Harvard Online
CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python
Harvard's dedicated Python course: functions to unit tests, regex and object-oriented programming.
Free certificate
60 hrsBeginner
17 free courses
Free Coding and Programming Courses
Learning to code opens doors in almost every field. This collection covers free programming and computer science courses, from absolute beginner introductions to university-level material.
17 free courses
Harvard Online
CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science
Harvard's famous intro to computer science, from Scratch and C to Python, SQL and the web.
Free certificate120 hrsBeginnerPython for Everybody (PY4E)
Python for Everybody (PY4E)
Dr. Chuck's free Python course and textbook, the same material as his Coursera course.
Free certificate60 hrsBeginnerUniversity of Helsinki
Java Programming MOOC
University of Helsinki's free Java course in 14 parts, with free certificates for each half.
Free certificate140 hrsBeginnerfreeCodeCamp
JavaScript Certification
freeCodeCamp's rebuilt JavaScript certification: language basics to DOM, events and async code.
Free certificate300 hrsBeginnerCisco Networking Academy
JavaScript Essentials 1
A free beginner JavaScript course from Cisco and the JavaScript Institute.
Free certificate40 hrsBeginnerfreeCodeCamp
Python Certification
freeCodeCamp's new interactive Python certification, launched December 2025, with a free exam.
Free certificate300 hrsBeginnerCisco Networking Academy
Python Essentials 1
Cisco and Python Institute's free beginner Python course, aligned with the PCEP exam.
Free certificate30 hrsBeginnerUniversity of Helsinki
Python Programming MOOC 2026
University of Helsinki's free Python course with automatic exercise checking and optional credits.
Free certificate200 hrsBeginnerCisco Networking Academy
Python Essentials 2
The free follow-on to Python Essentials 1, covering intermediate Python and prep for PCAP.
Free certificate40 hrsIntermediateMadhavan Mukund's NPTEL course on Python, sorting, searching and core data structures.
Paid certificate48 hrsBeginnerIIT Ropar's popular NPTEL course that teaches Python through games and puzzles.
Paid certificate30 hrsBeginnerMIT OpenCourseWare
6.0001 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python
MIT's classic intro to computational thinking and Python, with full lectures and problem sets.
No certificate60 hrsBeginnerMIT OpenCourseWare
6.100L Introduction to CS and Programming using Python
MIT's 2022 full-semester intro to programming in Python, taught by Ana Bell.
No certificate80 hrsBeginnerMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Missing Semester of Your CS Education
MIT's short course on the shell, Git, debugging and the tools every programmer uses.
No certificate12 hrsBeginnerMIT OpenCourseWare
6.006 Introduction to Algorithms
MIT's core algorithms course with Erik Demaine, Jason Ku and Justin Solomon.
No certificate90 hrsIntermediateGoogle
Google's Python Class
Google's short Python class for people who already know a little programming.
No certificate16 hrsIntermediate
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Questions about free programming courses
Which programming language should I learn first?
Python and JavaScript are common first choices. Pick based on what you want to build: Python for data and automation, JavaScript for websites.
Are the certificates really free?
Each course card states the certificate status: free means the provider issues a certificate or badge at no cost, paid means the learning is free but the certificate costs extra, and none means no certificate is offered. Always confirm on the provider's page before you enrol, as policies change.
Where do I enrol?
Every course links straight to the provider's own page. We do not host the courses or take payment; you sign up with the provider directly.