Updated at: 05-04-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

This title’s sole purpose is to make you aware of the best free online courses in South Africa that lead to certificates, which will put you in a great position to fulfill your ultimate goal.

Due to advancements in technology, more universities are providing online courses to reach out to students who live far away. To meet the rising demand for online courses, reputable South African universities now provide the best free online courses with certificates in the country.

The development of distance learning is revolutionary because it expands access to higher education beyond the physical boundaries of a campus. South Africa’s top-rated options for free online certificate programs will help you build a successful professional life. You can now attend lectures from the convenience of your own home, thanks to the internet, your electronic devices, and various tools. There is also a certificate program that can be completed online in just 4 weeks.

It’s likely that you’re searching for the top South African institutions offering accredited, cost-free online courses. Or maybe you just don’t know what to expect from one of these open online courses.

You shouldn’t worry about anything at this point. You’ll find the solutions to these pressing problems in this article: Top South African MOOCs that lead to Certification. You can relax and enjoy some reading time now.

Best Free Online Courses With Certificates In South Africa

Best free online courses with certificates in south africa

Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries

Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries

This free online course, taught by Harald Winker, examines the obstacles faced by developing country governments that want to grow their economies in a climate-friendly way, and it tackles the complexity inherent in alleviating poverty and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

Climate Adaptation in Africa

Climate Adaptation in Africa

The importance of adjusting to a changing climate in Africa is explored in this open online course. Climate-related issues have wrought widespread harm in many parts of the world.

The goal of this training is to better equip participants to aid Africa in its efforts to adapt to climate change. This course’s goal is to provide information that can be used to increase Africa’s capacity for adaptation. This will help Africa prepare for and avoid future climate-related disasters.

Severe to Profound Intellectual Disability: Circles of Care and Education

South African caregivers who work in institutions or private homes will benefit greatly from this free 4-week online course. Therefore, all members of the care and learning community will benefit from and appreciate this course’s existence.

Teaching Children with Visual Impairment: Creating Empowering Classrooms 

This free, online course from the University of Cape Town and Coursera will show you how to implement curriculum differentiation strategies in your classroom, lesson plans, and grading to make learning possible for all students.

Becoming a changemaker: Introduction to Social Innovation 

Coursera offers a free 6-week online course that requires a time commitment of approximately 2-3 hours per week. A small fee will also be charged for the official seal of approval.

By the end of the course, you will have developed your own approach to social innovation and begun to advocate for the ideas, frame of mind, abilities, and connections that will allow you to launch and thrive as a changemaker.

Severe to Profound Intellectual Disability: Circles of Care and Education

Those who provide in-home or institutional care in South Africa can take advantage of a free, four-week online course designed specifically for them. Therefore, everyone in the sphere of support and learning has an important part to play and will be appreciative of this opportunity.

You will finish this course with a deeper familiarity with intellectual disability, its spectrum of severity, and its development over time. Furthermore, you will gain an appreciation for the ways in which you can aid kids and young adults with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities in reaching their full potential and becoming contributing members of society.

Doing Clinical Research: Biostatistics with the Wolfram Language

You’ll learn how to conduct statistical tests and be certified to do so, giving you more options for how to present your findings in essays, reports, and presentations.

It will help you get ahead professionally and set you up to participate in cutting-edge scientific inquiry that will benefit all of humanity.

The course also reflects the current trend of teaching statistical analysis via a programming language. Interestingly, zero coding experience is assumed.

Innovative Finance: Hacking finance to change the world

This course argues that the right use of financial tools can help bring about the kind of social and environmental change that is needed.

This course will give you the tools you need to design novel financial strategies for expanding people’s access to essential services like banking, electricity, and schooling. This open online course presents a five-step procedure for implementing innovative finance.

Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics

If you’re a clinician or a medical student interested in staying abreast of the latest research and developments in your field, this course is available to you at no cost.

This course will give you a firmer grasp of statistical analysis, which in turn will boost your self-assurance. If you are a working professional or conducting research, you will benefit from this comprehension.

Research for Impact

Research with impact is a methodology built around best-in-class research practices and principles.

To have more of an effect, research with an eye toward impact takes a different approach than what is commonly used. Changes in policy, behavior, and practice are all within reach with the research method covered in this course.

Becoming a change maker: Introduction to Social Innovation

The University of Cape Town is offering a six-week course for anyone who is interested in taking it. You can examine even the most complex internal conflicts with the help of this training. It will help you come up with answers when problems arise.

Consider taking this class if you’re keen on learning more about social innovation and social entrepreneurship. You can use it as a tool in your quest to make a positive change in the world.

Writing your World: Finding yourself in the academic space

The goal of this course is to equip you with the skills necessary to become a proficient academic writer. The real-world experience you gain in this class will inform the academic paper you write.

The course’s main focus is on self-understanding. You’ll also have access to academic text that can teach you how to structure your own writing effectively.

Medicine and the Arts: Humanising Healthcare at University of Cape Town

Learn for free how medicine, medical anthropology, and the arts all intersect in this six-week online course. Explore the emerging field of medical humanities and the concept of whole-person care through readings and discussions on topics like “Mind, Art, and Play,” “A Matter of the Heart,” “At the Edge: Madness and Medicine,” and others.

Research for Impact

This course will introduce you to the Research for Impact methodology, a set of guiding principles and practices for producing more meaningful results from your research. Historically, research projects have aimed to add to the body of knowledge and disseminate their findings through scholarly articles. But we need to change the way we conduct research if we want to see real results. Impactful research that leads to new ways of thinking, doing, and behaving

The Right to Education: Breaking Down the Barriers

The Right to Education Breaking Down the Barriers

For those who believe that education should be accessible to all, there is no better online course than this one. The book teaches readers how to remove contemporary obstacles to learning. The University of Glasgow developed and is responsible for the instruction of this online course. The United Nations has set as one of its priorities the promotion of lifelong education and the provision of accessible, high-quality education for all. However, we are missing the mark by a long shot. This course will teach you the reasons why so many kids aren’t in school and inspire you to help find a solution.

Blended Learning Essentials: Getting Started

Blended learning, which combines traditional classroom instruction with digital resources, is an intriguing educational approach. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which compelled people to embrace social distance, the concept rose in popularity. The course, developed and managed by the University of Leeds, instructs students on the merits of blended education, the utility of cutting-edge technology in enhancing education, and the best means by which to network with other experts in the field.

Julia Scientific Programming

Julia Scientific Programming

Designed specifically for use in the realm of scientific computing, Julia is a cutting-edge, high-level, high-performance dynamic programming language. Learners are given an overview of Julia over the course of four modules in Julia Scientific Programming. Several scientific disciplines can benefit from using Julia, including bioinformatics, engineering, data science, astronomy, chemistry, and physics.

Academic Writing for Clarity and Meaning

This course is useful for anyone who wants to improve their critical thinking and writing abilities, including students, writers, and academics. This is one of the best free online courses with certificates in South Africa because you’ll learn a lot that will help you with your research project and other assignments that call for academic writing skills. This is one of the most popular free online courses in South Africa as a result of the country’s rising demand for higher education. It takes two weeks, or about two to three hours per week, and is offered by the University of Witwatersrand through the edX online learning platform. Students earn completion certificates they can use as a stepping stone when applying for jobs.

What do Architects and Urban Planners do?

The work of architects and urban planners is often misunderstood by those outside of the industry. If you are searching for conclusive solutions, then this course is ideal for you. This is a free course offered by the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa through the edX online education platform. If you put in an average of only two or three hours per week, you should be able to finish the course in about three weeks.

Starting a Business 4: Business Processes 

One of the most popular programs in South Africa, this one was created by the highly regarded University of Leeds. Students can gain an understanding of how a business operates and the factors that contribute to its success. The importance of business processes and data infrastructures are emphasized. Methods for boosting productivity and recognizing the obstacles that every company must surmount are also covered. It highlights the skills necessary for designing and managing a business, as well as who is responsible for each step of the process.

Introduction to Cyber Security 

One of the most fundamental problems with using computers today is the risk of being attacked by cybercriminals. Important developments in the field of cyber security are covered in this course. It will also teach you the fundamentals of computer and data security. Information on how to keep your data safe as it travels through cyberspace on a network will be provided. The National Cyber Security Programme of the United Kingdom is backing this Open University course.

Marketing Fundamentals: Who Is Your Customer? by Babson College

The right customers can make or break a business, and this four-week course will teach you how to find and access them. This course is made for business owners who have no idea where to begin with their marketing efforts. It also includes helpful advice on reaching your target audience and developing your product’s niche. In a nutshell, this is an excellent course for anyone considering a career in marketing in any capacity.

FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Complete An Online Course In South Africa?

The time commitment for these free online courses is much lower than that of a traditional university program. Some short, free online courses can be finished in a matter of hours, while others can stretch on for six, nine, or even twelve months.

What companies offer free courses?

Several businesses provide educational resources at no cost. Popular ones include Coursera, edX, and Udacity. These businesses provide training in a wide range of fields.

Are online courses Recognised in South Africa?

In short, South Africa does indeed recognize online degrees. When it comes to higher education in South Africa, the accrediting authority is the Council on Higher Education (CHE). Online courses that have been approved by CHE can be found on their website.

Conclusion

This is a list of verified and accredited online learning opportunities in South Africa that are available for free. As I mentioned before, it won’t cost you a dime to enroll in and go through with any of these classes; however, there may be a small fee associated with obtaining a certificate of completion.

These free, online South African courses can help you get started in a new line of work, advance your current career, or simply broaden your horizons.

Remember that your success in school depends on how hard you work and how determined you are. Find a place to study where you won’t be interrupted and where you can concentrate. It’s great that the universities providing these online courses have partnered with some of the most well-known online learning platforms to bring you a high-quality online learning experience.

In addition, any human resources department will respect your expertise if you have a certificate from one of these programs under your belt. This will make your degree stand out on a CV or resume if you already have one. Don’t waste this fantastic chance; improve your abilities right away.