Learning a new language can unlock a wealth of opportunities. It might be the key to a new job or a promotion at work. Or it could help overcome the last hurdle to advancing your education. However, choosing the right online program can prove daunting due to the overwhelming number of options. We’ve selected ten of the best online courses for learning English and listed them below. Each of these courses takes a different approach, and there is sure to be one that fits your style.
- Udemy — English for Beginners: Intensive Spoken English Course — Top Pick
- Coursera — English for Career Development — Best Online Platform
- Coursera — Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online, and On the Phone — Most Flexible
- Coursera — Learn English: Advanced Grammar and Punctuation Specialization — Best for Grammar
- Coursera — Improve Your English Communication Skills Specialization — Best Career Outcomes
- Alison — English for Career Development — Most Affordable
- Alison — English Grammar: Comparisons and Word Order (Intermediate) — Best Intermediate Option
- Perfectly Spoken — Everyday English — Shortest Course
- Perfectly Spoken — A2: Pre-Intermediate Online English Course — Best Mobile Option
- edX — Upper-Intermediate English: Business and Modern Life — Most Advanced Course
Our Ranking Criteria
We selected the top 10 courses from a list of more than three dozen options and graded them using various criteria. We reviewed each program based on factors like length, flexibility, cost, and certification options, as shown below.
Basic Ranking Criteria
Time to complete. We selected only those courses that could be completed relatively quickly, keeping all choices under six months. Some classes add to English vocabulary or fluency in just a few hours.
Prerequisites required. We gave preference to programs open to beginners, with no prerequisites needed. Two of these courses, however, were so good we included them even though they require some prior knowledge of English. This allows newcomers and those with little English familiarity the ability to improve fluency.
Flexible schedule. Finding time to study can be difficult for everyone, so we selected courses that allow for maximum scheduling flexibility. Most of these programs let learners set their own schedules and progress at their own pace.
Certificate of completion. Proof of English fluency can greatly enhance a resume and many of our selections offer certification. This allows students the ability to demonstrate what they’ve learned to employers or school administrators. In some cases, these certificates require a nominal fee.
Advanced ranking criteria
English language courses abound online, and we considered a wide variety. Many met the criteria above. We narrowed our list even further to ensure we featured only the very best. We screened each of the programs below by the following criteria:
- The course promises to improve English for business or school or serve as preparation for English language tests.
- Each course is reasonably affordable, offering good value for money spent.
- Instructors hold credentials in teaching English to English language learners (ELLs).
- The exercises and material are high quality, featuring regular assessments to show progress.
- The course has convenient start dates, available multiple times per year.
- All courses must have a self-paced option, allowing for the utmost convenience.
- Each program is mobile-friendly, allowing learners to study whenever they can.
10 Best Learning English Online Courses
Udemy
English for Beginners: Intensive Spoken English Course
Intelligent Award: Top Pick
This 77-hour course ranks among the bestselling courses at Udemy, and for good reason. The on-demand format makes it convenient to fit into even the busiest schedules. Open to students without prior knowledge of the language, the course adds over 1,000 words, expressions, and idioms to a beginner’s English vocabulary. Learners also become fluent enough to speak clearly and confidently, read at an intermediate level, and understand the language well enough to follow movies and TV. The course can even serve as preparation for various English-language tests, including TOEFL, IELTS, and GMAT. It’s well worth the time among the longer offerings on this list.
- Price: $89.99
- Time to complete: 20 weeks
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? Udemy aims this course squarely at beginners. Students should dedicate at least four hours per week to listening and speaking aloud.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Lifetime access to content. | No interactivity. |
| Money-back guarantee. | |
| Repetition reinforces learning. |
Coursera
English for Career Development
Intelligent Award: Best Online Platform
Coursera ranks among the top purveyors of online learning, and it partnered with the University of Pennsylvania to offer this 40-hour course. The program is free to audit and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Coursework teaches English through business skills like job searching, resumes, cover letters, and interviewing. Learners can start at any time, and content is available on demand. The Ivy League University of Pennsylvania provides the instructors. As it does with many of its free programs, Coursera offers the option of paying $49 for a certificate of verification upon completion. Paying the fee also provides downloadable access to all course content.
- Price: Free; $49 for unlimited access
- Time to complete: 40 hours
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes, for a fee
Who should take this course? Any English language learner hoping to work in the U.S. will find much to like about this program. Lessons begin at a very basic level.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Exceptional instructors. | Some students find the pace too slow. |
| Business skills are included. | Some content is becoming outdated. |
| Auditing is available for free. |
Coursera
Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online, and On the Phone
Intelligent Award: Most Flexible
This 16-hour course comes to Coursera from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and it forms part two of the platform’s “Improve Your English Communication Skills” specialization. The focus is on conversational English, particularly in sales and business interactions. Students learn pronunciation, work on fluency, and explore the cultural impact of language. The syllabus features units on networking, presentations, sales pitches, and body language, and tests knowledge with quizzes, practice, and performance. Enrolling is free for a week-long trial. All content, including a shareable certificate, is available for $49 a month.
- Price: $49 per month
- Time to complete: 3 weeks
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? Coursera intends this course for students who want to improve their fluency in English-speaking business interactions. As part two of a series, it’s better if you have some experience with the language, though it’s not required.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Great for pronunciation and speaking rhythm. | No interaction with native speakers. |
| Emphasizes the cultural impact of language. | |
| 7-day free trial period. |
Coursera
Learn English: Advanced Grammar and Punctuation Specialization
Intelligent Award: Best for Grammar
More advanced than many of the other options on this list, this course requires some prior knowledge of English grammar. Taught by University of California, Irvine instructors, the program aims to improve business and academic language skills. To that end, the syllabus places an emphasis on those grammar elements that tend to confound English language learners. These include verb tenses, noun clauses, and conjunctions. As a higher-level course, the class features graded assignments and quizzes, peer feedback, and a major project, all done online. Successful completion results in a certificate. Auditing the class is free. Coursera requires a fee to gain access to all content and certification.
- Price: $49 per month
- Time to complete: 2 months
- Prerequisites required: Basic English grammar
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? Any English language learner who wants to eliminate common grammatical mistakes in their academic and business English will find this class helpful. An understanding of very basic grammar is necessary.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Helps fix the most common grammatical errors. | Peer review is frustrating for some students. |
| Expert faculty. | |
| Flexible deadlines. |
Coursera
Improve Your English Communication Skills Specialization
Intelligent Award: Best Career Outcomes
The success of this Coursera class is undeniable — many of those who completed the program were able to start a new career. Taught by instructors from Georgia Tech, the course features a series of modules designed to improve business English. Students learn how to write emails, speak at meetings, give presentations, and network online, and they graduate with an e-portfolio to show employers. Oriented to beginners, the program requires about 10 hours a week of study for one month. Regular quizzes, peer feedback, and graded assignments keep learners on track. After completing a hands-on capstone project, you’ll receive a shareable certificate to celebrate your accomplishment. The first week is free.
- Price: $49 per month
- Time to complete: 1 month
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? With its step-by-step approach, this course is ideal for English language newbies who want to improve their business or academic communications.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Self-paced option. | Some students felt pronunciation feedback was lacking. |
| Module-based approach. | |
| E-portfolio to show potential employers. |
Alison
English for Career Development
Intelligent Award: Most Affordable
This free, self-paced course takes a unique approach to teaching business English. English language learners learn the basics of searching, applying, and interviewing for jobs in the United States, just like in many other online English-learning programs. But Alison takes it a step further, contrasting these job-finding basics to the same processes in each student’s home country, which has proven to help learners grasp concepts more easily. Taught by instructors from the University of Pennsylvania, the class is intended for English beginners. Students leave with a professional resume, along with networking skills and the ability to write a cover letter. Students also add greatly to their English vocabulary. Though all parts of the course are free, certification costs $39+ and is available only to those who receive 80 percent or higher on their assessments.
- Price: Free
- Time to complete: 5-6 hours
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes, for a fee
Who should take this course? This course is aimed at English language learners interested in landing a job in the United States. The materials and instruction are appropriate for beginners.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Content is high-quality and absolutely free. | Print certificates cost more than digital certificates. |
| Students can progress at their own pace. | |
| A resume and networking are part of the package. |
Alison
English Grammar: Comparisons and Word Order (Intermediate)
Intelligent Award: Best Intermediate Option
This Alison offering is the rare course on this list that requires some English language skills. It’s also among the shortest options here and one of the few that doesn’t specifically target business or academia. Sponsored by Advance Learning, an online trainer known for its IT courses, this brief program simply helps English language learners with the nuances of English. Students learn to find and use the right word in a sentence effectively. The class explores definite articles, adjectives and adverbs, prefixes and suffixes, and the sequence of words in an English sentence. The course also emphasizes comparative words — the words and phrases we use to qualify the extent of something. Broken into seven sections, the syllabus features small successive steps that progress to improve fluency. Like other Alison courses, English Grammar is free but requires a $39+ investment for certification.
- Price: Free
- Time to complete: 1.5 to 3 hours
- Prerequisites required: None specified
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes, for a fee
Who should take this course? Though there are technically no prerequisites, this intermediate-level class rewards English language learners with some familiarity with the language. Anyone who speaks some English but would like to improve their fluency would benefit.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Good quality for a free course. | Certificate only available for a cost. |
| Focused modules. | |
| Simplifies idioms and nuances many non-natives find difficult. |
Perfectly Spoken
Everyday English
Intelligent Award: Shortest Course
Taught from a British perspective, this brief course helps non-natives understand the kinds of English used on the street and vacation. It covers common expressions, what to say when meeting and greeting people, and how to express feelings. Self-paced and available any time, the class also includes the language used when traveling, ordering at a restaurant, and during United Kingdom holidays. The program consists of five video lessons, each followed by a ten-question test and five downloadable practice activities. ESL instructor Carrie Lillie teaches at an elementary level, just above absolute beginner, and the content is considered IELTS level 3/3.5 and Cambridge level A2.
- Price: Student: $10/month, Pro: $30/month
- Time to complete: 1 hour
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? Anyone heading out on vacation — especially to the United Kingdom — or interested in small talk will enjoy this quick, simple class.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Brief and straightforward. | Video and download only. |
| First lesson is free. | No feedback or interactivity. |
| Targets most common interactions. |
Perfectly Spoken
A2: Pre-Intermediate Online English Course
Intelligent Award: Best Mobile Option
This Perfectly Spoken program features 60 video lessons to provide a comprehensive overview of the A2 or pre-intermediate level of English. Intended for slightly more advanced English language learners, the course aims to add vocabulary, improve word usage, and increase fluency. Students use their own experiences in the past and present and their hopes for the future to learn proper verb tenses. They describe their family and work lives in English to better understand functional expressions. And they pick up new words in areas like computers, finances, relationships, shopping, weather, holidays, and popular culture. With 35-minute lessons that can be watched as often as desired, the course is very thorough, preparing students for two of the most common English exams, Cambridge English and IELTS Life Skills Speaking and Listening. Perfectly Spoken uses Facebook, Instagram, and other social media apps to provide bonus interactive content.
- Price: Student: $10/month, Pro: $30/month
- Time to complete: 35 hours
- Prerequisites required: None specified
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? Because of its comprehensive nature, it is well-suited for students preparing to take popular English language exams. It would benefit any English language learner hoping to improve their fluency for business or academia, but familiarity with the language helps.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Very comprehensive. | So big it’s a bit overwhelming. |
| Well done video instruction. | Pro plan is expensive. |
| Plans allow unlimited access to content. |
edX
Upper-Intermediate English: Business and Modern Life
Intelligent Award: Most Advanced Course
With instructors from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, edX’s Upper-Intermediate English course is the highest-level program on the list. This four-week MOOC aims to help advanced English language learners improve their English with video lessons, reading practice, and speaking exercises. Self-paced, the class uses a range of topics, including films, sports, nature, health, pets, and the Olympics, to improve listening comprehension and fluency. Students work on vocabulary, grammar, verb tense, rewording sentences, and using words in context. They also get help preparing for a job interview. Because of its broad range and wealth of materials, edX recommends the class to prepare for exams like the Cambridge University First Certificate in English. The course offers both a free audit option and a $39 verified track, which features a shareable certificate.
- Price: Free; $39 with certification
- Time to complete: 4 weeks
- Prerequisites required: Intermediate English
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? Students with an intermediate understanding of English will find this course beneficial, especially those interested in sitting for the Cambridge English exam.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Free option. | Certificate only available for a cost. |
| Personalized feedback. | |
| Instructor support with the verified track. |
Online Course Comparison Chart
| Course | Price | Features |
| Udemy – English for Beginners: Intensive Spoken English Course – Top Pick | $89.99 | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Coursera – English for Career Development – Best Online Platform | Free; $49 for unlimited access | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Coursera – Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online, and On the Phone – Most Flexible | $49 per month | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Coursera – Learn English: Advanced Grammar and Punctuation Specialization – Best for Grammar | $49 per month | X No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Coursera – Improve Your English Communication Skills Specialization – Best Career Outcomes | $49 per month | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Alison – English for Career Development – Most Affordable | Free | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Alison – English Grammar: Comparisons and Word Order (Intermediate) – Best Intermediate Option | Free | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Perfectly Spoken – Everyday English – Shortest Course | Student: $10/month, Pro: $30/month | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| Perfectly Spoken – A2: Pre-Intermediate Online English Course – Best Mobile Option | Student: $10/month, Pro: $30/month | ✓No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
| edX – Upper-Intermediate English: Business and Modern Life – Most Advanced Course | Free; $39 for certificate, unlimited access | X No prerequisites
✓Flexible schedule ✓Certificate available |
Tips for Succeeding in a Learning English Online Course
1. Consider the cost
How much do online English learning classes cost?
These English language classes range from free to $89.99, with most costing around $50. Several providers allow learners to pay per month, making it easier to afford. Many of these offerings feature some form of auditing, granting students access to all or some of the courses with no fee. Earning certification and enjoying lifetime access to the content, however, typically comes with a fee.
Will my employer pay for me to take the course?
This depends on the employer. Most companies expect their employees to have a grasp of English before hiring. Most of these courses are oriented toward English language learners hoping to land a job in the United States.
2. Get your tech squared away
Most modern computers will work fine for these classes. Some providers, like Coursera, recommend at least 1GB of RAM to ensure smooth video. A reliable Internet connection is very important, and speeds of at least 5Mbps will make for the best viewing. These courses are available on mobile devices, and Udemy suggests Safari and Chrome for Apple users and Chrome for Android.
3. Use the right study resources
These classes provide all of the necessary resources, but you can find more English-learning content simply by exploring the Internet. YouTube, for example, hosts a lot of free content. Many downloadable apps, too, cost nothing and offer great listening and practicing opportunities that you can take on the go.
Frequently Asked Questions About Learning English Online Courses?
What jobs can you get after completing an English language course?
English is required at the majority of jobs in the United States. The types of jobs available really rely more on a student’s level of education and training. These classes suit entry-level jobs, but they would also help a person with a degree land a higher-paying position. For example, Alison recommends English courses for hotel and motel clerks, interpreters, tour guides, language teachers, and even doctors. The resume preparation and interviewing skills offered in many of these classes could help in various fields.
Are there free online English language courses?
Several of these classes are free, and most allow learners to sign up and attend at least some classes without paying. The first week, for example, is often offered free. There are plenty of other options online as well.
How long is the average online English language course?
Most of these courses require three to four hours a week for a couple of months, but they vary widely. The shortest course only takes about an hour to complete, while the longest takes up to 20 weeks. All of these offer flexible scheduling, which lets students complete the lessons at their own pace. This variety makes it easy to find a course that suits any schedule.
How can I learn English quickly?
The only way to learn a language fast is to immerse yourself in it. This means a lot of time and practice. Read as much as you can. Talk to friends, neighbors, and people you meet. Download apps to practice wherever you go, and write down new words to expand your vocabulary.
Interested in a degree instead?
Learn more about online degrees, their start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.