Coursera Reviews

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3.48
130 reviews
Average Rating
Based on 130 user experiences
All 5 ★ 4 ★ 3 ★ 2 ★ 1 ★ 😊 Positive 😐 Neutral 😞 Negative Reset Filter
AI Review Summary Based on 130 reviews

Coursera is widely praised for its extensive course catalog, high-quality content from reputable universities, and flexible learning options, with many users valuing the free audit mode and certificate opportunities. Positive feedback highlights good course structure, helpful resources, and reliable access to materials. However, recurring complaints emphasize issues with customer support responsiveness, opaque subscription billing and cancellation processes, unexpected charges, and restrictive peer-review systems. Some users also report technical problems, platform bugs, and dissatisfaction with paid features or delayed grade processing.

What customers love
  • High quality course content
  • Large course selection
  • Free audit option
  • University partnerships
  • Flexible learning pace
Common concerns
  • Poor customer support
  • Confusing billing system
  • Peer review limitations
  • Unexpected charges
  • Technical issues

Last updated 3 weeks ago

R

Great courses and universities

Great courses and universities but they want to charge for everything
B

I have previously considered to study

I have previously considered to study the UOL computer science degree course that UOL had liaise with Coursera Just recently I tried to test out Coursera Free trial I have had cancelled the free trial and also my own credit card as I had previously bad experience with other websites in their handling with my card information Coursera started billing me just 3 days ago I was astonished I have did what I can to remove my card number and the subscription and yet this stinking thing happened There are many bad website and system on the internet but Coursera is the worst I have ever experienced Never am I gonna even study on Coursera again and I bid everyone to think twice if they were ever contemplating on using Coursera They refused to even give me a refund I hate giving negative reviews but this is just unacceptable Edit they refunded after much perusal But that was still a rollercoaster ride
C

Appalling customer support

Contacted their customer support about charges to my credit card finding how to contact their customer support in their Help Center is itself an ordeal worth a separate review Received no substantive feedback - only insolent boilerplate answers I have completed about ten paid i e certificate courses with them thus far but I will never again enroll there Some courses were really cool Andrew Ng s was one of my favourites - truly enjoyable and useful Other courses are however quite unsatisfactory examples UToronto s iOS UCSD s Introduction to Big Data 2015 However I generally like that the course providers are academic institutions and some of the courses are at reasonably high level Edit after a couple of further rounds with their support they did resolve my issue
M

Used to be good when they offered

Used to be good when they offered course materials free but not you can even see the materials for only one free week They ve become greedy and charge money for nothing Information must be free I ll pay if I want to pass tests
R

The learning material of a lot of

The learning material of a lot of courses is like from medieval times Lacking some serious updates I would say that the pricing is a little too high and there are no discounts or special offers The website freezes sometimes during the video and all information gets lost
M

Some courses are good Some not

I tried some of the courses I chose those for free because i do not want to pay extra for certificates ir something like that Specifically i trued english courses because english is nit native to me But not of then were effective I spent more time thani got the result in the end Just like that
A

Quite good

I started 4 courses however I only completed two Overall most of their courses are simply too long You can summarize the topics in a much shorter time period Sometimes I had the feeling that the courses where stretched just to make them longer However they are free and I really enjoyed two management courses I think it really depends on the lecturer
K

Tons of courses but user interface is bad

Tons of courses and I like that you can audit most of them without paying I m usually just doing courses to learn more for my job and don t care about getting a certificate not doing a degree But the user interface sucks Searches are slow and the navigation is clunky I have a hard time finding what I want
S

With the right expectations it s average

I initially made a free account to audit a course and take it for free because I was interested in the material and about halfway through because I was enjoying it I signed up for the paid version because this course along with 4 others combined for a full certificate once they were all complete And if I m spending the time on this anyway I may as well do a little resume padding while I m at it but I m not exactly expecting this cert to be the thing that sways an employer I m treating it more like a gag than anything I went into this expecting a very baseline introduction to the material that I can use to springboard into more serious programs I think I definitely got that and a little more I could absolutely nitpick some individual videos quality maybe some outdated information here and there but overall I think I had a pretty good experience It IS expensive and I did game the system and finished the courses as fast as possible and saved all the material for later viewing so I only paid for 2 months when the full certificate should have taken 10 And I think if I paid for the full 10 months around 400 I would be a little more upset because I m sure no one actually gives a damn about this certificate from coursera but at the end of the day I was here for fun and to get an introduction to the material So overall I say around 3 to 4 out of 5 Are you getting what you pay for I think that REALLY depends on the course who s teaching it how much effort did THEY put into that course and the material what are your goals by taking that course and so on And those are all things that you have to decide for yourself and do the research on My specific cert was the google IT support specialist certificate I originally signed up just for the networking class to take for free This cert was good quality which you would expect from google But I d give a heads up that it s content is several years old now and my only real complaint is it doesn t say that ANYWHERE so you have no real way of knowing how old a given course is to gauge if it s up to date or not If you re learning something like cooking that doesn t really matter but anyone looking at fast moving fields I would be a little more cautious before you purchase it
F

Peer reviews undermine the learning experience

I want courses with assignments rated by experts not other students

About Coursera

Learn online and earn valuable credentials from top universities like Yale, Michigan, Stanford, and leading companies like Google and IBM. Join Coursera for free and transform your career with degrees, certificates, Specializations, & MOOCs in data science, computer science, business, and dozens of...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Coursera is a leading global online learning platform founded in 2012 by Stanford University professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Its mission is to provide universal access to world-class education. The platform partners with over 300 top universities and industry leaders to offer a wide range of educational content, serving millions of learners worldwide to develop skills for career advancement and personal growth.

Coursera offers a diverse catalog structured to meet various learner needs. Core offerings include: Single Courses across numerous disciplines; Specializations, which are series of courses to build expertise; Professional Certificates created by industry leaders for job preparation; Guided Projects for skill-building in under two hours; MasterTrack® Certificates, which are credit-eligible modules of master's programs; and fully accredited Online Degrees (bachelor's and master's) from partner universities.

The learning experience on Coursera.org is designed to be intuitive and accessible. It typically includes high-quality video lectures, interactive quizzes, peer-reviewed assignments, hands-on projects using virtual tools, and community discussion forums. Courses are often self-paced or session-based with flexible scheduling. The platform also offers features like financial aid for eligible programs and the ability to audit select courses for free to enhance accessibility.

Upon successful completion of programs, learners earn shareable electronic certificates and credentials recognized by employers globally. The type of credential depends on the program: single courses and specializations award course certificates; Professional Certificates and MasterTrack® Certificates provide career-oriented credentials; and Online Degrees result in fully accredited academic degrees from the granting university.

Yes, Coursera is committed to accessibility. Learners can audit many single courses for free, which allows access to course materials without graded assignments or a certificate. For those seeking certificates or enrolled in paid programs, financial aid is available for many offerings based on application and eligibility. The platform also partners with governments and organizations on initiatives to increase access.
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About Coursera

About Coursera

Coursera is a leading global online learning platform that partners with over 300 top universities and industry leaders to offer courses, professional certificates, guided projects, and full degree programs. Founded in 2012 by Stanford University professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, its mission is to provide universal access to world-class education. The platform serves millions of learners worldwide, empowering individuals, organizations, and governments to develop critical skills for career advancement and personal growth in a rapidly changing digital economy.

Core Offerings and Learning Structure

Coursera's catalog is vast and diverse, structured to meet various learner needs. The primary offerings include:

  • Single Courses:Thousands of individual courses across disciplines like technology, business, data science, arts, and humanities. These are typically self-paced or session-based and include video lectures, peer-reviewed assignments, and community discussion forums.
  • Specializations:Series of related courses designed to build deep expertise in a specific skill area, culminating in a hands-on capstone project.
  • Professional Certificates:Career-oriented programs created by industry giants like Google, IBM, and Meta to prepare learners for entry-level jobs in high-demand fields such as IT support, data analytics, and UX design.
  • Guided Projects:Interactive, instructor-led tutorials that teach job-relevant skills in under two hours using a split-screen workspace.
  • MasterTrack® Certificates:Credit-eligible modules of master's programs that allow learners to earn a university certificate and potentially apply credit toward a full degree.
  • Online Degrees:Fully accredited bachelor's and master's degrees from renowned universities in fields like computer science, business administration, and public health.

Key Features and User Experience

The coursera.org website provides an intuitive and accessible learning environment. Key features include flexible scheduling, financial aid for many programs, and the ability to audit select courses for free. Learning is enhanced through high-quality video content, interactive quizzes, and hands-on projects using virtual tools. Upon completion, learners receive shareable electronic certificates and credentials that are recognized by employers globally. The platform also offers robust solutions for businesses (Coursera for Business) and campuses (Coursera for Campus), helping organizations upskill their workforce and students.

Commitment to Accessibility and Impact

Coursera demonstrates a strong commitment to making education accessible. It offers financial aid, partners with governments for workforce recovery initiatives, and provides a mobile app for learning on the go. The content is often available with subtitles in multiple languages. By bridging the gap between academia and industry, Coursera plays a pivotal role in democratizing education and addressing the global skills gap, enabling anyone with an internet connection to transform their life through learning.