Coursera has become a top-rated online learning platform with multiple excellent courses, top-notch universities, and partners. However, the courses it offers may strain your pocket.
Therefore, to help you solve your troubles, Coursera offers numerous discounts based on your needs and goals. Sadly, its most popular subscription plan, Coursera Plus, does not have a student discount.
But worry not! In this article, you will learn about the Coursera Plus pricing structure, different ways to get discounts, a step-by-step process of applying for financial aid, and Coursera alternatives that offer student discounts.
Let’s get into it!
Does Coursera Offer Special Coursera Plus Students Discount?
Coursera does not explicitly offer a student discount on its Coursera Plus subscription. I received this reply when I contacted the Coursera Support Team to inquire about the Coursera Plus Student Discount.
The Coursera support Team replied that Coursera Plus does not offer a student discount and that they do not have any information on whether such a discount is planned in the future.
However, Coursera occasionally offers discounts on Coursera Plus. Therefore, you may visit the Coursera Plus home page from time to time to check if there is an ongoing promo.
Coursera Plus Pricing Model
Coursera Plus is a subscription-based service that gives you limitless access to more than 90% of Coursera’s course inventory. This includes courses, Specializations, and Professional Certificates.
The pricing model for Coursera Plus is as follows:
| Features | Coursera Plus Monthly | Coursera Plus Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59/month | $399/year |
| 7-day free trial | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| 14-day moneyback guarantee | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Access to 7,000+ courses and specializations from 170+ leading companies and universities | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Unlimited certificates | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Job relevant skills and tools with 1,000+ projects and labs from industry experts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| More than 15 Professional Certificates from Google, Meta and more | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Save money on annual payment | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Flexibility to achieve work/life balance | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Learn at your own pace | ❌ | ✔️ |
It is worth noting that Coursera Plus is a significant investment, as it provides a vast library of courses and resources from top universities and organizations.
This subscription model is designed to provide you with a flexible and personalized learning experience, allowing you to learn at your own pace and on your own schedule.
Coursera Plus monthly subscription costs $59 per month and offers a 7-day free trial period, whereas an annual subscription costs $ 399 per year, a one-time payment. Additionally, the annual subscription comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
The monthly subscription is more expensive in the long run, whereas the annual subscription requires a longer commitment.
Ways To Get Coursera Plus Discount
Coursera Plus offers a wide range of discounts. I have enlisted here the most prominent ones. These are financial aid, Coursera Plus annual subscription discounts, the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, a $1 referral offer, and course auditing.
1. Coursera Financial Aid
Coursera offers financial assistance to eligible learners to help them access its courses and specializations. There are several ways to access financial aid on Coursera.
The Coursera financial assistance program was created to help learners from diverse backgrounds access high-quality education.
A. Employer Tuition Reimbursement
Coursera Employer Tuition Reimbursement is a benefit some employers offer to support their employees’ education and professional development.
Through this benefit, employees receive financial assistance to cover the cost of taking online courses or degree programs on the Coursera platform.
To benefit from this plan, you need to find out if your company offers education reimbursement benefits. You can check your employee handbook or meet with HR to understand your options.
To know more about Coursera’s employer tuition reimbursement, click here.
B. Coursera Financial Aid
Coursera offers financial aid to eligible learners to help them access its courses and degree programs.
You can apply for Coursera financial aid by clicking on the link on the course home page. Remember that this aid is available for selected courses only.
Once your financial aid is approved, you can access all the course content and earn a certificate. To apply for financial assistance, you must complete an application form with information about your educational background, career goals, and economic circumstances.
Note: You can only submit up to 10 applications at once.
C. Scholarship and Grants
Coursera offers various scholarships and grants to help learners access its online courses worldwide. Many types of scholarships are available on Coursera based on academic achievement, demographic background, and financial need.
Also, scholarships on Coursera can be specific to schools, students, or types of majors. Here are some of the most coveted scholarships.
- Gies College of Business and Coursera Scholarship program
- University of North Texas Scholarships
- Scholarships for underrepresented communities
Coursera grants are available to learners who want to take courses on the platform and earn certificates.
You can learn more about the Coursera Scholarship and grants by clicking here.
D. Private Student Loans
Coursera offers financial resources to help students fund their online degree programs. While federal loans are available for US citizens and permanent residents, private student loans can also be an option.
These loans may have a higher interest rate on average, but it is possible to get a private student loan with an interest rate as low as 3% if you have outstanding credit.
2. Coursera Plus Discount On Annual Subscription
The Coursera Plus plan covers unlimited access to 90% of the course catalog and costs $59/month. Whereas, Coursera Plus annual subscription is currently priced at $399 per year, which is a significant discount compared to the monthly subscription option.
The following table explains the Coursera Plus discount on annual subscriptions.
| Plan and Features | Coursera Plus Monthly | Coursera Plus Annual | 43% Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | $59 | – | ❌ |
| Price per year | $708 | $399 | ✔️ |
By paying upfront for the yearly plan, you can save up to $309 compared to the monthly plan.
It is worth noting that Coursera Plus offers a 14-day money-back guarantee on their annual subscription, which allows you to try out the service risk-free.
Additionally, Coursera Plus has been known to offer special discounts and deals, so it’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for these promotions.
3. Coursera Black Friday- Cyber Monday Sale
Coursera is not currently offering Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. However, you can check the official sites for such deals in November and December.
During the Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale 2023, Coursera rolled out a discount offering $100 off its annual subscription. If this discount is applied right now, then the cost of a Coursera Plus annual subscription will be reduced to $299 per year, a whopping 57% discount.
We can surely expect similar Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in 2024. Since such deals are only available for a limited time, act quickly to take advantage of these offers when announced.
Remember to check the Coursera website for the latest information on the deals.
4. Coursera $1 Referral Offer
Coursera offers a referral program allowing you to refer friends to the platform and earn rewards. This offer is particularly for first-time users.
When you sign up for Coursera Plus using a friend’s referral link, you can get your first month for just $1.
If you are the first friend the referrer has referred, you will also receive a prize for your first month of Coursera Plus for $1.
You can find your referral invite link on the Coursera referral website. You can also share your friends’ referral links and earn rewards when they sign up for Coursera Plus.
Remember that this offer does not require coupons and the reward must be redeemed by January 1, 2025.
This program has a limit. If the friend receives multiple referral links, Coursera will only provide the first advocate referral link through which the friend makes an eligible purchase.
5. Auditing A Course On Coursera
You can audit a course on Coursera, which means you can access the course material, including video lectures, readings, and discussion forums, without paying for a certificate or participating in assessments.
To audit a course, follow these steps:
- Search for the course you’re interested in on Coursera and click on the course page.
- Click the “Enroll” button and select “Audit” as the enrollment option.
- You can access the course materials, but you cannot participate in assessments or earn a certificate.
The following image shows the location of the “Audit” option.
You can upgrade to a paid course certificate at any time during or after your audit, and your grades will be transferred to your paid certificate.
Note: Not all courses are available for auditing.
How To Apply For A Financial Aid On Coursera?
Coursera financial aid is for students who can not afford to pay for courses. The financial assistance is not a loan and does not need to be repaid. Therefore, it has become the most sought-after feature of Coursera. However, it is limited and is only available to a certain number of students each year.
To apply for financial aid on Coursera, you can follow these steps.
Step 1: You must have a Coursera account to apply for financial aid. To create an account, click here. You’ll be directed to their official page.
Step 2: Click “Join for Free” in the top right corner or the middle of your screen.
Step 3: You’ll see a “Sign up” window next.
Step 4: You can either fill out the information, such as name, email, and password, and click on “Join for Free,” or you can link your Coursera account to your Apple ID, Facebook account, or Google account.
Step 5: After Signing up, the next step is to select the course you want for which you need financial aid. To do that, type the course keyword in the “search option” and choose the course.
Step 6. After selecting the course for which you want financial aid, you’ll go to the individual course home page. Click on the “Finacial aid available” Option.
Step 7: You’ll see a pop-up window. Click on “Continue to the application.”
You will then be guided to the application form.
Step 8: Answer the questions about your highest level of education, annual income, employment status, and reason for applying for financial aid, and click “Next.”
You will be directed to the second part of the application form, where you must answer a few more questions.
Step 9: Answer questions like how much you can pay for your selected course and how it will help you achieve your goals. Agree to the terms and conditions and click on “Review.”
Your application will take up to two weeks to review. If approved, you will be notified and can enroll in the course without worrying about the financial burden.
Important Note: Financial aid is not guaranteed, and not all applications are approved.
Coursera Alternatives Offering Student Discounts
Since Coursera does not offer a student discount, you can look for alternatives that do. I have researched and found the Coursera alternatives that offer student discounts. Here are a few options: DataCamp, edX, and Codecademy.
The table compares Coursera with DataCamp, edX, and Codecademy.
| Features | Coursera | DataCamp | edX | Codecademy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $59/month | $149/year | $50 to $300 | $19.99/month |
| Discounted price | ❌ | $74/year | $5 to $30 | $9.99 |
| Discount | ❌ | 50% | 90% | 50% |
| Savings | ❌ | $75/year | $45 to $ 270 | $9.99/month |
| Ratings | 4.2/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Best for | Business, Data Science, Public Health, Computer Science, Engineering, and Social Science. | Data Science, AI, and Machine Learning | Data Science, AI, Engineering, and Computer Science | Programming Languages, Data Science, AI, and Machine Learning |
Note: All the ratings have been sourced from G2.
Let us now take a quick look at the alternative platforms that offer Student Discounts.
1. DataCamp Premium Student Plan: 50% Off
DataCamp offers a Premium Student Plan with a significant discount of 50% off the regular price. This plan is specifically created for college students and provides a more affordable way to access DataCamp’s courses.
To take advantage of this offer, you need to provide proof of enrollment in a college or high school program.
2. edX: Up To 90% Discount
edX offers a massive discount of up to 90% for those who can not afford to pay and qualify for financial assistance. If accepted, you will receive an email with an edX coupon for 90% off that can be used on the course of your choice.
3. Codecademy: 50% Off The Regular Price
Students at higher education institutes can enjoy a 50% discount on their Pro Student membership. This means that students can access all the Pro plan features, including interactive coding lessons, real-world projects, and career services, at a significantly reduced price.
This student discount is available for eligible college students. You must provide proof of enrollment or a valid student ID to qualify.
Related Read:
Conclusion: Coursera Plus Doesn’t Offer A Student Discount, But There are Ways To Save!
Even without student discounts, Coursera Plus is considered the leading subscription plan of Coursera. This is because Coursera offers various promos and ways to access Coursera Plus at a lower price. These include financial aid, Black Friday- Cyber Monday sales, a $1 referral offer, and course auditing.
Among all these options, seeking Coursera financial aid is the best discount you can get. This financial aid is not a loan. Thus, you do not need to repay it.
Follow the steps mentioned in this article to get financial assistance and make learning easy and inexpensive.
FAQs
Coursera offers a Black Friday discount. Coursera Black Friday 2023 sale offered $100 off on an annual Coursera Plus subscription.
You can find your referral link by going to the Coursera website and following the instructions. Similarly, you can log in to Facebook to see your friend’s links.
Coursera offers various types of financial aid to learners. These types include scholarships & grants, Federal Financial Aid, private student loans, employer tuition reimbursement, prior learning credits, and resources for non-US students.
Coursera Plus is not free for students, but you can benefit from offers such as $1 first-month offers and Coursera Black Friday deals.
