How to Get A Coursera Scholarship? (Financial Aid)

Coursera is a fantastic online learning platform due to its affordable prices and complete focus on flexible remote learning. Additionally, many of their programs provide financial aid with scholarships. But how to get a Coursera scholarship?

As someone who has researched Coursera for years, I can assure you that it is an easy process if applied correctly.  

Hence, to help you apply for scholarships effortlessly, I have shared a comprehensive guide below based on Coursera’s official policy regarding Scholarships. In addition, I’ve solved some of the popular queries that could help you with the whole process.

Also, before you get into the details, remember: if you know which program to choose on Coursera, it offers certificates at less than half of the price of traditional universities.

Now that we have it all clear, let’s get into the details below! 

Bonus: if you want to explore each aspect of Coursera and learn more about it, you can take advantage of this Coursera Review I have covered with my genuine personal experience with the platform.

Key Takeaways: How to get a Coursera scholarship?

Anyone who is dedicated to learning and cannot afford it is eligible for the Coursera scholarship.
The process to get a Coursera scholarship is pretty straightforward:

Coursera website -> click on a course -> Join for free -> Enter details -> Join for free -> Financial Aid -> Continue to the application -> Fill details -> Review.

Write honest answers while filling in the details in the application.
The alternate ways to access courses for free on Coursera are getting the 7-day free trial and auditing the courses.
Coursera can reject your application if you don’t fit the criteria for getting a scholarship.
Don’t worry if you can’t get scholarships, as Coursera offers degrees at half the university prices.

How does Coursera work?

Coursera is an online platform that has partnered with universities, businesses, and associations worldwide. 

The platform is partnered with many industry-leading institutions like the University of Michigan, UPenn, Duke, and giant companies like Google. 

Learners around the world can sign up for courses on Coursera to improve their skills with certifications by pursuing online degrees and just learning something new. 

In case you don’t find Coursera satisfactory, I have curated an exclusive list of Online learning platforms to provide you with extra options. Click on the link to explore more options.

Coursera Scholarship and Financial Aid

Learners who cannot afford to pay the fees for the courses available on Coursera can apply for financial aid or scholarships. The link to apply to them is provided on the home page of the course that you want to learn from.

Further, the students who receive financial aid or scholarships can access all the course content, complete the graded assignments, and submit the work required to get the course certificate. 

However, financial aid or scholarships are applicable only for the courses that it is approved for. Besides, the learners can get the most out of the content provided by Coursera under the free audit. 

Most of the courses on Coursera offer learners scholarships or financial aid, but these may not be available for some courses on the platform. Besides that, financial aid is not transferable from one course to another.

Who is Eligible For The Coursera Scholarship?

Anyone who is dedicated to completing the course and learning from it but cannot afford the fees required for the course can apply for financial aid on Coursera. 

The majority of the students and low-income household learners are eligible to get financial aid or scholarships on Coursera.

Additionally, Coursera claims that 60% of the financial applications are from countries with developing economies. They have approved most of the scholarships and are working to change the future of enthusiastic learners from weak economic backgrounds. 

What are the steps to apply for the Coursera scholarship?

If you are applying to Coursera scholarships, you will have to fill out the application form in which you must provide details like your educational background, financial circumstances, and career goals. 

Besides that, once you are provided with financial aid, you must follow the Honor Code and Code of Conduct provided by Coursera.

Now that you are aware of the scholarship, let us take a look at the detailed guide to claiming your Coursera scholarship. 

Step #1: Open the official website of Coursera using the link provided. 

Step #2: From the library of Courses available, select the course that you want to learn according to the skill that you wish to improve. Click on the course that you have selected.

I have opted to go with ‘Programming for Everybody.’

Step #3: You will be redirected to the home page of the course. Click on the ‘Join for free ’ button from the top right of the window.

Step #4: You will be asked to sign in. Enter your details, like name, email address, and password, and then click on ‘Join  for Free.’

You can also choose to sign up with the help of your Google, Facebook, or Apple account.

If you already have an account, you can scroll down and click on ‘login.’

Step #5: Once you have signed up, you will land on the course home page again. Click on ‘Financial aid.’

Step #6: A pop-up window will appear once you have clicked on financial aid. Click on the ‘Continue to the application’ button.

Step #7: Next, you must fill in all your details, like education level, income, and employment status. In the end, you will have to provide details about your reason for applying for financial aid. 

Then click on ‘Next.’

Step #8: You will be next redirected to a page where you can select the amount of financial aid you want to request. Fill in all the other details as needed, then click the ‘Review’ button.

Congratulations!! You have successfully applied for the Coursera scholarship or financial aid. 

Now, all you need to do is wait for your application to be reviewed. The review process may take up to 15 days to get completed. 

Once your application is reviewed, you may get an email stating whether your application is approved or denied.

Moreover, you can also check the Updates page to keep a check on the status of your scholarship or financial aid. 

Tips for applying for a scholarship or Financial Aid on Coursera.

You can include the following details while writing the reason for applying for financial aid.

• Explain your current financial condition and your financial background to them.
• You can add that you are a student and don’t have enough money to pay for the course you opted for. 
• You can also add details about the degree you are pursuing or have completed.
• Convey to them that the fees for the course are too high and your parents cannot provide you with the required financial help.
• In the end, you can also add why the course is important for you, why you are so dedicated to it, and how it will help your career growth.

Alternative Ways to access courses for free on Coursera?

With alternatives like Coursera’s free trials and course audit options, you can attend the courses for free and receive financial aid and scholarships. Therefore, read on to understand the ways given below:

1. Coursera Free Trial:

Coursera offers a 7-day free trial on the monthly subscription plan. All you have to do is add your payment details and start learning for free. 

After the free trial is over, you automatically start your paid membership if you don’t cancel it.

During this 7-day  free trial, you can access all the courses on Coursera for free.

2. Auditing Courses

Another way to access the courses on Coursera for free is by auditing them. Auditing these courses helps in getting courses from well-established and renowned institutes and universities. 

Note: Not all courses offer an audit option, and specialization courses cannot be audited. Also, the audit line will not appear if the course cannot be audited.

Here is a detailed guide on how to audit courses on Coursera:

• Step #1: Go to the website Coursera.org.
• Step #2: Click on the sign-up option at the top of the page.
• Step #3: After Signing up or Logging in, the third step is selecting the course you want to audit.
• Step #4: Type the keyword of the course in the search option and select whichever course you are willing to audit.
• Step #5: After typing the keyword, select the course you prefer to access.
• Step #6: Once you choose the course you want to audit, simply click on the enroll for free option present on the page of the course.
• Step #7:  After enrolling for the course, you need to search the audit course link and audit the course.

Coursera Alternatives for Degree

Coursera is a terrific place to start if you want to get an online degree or certification, but it’s not your only choice. 

It’s recommended to explore additional websites, like edX, as you might find a better offer or a scholarship on other platforms, surprisingly.

Don’t believe me? Check this edX review I have covered to find out more about it.

Note: Some well-known universities with virtual campuses run their own courses. 

You may try making a list of colleges that pique your interest and finding out which of them grant online degrees. 

Make sure you search beyond Coursera and submit numerous applications to make the most of your financial aid opportunities and to make sure you are receiving the greatest possible offer.

What kind of financial aid can I receive on Coursera?

On Coursera, you’ll save money on the course fee if your financial aid application is granted. Coursera provides financial aid to empower students who cannot purchase premium content on Coursera. 

The information in your application and your location may impact how much financial aid you receive in an effort to equally allocate resources to the students who need them the most.

How to qualify for the financial aid offered by Coursera?

To be eligible for the Coursera scholarship, you must fulfill all qualifying requirements and submit an application that details your educational background, job aspirations, and financial situation. 

All the answers should be truthful. Ensure your application is the best so that Coursera approves it when it reviews the others. 

How easy is it to get financial aid for Coursera?

It is easy to get financial aid if you are eligible for it and if you meet the qualifications.  Also, only one degree and course will be applied to the financial aid. 

Does Coursera ever deny financial aid?

You will receive an email telling you if your application is rejected. Your application denial will be explained in that email, allowing you to make the necessary corrections and reapply. 

Verify that your financial aid is still in effect. 180 days following the approval of your application is when financial aid is valid.

Is Coursera generous with financial aid?

You’ll save money on the course fee if your financial aid application is granted. In order to empower students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to purchase premium content Coursera, Coursera provides sufficient financial aid.

Does Coursera grant degrees?

You can explore new degrees on Coursera, and they are actually affordable compared to the degrees we admit to traditionally. 

You can easily earn a degree course program from an accredited university for under $20000 (USD). This price is ⅓ of the master’s degrees and ¼ of the bachelor’s degrees in the United States.

Related read:

• Teachable Review
• Teachable Coupon Code
• Top 10 CEOs And Their Educational Background

Conclusion: How To Get A Coursera Scholarship

I hope you have successfully applied to the Coursera scholarship and that your application is approved. This scholarship will definitely help you save some dollars to invest in the required place.

Moreover, you can also go through the free audit of the course while you are waiting for the application to be approved. 

Besides, Coursera also provides users with a 7-day free subscription trial. You can subscribe to this free trial and go through your desired courses. However, make a point to cancel the free trial before the end of the seventh day. 

FAQ: Coursera scholarship