Top 7 Free Excel Courses and Certifications

Microsoft Excel remains one of the most in-demand skills for all roles. From data analysis and business reporting to finance and operations, Excel is at the center of business decision-making. Its beginner-friendly approach makes it easy to learn, easily. But basic familiarity alone is not enough. To stand out, you need systematic study and a reliable certificate that proves your success.

This article covers some of the free Excel certification courses available today. Each course caters to a different type of student, whether you’re looking for a fast-track certificate, career-focused skills, or deep expertise.

1. For students who want the best… A certificate!

Microsoft Excel Certification Course – Microsoft | Excel certificate from the creators themselves

This lesson comes from the warehouse. This is Microsoft Excel training, designed to teach key features and prepare students for certification. It includes essential tools, workflows, and best practices based on how Excel is actually intended to be used.

What makes this course special?

• Official curriculum aligned with Microsoft
• A recognized certificate valued by employers
• It covers the main Excel functions and features
• Free certificate option with Coursera financial aid

Good for students who want to the maximum certificate value with strict honesty.

2. With strong fundamentals

Excel Basics for Data Analysis – IBM | Excel basics for data analysis

This course introduces Excel through the lens of data analysis. Focusing on formulas, data cleaning, and basic analytical skills, it helps students understand how Excel is used in real-world analytical workflows.

What makes this course special?

• A quality academic curriculum
• Strong conceptual clarity
• Beginner-friendly
• Free certificate option with Coursera financial aid

Best for students who choose to teach in technical education.

Read more: Microsoft Excel for data analysis

3. For career-oriented students

Excel: From Beginner to Expertt – Analytics Vidhya | A career-oriented Excel course

This course focuses on practical Excel skills used in business and data operations. It teaches formulas, analysis techniques, and reporting workflows that apply directly to real workloads.

What makes this course special?

• Career oriented curriculum
• It includes practical business use cases
• A systematic way of learning
• Free certificate

It is suitable for students with a focus on development job readiness.

4. For future proof Excel base

Excel Essentials Training (Microsoft 365) – LinkedIn Learning | Real-world Excel from industry veterans

This course feels less like a classroom and more like sitting next to someone who uses Excel every day. Taught by Excel veteran Dennis Taylor, it walks through everything from entering data and formulas to creating charts and PivotTables in a beginner-friendly way.

What makes this course special?

• It is built into an efficient Excel workflow
• Includes PivotTables and Copilot integration
• Led by an experienced Excel trainer
• Free certificate with LinkedIn learning

It’s great for students looking for Excel skills that translate directly to the Internet productivity at work.

5. For improved business vision

Excel Skills for Business Professionals – Macquarie Uni. | To improve business knowledge

This is a complete learning journey for Excel. It spans all subjects, from beginner concepts to advanced topics such as automation, dashboards, and complex analytics. This is for technical understanding and not just knowledge.

What makes this course special?

• It covers beginners to advanced levels
• It is widely used in finance, consulting, and analysis
• It focuses on work in real business situations
• Free certificate option with Coursera financial aid

It’s great for aspiring readers Excel’s hard credentialsnot just high-level familiarity.

6. For students who focus on illustrations

Create charts and dashboards using Microsoft Excel – Coursera | Excel in less than 2 hours

This course is short, focused, and very practical. Instead of theory, it takes you right down to building charts and dashboards. It follows a guided project format where you learn by doing.

What makes this course special?

• Fully project-based learning in less than 2 hours
• It mainly focuses on dashboards and charts
• Learn practical business reporting skills
• Short duration and high effective value

It’s great for students who want portfolio-ready Excel skills right away.

7. For visual learners

Data Analysis: Visualization in Excel – The Open University | Excel for data storytelling

This course takes a slightly different route. Instead of focusing more on Excel, it zooms in on how to use Excel to communicate information visually. It comes from a well-known university, which gives it an academic feel.

What makes this course special?

• A strong focus on communication and understanding
• It was built by a university, not just a training ground
• A great introduction to Excel workflow analytics
• Free Certificate

It’s great for students who want to use Excel for dashboards, reporting, and storytelling.

Final thoughts

Excel remains one of the most reliable job skills you can invest in. The right Excel course depends on your goal.

If your priority is certification recognition, Microsoft Excel tutorial a powerful choice. With increasing activity, Excel Courses for Analytics Vidhya provides job-oriented skills and training. And if your goal is to improve your understanding of the Microsoft ecosystem, then Essential Excel Training with LinkedIn would have been enough.

Each course listed here offers a free certificate and builds valuable Excel skills. The important thing is to choose one and complete it.

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