Alison offers free online courses that mostly focus on job-applicable skills. Study is self-paced; users complete a course at a time of their own choosing. The site offers more than a thousand courses across nine core subject categories. Courses at this site are best for high school (or higher) students.
COST: Courses are free, users can pay a fee for a certificate or diploma after completing a course.
PROS
- Organized, easy-to-navigate site with quality content.
- Some universities offer free classes through this site.
- Used globally by users from numerous countries.
- Course certificates and diplomas are a great addition to university admissions applications in the U.S. and with employers around the world.
- Users can study specific and practical skillsets.
CONS
- Advertising throughout this site.
- Courses are not accredited by a recognized organization. However, millions of students have received training and education from Alison courses.
- Not available on mobile devices.
Why it’s helpful for families living internationally
Alison provides older students with a simple and free way to explore subjects they’re interested in. It may even give them real job skills for later in life. This is important for students living outside of their passport culture, who tend to have difficulty finding early work experience.
