Coursera is one of the few educational platforms that offer financial aid and free courses. Here you can learn without limits, even on your wallet. If you have financial issues or want to pursue multiple courses, you can opt for this option. Coursera offers you financial aid or a scholarship on almost all courses and specialisations.
This article explains how you can easily apply for and successfully receive Coursera financial aid.
Also read: How to reset deadlines in Coursera?
How to apply for financial aid?
You can apply for financial aid on Coursera’s website which takes up to 15 days for review. Again, not all courses have financial aid and you can have only up to 10 financial aid applications in progress at one time.
Certificate courses offer specialisations divided into parts, and you can only apply for financial aid for only one part.
You can apply for financial aid successfully by following the steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Go to the Coursera website on your PC and open the webpage with the course details.

Step 2: Here, you will find a rectangular box with Enroll and the date of the commencement of the course. Next to it, you can usually find the Financial aid available option. Click on the link.

Step 3: If the course is divided into parts, you are given the option to apply for one part at a time. Once you have chosen the part or series for financial aid from the total number of series or parts in the course, click the Next button.

Step 4: The crucial part is writing an essay (or SOP) of about 150 words, explaining why you require financial aid. Other background information the website asks for is your educational background, annual income and employment status.

Once your application is submitted, you will receive an email notification. Till it gets approved, you can begin the course. As soon as it gets approved, you will once again get an email notification.
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Coursera Financial Aid: Important Notes
You can keep some points in mind while applying for financial aid. The website design and the course modules change regularly. Have a glance at some points to remember given below:
- Financial aid usually gets approved within 15 days.
- After getting approval, Coursera gives you a specific time period to finish your course. To receive your certificate free of cost, try to complete the course within this time. The period can be of 180 days approximately.
- You can always reset the deadlines on your courses if you cannot attend the classes.
- You can have up to 10 financial aid applications open at one time.
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