If you want to upskill in finance but are fiscally conscious, consider one of these free or inexpensive programmes.

Nowadays, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to upskill in new or established areas of interest. Improved internet access has enabled education to move online for a vast majority of people and it is an efficient, cost-effective and convenient way to upskill with your career in mind.

SiliconRepublic.com has pulled together a list of some finance-related courses that students and professionals looking to get ahead should consider. So, if you are interested then keep reading and who knows, a financial skills programme could be exactly what takes your career to the next level. 

The educational platform and Stone River eLearning are running a free course perfect for newbies or those looking to brush up on their foundational knowledge. The Basics of Financial Technology course covers the evolution of fintech, its features, applications, challenges, risk management and compliance requirements. There will be an assessment at the end of the programme, with the option to purchase a certificate of completion provided you pass the course. 

The Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship is running a Fintech Masterclass to help students “excel in the new era of finance”. By the end of the course, students will have an understanding of the history of fintech, the wider ecosystem, the challenges of traditional banking methods, the modernisation of the space and the overall infrastructure.

Learners will earn a shareable badge of completion issued by CFTE. The course suggests engaging for around 15 minutes per day, and takes around two hours overall. There are three different ways to participate: the free modules, a fee-based specialised programme and a fee-based enterprise programme. 

Edtech platform Great Learning has a similar programme designed with newbies in mind. The beginner-level Introduction to Fintech course will teach students about the fundamentals of fintech, including digital payments, robo-advisers, online banking and AI in finance. The course can be engaged with in your own time, takes between two and three hours to complete, and offers a paid-for certificate at the end.

Additional free courses at Great Learning include a Business Finance Foundations module, the more novel ChatGPT for Finance programme, and an Analytics in Finance option. 

Though it isn’t free, LinkedIn Learning does regularly advertise ‘free for a month’ subscriptions and partially reduced courses.

Available financial infrastructure and fintech programmes include: Introduction to Fintech; AI in Fintech Essential Training; Using ChatGPT and Generative AI in Fintech; Blockchain Basics; and Data in Fintech versus Finance, among others. Each course has its own requirements, learning objectives and methods, so make sure to do your research and find the programme best suited to your educational goals.  

While it also isn’t free, educational resource Udemy has a relatively affordable Digital Banking Masterclass and Introduction to Fintech course available. The programme offers “unique and in-depth knowledge from a senior product manager who works in digital banking for one of the world’s top 100 banks”.

Students will learn about the foundations of the industry, digital banking, systems architecture, the future of bank branches, system flows and fintech, among other topics. There are more than 10 hours of on-demand video, assignments, and downloadable resources on offer, along with accessibility for mobile and TV, closed captions and a certificate of completion at the end of the course. 

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