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Free online courses (MOOCs) - great for CVs & personal statements

MOOCs aim to use new technologies to bring free, short learning opportunities to large numbers of people worldwide. MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Course.

You do not need qualifications to start these courses. The courses are a chance to try something new, develop an area of interest, learn something which will help you get the job or course you want, etc. Although not all the courses might offer a formal qualification, the knowledge gained from doing one could help you prepare for a higher-education-level course or help you choose a course.

By completing a MOOC you will gain skills and knowledge that can boost your CV or UCAS personal statement.

Coursera - more course choices from 161 institutions

FutureLearn offer a diverse selection of free, high-quality online courses from some of the world’s leading universities and other outstanding cultural institutions.

The aim is to connect learners from all over the globe with high-quality educators and with each other.

Taster courses for school leavers

FutureLearn has also developed a set of ‘FutureLearn Choices' courses, which last for three to eight weeks. These are taster courses to give school leavers a real sense of university-level study.

Courses to help students secure a place at university:

Courses to help give students an experience of subjects outside the national curriculum:

Here are a few examples of other free FutureLearn courses on offer:

Coursera is another provider of free online courses that cover a wide variety of subjects. There is the option of buying a certificate on completion, although this is not a requirement. Working with over 150 institutions worldwide there are currently 2,700+ courses to choose from. 

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