Fascinated by web development, but don't have the resources to enroll in a college class? Want to start up a new hobby as a gardener, but don't know where to begin? Interested in building a mobile app, but don't have the time to attend a professional seminar? Fear not! Udemy has you covered. The online education portal has grown exponentially since its 2007 launch and now boasts over 8 million students and 32,000 online courses.
Aside from convenience, the other reason Udemy has been able to become so big, so fast is because of its reasonable prices. While going to a local university to learn a new skill might cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, signing up for a Udemy class is typically far cheaper. There are also several ways you can save additional money when taking a Udemy class. Read below for tips on getting the best possible deal on Udemy.
Look for Promo Codes
Experienced Udemy users know to never sign up for a course without checking for a promo code first. The site is very aggressive in frequently releasing a wide array of high value promo codes. It's quite common for new codes to be released that feature discounts of 50-75% off or more. Come back to Dealspotr regularly to see the best code that happens to be currently available.
How to Redeem Promo Codes
Not only is Udemy very liberal with its distribution of promo codes, it also makes them very easy to redeem. Once you choose the course you are interested in taking, you'll be taken to a page with a video and course description that includes a "Take This Course" button. Below that button will be a small link in blue text that says "Redeem a Coupon". Once you click that button, a box will pop up for you to enter your redemption code. After you input the code and hit apply, the discount will be applied. If for some reason the code is invalid or expired, a warning bar will appear at the top of the page alerting you that the code has not been applied and describing why.
Insider Tip
Certain teachers don't allow promo codes for their courses. Go here to see a complete list of excluded classes.
Take Advantage of Sale for Blog Readers
It's not always obvious when Udemy is running a sale, but the savviest customers can generally figure it out. Udemy's current promotion is particularly hidden. You have to visit their blog and then a pop-up window will appear alerting you that blog readers get 50% off a wide range of courses if they click the link. If you happen to close out of the pop-up window accidentally, then there is a bar across the top of the page that you can also click to engage the 50% off discount.
Don't Be Shy About Seeking Refunds
One of the biggest challenges about using Udemy is that it's impossible to know for sure whether a class you decide to take is precisely what you were looking for when you enrolled. Though the preview videos and course descriptions do a fairly good job of easing those concerns by explaining the courses in detail, it's still possible that the class or the teacher's style might not mesh with you very well. In these instances, Udemy's refund policy comes to the rescue. If you notifiy Udemy using this contact support form within 30 days, they will refund you in full for any course you purchased, as long as you haven't already downloaded all of the course content.
Insider Tip
Purchases made via sites like Amazon or Stacksocial and purchases made via Udemy's mobile apps do not qualify for refunds, so keep that in mind before buying a course through those means.
Keep Your Eye Open for Free Courses
There are numerous courses available for free on Udemy, you just have to pay close attention and find them as there is no sorting mechanism for breaking them out from the rest. If you are kind of dabbling in something, but aren't certain yet about a particular subject, then it makes sense to try and find (or wait for) a free course to hit the site, so that way you don't waste your money should you realize it's not your cup of tea. Although the aforementioned refund policy gives you a good backup plan in case you need to use it, Udemy does warn that if you do too many refunds at once, they reserve the right to boot you from the site for abuse.
Collect Udemy Credits
It's a rather mysterious, but Udemy does have a credits program for its users.
How It Works
Basically, anyone with a Udemy account is eligible to receive credits upon completion of various activities. These activities are at the sole discretion of Udemy and typically involve enrolling in select courses. The courses that enable you to receive credits are clearly marked and are immediately given upon enrollment. As far as the credits themselves, you have limited power over how you can use them. Udemy automatically applies them to certain courses or products you buy through the site. The credits have no cash value and are not allowed to be traded or transferred to anyone else.
Insider Tip
Credits do come with an expiration date, so if you wait too long to make a purchase on the site, you may lose them.
Ask for a Gifted Course
Udemy users do have the option to give courses as gifts. If you've had your eye on a particular course for some time, and don't know what else to ask for as a birthday or holiday present, then this is a good option. Simply add the Udemy course you want to your wish list and save a few bucks from having to get it yourself.