Free Online Project Management Certificates 2025

Regardless of industry, project management is vital in most companies. Proper project management can save the company time, money, and other resources over a project life cycle. Project management degree programs are available, but many professionals opt for online project management certificate programs to complement a different degree to manage projects in a specific industry.

Learners interested in project management roles often pursue professional certifications like the Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). These certification courses are highly respected, but they often have costs associated with coursework and examinations.

There are free online project management courses that can teach fundamentals while awarding credentials like certificates.

What Is a Project Management Certificate?

A project management certificate is a program that covers different topics in project management, usually a singular skill, but some cover the fundamentals of project management.

These training courses are usually divided into multiple modules with interactive video tutorials and quizzes to gauge progress. Most of these programs also have all necessary course materials included in the learning module, meaning you won't have to buy expensive textbooks or other materials like you would in a college course.

These certificate courses generally require students to complete a final project or exam to prove their understanding of the material and earn certification. Each program has unique guidelines for grading, so it's important to review this information before starting.

Can You Earn an Online Project Management Certificate for Free?

You can earn project management certifications online for free. These free online courses are generally run by organizations, like companies or universities, and cover the necessary skills to be a project manager.

Some programs have free courses but will charge for access to your certificate to print or share digitally on platforms like LinkedIn. These programs are still more affordable than a college degree. Students can also look into schools that offer a certificate in project management, which will incur a cost but will also be much more affordable than a degree.

How Do I Enroll?

Enrollment requirements are based primarily on the platform the course is run through. Some programs that run through third-party learning platforms, will only need your name and an email address to make an account.

If your program is offered through a company or college's learning platform, there might be an additional application process, but most free programs aren't hosted through these platforms.

Top Free Online Project Management Certificates

Learning project management skills and earning a certificate doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Multiple self-paced courses cover the ins and outs of project planning, allowing for professional development on your own time without incurring any debt. Additionally, many of these free courses can be used to satisfy the prerequisite hours and learning requirements for PMP certification from PMI.

Project Management Offered by Great Learning

This course is designed to provide a fundamental understanding of project management for beginners. Coursework covers everything from the beginning of a project to closing it out. This program takes about one and a half hours to complete, at your own pace. This program also has lifetime access, which allows you to brush up on the basics any time you want.

Project Management Certificate Offered by Google and Coursera

The Google project management certificate is a six-month course that covers various methodologies. It focuses on the hard and soft skills required to perform the daily responsibilities of a project manager. This program, offered through the third-party site Coursera, introduces agile methodologies and skills associated with scrums.

Agile Project Management Offered by Google and Coursera

This course focuses on the five pillars of scrums. Learners will develop skills to run a successful project as a scrum master. This course is designed for beginners to complete at their own pace and takes most learners about 28 hours to finish through the third-party site Coursera

Six Sigma White Belt Training & Certification Offered by Six Sigma Online

The Six Sigma program is a project management system that uses data analytics to identify and remove weaknesses in the process. This data-science-based risk management relies on statistics to run projects.

Six Sigma certification is run in multiple levels, loosely mirroring the belt system used in karate. The higher belt courses require payment, but students can begin their project management training for free and earn their white belt.

PMP Certification Course Offered by LinkedIn Learning

This three-hour course uses information from the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) to introduce concepts around project management. The course includes soft skills like communicating project details with various stakeholders, both in and out of the organization. This program can help you qualify for the PMP exam if you choose to pursue that qualification.

Project Management Foundations, Initiation, and Planning Offered by Skill-Up EdTech Team and Coursera

This course is divided into six modules focusing on traditional and modern project management while introducing hands-on work with project management tools. In addition to a certificate, students will complete this course with a portfolio that they can use to demonstrate their skills to future employers.

Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management Offered by the University of Virginia

This program is based on the materials taught in the project management degree program at the University of Virginia. The course is free, but the certification examination has a small fee attached to it. You can still learn valuable skills for free if you don't need the certificate.

Generative AI Overview for Project Managers Offered by the Project Management Institute

Artificial intelligence is a growing part of all business units, and project management is no different. Students in this course will learn how project managers are using AI to augment their skills and create documents and timelines to help share details of the project with other stakeholders.

Microsoft Project Management Professional Certificate Offered by Microsoft and Coursera

Microsoft's program includes using Excel and other programs from the Microsoft suite to execute proper project management. This program results in a sharable certificate through the third-party site Coursera, but students who complete the program will also be credited with hours that can be used towards PMP certification.

KICKOFF Offered by Project Management Institute

This course can be completed in 45 minutes, but it covers the basics of project management. The program doesn't have full certification, but there is a digital badge that can be shared via LinkedIn or with your resume to display your project management knowledge.

FAQs About Free Online Project Management Certificates

Certifications can be the gateway to career advancement or change. Many learners looking to enter the field of project management have questions about online project management courses.

Is Getting a Free Online Project Management Certificate Worth It?

Free online project management certificates are worth it for most learners. These certificate programs can help demonstrate skills to your current or future employer, and they also reduce the costs associated with earning more advanced certifications, like the industry stand PMP certification from PMI.

Is It Possible To Enroll in a Single Course?

There are multiple courses available that offer a single course on a subject. If you are only trying to learn or broaden your knowledge on a single topic, you can find various courses that suit your needs.

Can I Become a Project Manager for Free?

You can earn a project management certification for free, but it's hard to become a full project manager for free. Most project management career paths will require a degree of some kind, even if it isn't in project management. Learning project management skills can be done without cost, but certifications don't hold the same weight as degrees in the eyes of most employers.

Learn more: Education Requirements for Becoming a Project Manager