Flexible, free online learning
Learn something new today
Get inspired by our selection of recommended free online courses and other resources below from OpenLearn. All OpenLearn resources are free and you can study whenever you want, at your own pace.
What is OpenLearn?
OpenLearn is an Open University website featuring over 1,000 free short courses, alongside thousands of articles, videos, podcasts and interactive activities on a huge range of subjects. With OpenLearn, you decide where and how far you take your learning journey. You decide how much time you want to commit to studying, the level you want to study at, and the pace you progress at.
OpenLearn will help you:
- explore free online learning
- find the courses that interest you
- reflect on where you are now, where you want to be and how to get there
- develop study skills
- understand routes into formal study.
You may want to learn a new skill, improve your career opportunities or you may just want to find out more about something that interests you.
If you’ve never used OpenLearn before, we recommend watching the video guides below for an overview.
Emyr from The OU in Wales takes you through the process of creating an OpenLearn account.- Emyr from The OU in Wales with some tips on finding courses on OpenLearn.
- Emyr from The OU in Wales talks through managing your courses and tracking your progress on OpenLearn.
How do I access OpenLearn?
All you need is a computer, tablet or smartphone with internet access. If you don’t have internet at home, you could use your college, a local library or a community learning centre.
Be prepared and adaptable
Plan how much time and when you can study each week – keep it realistic! You might find it useful to keep a learning diary noting down what, when, where you studied and how you felt about it, what went well and what didn’t go so well. You can use this to change your approach and improve your learning experience along the way.
Reflect on your learning
It can be helpful to keep a log of how your learning is going and to reflect on your progress. You can use a Word document or write in a notebook. There are some useful templates available on OpenLearn as a guide. Reflecting can help you look at your choices and what motivates you, as well as to appreciate the skills and achievements you’ve made already.
Where do I start?
You can explore a selection of recommended free courses and other learning resources on our OpenLearn National Enrichment Programme landing page.