The decision to skip college or university is sometimes made due to personal ambitions or goals (you want to travel the world or choose a career that does not require 4 years). However, in some cases, the decision is based on the financial situation in your family, when you do not have the assets to pay the tuition and cover living expenses. Free education might seem like a dream come true, but some countries offer students to attend college for free. Nevertheless, not all potential students can move to another country for free education. Some are held back by family obligations, bonds, love interests, or other reasons.
That is when free learning websites and other affordable education options come into play. Online education is one of the world-changing concepts that help you get a degree or polish your skills in a more reasonably priced way.
You might ask: what are the options for free education besides getting an online degree? What if I come from a low-income family? Do not worry! These affordable alternatives are excellent for people living on a budget. In some cases, your life story also plays a role in gaining new skills or applying for a small scholarship.
Education platforms and free courses
Over the years, many organizations have focused on providing affordable but professional courses to people who want to learn on their own terms.
Online learning platforms offer flexibility, meaning that you can learn wherever you want and on any device. These websites also encourage cooperation between instructors and students, helping both of them communicate in private chats or forums.
But how does this relate to free education? Well, online learning platforms such as Plural Sight, Udemy, BitDegree, Alison, and Coursera might not be described as free learning websites, but they do offer some courses free-of-charge. Therefore, you can start developing your skills without spending any money!
Easy scholarships to apply for: less of a hassle than you think
Traditional scholarships are complex. Depending on the type of scholarship you are applying, you might need to fill out long forms to provide your financial information. In universities, it is often required that candidates for scholarships would actively participate in conferences, write additional research papers, get excellent grades, etc.
Easy scholarships that are currently becoming increasingly popular are different. They aim at helping people develop their skills online via some financial support. You can be sponsored by a person you have never met, and that should immediately inspire you to achieve more through your education.
- Niche is one of the options for finding and applying for scholarships online. After signing up, you will be able to find scholarships for free education that you are eligible for. The good news is that they are all nationwide: you can be from anywhere in the world to participate! Some scholarship giveaways require students to write essays, provide their GPA, but others are less demanding in this department.
- If you are looking for a small scholarship, you can try BitDegree. This online learning platform supports a peer-to-peer scholarship system. What does this mean? It refers to micro-loans that sponsors send to people that are eager to learn, but might not have the necessary resources. Students can choose which courses they would like to learn and write some details about themselves in an attempt to catch the potential sponsor’s eye. All sponsoring transactions are blockchain-based to guarantee security and easy access to records. Fun fact: anyone can become a sponsor as well.
Other educational sources to consider
Besides applying for scholarships or surfing through the free courses on online platforms, you can also try other sources for free education. If you are learning to code, you should try looking at the documentation and official guides. For instance, here is a short list of great free learning websites related to programming or coding:
Additionally, many mobile applications can help you learn online for free. As an example, the famous Duolingo has captivated the hearts and attention of millions of people with its language-teaching techniques. The best thing about it is, of course, its free-of-charge services! When it comes to applications for free education, SoloLearn is also an excellent choice for people that aim to become programmers. If you look deeper, you will find a lot of other applications for free education for a variety of purposes: languages, math, history, you name it!
Free education more available than ever
In conclusion, limited resources do not always mean that you can’t learn something you are inspired by. Sometimes, all it takes is some persistence and searching to discover an option that works for you, be it an online college degree, a course, a scholarship, or an app to open on your phone. Explore available opportunities, reach out to people, and fulfill your dream. Thanks to the evolution of technology, now is the time to do it.