edX Online

Learn financial literacy

Financial literacy is the key to establishing long-term financial stability. Discover how financial literacy courses can help you make smart financial decisions and grow your net worth.

Improving your money management skills doesn't have to be complicated. Financial literacy courses explore introductory concepts like tax rates and bookkeeping for beginners. They also cover more complex strategies like investing and retirement planning. Find financial literacy courses for every stage of your wealth management journey.

Benefits of learning financial literacy

  • Make informed financial decisions: Explore financial management tools and resources to help you spend and save responsibly throughout your life.
  • Eliminate and avoid debt: Learn techniques to avoid overspending and accruing debt, which can affect your long-term financial health. If you already have debt, find out how to make a budget that can help you pay it off and avoid accruing more of it.
  • Lessen financial stress: Take steps toward more effective money management to boost your confidence and lighten your mental load.
  • Gain financial independence: Foster a sense of autonomy and become empowered to make smart financial decisions for yourself and your family.
  • Reach your financial goals: Learn to budget for the long and short term, and improve your financial health and well-being.

Browse online Financial Literacy Certificates

Find new interests and advance your career opportunities

Stand out in your field

Use the knowledge and skills you have gained to drive impact at work and grow your career.

Learn at your own pace

On your computer, tablet or phone, online courses make learning flexible to fit your busy life.

Earn a valuable credential

Showcase your key skills and valuable knowledge.

Certificates

Related Topics

What can you learn from financial literacy classes?

Financial literacy courses cover money management, financial planning, and retirement saving for individuals. Aspiring and existing finance professionals can also build the technical and soft skills they need to launch or boost their careers. Common financial literacy course topics include:

  • Financial analysis
  • Management accounting
  • Strategic financial decision-making
  • Risk management
  • Fintech (finance-technology)
  • Investment banking and finance
  • Entrepreneurship and ethics
  • Retirement planning
  • Micro-finance
  • Blockchain management

How long does it take to learn financial literacy?

The time it takes to learn financial literacy can range from a few weeks for a beginner personal finance course to several years for a finance degree. Your education, experience, and desired depth of knowledge can impact completion times. You should also consider whether you want to learn the basics or master financial literacy.

Courses: Financial literacy courses generally take 2–8 weeks to complete through edX.

Certificates: Earning a financial literacy certificate through edX can take 2–5 months.

Executive Education: A single edX Executive Education course may take 6–8 weeks.

Financial literacy learning timeline

0–2 months: You'll start building a foundation in core financial literacy concepts, such as retirement planning and risk management, through edX courses.

2–6 months: Once you've developed an understanding of the basics, you can continue building your financial literacy skills through advanced courses or a certificate program in a more targeted speciality.

Six or more months: At this point in the learning process, you can pursue additional certificates, executive education, or a finance degree program through edX.

More opportunities for you to learn

We've added 500+ learning opportunities to create one of the world's most comprehensive free-to-degree online learning platforms.

    Frequently asked questions about financial literacy courses

    What is the best course for financial literacy?

    While the "best" course is different for everyone, edX offers a variety of financial literacy classes that cover core concepts like personal finance planning, risk management, and economics. Before you enroll, consider your budget, experience, and career goals.

    What is the 50/30/20 rule for financial literacy?

    The 50/30/20 rule allocates your after-tax income into three spending categories: 50% needs, 30% wants, and 20% savings and debt repayment. Following this budget can help to ensure you can cover essential expenses first and still put money aside for savings and discretionary spending.

    What are the five C's of financial literacy?

    The five C's of finance are character, capacity, capital, collateral, and conditions. These represent the universal criteria lenders use to determine a candidate's level of risk and creditworthiness. Responsible spending and financial management can help improve your reputation when it comes to the five C's.

    Is there a free course for financial literacy?

    Yes, there are free financial literacy courses on general topics like money management, financial decision-making, and budgeting basics. You may be able to specialize further with free or low-cost courses specifically for women, college students, educators, or small-business owners to improve your financial management skills.