Free courses in South Africa: 3 good options to start today

Three free training programs that accept residents of South Africa: what each one teaches and how to register.

🇿🇦 What do you want?

FREE

How to register for the free course›

FREE

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Each course has different age and registration requirements. Choose a guide above and see if it suits you. 👆

There are free and reputable courses available for those living in South Africa: artificial intelligence training for unemployed youth, self-paced cybersecurity courses, and Google digital skills courses.

This guide explains each option, who can participate, and how to register on the official website, free of charge.

How it works

Choose a course.See which one matches your age and goals.

Sign up on the official website. The button on each guide will take you there.

Study and complete your studieson your mobile phone or computer.

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The 3 main options are free.

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For South Africa,they accept anyone who lives there.

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Digital skills, AI, security, marketing

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Onlineat your own pace or in 1 week.

What you can learn

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Artificial intelligence:practical use at work.

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Cybersecurityfrom scratch, no prerequisites required.

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Digital marketingwith free certification

👨‍💻

Programmingfor introductory courses

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Job interviewpractice with Interview Warmup

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Small businessbootcamp (1 week)

Who can apply?

Mobile phone or computer with internet access

An email or Google account

For CAPACITI: be between 18 and 34 years old and have a South African identity document

💡 Tip: Start with the course you can finish this week. One completed certificate is worth more on your resume than three half-finished courses.

Everything you need to know

CAPACITI: AI for unemployed youth

CAPACITI offers the AI Skills Accelerator, a fully funded, one-week program providing hands-on AI and digital skills training for unemployed South African youth.

The form asks for age between 18 and 34, a 13-digit South African identity number, and the province where you live.

Cisco Networking Academy: Cybersecurity

At Cisco Networking Academy, self-paced courses at netacad.com are free. The Introduction to Cybersecurity course has no prerequisites and awards a digital badge upon completion.

Classes with instructors, offered by partner schools, may be subject to a fee by the institution.

Grow with Google: digital skills

Google offers free courses for Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from online marketing to programming. The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course is free and provides a certificate.

Google Career Certificates, created through Coursera, are usually paid. Don't confuse them.

Other options to explore

WeThinkCode trains programmers in 16 months, full-time, with selection based on an online test and bootcamp. They accept people aged 17 to 35, no prior programming knowledge required. Check the conditions on the official website.

At Alison, you can study for free, but the certificate is paid. There is a free learning record available instead.

How to protect yourself

Always access the courses through the official website. None of these free courses require your bank password.

If someone asks you to charge them to guarantee your spot in a free course, be suspicious.

Official source: registration is always done on each institution's website. This guide only explains how they work.