The potential that blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies have to transform the world is just unbelievable. Think back to the time when the internet wasn’t there, what does the world look like?

While people lived comfortably in that era, the current generation cannot imagine life in such a world. There is so much we would be missing. In the next couple of decades, this scenario will repeat itself, this time, blockchain will be the underlying technology.

So it’s very crucial for you especially if you fall in the 18-35 age bracket, to understand this technology. A few years from now it will run the world. Furthermore, you can learn new avenues of generating money at the comfort of your home. Are you in with me?

If you’re in then you must be wondering where to start from. There are millions of guides online trying to explain this technology, but one sure way you can have a comprehensive understanding of blockchain and cryptocurrencies is through online courses from masters in the field.

I have gathered a list of some of the top free blockchain courses from top universities and institutions in the world that can get you from amateur to master in less than a year. Since you are highly likely to be home right now due to the pandemic, this is the best time to undertake these courses.

These courses also come with certificates at a small price which will be very instrumental for those that want to pursue a career in the blockchain industry.

1. Blockchain Basics by the University of Buffalo and the State University of New York

This course offers the foundation on the broad concepts of blockchain technology and provides a good starting point in developing blockchain programs and applications.

Through this course, you can explain basic concepts of blockchain, its operations, underlying algorithms and essentials of trust which is the basis of blockchain.

You will also dive into the two most dominant cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ethereum, build an Ethereum test chain and operate it.

The course takes approximately 19 hours which you can attend over 4 weeks. It is best for anyone seeking to obtain a broad overview of blockchain technology.

2. Blockchain: Understanding Its Uses and Implications by the Linux Foundation

To understand the impact and potential of blockchain technology for change in the world, you need to undertake this course.

It starts by explaining the basic concepts of blockchain, how it can be applied in all aspects of business, technology, enterprise products and institutions and demonstrates some real-life uses in the current world.

The course is structured to take 14 weeks of 2 to 3 hours per week. This means for a very determined fellow, you can comfortably complete the entire course in less than 2 weeks.

You have three instructors who are experts from the Blockchain Training Alliance to take you through and at the end, you can acquire an EdX certificate.

3. Introduction to Blockchain Technologies by INSEAD

Another perfect introductory course for complete armatures is this course which immediately discusses the limitations of the current systems especially the internet then introduces blockchain technology as the solution for these limitations.

You will learn what blockchain is, how it works and why it is the future. Perhaps unique to this course is the comprehensive study of the seven design principles for blockchain technology and good definition of basic blockchain terms such as miner, hash, nonce, proof-of-work, and public-key cryptography.

This course takes approximately 19 hours which you can comfortably complete in 4 weeks under the supervision of both an expert and professor in the industry.

4. Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies by Princeton University

The very first highly recognized application of blockchain technology was in the finance industry when Bitcoin was founded. This course helps you understand bitcoin and what is special about it.

For approximately 23 hours, you will be guided by an Associate professor from Princeton University into the world of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

You will understand how bitcoin works, why bitcoin is different, how secure it is, what determines its price, can it be regulated and what future does it hold.

This course is instrumental especially to software engineers and coding enthusiasts who would like to integrate bitcoin ideas in their projects or interact with the bitcoin network.

5. Introduction to Supply Chain Finance & Blockchain Technology by New York Institute of Finance

One of the numerous applications of blockchain technology is in supply chain finance and this course is the perfect guide to demonstrate how.

You only need a basic understanding of business to start learning about the global supply chain finance, main players, competitors, enablers, how to implement and manage a supply chain finance program.

The course also dives into the impact of new technologies; Blockchain and how you can apply them in actual life to improve the working capital of your company of corporate clientele.

It takes a just about 11 hours to complete under the guidance of instructors working a top institution founded by the biggest stock exchange in the world.

6. Blockchain: Foundations and Use Cases by ConsenSys academy

As the name suggests, this course is aimed at providing a strong foundation on not only the blockchain technology but also the modern blockchain which is about the blockchain applications and cryptocurrencies that improved on the limitations of Bitcoin.

You will be taught the philosophy behind decentralization and why it has coursed major ripples in all sectors and industries. For instance, blockchain has the potential to make banks obsolete due to this concept

The course will major mostly on Ethereum, the cryptocurrency in which the offering institution focuses on and show you why the concepts behind it especially smart contracts are the basis of the future of blockchain

Based on actual projects done by the institution, you will learn how to develop and analyze use cases for yourself. It takes approximately 11 hours under the stewardship of experts from ConsenSys.

7. Cryptography by Stanford University

If you find blockchain technology interesting and want to dive into the industry then you require a good understanding of where it all started from; Cryptography. Blockchain is based on cryptography which is the basis of its security.

This course by a computer science professor from Stanford University is one of the best guides in the technology of protecting information in computer systems. The course offers real-life case analysis on shared secret key communication, existing protocols and their limitations and other advanced cryptographic tasks.

It doesn’t venture into blockchain as such but having the concepts of cryptography gives you a better understanding that will help you grasp blockchain technology better. The course takes 20 hours to complete

8. Blockchain 360: A State of the Art for Professionals by EIT Digital

If you want to dive more into Blockchain technology and especially want to understand how it applies in the business world, then this comprehensive course is for you.

EIT Digital is an organization whose mission is to foster digital technology innovation and entrepreneurship talent and this course is one of its flagship educational resources.

The course delves into applications of blockchain such as the Internet of Things, smart grid and supply chain as discussed earlier.

It is best for entrepreneurs and business-oriented professionals who would like to implement blockchain technology in their work to maximize their success.

9. Blockchain and FinTech: Basics, Applications, and Limitations by the University of Hong Kong

The biggest application of blockchain technology is in the finance sector and this course is all about that. You will learn about the design concepts of the technology, emerging platforms, its applications and limitations.

This course stems from the very many cases of companies that have found blockchain to be very useful for applications in many areas and making processes more efficient and secure.

Your instructor will be a professor from the University of Hong Kong who will help you learn about the technological and cryptographic components of a blockchain and the variations and differences of existing blockchain platforms.

You are required to spend between 3 to 4 hours a week for 6 weeks to complete the course after which you can acquire a certificate for a price if you want.

10. Blockchain Technology by the University of California, Berkeley

Another very comprehensive course that offers a great foundation in understanding the blockchain technology. Briefly, it helps anybody learn the fundamentals of blockchain and how it will poser the economy of the future.

This course requires a little knowledge in cryptocurrencies bitcoin and the crypto space for a student to flow with the teachings.

You will indulge in more complex concepts that form the basis of blockchain technology such as distributed consensus, proof of work concepts and theorems such as the CAP Theorem and Byzantine Generals Problem

The course also takes 6 weeks with a mere 3-5 hour study weeks under the supervision of instructors from the esteemed institution.