How To Get A Coursera Scholarship (Financial Aid)

Coursera financial aid is an initiative by Coursera to help learners access courses for free. In simple terms, it’s a scholarship chance that lets you access the course of your choice for free. 

However, there are multiple eligibility criteria and a process to apply for scholarships on Coursera. 

In this article, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step guide to apply for Coursera’s scholarship, along with other ways to get Coursera for free. 

How to Receive Coursera Scholarship: In 3 Easy Steps

If you are in a hurry, I have provided a quick overview of how to avail Coursera scholarship in three easy steps.

Simply choose the course of choice. Navigate the “Financial aid” option and apply.
Fill out the application, which includes questions about your financial situation and motivations for taking the course.
Once you apply for financial aid, your application will be reviewed within 16 days, and you will receive a revert from Coursera based on your situation.

Who is Eligible for the Coursera Scholarship?

The Coursera scholarship is available to anyone who wants to complete the course but cannot afford the fees.

Coursera mostly accepts applications from students or low-income learners. 

Moreover, many scholarships are catered explicitly toward students from a certain demographic or economic background, and there are also scholarships for minorities, women, and military veterans.

It also provides the Gies College of Business and Coursera Scholarship Program that covers 70% of a student’s full tuition. 

These competitive scholarships aim to improve access to a top-quality education for students interested in careers in finance, marketing, management, and accounting. 

Coursera Scholarships And Financial Aid

Coursera offers several different types of Scholarships and grants, such as academic achievement, financial need, and demographic background. 

These scholarships are also specific to the type of Major, school, and student. You can explore and apply for different scholarships to access courses for free. 

For applying to the Coursera scholarships, you are required to provide information regarding your previous educational background, your economic status, and the reason for enrolling in the course.

You can also explore category-specific scholarships, such as scholarships for minorities, women, and military veterans. 

Step By Step To Get Coursera Scholarship

To access Coursera courses for free, here is the complete guide to help you apply for the Coursera scholarships. 

Step 1- Head toward the home page, of course

The very first step is to visit the home page of the course on Coursera, which you are willing to opt for financial aid. 

Step 2- Click on “Financial aid available”

After you have visited the course’s home page, you will see the “financial aid available” option below the course name. Click on that option. 

Step 3- Select The “Continue To The Application” Option.

After you click on the financial aid available option, you will have to select the course, and after that, click on Continue to the application.

Step 4- Fill in all the required details. 

Once you have clicked on “continue to the application,” you will be navigated to the page provided below. Fill in all the essential details and 

Step 5- Complete the further procedure

Once you have filled in all the details, like your educational level, income, employment status, and the reason you are applying for financial aid, you will be navigated to the last step.

You will have to answer some questions like how the selected course will help you and how much you can pay for the course. 

After you have answered all the questions, you have to accept all the terms and conditions and click on submit an application.

Once your application is submitted, you will have to wait about 14 to 15 days. You will receive a mail demonstrating whether Coursera has approved your application. 

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Application Tips For Coursera Financial Aid

In order to get your application approved by Coursera, you need to write an impactful application so that Coursera can better analyze it. 

Below are a few application tips for financial aid that you may check out. 

1. Mention Your Career Goals. 

You can mention your career goals and objectives and how the particular course will help you to enhance your career. For the best results, provide relatable and honest answers. 

2. Explain Your Academic Background. 

Your application must provide insight into your prior academic qualifications. But remember, if you have taken any online courses, certification programs, or Boot Camps in the past, this might increase your odds of being selected for the scholarship. 

3. Explain The Reason For Applying For A Scholarship. 

You have to mention the reason why you are applying for financial aid, as Coursera analyzes several applications, so make sure your application is written in such a way that stands out from others. 

Alternate Ways To Access Courses For Free On Coursera

In addition to scholarships and financial aid, you can also access Coursera courses for free through alternative options such as free trials and course audits. 

To learn more about it, let’s get into the details. 

Free Trial

Coursera offers a 7-day free trial period on its monthly subscription plan. However, you must add the payment details to start your free trial. Once the free trial ends, it will be automatically converted into a paid subscription unless you cancel it. 

You can access all of Coursera’s course content for free during the trial period of 7 days. 

Tip: After your free trial ends, you can also use our Coursera Plus discount, which will give you access to the platform at a massive discount. Similarly, you can keep an eye on our Coursera Black Friday page to grab maximum discounts during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

Course Audits

The other option to access courses for free on Coursera is to audit them. Auditing courses helps you access the course content offered by renowned universities and organizations. 

However, not all courses offer an audit option, and you cannot audit the specialization programs offered by Coursera. You can check out our detailed guide on how to Audit a Coursera course, which provides a step-by-step guide that will help you.

Related Read:

• Best College Scholarships
• Best Scholarships For Private Schools
• Scholarships For High School Students
• Scholarships For Black Students

Conclusion: Getting The Coursera Scholarship

Along with the scholarships offered by Coursera, you can also look for external scholarships and make sure to meet all the eligibility and application requirements. 

Even though financial aid is offered by most of Coursera’s online degrees and courses, the program has a limit of 11 applications at a time, so make sure that you have not reached this limit. 

Remember to explore all the possible opportunities to get the best results. You can also check our detailed guide on how to find a scholarship so you can find the most suitable financial aid.

All the best with your scholarship search. 

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