on programming

7. Become A Data Scientist Specialization

Hosted by LinkedIn Learning

Nearly everyone in the professional world is familiar with LinkedIn, as it is perhaps the most expansive and trusted professional networking site on the internet. A site that fewer people are familiar with is LinkedIn Learning, which is a branch off of the professional network that connects people to courses to push forward their careers. Typically, the site operates on a subscription basis where users pay to access all of the site’s content. Luckily for you, they offer a 1-month free trial for new users where you can access the entirety of this specialization for free.

Whether you have experience in IT or not, this data science specialization will help to prepare you for a new job. There are 8 learning items that make up more than 17 hours of content within the course, meaning you will do a deep dive on many important topics including data science fundamentals, statistics foundations, data governance, and data mining. At the end of the free online data science course, you will earn a certificate of achievement courtesy of LinkedIn, which can easily be shared to your profile.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes Try a free trial for Linkedin Learning.

Time to Complete: Approximately 17 hours

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
More than 17 hours of on-demand content
Teaches fundamentals of statistics to give you a solid math foundation

Cons:

Content is locked behind a paywall after one-month free trial

8. Big Data And Data Analytics Training Course

Hosted by Shaw Academy

Shaw Academy is a privately-owned online educational platform based in Ireland that aims to give students access to pre-recorded courses. Knowing about big data and how it impacts your work in data science is one of the keys to succeeding in the field. Shaw Academy’s full big data and data analytics course would normally take 16 weeks to complete, and would include lessons that would bring you to an advanced and proficient level in data analytics. However, they are currently only offering module 1, or the first four weeks of the course, for free. The first module will allow you to receive a diploma in data analytics, and you will be well on your way to starting your new career.

Throughout the free online data science course, you will learn about how to start your data analyst journey, how to engage with concepts like probability and hypothesis, and how to test for differences both in categorical and numerical vars. By the end of the course, not only will you have basic statistical skills, but you will also have an introduction to Tableau and know how to interpret data results.

Cost: Free (For four-week module)

Certificate: Yes

Time to Complete: Approximately 4 weeks

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Earn a diploma in data analytics upon finishing
Have a solid foundation in Excel and Tableau

Cons:

Content is locked behind a paywall after four-week period

9. Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science

Hosted by MIT Open Courseware

MIT, or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is one of the most prestigious universities in the US with an acceptance rate of only 7%. While most students interested in STEM fields can only dream about going there, dreams can become reality with their open courseware site, where thousands of courses are published for public use. While the courses don’t follow a set schedule and you don’t have access to an instructor, if you are someone who self-paces very well, these courses could be a great resource for you. All of the courses have syllabus, lecture, and assignment information readily available and are sourced from real courses taught at MIT.

This free online data science course is perfect for those who have beginner to no programming experience, as it takes you from square one of Python 3.5. The programming portion of the course is designed to help students accomplish small goals and feel comfortable coding. By the end of the course, you will understand what role computing plays in solving problems, and you will be positioned to complete exciting projects in Excel with programming elements.

Cost: Free

Certificate: No

Time to Complete: Approximately one semester

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Learn from one of the USA’s most preeminent institutions

Cons:

No certificate, not a structured course
Requires you to be fully self-paced, no instructor

10. Data Science Specialization

Hosted by John Hopkins University via Coursera

Nearly 40% of the students who completed this specialization started a new career after doing so, and it’s easy to see why. This selection of ten courses from Coursera will leave you fully prepared to take on a career in data science, all for free! More than 400,000 students have already enrolled in the course, and it has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating with more than 80,000 reviews. You have the option for a flexible schedule when you enroll in this specialization, meaning you can set your own deadlines for projects that work with your schedule. When you finish the coursework, you will also earn a shareable certificate that you can share on a resume or with employers.

Throughout the free online course, you will delve into topics like GitHub, machine learning, R programming, regression analysis, data analysis, debugging, data manipulation, data cleansing, and cluster analysis. The specialization takes about 11 months to complete if you work at a pace of 7 hours a week, and it is taught by three professors from the John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

Time to Complete: Approximately 11 months

Curriculum: Beginner

User Experience: Excellent

Quality of Instruction: Excellent

Pros:

Start anytime and go at your own pace
Complete a capstone project at the end of the courses
Free shareable certificate upon completion

Cons:

Longer course, requires more focus and attention

Frequently Asked Questions About Free Online Courses for Data Science Certification

Data science is often thought of as something that only people who have a background in IT can do. This is completely false! Data science is for everyone, and most of the classes on this list start from square one when it comes to things like computing and programming. Still, you might have a lot of questions about what a data science course can truly do from you, and how difficult it could be to complete.

This is why we’ve created the following section, where we outline many of the most frequently asked questions about free online courses for data science and answer the things you might be most concerned about when starting one of these classes. If you have any concerns after reading this list of courses, keep reading below to settle some of your nerves.

Who Should Take A Free Online Course For Data Science?

Anyone interested in computing, programming, or data as a whole can take a data science course. Since data science is involved in so many aspects of business and IT, there are people of many different backgrounds who choose to pursue the field. Since the courses are accessible for anyone regardless of educational background, it doesn’t matter how much knowledge you have going into one of these courses. Many of the classes on this list assume that you have no prior knowledge of data science or programming, so you’ll start from square one.

What Will I Gain From An Online Data Science Course?

Data science is a broad, interdisciplinary field that encompasses areas of business, science, and IT. Virtually any business uses aspects of data science, and the need for people working in data science is only increasing. There are dozens of different career paths you could take after completing a certification or program in data science, including:

Data analyst: Typically, a data analyst would collect, analyze, and organize data in order to help a company make better business decisions. A data analyst typically transcribes data into forms that are more digestible for those who aren’t data-oriented, like powerpoints or other presentations. Data analysts will typically have an understanding of the primary coding languages and will know how to make strategic recommendations.

Business analyst: Similar to a data analyst, a business analyst acts as a liaison between IT and business, but is less technically-oriented. Instead, they have a very solid understanding of good business practices and how businesses work inside and out. They will also create presentations and deliverable information to those in the business in order to make understandable recommendations.

Statistician: A statistician is someone who works primarily in the mathematical end of data science or business, and analyzes data or solves mathematical problems in order to come up with solutions to real-world problems. A statistician could work in a variety of different fields, including business, medicine, academia, and more.

Are Free Online Data Science Courses Difficult?

Data science, IT, and programming are typically considered some of the more “difficult” subjects in the STEM world, as they often contain a lot of mathematical formulas and difficult computational skills. However, you have nothing to worry about when pursuing one of the courses above, considering they start from square one and don’t assume you know anything prior to enrolling.

While data science might be “difficult” in itself, you can achieve anything as long as you start from the most fundamental units. This is what you’ll do in these introductory courses. Additionally, most of these courses have an instructor overseeing the course, who you always have at your disposal if you need help or have a question.

Are Free Online Data Science Courses Worth It?

When you weigh the pros and cons of taking an online course, there are some things you always want in the pros category. Low-cost, easy to follow, and with an instructor that actually cares about whether you succeed or not. Fortunately for you, you don’t need to look for these things, since the courses on this list already have them! All of the courses on the list above are 100-percent worth taking if you find yourself even remotely interested in the field of data science. Even if you don’t end up fully completing the courses, you have nothing to lose by attempting them and will most definitely learn something from any of the reputable, exciting classes on this list.

Disclaimer: Some courses may include an affiliate link. Courses were chosen first based on the methodology with affiliate links only added after the ranking was complete.