Do free Harvard online courses count for college credit?
I'm currently a high school student and I've been taking some free Harvard courses on edX just to learn more about subjects that aren't offered at my school. I'm really enjoying them and was wondering if these free courses could count for college credit, either at Harvard or at other universities when I apply.
Has anyone successfully used these courses to fulfill requirements or get college credit? Or are they just good for showing interest in a subject? I also wonder if mentioning them on an application even matters, or if colleges see these types of courses as less serious compared to AP or IB.
If anyone has insight or any personal experience with listing these on their apps or using them for credit, please let me know!
Has anyone successfully used these courses to fulfill requirements or get college credit? Or are they just good for showing interest in a subject? I also wonder if mentioning them on an application even matters, or if colleges see these types of courses as less serious compared to AP or IB.
If anyone has insight or any personal experience with listing these on their apps or using them for credit, please let me know!
4 months ago
•
179 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 4 months ago
Advisor
Free Harvard online courses offered on platforms like edX are a great way to explore new subjects and demonstrate your intellectual curiosity, but they typically do not count for college credit—either at Harvard or at most other universities. The main reason is that free versions of these courses usually don’t come with official credit or an accredited transcript; you'd have to pay for a "verified certificate" and even then, most colleges still won’t accept them for credit in the way they do for AP, IB, or dual enrollment courses.
As for college applications, mentioning these courses can still have value, especially if they tie into your academic interests or help illustrate initiative. For example, if you’re interested in biomedical engineering and took a HarvardX course in biochemistry, you could note this in the “Additional Information” section or in your activities list. This isn’t quite the same as taking AP or IB courses, which are part of the standard high school rigor colleges evaluate. However, admissions officers do appreciate students who go beyond what's available in their school curriculum.
In short, free Harvard online courses are an excellent supplement to your education and application, but don’t expect them to earn college credit. They matter most as evidence of your initiative and intellectual engagement, rather than as formal academic credentials.
As for college applications, mentioning these courses can still have value, especially if they tie into your academic interests or help illustrate initiative. For example, if you’re interested in biomedical engineering and took a HarvardX course in biochemistry, you could note this in the “Additional Information” section or in your activities list. This isn’t quite the same as taking AP or IB courses, which are part of the standard high school rigor colleges evaluate. However, admissions officers do appreciate students who go beyond what's available in their school curriculum.
In short, free Harvard online courses are an excellent supplement to your education and application, but don’t expect them to earn college credit. They matter most as evidence of your initiative and intellectual engagement, rather than as formal academic credentials.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years