Getting Coursera Financial Aid supports students, professionals, and lifelong learners in accessing quality education when they cannot afford the full course fees.
It makes learning accessible to everyone, regardless of your financial situation. With over 10,000 courses from top universities and companies, Coursera ensures that education remains affordable.
In this article, I will discuss how you can apply for Coursera financial aid, see if you are eligible for it, and what benefits you can get. Also, I will take a walkthrough of its pricing plans and how you can save on Coursera if you cannot claim the financial aid.
How Does Coursera Financial Aid Work?
Coursera financial aid works for those who cannot afford course fees but are eager to learn. The discount on it varies depending on your location while you apply. The platform takes 16 days to review your request.
Most often, you can cover up to 100% of its course fees, but make sure you meet their requirements. Students, professionals, and anyone who can’t afford the full course fees can apply for this support.
Coursera Financial Aid Eligibility Criteria
Before applying, check if you meet these basic requirements to increase your chances of approval.
- You must provide clear reasons why you cannot afford to pay for the course. Give the proof to Coursera.
- Your educational background should show a genuine interest in the chosen subject area.
- You should be willing to complete the course within 180 days of receiving financial aid.
- You must agree to Coursera’s Honor Code and follow their learning guidelines strictly.
- Your application should include detailed information about your educational background and career plans.
Benefits Of Coursera Financial Aid You Will Get
When you receive financial aid from Coursera, you unlock a world of learning opportunities. Here are the benefits that help you grow professionally and personally without financial stress:
1. Full Course Access: Financial aid provides complete access to course materials, video lectures, assignments, and quizzes. You can participate in discussion forums and learn alongside global students like paid learners.
2. Certificate Achievement: Upon completing your course with financial aid, you receive the same verified certificate as paid learners. This certificate can be shared on LinkedIn and added to your resume.
3. Learning Resources: The aid gives you access to downloadable materials, practice exercises, and peer-reviewed assignments. You can interact with course content offline and get feedback on your work.
4. Skill Development: You can learn job-relevant skills from industry experts and top universities through financial aid. The hands-on projects help build practical experience in your chosen field.
5. Career Advancement: The program helps you earn recognized credentials that boost your career prospects. You can showcase your new skills to employers through graded assignments and final projects.
6. Discount Range: Financial aid offers a discount that ranges from 50% to 100% of the course fee, based on your application and location. Moreover, if you are a U.S. or U.K. resident, you can get a chance to join several online programs.
Such as, Gies College of Business has partnered with Coursera, which covers up to 70% of the tuition fees of selected students in the U.S. University of Huddersfield offers multiple financial support options, including postgraduate loans for UK students.
7. 180 Days Access: Once approved, you get a complete course for 180 days, including all materials and certificate-earning opportunities. The aid applies to individual courses and professional certificates.
Coursera Financial Aid Limitations
Understanding Coursera’s financial aid system will help you plan your learning journey better. The platform has specific rules and limitations to ensure fair aid distribution to all learners.
- Application Limit: You can submit up to 11 pending financial aid applications at a time. Wait for approval on existing applications before submitting new ones to avoid automatic rejection.
- Validity Period: Financial aid remains active for 180 days from the approval date. You must complete your course and earn the certificate or reapply for aid within this timeframe.
- Course Access: Once approved, you can access one specific course fully. Financial aid doesn’t cover multiple courses simultaneously. You need separate applications for each course.
- Certificate Requirements: The aid includes certificate-earning opportunities, but you must complete all graded assignments and maintain the required passing grade to receive it.
- Free Trial Impact: Starting a free trial for a subscription cancels your pending financial aid application. You’ll need to wait until the trial ends before reapplying.
- Specific Courses: Only a few courses are available for financial aid. Not all certified courses offer discounts on the platform.
How To Apply For Coursera Financial Aid?
Apply for financial aid on Coursera with a simple process that requires your basic information and learning goals.
Step 1: Visit the Coursera website and click the Explore option at the top of the page.
Step 2: Select the courses you want to learn. If financial aid is available, it will be visible after clicking on your selected subject.
Step 3: Click on the Financial Aid Available option as Adobe Graphic Designer Professional certificate provides support.
Step 4: Sign up for the account with your name, email, and password. You can also continue with a Gmail, Facebook, or Apple account.
Step 5: Click ‘Continue to the application’ after selecting the course.
Step 6: Fill out the details, such as your qualification, annual income, and employment status, and give the reason to apply in 150 words.
Step 7: Answer a few more questions and click Review.
Step 8: Submit Application after filling in all the details to get Financial Aid.
That’s all it takes! If your application is accepted, you can learn your course by saving costs or if they provide free, you’ll be notified accordingly.
What Are The Honor Code And Code Of Conduct On Coursera?
After applying for financial aid, you should agree to follow the Honor Code and Code of Conduct rules.
The Honor Code ensures honest learning on Coursera. You must submit original work, avoid cheating, not share answers, and respect academic integrity. No plagiarism, unauthorised help, or impersonation is allowed. Violations can lead to course removal without a refund.
The Code of Conduct creates a welcoming environment for all learners. Be respectful and avoid harassment, discrimination, or offensive behaviour. Don’t share personal information or disrupt discussions. Treat everyone with dignity regardless of their background. Violations may result in account suspension or removal.
How Long Does It Take For The Financial Aid Application To Be Reviewed?
The financial aid team at Coursera typically reviews applications within 16 days. They process each request carefully to ensure fair distribution of aid, so it’s important to submit your application early and wait patiently for the response.
How You Can Solve Problems With Financial Aid?
Common Solutions for Financial Aid Problems:
- Check your email for confirmation after submitting. If you didn’t get one, your application wasn’t received. You can submit it again.
- Don’t start a free trial while waiting for financial aid approval. The trial will cancel your application. If this happens, cancel the trial and reapply after it ends.
- Be patient during the 16-day review period. Submitting multiple applications at once may hit the limit. Wait for one response before applying again.
- Review denial emails carefully. They explain why you were rejected so you can fix issues and reapply.
- Keep track of your 180-day deadline. Financial aid expires after 180 days, so complete your course within that time.
- Try free courses while waiting. Coursera offers 2,800+ free courses without certificates that you can start immediately.
What To Do If Your Financial Aid Application Gets Canceled?
If your financial aid application is cancelled, don’t worry. Here are several alternative ways to continue your learning journey on Coursera:
1. Re-Apply
Review your initial application’s feedback through Email. Correct any missing information and submit a new application. Focus on clearly explaining your learning goals and financial constraints.
2. Get an Annual Discount
Coursera Plus monthly subscription offers up to 10% savings compared to single learning programs. This yearly plan gives unlimited access to over 10,000 courses, specializations, and professional certificates. Students and first-time subscribers often get additional discounts throughout the year.
3. Seasonal Sale
Coursera often offers seasonal sales in the form of discounts on the website. These offers include significant discounts on both individual courses and Coursera Plus subscriptions. However, currently, there isn’t a discount on promotional or seasonal offers.
4. University Tie-up
Coursera partners with over 200 leading universities worldwide, including Yale, Duke, Princeton, and Stanford. Many universities offer their enrolled student’s free access to Coursera’s catalogue.
The platform also works with individual institutions to provide customized learning programs. You can check with your university’s academic department or library to see if they participate in Coursera’s educational partnerships.
5. Auditing A Course
Coursera’s audit option lets you access most course materials for free. You can watch video lectures, read course materials, and explore assignments in popular courses like “The Science of Well-Being” from Yale and “Learning How to Learn.”
While free auditing, you get flexible scheduling, mobile access, and professor-led video content. Though you won’t receive grades or certificates, you can upgrade to the paid version anytime to unlock these features and get official recognition.
Coursera Pricing Plans: Select The Best-Suited
Coursera financial aid is a great way to access the courses, but if you are not selected or meet its eligibility criteria. You can check Coursera’s pricing structure, which is available from single learning to the annual package:
| Coursera Plans | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Single Learning Program | $49 to $79/ month |
| Coursera Plus Monthly | $59/ month |
| Teams | $399/ Year |
| Enterprise | Contact Sales |
Choose from individual courses, monthly subscriptions, or annual plans based on your learning needs.
1. Single Learning Program
Access your chosen course with all learning materials, including video lectures, readings, and assessments. Complete graded assignments to earn a certificate. Get instructor feedback and engage with the course community through discussion forums. This plan is perfect for mastering one specific subject or skill.
2. Coursera Plus Monthly
Get unlimited access to thousands of courses, professional certificates, and specializations. Learn from world-class universities and companies, complete hands-on projects, and earn as many certificates as you want. You can cancel your subscription anytime while keeping earned certificates.
3. Coursera Plus Annual
Access everything in the monthly plan with added savings. Complete unlimited courses, specializations, and professional certificates throughout the year. Enjoy maximum flexibility with self-paced learning, mobile access, and downloadable materials for offline study.
4. Teams (5-125 users)
Teams plan is ideal for small to medium organizations needing professional development solutions. It includes user management tools, learning progress tracking, and custom program support. Teams can learn together with collaborative features and shared resources.
5. Enterprise (125+ users)
This is a premium learning solution with custom course creation and branding options. It features advanced analytics, a dedicated support team, API integration, and single sign-on capability. This plan is best for large organizations needing scalable, customized learning programs.
Refund Policy: Coursera offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for individual course purchases and annual Coursera Plus subscriptions. Monthly subscriptions, specializations, and guided projects are non-refundable.
You can also try Coursera for free with its 7-day free trial. Find all the details inside our guide.
Also read: Coursera vs Coursera Plus
Can You Save On Coursera: Available Discounts
Coursera Plus offers yearly subscriptions with significant savings compared to monthly plans. Users can save $309 by choosing the annual plan with long-term goals. Use our active Coursera Plus discount for the same.
This plan works best for committed learners who want to take multiple courses throughout the year. Anyone can claim these savings, but it’s particularly valuable for career changers, skill builders, and continuous learners.
Previously, Coursera Plus offered a $1 discount for the first month through the Referral Program. However, it was valid until 31st December 2024. However, you can visit Coursera’s website and follow its social media accounts for the latest discount announcements and limited-time offers.
Other Discounts To Check Out:
Conclusion: Coursera Offers Financial Aid For New And Existing Users
Coursera Financial Aid makes quality education accessible to learners worldwide who face financial constraints. The application process is straightforward and requires you to explain your situation and goals.
Eligible and genuine learners can get up to 180 days to complete the course and earn a certificate. Remember to review all requirements carefully before applying.
Coursera ensures that financial barriers don’t stop anyone from learning.
FAQs
Coursera financial aid is non-transferable. It is granted for a specific course and can only be used by the applicant who received approval.
Coursera reviews financial aid applications within 16 days. You will receive an email notification once your application is approved or denied.
Coursera offers 100% financial aid for eligible learners. You must apply on the course page, explaining your need. Note that the approval is based on your application.
You can apply for financial aid for multiple courses, but each application must be submitted separately. Approval is based on individual course requirements and your stated financial need.
Coursera offers a 7-day free trial for its Coursera Plus subscription. During this period, you can access courses and specializations. After 7 days, a subscription fee is charged unless cancelled.
I’m Ishan from Toronto, dedicated to simplifying online education choices. I explore and review eLearning platforms and courses. My insights are shared on “Enlightened Learning,” helping learners make informed decisions. Passionate about making education accessible and engaging for all.