Here’s the ultimate list of the best AI courses for students to get certified!
I have curated this list based on my experience of taking a few of these courses, the course ratings of other learners, and through research on course providers and tutors.
Considering a student or a beginner has budget restrictions, I have given you more options for free courses than paid ones.
So, without wasting any more time, let us begin!
List of 10 Best AI Courses For Students – Quick Look (2024)
Here is a quick look at all the courses discussed in this article-
| Sr. No. | Course Name | Platform | Duration Of Course | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Introduction to AI | Elements of AI | 16 Hours | Free |
| 2. | Building AI | Elements of AI | 50 Hours | $54.7 |
| 3. | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python | edX | 5 months | Free |
| 4. | AI For Everyone | Coursera | 6 Hours | $49 |
| 5. | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Coursera | 8 Hours | $49 |
| 6. | Math for AI Beginner Part 1 Linear Algebra | Coursera | 7 Hours | $49 |
| 7. | Common Lisp for Programmers | YouTube | 18 Hours | Free |
| 8. | Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path | Google Cloud | 9 Hours | Free |
| 9 | AI matters | Open Learn | 6 Hours | Free |
| 10. | ChatGPT for Beginners | GreatLearning | 2 Hours | Free |
All the courses curated in this list suit students in schools, colleges, or universities.
Through these courses, you can learn the foundation of AI and get certificates in some courses for free or at a small fee. Let us get to know these courses in detail now.
1. Introduction to AI by Elements of AI
This introductory course is free and is offered by the University of Helsinki and hosted on the Elements of AI platform.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | Team at the University of Helsinki |
| User Rating | Not Available |
| What do you learn? | Basic concepts and meaning of AI and related Topics. |
| Price | Free |
Introduction to AI is an excellent course for younger and older students who want to understand what AI is without getting too technical about it and earn a course certificate for free.
I loved the course website’s user interface and appreciated the program’s teaching methods, such as animated illustrations, beautiful diagrams, engaging exercises, MCQs, and text.
Pick this course if you want an outstanding balance of maths, science, philosophy, and ethics.
2. Building AI by Elements Of AI
The University of Helsinki has designed this course too. You can take this “Building AI” course after taking the abovementioned course first to enhance your knowledge of AI.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | Team at the University of Helsinki |
| User Rating | Not Available |
| What do you learn? | Optimization, reasoning, and learning |
| Price | $54.7 |
The Course is free, but to gain a shareable certificate of course completion, you must pay the cost of $54.7 for the Building AI course.
This course is unique as it is designed differently for three levels of coders (no-code, intermediate, or advanced). Choose based on your proficiency in Python to finish the exercise and pass the tests.
Even if the option for non-coders is available, you must know what specific terms mean in Python. That is why it is suggested that you put in a little effort and learn some Python before you start this course.
3. Introduction To Artificial Intelligence With Python By Harvard
Since we are speaking of learning Python, here is a suggestion for a free Python course taught by professors at Harvard that is available on edX.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | David J. Malan & Brian Yu |
| User Rating | Not Available |
| What do you learn? | Graph search algorithms, Bayesian networks, Markov models, Constraint satisfaction, ML |
| Price | Free |
The course is free and offers a course completion certificate, but if you want a verified certificate, you must pay a verification fee.
This course is the one with the longest-running time on this list. This Harvard course will teach you the basics of one of the languages used by AI (Python). This will help you understand the inner workings of the AI machine.
The course aims to teach you Scikit-learn, pillow, and TensorFlow. You should also be able to design intelligent systems based on AI principles.
4. AI For Everyone By DeepLearning.AI
This short course is an introductory course focusing on how AI can be used in businesses.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | Andrew Ng |
| User Rating | 4.8 on Coursera |
| What do you learn? | Common AI terminology, ethics, building AI strategies, workflow of Data Science & ML projects |
| Price | $49/ month for a single course |
Like the introductory course by Elements of AI, this course also uses non-technical language, making it perfect for beginners with no prior experience or knowledge of the subject.
Mr. Andrew Ng, a prominent figure in the world of AI and CEO of DeepLearning.AI, is a delight to listen to and uses text and video lectures, quizzes, and relevant case studies to teach.
By the end of this course, you should have a broader perspective on how to spot opportunities to apply AI to problems in any organization.
5. Introduction To Artificial Intelligence (AI) By IBM
IBM’s Introduction to AI course suits folks of different age groups, whether executive, developer, or student.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | Rav Ahuja |
| User Rating | 4.7 on Coursera |
| What do you learn? | Application of AI, meaning of ML, DL, and neural networks, issues, and ethics, career advice |
| Price | $49/ month for a single course |
The course instructor is an IBM expert, Mr. Rav Ahuja, who gives course takers hands-on lab experience and excellent advice on how to build a career in AI.
The course is free to audit, but you must pay the fees if you want an IBM certificate of course completion.
Note- IBM courses are not included in the subscription plans on Coursera.
By the end of this course, you will have much more clarity about the fundamental concepts and terminologies used in AI. This course helped me decide what to do with AI and what AI tech interests me.
6. Math For AI Beginner Part 1 Linear Algebra By KAIST
If you want to learn exactly how machine learning algorithms are used in AI, this course is for you.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | Yoon Yong Jin |
| User Rating | 4.5 on Coursera |
| What do you learn? | AI algorithm, Using linear algebra for AI algorithm, basics of linear algebra for AI applications |
| Price | $49/ month for a single course |
Math is indeed challenging for some of us, but this is the only way to get an intuitive understanding of the workings of AI.
The course instructor, Yoon Yong Jin is highly knowledgeable. He breaks down topics for easy understanding and starts with the most basic question- what is AI and linear algebra for novices like you and me.
This course can be a good revision for advanced-level AI professionals and an excellent opening for newbies in math for AI.
7. Common Lisp For Programmers
This course is for students of AI. The programming language taught in this course is Common Lisp, which was used in the initial days of AI.
| Certificate | ❌ |
| Instructor | Murhaf Fares & Stephan Oepen |
| User Rating | Not available |
| What do you learn? | How to Interpret AI, ML, NLP, and Lisp |
| Price | Free |
The course will help you develop a different perspective on thinking when it comes to AI.
A treat for AI nerds, this course helps you learn fun facts like how specific terms came to exist in AI and how the better-developed versions of AI looked before.
Common Lisp for Programmers course is one exception to the beginner-level course. I recommend this course for an advanced-level AI enthusiast.
But if you are a beginner curious about Lisp, read the article attached in the recommended extra reading material at the end to understand better the first language(Lisp) used in AI.
8. Introduction To Generative AI Learning Path
This introductory course Consists of 5 lessons that require no prior knowledge or experience.
| Certificate | ❌ |
| Instructor | Team Google |
| User Rating | Not Available |
| What do you learn? | Large language models (LLMs) and how they work, How to use them, principles of AI |
| Price | Free |
Though the course does not give out any certification, it prepares you for the following free courses available on Google Cloud.
Use this course to learn the basics related to LLMs like ChatGPT or StableDiffussion and learn how to use tools available on Google to develop generative AI- Vertex AI.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to create your image captioning model using deep learning and prototype and customize generative AI with Generative AI Studio.
9. AI Matters
This free course was published in 2022, and many advancements have been made in the field of AI ever since. However, the anthropology of AI is discussed in this course, which is relevant even today, making this course one of my favorites.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | Team Open Learn |
| User Rating | 4.8 on Open Learn |
| What do you learn? | Historical, social, political, and economic issues in AI. Benefits, ethics, and risks of AI |
| Price | Free |
You can finish the 6-hour course in a day, but I would like you to savor this one. Take your time and follow the suggestions of course makers who break down the course over two weeks.
Week 1 will introduce you to numerous themes, ideas, and technologies related to the use of AI in the past and future. To wrap up the week, you must take a quiz at the end.
Week 2 will bust your myths regarding AI and provide an understanding of the basic terminologies used in AI. After you finish the quiz for the second week, you will be awarded a statement of participation for completing the course.
10. ChatGPT For Beginners
ChatGPT has swiftly become an AI tool that can help in many spheres of life, such as homes, offices, schools, content creation, coding, and more. If you want to learn how this tool can help you better, this course is for you.
| Certificate | ✅ |
| Instructor | Experts at Great Learning |
| User Rating | 4.6 on Great Learning |
| What do you learn? | ChatGPT Interface, prompt generation |
| Price | Free |
Great Learning gives lifetime access to the course once you sign up. You get to learn various prompts that can be used to better the quality of any chore or office work you are doing.
This short course can be completed in just 2 hours. Course tutors give insights into in-demand knowledge on ChatGPT prompts and discuss the pros and cons of this tool, too.
The course ends with learners getting a shareable course completion certificate. Take this course as a foundation course to further study and get a deeper understanding of generative AI.
My Recommendation Of Free Extra Reading Material
While teaching myself about AI, I enrolled in many courses and read many written materials available on the internet. The two articles mentioned below are the ones that I found insightful and appropriate for beginners and students.
- How Lisp Became God’s Own Programming Language
- Artificial Intelligence for Beginners by Microsoft
Please read these articles to have a rounded understanding of AI. Also, the best part about these articles is that they are FREE!
More On AI:
Conclusion- Introduction To AI & ChatGPT For Beginners Are Our Favorite AI Courses
Each course listed in my list of AI courses for students is different. Each has its own area of focus and teaching method. Use the description tables under every course name to review the course and pick the one that best suits your needs.
But, if you are confused about where to start, here are my top 3 picks from the list:
- Introduction to AI: This course is great for novices who do not know as it uses delightful animation and simple language to teach learners the basic concepts and terms related to AI.
- Math for AI Beginner Part 1 Linear Algebra: Math is an important subject you must hone if you consider paving a career in AI, as it helps teach machines new things via coding.
- ChatGPT for Beginners: This course will teach you how to use chatGPT to simplify your everyday tasks by teaching you prompt generation.
Now that you know what direction to start, prepare for the future! AI is the future and will drastically change how we work and live our lives. The job market will also change, so it is important to be ready.
Start your journey toward understanding AI with these introductory courses today.
FAQs
It is not impossible to teach yourself AI if you can access a laptop and the internet. There are a lot of free and paid courses on learning platforms like Coursera, edX, DataCamp, and more for your guidance.
Google offers many free tools on Google Cloud, and you also have free tools like DALL-E 2, GFP-GAN, JADBio, Copy.ai, Lumen5, and more.
Grammarly, Mendeley, Notion, Syntea, ChatGPT, and Tutor.ai are a few AI tools that are best for students.
You must start by upskilling your AI knowledge and thinking about how you can make your services irreplaceable. Focus on skills AI lacks, like empathy, emotions, and more.
Nurses, dancers, mental health counselors, coaches and scouts, sports trainers, and physiotherapists are a few jobs safe from AI- taking over.
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