Stanford University just released free online courses. No payment is Required.

Stanford University is one of the top-ranked universities in the world, known for its excellence in teaching and research. Starting this year, Stanford offers free online courses through its new Stanford Online program. Best of all, you don’t need to pay a penny to enroll in these courses.

List of Free Online Courses from Stanford University

Stanford has launched 10 free online courses to start covering topics in computer science, statistics, medicine, and more. Here’s a quick overview of the courses currently available:

• CS 101: Building a Search Engine – This introductory computer science course teaches how search engines work. You’ll learn to build your own basic web crawler and search engine. The course runs for 10 weeks.
• Stats 110: Statistical Theory – A foundational statistics course covering probability distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing and more. You’ll learn the core statistical theories and techniques used across many scientific fields. This course also runs for 10 weeks.
• Med 151: Molecular and Cellular Biology Foundations – Gain a basic understanding of molecular and cellular biology concepts vital to many areas of science and medicine. You’ll cover protein structure and function, DNA replication, and gene expression over 6 weeks.
• Educ 151: Leadership, Change, and Innovation – Learn principles of leadership, change management, and human motivation through case studies. You’ll discuss balancing compliance with creativity over 6 weeks.
• Hum 101: Empathy, Identity, and Community – Explore how empathy, identity, and community intersect through discussions, reflections, and examples from psychology, literature, and social sciences. Runs for 6 weeks.
• CS 110: Programming Methodology – A demanding 12-week introductory programming course covering problem-solving, data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented programming in Python.
• CS 212: Programming Abstractions – A follow-up to CS 110 delving deeper into data abstraction, inheritance, recursion, sorting and searching algorithms, and complexity analysis. Runs 12 weeks.
• BioE 317: Translational Medicine – Gain an understanding of how basic scientific discoveries lead to new medical treatments through discussions of case studies. Runs for 6 weeks.
• CS 111: Mastering Programming with SQL – Learn how to use Structured Query Language (SQL) to access, manage, and analyze data stored in relational databases via hands-on assignments. Runs 6 weeks.
• CS 145: Introduction to Databases – Covers database design, query languages, storage management, indexing, and transactions using Microsoft SQL Server. Runs 12 weeks.

How to Apply for Free Stanford Online Courses

Enrolling in these courses is completely free of charge. Here are the basic steps to get started:

1. Visit online.stanford.edu and click “Explore Courses” to browse the course catalog.
2. Select the course you want to take and click “View Course Details”. Read the course description and syllabus.
3. Click the blue “Enroll” button. You’ll need to create a free online Stanford profile if you don’t already have one.
4. Complete the enrollment form providing your name, email, and location information. Click submit.
5. You’ll receive an enrollment confirmation email. The course materials will be available to access via the online course website.
6. Course workload varies but generally involves watching 2-4 pre-recorded video lectures per week plus reading materials.
7. Most courses have interactive quizzes, problem sets, and peer-reviewed assignments to test your learning.
8. At the end of the course, you have the option to purchase a Verified Certificate for a small fee if you complete the required assessments.
9. Certificates can be a useful addition to your resume or CV if pursuing a career change into a related field. But the free knowledge is valuable in itself.

Stanford emphasizes that these courses are not for credit and will not result in a Stanford degree or certification upon completion. However, they provide a unique opportunity to gain valuable skills and learn from some of the world’s top Stanford professors completely free of charge.

Benefits of Taking Free Online Courses from Stanford

There are several key benefits of enrolling in free online courses from Stanford, even if you are not formally pursuing a Stanford degree:

• Learn from world-class instructors – Stanford faculty are leaders in their fields so you gain expertise directly from primary sources.
• Flexible self-paced learning – Study on your schedule while balancing other commitments like work or family.
• Cutting-edge content – Get exposed to the latest research and ideas directly from a top research university.
• Low commitment – Try out a topic risk-free before committing time and money to a degree program.
• Boost resume and skills – Demonstrate new skills to employers or switch careers with optional certificates.
• Global community – Connect with students worldwide bringing diverse viewpoints to discussions.
• Lifelong learning – Keep expanding your knowledge long after formal education is complete.

So, in summary, for the price of free, Stanford Online is opening up an incredible opportunity for anyone to access top-tier education. Whether pursuing career goals or personal enrichment, these courses offer flexible, high-quality learning experiences. Give one a try – you have nothing to lose and knowledge to gain.

In conclusion, Stanford University is now providing a selection of free online courses through the Stanford Online program. Courses cover various topics in computer science, statistics, engineering, business and more. Enrolling is easy and does not require any payment. Completing assessments earns you the option of an inexpensive verified certificate for your resume. Taking advantage of these world-class opportunities expands your skills and knowledge at no financial cost. With so much to gain, I highly recommend browsing Stanford’s course catalog and finding one that interests you to get started with tuition-free learning from one of the top universities in the world.

All the best!