There are many sites online that provide students from all over the world the opportunity to learn various subjects from the comfort of their own homes. Some platforms connect you with professionals, some with community tutors, and some with just course materials for self-learning. Many of these are free, too! But if you are willing to splurge a little extra, you can get school credits, certificates, and participation points from some of the world’s best universities.
Technology has certainly allowed for online learning. And many universities around the globe have grabbed this chance to provide their premium education to students who are eager to learn—no matter where they are! Here are eight universities that offer online courses (some even have full-on degrees that you can take!).
University College London
University College London (UCL) is not just one of the top universities in London or even the United Kingdom. It is also recognized as one of the best universities in the world, constantly ranking in world university lists. UCL is known for its strong research programs. And it boasts having 30 Nobel Prize laureates among its alumni and faculty to date!
UCL has thousands of degrees, with more than 40,000 students enrolled from countries worldwide, making it a truly global university. Among these, it has 20 fully online programs, including degrees in teaching and medicine. If you are looking for something less full-time, UCL also offers a wide variety of short courses about topics like social media, culture, and science.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States is one of the world’s most prestigious universities. It is known for its excellent programs, as well as for producing well-known experts in science, finance, and technology. It can get very competitive trying to secure a slot at the university. Luckily, people can avail some of their courses online—a lot of which are free!
You can access a whole load of courses, as well as MicroMasters programs, through edX, an online learning platform they created that has become one of the best in the world. You can take courses about data science, entrepreneurship, and biology, among others. For a fee, you can even have them credited to your university or receive a certificate of completion!
École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique is a small French university located in a suburb south of Paris. It is one of the country’s grandes écoles or elite higher learning institutions, making it one of the harder schools to get into in Europe. École Polytechnique is the country’s leading university in science and technology. It is known for its top-level research programs, excellent academics, and innovative projects.
École Polytechnique offers many degrees focused on disciplines in science and technology, taught either in English and French. Apart from these, though, École Polytechnique also has 29 online courses (10 of which are taught in English)! These are good introductions to what the school specializes in, and it can be good practice to try taking classes here if you are planning to study in Europe.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is a world-class research institution focused on advancing teaching and research in science, technology, and business. Founded only in 1991, it is a fairly young university, yet it has taken big steps into cementing itself as one of Hong Kong’s top schools.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has a selection of online courses that you can take, including financial technology, political economy, and mass communication.
University of California Los Angeles
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) attracts thousands of international students every year to its sunny campus on the United States’ West Coast. The research university has extensive resources available to its students, plus a prestigious reputation to boot! It has produced several Nobel Prize winners and Fulbright Scholars, among other awards.
UCLA offers almost 4,000 courses in over 100 different departments at their university in Los Angeles. Online, though, they offer 10 fully online programs, including degrees in engineering and more. That means you can complete a whole degree from wherever you are in the world!
University of Sydney
The first university in Australia, the University of Sydney maintains a spot in one of the continent’s best universities. Enrollment is competitive; Australians and foreigners alike vie for a spot to pursue high-quality education in Australia. Students enjoy a great undergraduate curriculum, state-of-the-art facilities, and world-class teachers, while graduates enjoy a high employability rate after getting their diploma.
The University of Sydney has a large catalog of programs, out of which 28 are fully online. These include degrees in medicine and more.
Columbia University
Columbia University is one of the hardest universities to get into, not only because it is one of the top research universities in the world, but because its main campus is located in New York City. That said, once you pass their rigorous enrollment, you can enjoy a world-class learning experience—even if you do not get to do it in the Big Apple.
Among Columbia University’s programs, 12 are offered fully online. You can even take one of their sought-after business degrees online! Columbia University also has an extensive network of partner institutions worldwide, so you may be able to complement your distance learning experience with resources that are close to home.
Monash University
Located in Melbourne, Monash University is the biggest university in Australia. It is a young, progressive school that focuses on solving the challenges of the 21st century and inspiring its graduates to become socially responsible and impact positive change in the world. It has a large international reach with four campuses in Australia, one in Malaysia, and over 100 partner institutions worldwide.
Monash University’s programs are global-minded; that means that whatever you take up, you are trained to think with an international mindset. And that rings true even in their online programs. They currently offer 33 different fully online degrees that you can pursue. These include programs in medicine, online education, and more.
Among the things that could be helpful to learn online are languages. LingualBox is a one-on-one English tutoring site that can help ESL learners improve their English reading, writing, and comprehension skills, preparing them to study and work in an English-speaking world. Book a class today to learn more!
