Do Any HBCUs Offer Free Online Courses?

It can be hard to afford the education you deserve.

Tuition, fees, and the cost of living are always going up, which brings your chances of being able to afford and complete all of your college classes down.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which are known for wanting to support and uplift the whole person, know just how hard it is for their students to get good opportunities today.

That's why, with help from private businesses and nonprofits, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are offering free online courses to members of their community.

To learn about the HBCU free online courses that are available to you whether you're a high schooler, a current college student, or just someone looking to enhance their education, read on.

The Best Free Online Courses for HBCU Students

From Howard University to partnerships between HBCUs and private companies, here are some of the best HBCU free online courses for students who want to advance their education while saving money and sticking close to their roots.

HBCUs Offering Free Courses to High School Students From Low-Income Families

Recently, three HBCUs (Howard University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College) partnered with the National Education Equity Lab to offer online college credit-bearing courses to low-income and first-generation high school students in Title I schools.

As Title I schools have large numbers of students of color, as well as impoverished students, these HBCUs have become invested in helping high schoolers at these schools get ahead in their college education without the barrier that income normally creates for them.

High school students at eligible schools can take courses related to sociology, criminal justice, college-level algebra, environmental studies, and more to kickstart their college education early - and for free.

All HBCU free online courses are taught by professors from the colleges that are partnered with the National Education Equity Lab.

HBCUs and SANS Institute Partner to Provide Free Cybersecurity Courses

The SANS Institute, a private U.S. company specializing in information security, cybersecurity training, and selling certificates, has partnered with willing HBCUs and other minority-focused institutions to provide its training and certificate programs for free to eligible college students.

The SANS HBCU+ Cyber Academy is a program designed to provide industry-leading cybersecurity training and certifications to African American scholars from HBCUs, PBIs, and MSIs around the United States.

African American U.S. residents who are juniors, seniors, graduate students, or alumni of HBCUs, PBIs, or MSIs, and are not currently employed in the cybersecurity field but are interested in transitioning to it can fill out an online application, complete an online assessment, and take an interview questionnaire to be part of this free program and begin learning how to work in cybersecurity online for free.

Free Online Courses From Howard University Through Class Central

In addition to offering select courses to high school students at Title I high schools for free, Howard University also provides everyone the chance to take up to 11 of its college courses for free online.

Howard University is offering all of these online courses for free:

• Introduction to Linear Algebra and Python
• Fundamental Linear Algebra Concepts with Python
• Building Regression Models with Linear Algebra
• Cloud Transformation
• Fundamentals of Business Problem Solving
• Foundations of Information Systems for Business
• Business Modeling Tools
• Solving Business Problems with Spreadsheet Modeling
• Project Management Essentials
• Capstone: Design Thinking for IS in Business
• Capstone: Data Science Problem in Linear Algebra Framework

Some courses are as short as six hours, while others can take as long as 20 to complete.

All courses are offered in an on-demand online format, but because they are offered for free as Audits, they will not count for college credit.

UDC and Howard University Offer Free Courses for Public Health Investigators

Once again proving itself to be one of the best HBCUs in the United States, Howard University is working with the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) to offer free courses to train public health investigators in the wake of COVID-19.

The joint program these two colleges have created is designed to teach health data management to students in the hopes that it will improve health communications for the predominantly Black communities in D.C., which were the most heavily impacted by COVID and the failure of public health data infrastructure in the area.

The program is free for high school and college students, offers a 15-week course in public health informatics, teaches the basics of information technology and artificial intelligence, and is available in the form of remote lectures and in-person group projects.

Textbooks are covered, and students who need technology help - such as access to Wi-Fi or a functional laptop, will be assisted by the program.

Use HBCU Free Online Courses to Enhance Your Education Today

Now that you know about the best HBCU free online courses that are available to you, as well as how you can access them and what they can teach you, it's time for you to enhance your education while saving money tomorrow by taking some HBCU free online courses today.