Best Free Graphic Design Courses Online

1

Fundamentals of Graphic Design

Coursera (CalArts)

Around 14 hours, self-paced

2

Graphic Design

Alison

Self-paced

3

Intro to Graphic Design with Photoshop

Great Learning

About 1.5 hours

4

Graphic Design Essentials

HubSpot Academy

Short, on-demand

5

Elements of Design

Udacity

Around 8 hours

6

Free Design Bootcamp

Baseline

Self-paced

7

Graphic Design for Beginners

Cursa

About 11 hours

8

Graphic Design Crash Course

Satori Designs

Flexible timing

Platform

Coursera (by CalArts)

Duration

Around 14 hours, self-paced

What it covers

In this graphic design course free, you’ll learn the absolute basics – things like typography, shapes, colors, and layouts. It also talks about how to balance text with images so your design looks clean and powerful.

Skills you get

By the end, you’ll be able to understand color theory, use fonts smartly, and create layouts that actually make sense. These are the same basics used in Canva design course style projects as well as adobe design online tools.

Platform

Alison

Duration

Self-paced

What it covers

This graphic design course free gives you a mix of design history, the theory behind visuals, and the rules that make designs look professional. It goes into how to mix text with images so your posters or social media designs don’t feel cluttered.

Skills you get

You’ll learn to see design differently – like how colors set the mood, why spacing matters, and how to make text stand out. These are all things you’ll use whether you’re working on Canva design course style projects or trying adobe design online tools.

Platform

Great Learning

Duration

About 1.5 hours

What it covers

This is a quick graphic design course free that gives you the basics of design plus a little taste of Photoshop. It touches on composition, typography, and how to use colors effectively.

Skills you get

You’ll learn how to open up Photoshop and actually start experimenting, even if you’ve never used it before. You’ll also build confidence in handling layouts and trying out small creative edits, which helps later if you want to go deeper into adobe design online tools.

Platform

HubSpot Academy

Duration

Short, on-demand

What it covers

This graphic design course free is very practical. It focuses on the must-know stuff like how to choose the right colors, pair fonts properly, and create simple visuals that look professional.

Skills you get

You’ll get comfortable applying design basics directly to things like social media posts, presentations, or digital ads. Even if you’re working in Canva design course formats, these skills make your work stand out.

Platform

Udacity

Duration

Around 8 hours

What it covers

This graphic design course free dives deep into the building blocks of design – things like lines, shapes, balance, and space. It’s less about software and more about why certain visuals look good and catch attention.

Skills you get

You’ll start noticing details in every design around you. You’ll learn how to structure a page, organize content, and use colors in a way that makes sense. Whether you’re working in Canva design course style templates or creating from scratch in adobe design online tools, these skills are the backbone.

Platform

Baseline

Duration

Self-paced, modular learning

What it covers

This graphic design course free is set up like a mini bootcamp. It walks you through the design process step by step – from understanding an idea to creating and polishing a final design. It also includes practice projects you can add to your portfolio.

Skills you get

You’ll pick up practical design habits: brainstorming, sketching, trying layouts, and refining your ideas. This makes it useful not just for Canva design course style projects, but also when working with adobe design online platforms for bigger creative tasks.

Platform

Cursa

Duration

About 11 hours

What it covers

This graphic design course free is made for absolute beginners. It covers the basics of tools, design principles, and simple projects you can do to practice. It’s like a friendly start before jumping into advanced stuff.

Skills you get

You’ll gain confidence in using basic tools, trying out simple edits, and making clean layouts. You’ll also understand how to choose colors and fonts that fit together. These skills are handy for Canva design course work and will make it easier if you shift to adobe design online tools later.

Platform

Satori Designs

Duration

Flexible, learn at your own pace

What it covers

This graphic design course free is all about the psychology behind design. It explains how shapes, colors, and layouts actually influence how people feel when they see your work. Instead of just teaching tools, it focuses on why design choices matter.

Skills you get

You’ll start to see design with fresh eyes – like how a circle feels friendly, why sharp edges feel bold, or how color can guide someone’s attention. These insights can make your Canva design course projects look smarter and also improve how you work on adobe design online platforms.