edX Refund

Have you just bought an edX certified course and are unhappy?

Or are you checking out refund options before you purchase?

In either case, you’re probably wondering:

Can I get an edX refund?

The answer is, in most cases, yes. And in this article, I’m here to tell you all about how you can get your purchase refunded. 

We’ll be covering: 

• edX’s refund policy and eligibility criteria
• Whether or not you should get a refund
• edX alternatives 
• How long it can take to get a refund 
• edX alternatives 
• The most frequently asked questions about getting an edX refund

So if you’re not happy with your purchase, don’t worry. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about edX’s refund policy. 

edX refund policy

To get a refund from an individual edX course, unenroll from the course up to 14 days after you have purchased it,or 14 days after the course starts (whichever is later).

As long as you unenroll in this period, the funds will be sent back to your account within 5-10 working days, depending on what bank you are with. 

The process is, fortunately, very simple.

If you purchased a course in a bundle program you have the option to change to another session or course in the program. Again, this has to be done in the refund eligibility period. For the programs, this is either 14 days after joining or 6 months after your purchase. 

The only exception is Professional Education certificates. 

For these, you’ll need to request a refund up to 2 days after the course starts. You can request a refund through the Contact Us or Help pages on the edX site. 

Here’s a table to help show you how it all works. 

	Individual Course Certificates	Program Certificates	Professional Education Certificates
Refund Availability	Available	Available	Available
Refund Eligibility Period	14 days after purchase or course start (whichever is later)	14 days after enrollment or 6 months after purchase (whichever is first)	2 days after enrollment
Refund Process	Click unenroll within eligibility period	Click unenroll within eligibility period	Request a refund through Contact Us or Help pages

edX refund eligibility: can I get an edX refund?

To be eligible for a refund you need to let edX know within a specific time frame.

All you need to do is to follow the steps below within the refund eligibility period. For individual courses, this is 14 days after course start or purchase. 

For courses from programs this is 14 days after enrollment or 6 months after purchase (whichever comes first) and for Professional Education certificates this is 2 days after enrollment. 

If the refund eligibility date has passed, you will not be able to get a refund. The unenroll option will also become available. 

You will not be eligible for a refund once you have received your certificate. 

How to get an edX refund (step by step)

Here’s a step-by-step guide for getting a refund for an individual course or program. 

1. Decide whether you really want a refund 
2. Visit the Courses page of the edX dashboard 
3. Find the course you want to unenroll from 
4. Click the settings icon next to the View Course button  (see above)
5. Click ‘Unenroll’  (see below)
6. Select your reason for unenrolling or type your own and submit 

It’s that simple. 

If you want to unenroll from a Professional Education course, here’s what you should do: 

1. Decide, within 2 days of enrollment, whether or not a refund is the right option 
2. Go on to your edX dashboard 
3. Click on Contact Us (see above)
4. Select the Billings/Payment options as the subject of your request and then the course that you want refunded 
5. Write a succinct message explaining what you want to be refunded and why
6. Send 

Example message to write to get a refund

If you want a Professional Education course refunded, it’s important to explain why you were unhappy. Because that means edX can improve and avoid disappointing anyone else. 

Here’s an example of what you can write – simply input the relevant information in the brackets below: 

Hello, I hope you are well. I recently bought the Professional Education Certification for the course (…) and was disappointed with my purchase. As a result, I would like to request a refund. The problems I had with the course were that (…) Many Thanks, (Your name)

Should you get a refund?

If you really didn’t enjoy your experience with the site, a refund may seem like the best option. 

But it’s important to keep in mind a few things before you rush in and get your money back. 

Remember, edX certificates carry a lot of value, especially if they are awarded by leading universities like Harvard. Even if you don’t like the content itself, you won’t receive a certificate if you unenroll, and that’s a big part of the purchase. 

The courses are long, detailed and comprehensive. They will often take practice and individual work. Even if something seems like it’s not your kind of thing initially, the chances are it will pay off in the future. 

Also, keep in mind that you can access a lot of edX’s content for absolutely free. So there are a lot of options to try before you buy. 

To avoid disappointment, take a real good look at what’s on offer because there are loads of options. 

For a full review of edX check out our edX review. But here are some of edX’s most highly and subscribed courses include:

• HarvardX’s Introduction To Computer Science 
• MIT’s Introduction To Computer Science And Programming Using Python
• ETSx’s Test Preparation: The Insider’s Guide 
• Harvard’s Web Programming With Python And JavaScript 
• The Linux Foundation’s Introduction To Linux

You might also want to consider that the problem could be fixed. edX is constantly adapting and evolving, adding new partners and new content. If you unenroll from a course, you won’t be able to receive any improvements or updates.

This would be especially frustrating if it improved on what you were disappointed with. 

edX alternatives

edX is incredibly well regarded, but they aren’t the only players in the e-learning game. 

Although edX is very course-specific and there is a lot of variance between classes, you might find that you have a general problem with how the whole site works. 

Maybe you would prefer a more subscription-based service or a different teaching style, or you just want a cheaper option. If that’s the case, check these sites out…

You might want to consider Coursea, one of the leading MOOC providers, along with edX. Like edX, Coursea partners with universities across the world to provide certifiable and recognised online learning content. 

Many courses offer a subscription-based service, so if that’s something you like, check out our Couresra Review. 

Similarly, both Udemy and Skillshare offer courses in a wide range of disciplines for you to try at any time. 

Udemy, like edX, is a platform where you pay for courses individually. It isn’t free like edX, and doesn’t have the same caliber of partner institutions. But, the courses are a lot cheaper than the edX verified track. 

You may not enjoy the pay-per-course method, in which case SkillShare may be a better bet. Here you pay a monthly flat fee to access all of the learning content, which may work better for some learners.

Comparatively, MasterClass’s focus is more on the learning experience. 

There is not the same amount of content or depth as edX, but what MasterClass does offer is incredibly high-quality production value and lessons from celebrities, leaders and living legends. 

For example, if you want to try cooking with Gordon Ramsey, MasterClass is the place to go.

How long does it take to get an edX refund?

How long it takes to get your edX refund will depend on how you paid, but refunds are processed immediately. 

It will mostly come down to whatever bank you’re purchased with, but edX suggests that any refunded money should be sent back to the account you paid with within 5-10 working days. 

However, this can vary due to credit and debit card processing limits.

If you have any queries or concerns, get in touch with edX on the Contact Us page, which you can find on the main site. 

Conclusion 

So, with all this considered, what can we say about the edX refund policy?

Overall, it’s a straightforward, simple and professional process. Refunds are processed immediately and sent back to your account as soon as possible. 

All you need to do is click unenroll. 

There are some important criteria to keep in mind. Remember, this all has to be done within 14 days either after you purchase or enroll in a course. 

For Professional Education certificates this is only two days, and you’ll need to request a refund directly. 

Try to think long and hard about whether this is the right decision to make. 

edX certificates carry a lot of weight, and it is quite a thing to show off to friends and family, let alone employers. You won’t receive any of that if you unenroll. 

Also, keep in mind that edX offers an incredible range of courses for absolutely no cost. It is the certificate and graded assessments that you pay for. So, make sure you check out any Free Audit Track courses you’re interested in thoroughly before you make any purchases.

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