Is it really possible to access free online English courses? The good news is yes – there are dozens of ways to learn English online for free, including many great courses.
Here we will showcase some of the best free English courses online for all levels of English learner. Most of them can also be accessed via a mobile app for added convenience.
There are also some premium courses and other resources that you can access with a free trial to decide if they might be worth paying for as you improve your English further.
- Learn from real-world conversations
- Study at your own pace
- Advance through CEFR levels
- Free limited access
- Premium access available from $5/month
- Dozens of free English courses
- Many business English specialties
- Provided by universities
- Pay for grading, assessment, & certification
- Dozens of free English courses
- Unrestricted access
- Browse by level or specialty
- Ad-supported
- Pay for certificates
- Diplomas available
Are free English online courses any good?
While it’s true that you can learn English with free online courses, and perhaps reach intermediate level without any formal teaching or personalized feedback, there are some possible downsides to free courses that you should be prepared for:
- Ads: Most platforms that offer English courses online for free make their money from displaying ads. There are some exceptions, which we will point out later, but overall, you should be prepared to view plenty of advertisements as you progress.
- Limited depth: In general, you will be able to reach a higher level of proficiency long-term with a paid course than with free ones.
- Restricted materials: Some platforms allow you to access a limited amount of content for free but restrict premium content and features for paying members.
- No grading, feedback, or assessments: One of the biggest downsides to free online English courses is that there is no meaningful feedback or grading provided. You may be able to take some simple comprehension tests, but you won’t receive any personalized help with the things you are getting wrong. This can be quite frustrating if you come across a topic that you just can’t seem to get right.
- No certificates: If you require a certificate to demonstrate your English skills for your resume or application, it’s likely you’ll have to pay for this.
- No live teaching: Although online platforms are constantly improving and some are now using AI technology to provide custom feedback and analyze your speaking, it’s still not quite the same as having a native speaker teaching you and offering correction and encouragement.
So, with all this in mind, let’s take a look at some ways you can learn English online with a free course.
The best free English courses online
Alison
- Dozens of free English courses
- Unrestricted access
- Browse by level or specialty
- Ad-supported
- Pay for certificates
- Diplomas available
With Alison you’ll find dozens of English courses that are completely free to access. Levels range from basic to advanced, and you can choose from a range of specialties including written English, grammar topics, and TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language).
Courses typically consist of audio and video English lessons with a simple assessment. Most take just a few hours to complete, so it breaks down your learning into bite-sized chunks.
The main thing that is not included for free is certification; if you wish to receive a certificate of completion, you’ll need to pay a fee which starts at $35 for a digital certificate. However, if you sign up to Alison Premium for €7.99/month, you receive a discount on any certificates you purchase – plus all ads are removed.
Coursera
- Dozens of free English courses
- Many business English specialties
- Provided by universities
- Pay for grading, assessment, & certification
Online learning platform Coursera features many free English courses taught by professors from top universities including Harvard and MIT. Whether you’re preparing for an IELTS or TESOL exam or you’re learning English to travel or work, you’ll find an excellent selection here for every level.
Coursera’s best free online English courses include:
- Tricky English Grammar: 5 modules covering topics like quantifiers, gerunds, phrasal verbs, and collocations
- English for Business and Entrepreneurship: Learn about some business fundamentals while improving your English, especially business-related vocabulary
- TESOL Certificate, Part 1: Teach English Now! Specialization: If you’re working towards TESOL certification, this course has some practical help.
Busuu
- Language learning app
- Learn from real-world conversations
- Study at your own pace
- Advance through CEFR levels
- Free limited access
- Premium access available from $5/month
Busuu is an app that offers some English learning online for free, although you’ll get access to more courses and features with a paid subscription. Note that this is not a free trial, but a limited-access plan that you can keep and use indefinitely.
It’s one of the best English learning platforms if you like learning from real-world situations, as much of the content is video-based and features native speakers in natural conversations. There’s also the option to learn another 13 languages here, if you wish!
There is a lot more to access with a premium plan, which starts from just $5/month, making it one of the more affordable English learning apps out there.
Udemy
There are several free English courses on online learning platform Udemy, although most are available for a fee of around $20 – which is still great value. Levels range from beginner to advanced.
Two of the top free online English courses on Udemy are:
- English Launch: Learn English for Free – Upgrade all areas: 65 video lessons taught in British English, covering a wide range of topics including vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
- 14-day English language fluency course: An introduction to basic English spread over 14 days with around 15 minutes of free lessons per day. Taught by an Australian English teacher.
There are many others that you might want to consider, depending on the skills you wish to develop. Note that there is no option to purchase a certificate with these free courses, but certification is included with any paid courses you enroll in.
edX
Education platform edX also features free ESL courses from world-class universities. Some that you may want to consider are:
- University of Washington: Using Email for Networking in English
- The University of Queensland: English Grammar and Style
- Educational Testing Service: TOEFL® Test Preparation: The Insider’s Guide
Each course offers two enrollment options. The free option gives you access to limited course materials with no grading or certification.
The paid option includes unlimited access to materials, graded assignments, and a certificate of completion. The fee for this option starts from around $49, depending on the course. This may be more than some other options listed here, but you should also consider the quality of the educational institution providing the certificate.
Quizlet
Quizlet lets you create your own digital flashcards for free. You can also access pre-made packs created by other members of the community.
Quizlet also features tons of practice tests and an AI-powered tutor which can help you study any topics you like and even help with homework!
USA Learns
USA Learns has a series of free online English lessons taught in American English. Each one has accompanying exercises and quizzes to test your knowledge as you improve your English. It’s particularly helpful for people who want to move to the US to live or study.
The videos look a little outdated, but the topics they teach are still relevant.
Free online English grammar courses
Grammar and vocabulary are the foundations of communication, so most places offering courses taught in English include these elements as standard. However, if you want to learn or practice a particular grammar point, these resources will help:
- Oxford Online English: A collection of free English video lessons covering grammar topics from beginner to advanced. You’ll learn about phrasal verbs, modal verbs, tenses, and more.
- ESOL Courses: These free courses for learners of English as a second language cover a wide range of topics, but the grammar lessons are particularly helpful. Browse by topic or level, with quizzes and worksheets available with some lessons.
- Grammar and Punctuation (Coursera): This free English grammar course takes a detailed look at verb tenses, sentence structure, and correct punctuation usage. It takes around 17 hours to complete and can be spread over 1-4 weeks.
Check out some tips and resources for learning English grammar.
Where to learn English writing skills online for free
Improving your written English skills is important, especially if you are learning business English for work. Here are some free ways you can practice writing in English and learn how to improve:
- Grammarly writing assistant: Install this free tool and it will help you with grammar and word choice whenever you use your computer or mobile device. A premium version is available for more detailed corrections and help with tone of voice.
- Principles of Creative Writing (Alison): If you’d like to use your English to write stories or poems, this course provides a great introduction to how creative writing differs from other forms of written English.
- Write & Improve: This website from Cambridge University lets you practice your writing with mock exam questions and other writing prompts. You’ll receive immediate feedback on your writing with spelling corrections and suggestions for improving word choice.
Where to learn English speaking online for free
If you want to practice speaking with a real person, which is arguably the best way to build your confidence and be sure you can make yourself understood, you can either sign up for classes (see below) or join a free meetup or language exchange.
- FutureLearn: Another online learning platform with free limited access to certain courses. Check out English Pronunciation in a Global World and Improve your IELTS Speaking score as ways to improve your speaking and pronunciation for free.
- Tandem: This free language exchange app connects users with speakers of other languages who want to learn each other’s languages. You chat together in both languages and help teach and correct each other.
- Oxford Online English: Video lessons that will help you learn the correct words and phrases to use in different scenarios, such as disagreeing with someone or making small talk.
The best English courses online with free trials
If you want to go deeper with your language learning and eventually become fluent in English, you will probably benefit from an online English course with regular lessons and a structured curriculum.
Although these courses are generally not free, there are some that offer a free trial. It’s totally free to get started, and you’ll get access to the complete courses for the duration of the trial.
If you aren’t sure whether you’re ready to sign up for a paid plan, take advantage of these offers so you can try the courses without paying a thing.
Gymglish
Gymglish uses advanced learning technology to ensure that every single lesson you take is customized to your learning goals and your current ability. Their courses take you all the way to intermediate and advanced level and are available via their website or app.
The daily lessons take 10-15 minutes to complete and are sent to you via email or notification, so it’s easy to stay on track.
Offer: Get a 1-month free trial. Costs from €15 per month thereafter.
British Council
If you’d prefer to learn British English, British Council is a great place to take English lessons. They offer group and private classes taught 24/7, with a selection of plans to suit your availability and learning pace.
A subscription also gives you access to their excellent range of learning materials, which you can access at any time.
Offer: 7-day free trial with Gold and Platinum plans. Includes access to 2 group classes or 1 private lesson.
FluentU
FluentU takes a different approach to language learning, with all their lessons based on real-life videos. If you find videos easier to learn from than text or spoken English alone, give this program a try.
Learning in this way could also be helpful if you’re looking to travel to or live in an English-speaking country, as it exposes you to the type of language that native speakers use. Plus, you get to enjoy some pop culture at the same time!
Offer: 14-day free trial, $29.99/month thereafter.
Free online English language courses for kids
We have so far featured mainly free courses for adults to learn English online, and although kids can learn from these too, they’ll probably find it more engaging to access lessons designed specifically for children.
So, here are some places where kids can learn English for free:
- ABCYa: This fun website is packed full of games and activities to help children learn English (and also other key skills like mathematics).
- Cambridge English: Designed to help kids from level Pre-A1 to A2, the exercises and songs teach basic vocabulary and sentences.
- British Council: Fun lessons that cover all kinds of topics, from phonics and tricky words to reading, speaking, and writing.
Are there any free online English courses with certificates?
Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, edX, and Alison all charge a fee to issue a certificate of completion for their courses, even though the courses themselves are free.
You will find a couple of free online English programs that also issue free certificates, such as Great Learning Academy and Mind Luster. These might be helpful to get you started with some basics and provide a certificate, but the quality of the lessons is not as high as some other course providers.
Also, before you take an English course just for the sake of getting a certificate, consider what type of certification your potential employer is looking for. A certificate from a random website they have never heard of won’t hold as much weight as one from a well-known university or teaching institution.
More ways to learn English online for free
We have a full guide to free English learning resources which includes more websites for people who want to improve their grammar, vocabulary, reading, and writing.
Other things that may be helpful are:
- Listening to English learning podcasts
- Watching TV shows and movies in English
- Reading the news in English to learn about new topics
- Joining a language exchange
- Trying some of these tips for learning English faster
- Playing some online games to practice your English
So, even if you don’t have the budget to sign up for a paid program, we hope this list of free online English courses is enough to get you well on the way to using English more confidently!
