10 Best Free Online Electrical Courses With Certificates

Updated on 9/16/2025

In today's world, electricity is necessary for almost everything. As a result, electrical jobs, from electricians to electrical engineers, are often in demand.

If you're interested in learning about electricity, electrical systems, or electronics, many websites offer courses covering this material, as well as certificates. Keep reading to discover some free online electrical courses with certificates.

Are There Free Online Electrical Courses?

Some online learning platforms offer free online electrical courses. These courses may be completely free, or they may allow you to audit the course for free. Auditing means that you have limited-time access to course materials, but you'll need to pay a fee for unlimited access, graded assignments, or a certificate of completion.

Do Free Online Electrical Courses Include Certificates?

Free online electrical courses typically do not include certificates for free. They usually allow students to purchase either a printed or digital certificate for a fee, or include the certificate in the full price but not in the auditing option.

What Will I Learn in a Free Electrical Course Online?

The topics you can learn in a free online electrical course depend on whether you're taking a basic electricity course or something tailored to a specific electrical field. Courses often cover topics like:

• basic electrical concepts
• circuit design
• device troubleshooting
• electrical safety and safety standards
• electrical wiring
• renewable energy
• semiconductors
• transformers

Free Online Electrical Courses With Certificates

While no online course provider offers free certificates, several offer free courses with the option to purchase a certificate or let you audit courses for free with the option to upgrade. We've highlighted some of these programs below.

1. Electrical Fundamentals

Alison is an online course provider that offers various free courses, including a free basic electricity course online. The beginner-level Electrical Fundamentals course covers concepts like:

• basic electrical theory
• electric circuit design
• currents
• capacitors and capacitance

The course is self-paced and takes most students five to six hours to complete. Students have the option of purchasing a digital certificate for $24.89 or a printed certificate for $35.56 after finishing the course.

• Cost: Free with paid certificate options
• Course length: Five to six hours

2. Introduction to Electronics

On the online learning platform Coursera, students can take the Introduction to Electronics course offered by the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). This seven-module course introduces students to the core components of electronics, like diodes, transistors, and op amps.

It also covers basic operation and common applications.

Georgia Tech is a public research university in Atlanta. Its Coursera course is free to enroll in, but you'll need to purchase the course for a certificate, unlimited access to course materials, and graded assignments. Financial aid may be available.

• Cost: Free to audit
• Course length: Five weeks

3. Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis

The online learning platform edX offers the Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis course through a partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT is a highly esteemed private research university in Cambridge, MA.

The introductory course includes four modules on topics like electrical engineering, circuit design methods, resistors and networks, and small signal analysis. It's self-paced and takes the average student five weeks to complete. While free to audit, the full experience, including a certificate, is $189.

• Cost: Free to audit
• Course length: Five weeks

4. Health and Safety - Electrical Safety in the Workplace

This course, available through Alison, discusses potential electrical hazards in the workplace and provides safety solutions. Students learn to identify different types of hazards, shocks, arcs, and blasts.

They also learn safety standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and steps to take to protect their worksite from electrical hazards. The self-paced course is free, and a completion certificate is available for a fee.

• Cost: Free with paid certificate options
• Course length: One and a half to three hours

5. Electric Power Systems

The University at Buffalo (UB) is a public research university in Buffalo, NY. It offers the Electric Power Systems course through Coursera. It consists of four modules:

• Basic Electricity (nature and effects of electricity, basic electrical properties, and simple circuits)
• Generation, Transmission, and Distribution (substations and transformers, generation, transmission and subtransmission, and distribution)
• System Design and Switching (circuit breaker design and safety)
• Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Technology (smart grids, smart grid risks, and the environment and renewable energy)

This introductory electrical systems course is self-paced and takes most students about a week to complete. It's free to audit, and financial aid may be available for students seeking the full experience.

• Cost: Free to audit
• Course length: One week

6. Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Students learning through edX can take the Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering offered by Tokyo Tech. This program provides fundamental knowledge about electronic and electrical engineering.

The introductory electrical engineering course is offered in English and covers topics like electromagnetic applications, electronics materials and devices, and wireless communication. It's self-paced, with most students taking about four weeks to finish, and it is free to audit.

• Cost: Free to audit
• Course length: Four weeks

7. Introduction to Electrical Wiring Systems

Alison also offers an Introduction to Electrical Wiring Systems course online. It has four modules, which cover device boxes, hand-bending conduits, raceways and fittings, and conductors and cables.

This is a self-paced, beginner-level course. It's free to take, but students must pay to receive a certificate of completion.

• Cost: Free with paid certificate options
• Course length: One and a half to three hours

8. Electrical Properties and Semiconductors

The Electrical Properties and Semiconductors course through Coursera is offered by Arizona State University (ASU). It's an intermediate, five-module course that goes over electrical properties, electrical conductivity, semiconductor devices, and more.

The self-paced course takes about two weeks to complete. Students can enroll for free or pay for the full course experience, with possible financial aid options available.

• Cost: Free to audit
• Course length: Two weeks

9. Maintenance and Troubleshooting for Electronic and Electrical Devices

This course, available through Alison, teaches students how to repair and maintain electrical devices. Students learn the various components of devices as well as basic testing and troubleshooting.

The self-paced course takes four to five hours. It's completely free, but the completion certificate requires a fee.

• Cost: Free with paid certificate options
• Course length: Four to five hours

10. Electric Cars: Technology

Through Coursera, students can take the Electric Cars: Technology course. It's offered by the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and gives students an in-depth understanding of the technology behind electric vehicles.

The program is in English and is self-paced, with most students taking five weeks to finish. Auditing the class is free, and the full version is $124.

• Cost: Free to audit
• Course length: Five weeks

How We Rank Courses

To choose the courses above, we focused on:

• Course cost: All courses offer free options, though they all require additional payment for a certificate.
• Course value: These courses provide a fundamental or intermediate education in some facet of electronics.
• Course provider reputation: All course providers are well-known for offering quality online courses.

FAQs About Free Online Electrical Courses With Certificates

An electrical course can be a great way for beginners to learn the basics and for established electricians to learn more about certain areas. Below, we've answered some frequently asked questions about these courses.

How Can I Learn Electricity for Free?

There are multiple platforms that provide opportunities to learn about electricity for free. In addition to Alison, Coursera, and edX, there are tons of YouTube videos and online articles about electricity.

Can I Get My Electrical Certification Online?

Typically, you can't get an official electrical certification online. These types of programs require hands-on learning that you can often only get through a brick-and-mortar school.

While there are some free online electrician courses, these are mainly to help you get familiar with the field or to explore a particular area of the field more closely - they are not meant to lead to professional certification.

Are Online Electrician Courses Worth It for Beginners?

Online electrician courses can absolutely be worth it for beginners. They help you learn the basics and prepare you to start a program through a trade school or join an apprenticeship program.

Is There a Free Online Course That Teaches the Basics of Electrical Engineering?

Alison, Coursera, and edX all offer courses in basic electrical engineering that are either free or free to audit. You can also pursue options through MIT OpenCourseWare, a platform where MIT uploads all its past classes. While this doesn't lead to certification, it gives you access to class materials.

Discover Online Electrical Training

Start learning about electricity and electronics by exploring the online courses featured on Learn.org. Visit platform websites to learn more about enrollment and costs.