Harvard CS50 Online Course with Free Certificate

Last updated: 1 November 2026

Imagine learning from one of the world’s best-known universities without paying a single penny. Harvard’s CS50 online courses are free to take, and you can earn a free CS50 Certificate when you complete a course’s requirements.

What is CS50?

CS50 is a family of computer science courses from Harvard University for learners at every level. The courses cover programming fundamentals as well as artificial intelligence, web development, game development, cybersecurity, databases and computer science for business and law, for both beginners and experienced professionals.

Why Take CS50 Courses?

• The course materials are free to study online.
• You can earn a free CS50 Certificate, issued by CS50 itself. A paid verified certificate from edX is also available.
• You can study at your own pace, whenever it fits your schedule.
• The courses are taught by Harvard’s CS50 team.
• There are no entry requirements: anyone can enrol.

How to Get a Free CS50 Certificate?

CS50 offers two kinds of certificate:

• Free CS50 Certificate: According to CS50’s FAQs, “A CS50 Certificate is a free certificate from CS50 itself.” To be eligible, you must complete all of the course’s required assignments (for most courses, every problem set or project plus the final project) and receive a score of at least 70% on each one. The exact requirements are listed on each course’s certificate page, for example CS50x.
• Verified certificate from edX: This certificate is paid. You enrol through the course’s edX page (cs50.edx.org) instead of the free route.

Note that, according to CS50’s FAQs, neither the free nor the verified certificates are accredited academic offerings from Harvard University or its affiliate institutions. Both certificates require you to register with edX so that your work can be submitted and graded.

Popular CS50 Courses

These CS50 courses are free to study online. Follow the links for each course’s materials and certificate requirements:

• CS50x: CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science
• CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
• CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python
• CS50’s Web Programming with Python and JavaScript
• CS50’s Introduction to Cybersecurity
• CS50’s Computer Science for Business
• CS50’s Computer Science for Lawyers
• CS50’s Introduction to 2D Game Development (the free CS50 Certificate for this course is listed as “coming soon”)
• CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Scratch
• CS50’s Understanding Technology (retired on 30 June 2024; the materials remain online for reference only)

How to Enrol?

• Choose a course from the list above and open its page on cs50.harvard.edu.
• Create a free edX account so you can submit your work.
• Study at your own pace and submit each assignment.
• To earn the free CS50 Certificate, complete all required assignments with a score of at least 70% on each. If you want a verified certificate instead, enrol through the course’s paid edX track.

Don’t miss this opportunity. Start CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science, or see the course on Harvard’s online learning catalogue.

CS50 courses teach practical skills that can strengthen your CV. Anyone interested in coding, artificial intelligence, web development, business technology or cybersecurity can enrol for free.

Last updated: 2 November 2026

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