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Best AI courses: free and with a certificate

There is no single best artificial intelligence course: it depends on your goal, the language, whether you want a certificate, whether you code and whether you are training one person or a team. This guide gathers twelve real courses with data checked against their official pages.

By Julien Bellet Ribes

In three sentences

  1. 1To start without coding and without paying for the course, Elements of AI (University of Helsinki, in Spanish, with a free digital certificate) and Microsoft Learn (42 minutes, free) are two simple options.
  2. 2If you want a certificate from a major technology company, there is Google AI Essentials (in English, paid), the Google–Fundae scholarship (the Spanish-language "Fundamentos de IA de Google" certificate, if you get a place) and the Microsoft AI-901 certification (paid exam).
  3. 3If what you need is to train a company team, a single open course usually falls short: that is where tailored in-company training fits.

How to choose an AI course

Six questions worth answering before you look at any ranking.

  1. 01

    Your goal

    Understanding what AI is, using it at work, learning to build models or getting a certificate for your CV are different goals, and each one calls for a different kind of course.

  2. 02

    The language

    Many courses from international providers are offered in English. If your team works in Spanish or Catalan, a translated course page matters more than the brand name. Check that the videos, not only the menu, are in your language.

  3. 03

    The type of certificate

    Tell apart a certificate of completion (it shows you took the course), a provider certificate and an exam-based certification. They are worth different things, and some are paid.

  4. 04

    The technical level

    If you do not code, look for courses marked "no coding" (most of this guide). The ones in the technical section are meant for people who program, and the Hugging Face course asks for Python.

  5. 05

    Time and cost

    Durations run from 42 minutes to about two months at 10 hours a week. A short course helps you grasp the concepts; it is not enough to change how a team works.

  6. 06

    For you or for your team

    An open course trains one person. If the aim is for a whole team to use AI with judgement, it helps to work on the company's real tasks: that is the case of the section on teams.

Best free AI courses

Three courses to start without coding and without paying for the course. Elements of AI gives a free digital certificate; Microsoft Learn issues no certification, and OpenAI Academy gives a digital badge. The Google–Fundae scholarship, also free, is in the Google section.

  1. Elements of AI

    University of Helsinki and MinnaLearn

    Six parts of 4 to 8 hours each, in Spanish. It explains what AI is and where its limits lie, without writing code.

    Official page

  2. Microsoft Learn: "Work smarter with AI"

    Microsoft

    A 42-minute learning path on using AI in everyday work. It is free, but it is not a certification: it is for getting acquainted, not for proving anything.

    Official page

  3. OpenAI Academy: "AI Foundations"

    OpenAI

    A course of 60 to 75 minutes, in English, free with a ChatGPT account. It gives a digital badge.

    Official page

AI courses with a certificate

Here the certificate is issued by the course provider. Check what each one proves: that you finished the course or that you passed an exam.

  1. Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901 exam)

    Microsoft

    Microsoft exam on Azure AI fundamentals, available in Spanish. It replaces AI-900, which was retired on 30 June 2026. Preparation is free and the exam is paid.

    Official page

  2. AI For Everyone

    Andrew Ng, DeepLearning.AI

    Seven hours, in English, by Andrew Ng. Designed for people who do not code. The Coursera certificate is paid.

    Official page

  3. Anthropic Academy: "Claude 101"

    Anthropic

    A free introductory course from Anthropic Academy, in English and with no coding. On finishing it you get a certificate of completion.

    Official page

Google AI courses

Google offers two routes to an AI course without coding. With the Google–Fundae scholarship the course is free and gives the "Fundamentos de IA de Google" certificate if you get a place; Google AI Essentials is taken on Coursera with a subscription, in English, and also gives a Google certificate.

  1. Google–Fundae scholarship "Fundamentos de IA de Google"

    Google and Fundae

    Scholarship for residents of Spain aged 18 or over, with limited places. It takes about 7 hours and gives the "Fundamentos de IA de Google" certificate. Check the course page to see whether places are open.

    Official page

  2. Google AI Essentials

    Google, on Coursera

    A course of under 10 hours, in English, taken on Coursera with a subscription, giving a Google certificate. No coding required.

    Official page

Technical AI courses: machine learning and LLMs

For people who already code, or want to learn, and want to understand how models are built and not only how they are used.

  1. Machine Learning Specialization

    Stanford and DeepLearning.AI

    A Stanford and DeepLearning.AI programme, in English, of about two months at 10 hours a week. It can be audited for free; certificates require a Coursera subscription.

    Official page

  2. Hugging Face LLM Course

    Hugging Face

    A free course with a Spanish version, 6 to 8 hours a week for each chapter, working in Python. It does not give an overall certificate.

    Official page

AI courses in Catalan and in Catalonia

Two options: a free two-hour course, and one from the UOC that is free only for newly enrolled UOC students.

  1. Cibernàrium: "Les intel·ligències artificials generatives"

    Barcelona Activa

    A 2-hour online course from Barcelona Activa, in Catalan and free, with a certificate of completion.

    Official page

  2. UOC: "Claves de la IA generativa"

    UOC

    A 25-hour UOC course, in Catalan, Spanish and English, with a UOC certificate and 1 ECTS. It is free only for newly enrolled UOC students.

    Official page

An honest note: the offer of AI courses in Catalan is scarce. Of the twelve in this guide, only two are offered in Catalan, the Cibernàrium one and the UOC one.

Comparison table of the twelve courses

Language, cost, certificate, duration and level, as each official page declares them.

Comparison of AI courses: language, cost, certificate, duration and level
CourseLanguageCostCertificateDurationLevel
Elements of AISpanishFreeFree digital certificate6 parts of 4 to 8 hNo coding
Google–Fundae scholarship "Fundamentos de IA de Google"SpanishScholarship (residents of Spain, aged 18 or over; limited places)"Fundamentos de IA de Google" certificateAbout 7 hNo coding
Google AI EssentialsEnglishPaid (Coursera subscription)Google certificateUnder 10 hNo coding
Microsoft Learn: "Work smarter with AI"SpanishFreeNot a certification42 minNo coding
Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901 exam)Exam available in SpanishFree preparation; paid examMicrosoft certificationDepends on the pathBasic technical
AI For EveryoneEnglishPaid certificateCoursera certificate7 hNo coding
Machine Learning SpecializationEnglishCoursera subscription; can be audited for freeCertificate per course and for the specializationAbout 2 months at 10 h a weekTechnical
Hugging Face LLM CourseSpanish availableFreeNo overall certificate6 to 8 h a week per chapterTechnical (Python)
OpenAI Academy: "AI Foundations"EnglishFree with a ChatGPT accountDigital badge60 to 75 minNo coding
Anthropic Academy: "Claude 101"EnglishFreeCertificate of completionSee the course pageNo coding
Cibernàrium: "Les intel·ligències artificials generatives"CatalanFreeCertificate of completion2 h onlineNo coding
UOC: "Claves de la IA generativa"Catalan, Spanish and EnglishFree only for newly enrolled UOC studentsUOC certificate, 1 ECTS25 hNo coding

Data checked against the official pages on 7 October 2026. Prices, scholarships and places can change: confirm them on the course page before you enrol.

What about training a company team?

Every course above trains one person who decides to take it. When the aim is for a whole team to use AI with judgement in their work, and for the company to be able to document that training, an open course is usually not enough.

IAescola offers tailored in-company training:

  • In person in Catalonia or online.
  • In Catalan or Spanish.
  • Built on your company's real tasks, not a generic syllabus.
  • Eligible for FUNDAE rebates on Social Security contributions, subject to available credit, eligible costs and applicable requirements.
  • Supports the AI literacy layer that the AI Act provides for (art. 4).

If you only want to train yourself, most of the courses in this guide will serve you well.

Request the free diagnosticSee in-company training

Frequently asked questions

What are the best AI courses with a certificate?

It depends on which certificate you need. Among those in this guide: Google AI Essentials (Google certificate, paid), the Google–Fundae scholarship ("Fundamentos de IA de Google" certificate, if places are open), Elements of AI (free digital certificate) and the Microsoft AI-901 certification (paid exam). The first two and the last are issued by a major technology company; the Elements of AI one by a university.

Do I need to know how to code to take an AI course?

Not for most of them. Almost all the courses in this guide are "no coding". Machine Learning Specialization and the Hugging Face LLM course are meant for people who program, and the second one works in Python.

Are free certificates worth putting on a CV?

A certificate of completion shows you took the course, not that you master the tool. It can accompany a CV if you back it up with examples of what you can do. An exam-based certification, such as AI-901, proves more because it is assessed, and neither replaces experience.

Is it better to take an AI course in Spanish or in English?

The Google AI Essentials, Coursera, OpenAI and Anthropic courses in this guide are in English. If you are not fluent, pick one in your language. In Spanish: Elements of AI, Microsoft Learn and Hugging Face. In Catalan: Cibernàrium and the UOC. Learning in your own language matters more than the brand name.

What should I study to learn AI from scratch?

Start with the concepts (what AI is, what it can do and where its limits lie) with a no-coding course. Then practise on your own tasks. If you want to build models, move on to a technical course with Python, such as Machine Learning Specialization or the Hugging Face one.

Official pages

The official page of each course, consulted on 7 October 2026.

  1. 1Elements of AI
  2. 2Google–Fundae scholarship "Fundamentos de IA de Google"
  3. 3Google AI Essentials
  4. 4Microsoft Learn: "Work smarter with AI"
  5. 5Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901 exam)
  6. 6AI For Everyone
  7. 7Machine Learning Specialization
  8. 8Hugging Face LLM Course
  9. 9OpenAI Academy: "AI Foundations"
  10. 10Anthropic Academy: "Claude 101"
  11. 11Cibernàrium: "Les intel·ligències artificials generatives"
  12. 12UOC: "Claves de la IA generativa"