If you’re looking to improve your CV, or you need a qualification for a promotion at work, or maybe you simply want to learn something new, the age of the internet can once again supply.
The beauty of learning online is that you can do it all from the comfort of your own home. Your dorm is your home, your school uniform is your pyjamas, and you can even text in class.
Most of these options are cheap, if not free, which will eliminate the dread of student debt, and all allow you to go at your own pace.
Read on to find our picks for the best online and distance learning options.
The Open University
The Open University is the most obvious because it is also the most reputable choice. It was created to foster distance learning and offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Study for qualifications and degrees you can take forward into your career and collect credits to earn more qualifications.
You can take a module in something you’re interested in or gain an entire master’s degree from the comfort of your own home. Work full time or part-time, around work or home caring, take a module at a time or multiple. Everything from languages to social sciences is on offer, all taught by leading professionals and institutions.
You might have to go into a physical class depending on what course you choose but it will be held at a venue near you. Clean the desk with Uniwipe and you’ll feel safe for the rest of the lesson.
If you’re looking to learn for the purposes of using your skills to grow in your business, you should look first to LinkedIn.
More than a networking opportunity app, LinkedIn has a learning department and a certification program with partners like Adobe, Amazon, and Google. LinkedIn offers expertly produced courses on business, technology, and creative topics. Learn graphic design, how to make a content marketing strategy or an algorithm, or how to lead a team.
Skillshare
Skillshare has something for every type of learner. It is a subscription-based educational service with a range of courses made for casual learners, business teams, and those looking to use what they learn in their careers.
It offers a range of niche and obscure classes that aren’t offered in the university. It also offers a variety of ways to learn. Take a workshop in digital animation or try web development in live sessions. Build your leadership or marketing skills as part of student projects or see what the lifestyle category has to offer.
There are also free online classes for you to browse on every category with a subscription of £13 a month but you’ll find a discount code if you watch any YouTuber.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy may look like it’s branded and targeted towards kids, but there is plenty of adult-friendly and university-level courses on a number of subjects for you to get stuck into.
Alongside their more kid-friendly counterparts, there are literature, languages, and humanities to allow you to brush up on some forgotten skills or to study for something needed to gain a qualification.
