Wondering whether Udemy courses are recognized and accredited? Then this short article is here to help.
We’ll be going over what accreditation is, whether or not accredited courses are provided by Udemy, the value of Udemy certificates and how to find certified courses.
Quick Summary
In brief:
- Most Udemy certificates aren't accredited as Udemy itself is not an accredited institution
- However, thousands of Udemy certificates are accredited by independent bodies
- Furthermore, even Udemy completion certificates which aren’t formally recognised still hold value in their own right.
Keep reading to find out more.
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is when an external body recognises you've acquired skills or knowledge that meet a certain standard.
For example, a university degree is accredited as the university has independently recognised that you've met all the requirements (taken classes, completed assessments etc.) needed to obtain a qualification.
Accreditation is important,
It demonstrates you've been recognized for achieving something by an independent institution. And it's even more important if that institution is recognised to be of a certain quality.
For example, an accredited course in computer science will hold a lot more value if it's from a revered and respected institution like MIT rather than by a site set up by someone with no credentials.
Increasingly, accreditation has been available through taking courses online. There are learning platforms across the internet offering courses certified by educational institutions like schools and universities.
This means it's now possible to achieve recognised and valued qualifications in your own time, anywhere in the world, without the need to even leave your house.
Is Udemy accredited?
Most certificates offered by Udemy are not accredited. So they can't be presented as a formal qualification.
Udemy’s business model is based on providing a platform for teachers and learners to come together independently. The benefits of this include having a massive range of courses that cater to all kinds of learning needs.
However, this makes it difficult to have courses assessed by an independent regulator meaning that most of the certificates Udemy offers will not be formally accredited.
With that said, there are thousands of Udemy accredited courses. This will often be highlighted in the title, with the accrediting body outlined in the course description.
And even certificates that are not accredited still have value.
Udemy courses have helped millions across the world gain new skills in their own time and space, and its popularity means it is still widely recognised as a quality online provider.
Many of their instructors are highly qualified and are respected leaders in their field. So a Udemy certification, even if it isn't formal, is worth a lot.
What courses on Udemy are accredited?
There are a thousands of Udemy accredited courses. Some of the most popular include:
- The Transformation Life Coach Certification (Accredited by Continuing Developing Professional Standards Agency)
- Internationally Accredited Diploma Certificate in Nutrition (Accredited by The CPD Standards Association)
- CBT Cognitive Behaviour Coaching Certification (Accredited by Continuing Developing Professional Standards Agency)
- REBT Practitioner Certification (Accredited by Complementary Therapists Accredited Association)
And there are many, many more!
You can just search for courses you are interested in. If they are accredited, this will be indicated in the title. To do this use the categories section on the homepage or the search function.
Or simply search for ‘accredited courses’:
To find out more about what you’ll learn and who the course is accredited by, select that course and scroll down to the description section on its homepage.
You can also check out our article Best Udemy Courses.
Are Udemy certificates useful? What’s their value?
Although they aren’t accredited in and of themselves, Udemy certificates are incredibly useful.
There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, relating to the above, Udemy instructors are often top quality.
Udemy instructors often have high-quality educational backgrounds and qualifications, loads of teaching experience and, in many cases, many years of putting their skills to work in the real world.
Udemy teachers are often award-winning and acclaimed, so proof that you’ve taken their course is worth a lot.
However, Udemy is also becoming acclaimed, popular and widely recognised in its own right for providing top-quality education in a range of disciplines.
With millions of students across the world, a certificate from Udemy is increasingly becoming evidence of many hours of learning, assessments and generally developing new skills.
Finding Udemy courses with certificates and/or accreditedation
To check whether or not a Udemy course has a certificate (and most do) select the course you’re interested in and visit the course home page.
On the right-hand side, there’ll be a box containing key information, such as the price, length and additional materials.
Courses with certificates will include a trophy icon at the bottom of this page alongside ‘Certificate of completion.’
Those that are accredited will state this in the course title.
How to put a Udemy certificate on your resume/LinkedIn
It’s clear that every Udemy certificate has value, so it's a good idea to add a certificate to your resume or LinkedIn to make you stand out.
To do this, follow these simple steps:
STEP 1: When all the elements of a course have been marked off as complete the trophy symbol above the course player will change color to purple, notifying you that your certificate is ready.
STEP 2: Click on the trophy symbol to view your certificate.
STEP 3a: To download the certificate, click Download on the lower right-hand side of the page. You will be given the option of saving the certificate as a .pdf or .jpg file so you can easily share your accomplishment by attaching it separately for any job application or including it in an Awards and Achievements section on your resume.
STEP 3b: To share your certificate, click Share instead of Download and choose whether to share your certificate on LinkedIn, Facebook or X (formerlly Twitter).
You can also add your certificate to your Linkedin profile by:
- Going to your LinkedIn personal account page.
- Scrolling down to the honors and awards section
- Clicking on the plus icon at the top of the section.
You’ll be invited to add your certificate. This will include the title (name of course’s certificate of completion), the provider (Udemy) and the date and month the certificate was issued.
Conclusion
Most Udemy certificates are not accredited in and of themselves.
However, many courses are accredited, meaning the course is standardized and regulated by an independent body.
Accredited courses will usually be advertised as such in the title, and you can find out more in the description on the course home page.
Furthermore, most paid Udemy courses will have some kind of certificate of completion, which you can download and add to your LinkedIn or CV.
Although these are not accredited, the popularity and reputation of Udemy, combined with the experience of the instructors and the resulting quality of their courses means these certifications are still very valuable.
Related articles: Udemy review, How often does Udemy have sales?, Udemy cost, Udemy refund, Udemy Alternatives and Udemy for business.
Udemy Accreditation – FAQ
Yes, most paid courses on Udemy will offer a certificate of completion.
Unless specified, most Udemy courses are not accredited. However, thousands are. You can find out more in the Description section of the course home page.
Yes. A Udemy certification will add a lot to your workplace profile.
Charlie is a student reading politics at King’s College London. He is also a passionate musician with over 14 years of experience. In his free time, he also enjoys cinema, long-distance running and learning new things.
Thank you for explaining about Udemy that they are not accredited but there certificate are getting well knowing but there are some course that are explained
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