In April 2017, Coursera announced they were offering their learners free trials for their Specilization programs with unlimited access to all courses in the Specialization over 7 days including all graded assignments, lecture videos, and discussion forums.
Here, we'll look at exactly how these free trials work and what you get when you subscribe to a free trial for a Specialization.
N.B. This guide only applies to subscriptions to Specializations, and does not include subscriptions to the Coursera catalog.
How do I start my free trial?
Clicking on the Enroll button will open a pop up like this one:
Anyone who wishes to enroll on a Specialization program has to subscribe to the program. This will automatically start your 7-day free trial. In order to subscribe (even if it's just for the free trial), you will need to provide your payment information - either your credit card details or via PayPal. Your free trial begins as soon as your payment details have been successfully submitted, but you won't be charged until your free trial ends on the 7th day after you begin your trial*. On the 8th day, you will be charged for the first month of the subscription unless you cancel your subscription before the 8th day.
*After providing your credit card information to start a free trial, you might see a $0 or $1 test or authorization charge. This is used by our payment processor to make sure that your credit card can be charged. The test charge will be refunded or voided automatically.
What Happens During the Free Trial?
During the free trial, you’ll have unlimited access to all graded assignments, lecture videos, and discussion forums for most of the courses in the Specialization. However, if the Specialization includes a Capstone project, you won't be able to see content for that Capstone course. You are free to subscribe to as many free trials as you wish.
Please note that any Financial Aid applications you may have submitted will be canceled during the free trial.
How do I Cancel my Subscription?
If you wish to cancel your subscription, you MUST do this before the end of the 7th day - otherwise you will be charged for the first month of the subscription. You cancel your subsription either directly from your course dashboard by clicking on the icon on the top right corner of the listed specialization course or by going to the "My Purchases" page from your user menu. In both cases, you'll need to then click on "Cancel Subscription".
How to cancel your subscription from your Course Dashboard
1. Click on the icon in the top right corner of the specialization program you wish to unsubscribe from
2. Click on "Cancel Subscription", then on "Yes I'm Sure".
How to cancel your subscription from the "My Purchases" page
1. Click on the small arrow next to your Username in the top right of the screen
2. Select "My Purchases"
3. Click on "Cancel Subscription" under the Specialization program you wish to unsubscribe from, then on "Yes, I'm Sure"
If you're using the the mobile app:
So long as you remember to cancel your subscription before the end of your free trial period, you won't be charged anything. Once the free trial period has ended, you won't be able to access any paid course materials in that Specialization, including graded assignments, but any work you did will be saved and reappear if you subscribe again or pay for that Specialization.
Click here to start a free trial on one of Coursera's Specialization Programs
Here, we'll look at exactly how these free trials work and what you get when you subscribe to a free trial for a Specialization.
N.B. This guide only applies to subscriptions to Specializations, and does not include subscriptions to the Coursera catalog.
How do I start my free trial?
Clicking on the Enroll button will open a pop up like this one:
Anyone who wishes to enroll on a Specialization program has to subscribe to the program. This will automatically start your 7-day free trial. In order to subscribe (even if it's just for the free trial), you will need to provide your payment information - either your credit card details or via PayPal. Your free trial begins as soon as your payment details have been successfully submitted, but you won't be charged until your free trial ends on the 7th day after you begin your trial*. On the 8th day, you will be charged for the first month of the subscription unless you cancel your subscription before the 8th day.
*After providing your credit card information to start a free trial, you might see a $0 or $1 test or authorization charge. This is used by our payment processor to make sure that your credit card can be charged. The test charge will be refunded or voided automatically.
What Happens During the Free Trial?
During the free trial, you’ll have unlimited access to all graded assignments, lecture videos, and discussion forums for most of the courses in the Specialization. However, if the Specialization includes a Capstone project, you won't be able to see content for that Capstone course. You are free to subscribe to as many free trials as you wish.
Please note that any Financial Aid applications you may have submitted will be canceled during the free trial.
How do I Cancel my Subscription?
If you wish to cancel your subscription, you MUST do this before the end of the 7th day - otherwise you will be charged for the first month of the subscription. You cancel your subsription either directly from your course dashboard by clicking on the icon on the top right corner of the listed specialization course or by going to the "My Purchases" page from your user menu. In both cases, you'll need to then click on "Cancel Subscription".
How to cancel your subscription from your Course Dashboard
1. Click on the icon in the top right corner of the specialization program you wish to unsubscribe from
2. Click on "Cancel Subscription", then on "Yes I'm Sure".
How to cancel your subscription from the "My Purchases" page
1. Click on the small arrow next to your Username in the top right of the screen
2. Select "My Purchases"
3. Click on "Cancel Subscription" under the Specialization program you wish to unsubscribe from, then on "Yes, I'm Sure"
If you're using the the mobile app:
- Tap the settings gear icon in the top right
- Tap My Subscriptions
- Next to the subscription you want to cancel, tap Manage Subscription
- Tap Cancel subscription
So long as you remember to cancel your subscription before the end of your free trial period, you won't be charged anything. Once the free trial period has ended, you won't be able to access any paid course materials in that Specialization, including graded assignments, but any work you did will be saved and reappear if you subscribe again or pay for that Specialization.
Click here to start a free trial on one of Coursera's Specialization Programs
