This is truly the age of the internet. We hear work from home all the time but why not learn from home? Exactly with this thought in mind many online platforms have popped up which offers a plethora of learning resources so you can expand your knowledge base without even leaving the couch. In a plethora of such forums, FutureLearn stood out. But don’t be hasty, here is what you should know before enrolling in any of their courses.

FutureLearn’s Ideology

Distance learning is far more difficult than the traditional educational methods applied in schools and universities. After all, taking a course online is about self-control and setting deadlines for yourself especially when other fun things you could be doing on the internet like gaming or streaming movies constantly distract you. This is why most online forums report that only 7% of the enrolled students complete the course. FutureLearn aims to cut these non-completion rates by minimizing the loneliness from taking online classes. After all, when you don’t have any peer’s motivation, competition is taken out of the equation. With its unique approach, FutureLearn has a phenomenal 22% completion rate.

Courses Offered

Most online platforms are specialized in one field and there are only a select few forums that offer courses over a variety of topics. FutureLearn is one of these diverse platforms with courses in all categories. However, its course catalog is much smaller compared to other competitors. Although we like the courses and degrees they offer now, we would prefer more options to choose from. Especially when it comes to the most current fields like Programming and Design, we find FutureLearn a bit lacking.

Teaching Style

FutureLearn is just like most online learning platforms when it comes to their style of teaching. When a course begins the students are given weekly access to lectures, resources, quizzes, and assignments. However, what sets them apart is the discussion forums for each course that give a classroom like an effect.

Costs

Our favorite feature of FutureLearn is their different packages to gain access to all courses. Each package has its own perks and of course the more you are willing to pay the more benefits you unlock. Let us go through each package in detail so you can decide for yourself what is best for you.

Free

Just the name gives us tingles, after all, who doesn't like something free. And our favorite thing about this package is that it comes with no strings attached, like getting access to only half a course or having to plug in your credit card information despite opting for the free package. However, as expected, there are limitations. You will get access to all the entire course plus an extra 14 days which are especially useful if you are a slow learner. This includes resource materials, recorded lectures, and access to the discussion forums. While this includes most courses on FutureLearn there are some premium courses and online degrees that are exempt from this package. Of course, you won't get a certificate after completing a course in the free package either.

Upgrade

The Upgrade plan is our favorite. Not only is it affordable enough even if you are on a tight budget, but it also unlocks the tests for all the courses. So you can get an evaluation of your progress as you study. Adding on to the perks of the free package, after you have completed the course you will also receive a certificate.

Unlimited

As you can guess from the name, this is the most expensive plan, but it will unlock all the FutureLearn courses and features for you. Using this yearly subscription you can even complete micro-credential programs, have access to all premium courses, and even complete your degree online.

Verdict

If you are on a tight budget, then FutureLearn is the way to go. Even its paid versions are cheaper compared to other websites and the free plan gives you access to a majority of the courses. However, be careful to browse through their catalog before making your final decision because they might not be offering the course that you want to learn.