Online Engineering Courses, Video Tutorials & Learning Platforms

Where Can I Learn Engineering for Free Online?

MIT OpenCourseWare offers complete university courses in mechanical engineering, mathematics, and physics with no registration required. Khan Academy provides free interactive math and physics courses. edX and Coursera let you audit university courses from MIT, Stanford, and other top schools without paying. All platforms give full access to course materials for free. Perfect for new engineers building foundational knowledge or filling gaps from school.

MIT OCW gives you actual MIT course content including problem sets with solutions, lecture notes, and full video lectures. Start with 2.003 Modeling Dynamics and Control I for system dynamics, 2.005 Thermal-Fluids Engineering I for thermodynamics fundamentals, or the full mathematics sequence from 18.01 Single Variable Calculus through 18.06 Linear Algebra. Everything downloads as PDF. No enrollment deadlines, no prerequisites to prove, no forms to fill out.

Khan Academy works better for brushing up on fundamentals or filling specific gaps. The physics section covers mechanics, electricity, magnetism, and thermodynamics with interactive practice problems that give instant feedback. The math library goes from basic algebra through multivariable calculus and differential equations. Each topic breaks into 5 to 10 minute videos followed by practice problems. Progress tracking shows exactly where you stand.

edX and Coursera host actual university courses with structured schedules, assignments, and forums. MIT's Introduction to Aerospace Engineering on edX covers the fundamentals across multiple disciplines. University of Michigan's Model Thinking on Coursera teaches systems analysis. Stanford's Machine Learning applies directly to robotics and controls. Most courses run 4 to 12 weeks with 3 to 8 hours per week commitment.

Most platforms let you audit courses for free. You only pay if you want a certificate. For learning actual engineering content, the free access is all you need. No one cares about online course certificates anyway. Download the lecture materials, work through the problem sets, check your answers against the solutions. That's how you actually learn.

What Are the Best YouTube Channels for Engineering Students?

Real Engineering and Practical Engineering explain mechanical and civil engineering with high quality animations. 3Blue1Brown visualizes calculus and linear algebra better than any textbook. Technology Connections deep dives into how mechanical and electrical systems actually work. SolidWorks provides official CAD tutorials from beginner to advanced. All free on YouTube.

Real Engineering breaks down aerospace, automotive, and mechanical systems with professional animations that show you exactly how components work together. Videos on turbofan engines, suspension systems, or transmission design give you visual understanding that textbooks can't match. Each 10 to 20 minute video covers one system in depth. Perfect for understanding real world applications of engineering principles.

Practical Engineering focuses on infrastructure and the built environment. Videos explain why bridges fail, how sewage treatment works, or the engineering behind everyday objects. The channel uses hands on demonstrations and transparent models to show internal mechanisms. Especially good for understanding fluid mechanics, structural analysis, and geotechnical concepts through real examples.

3Blue1Brown transforms math from abstract symbols into visual intuition. The calculus series shows you what derivatives and integrals actually represent geometrically. Linear algebra playlist builds understanding of vector spaces, matrices, and transformations that you'll use in controls, FEA, and dynamics. Watch these before tackling the mathematical textbooks. The visual foundation makes the symbolic manipulation make sense.

Better than most university lectures. You can pause, rewind, and rewatch until you understand. Free and accessible anytime. Some of these channels have better production quality than paid courses. Especially good for young engineers who learn better visually than from textbooks. Subscribe to channels relevant to your specialization and work through their playlists systematically.

How Do I Learn SolidWorks or AutoCAD Online?

If you're currently studying at a university, check your school's software licensing first. Most engineering programs provide free SolidWorks and AutoCAD licenses to students. SolidWorks also offers free certifications through universities. Your school pays for the certification exams (CSWA, CSWP) and you get industry recognized credentials at no cost. Check with your department or IT services to access these benefits before paying for software or training.

Start with official SolidWorks YouTube tutorials for free video lessons. LinkedIn Learning offers structured CAD courses, often free through public libraries. Udemy has individual CAD courses you own forever, wait for sales when prices drop to $15. LearnCAx provides free tutorials across multiple CAD platforms. Pluralsight for technology and programming skills.

LinkedIn Learning provides comprehensive learning paths for SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Inventor, and CATIA. Courses are structured by skill level from beginner to advanced with project files included. The platform tracks your progress and suggests next courses. Most importantly, check your local public library website first. Many libraries offer free access with just a library card number. This saves you $30 to $40 per month.

Udemy courses operate on one time purchases. Buy a SolidWorks course for $15 during a sale and own it forever. Look for courses with downloadable project files, real world examples, and recent updates. Check instructor credentials and student reviews before buying. Popular courses like "SolidWorks Complete Mega Course" or "AutoCAD 2024 Complete Course" get updated regularly. Never pay full price. Sales happen every few weeks dropping prices from $200 to $15.

For programming and technical skills beyond CAD, Pluralsight covers Python for engineering, MATLAB fundamentals, and data analysis tools. The platform includes skill assessments that identify gaps in your knowledge. Subscription runs $29 per month or $299 annually. Free 10 day trial lets you evaluate content quality before committing.

Strategy: Start with free resources until you hit their limits. Use library access to LinkedIn Learning if available. Buy specific Udemy courses during sales only for topics you need immediately. Subscribe to paid platforms only when you need broad access across multiple topics. Most junior engineers can learn CAD software completely free using official tutorials and YouTube channels.

What Engineering Textbooks Should I Read?

For core courses: Beer & Johnston for statics and dynamics, Hibbeler for strength of materials, Cengel & Boles for thermodynamics, White for fluid mechanics, and Shigley for machine design. These are the standard references that practicing engineers still use. For engineering judgment and practice: The Unwritten Laws of Engineering, To Engineer Is Human by Petroski, and Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down by Gordon.

Beer & Johnston "Vector Mechanics for Engineers" covers statics and dynamics with hundreds of worked examples and practice problems. The book explains concepts clearly then shows you how to apply them to real structures and machines. Keep this as a reference even after graduation. Hibbeler's "Mechanics of Materials" does the same for stress analysis, beam bending, and structural failure. Both books include SI and imperial units.

Cengel & Boles "Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach" teaches energy systems, heat transfer, and thermodynamic cycles with practical examples from power plants, HVAC systems, and engines. White's "Fluid Mechanics" covers everything from pipe flow to aerodynamics with focus on real applications. Shigley's "Mechanical Engineering Design" ties together strength of materials, fatigue analysis, and machine element design for gears, bearings, shafts, and fasteners.

Beyond technical textbooks, read books about engineering practice and judgment. The Unwritten Laws of Engineering teaches you workplace realities they skip in school. How to communicate with non engineers. When to ask for help. How to handle criticism of your designs. Taking responsibility for failures. Short book, massive impact on your career.

Petroski's "To Engineer Is Human" analyzes famous engineering failures to teach design thinking. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse, the Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway failure, and other disasters show how small oversights lead to catastrophic results. Gordon's "Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down" builds intuition for structural mechanics through historical examples and everyday objects. Both books read like stories, not textbooks, but teach engineering judgment better than most courses.

Is MIT OpenCourseWare Really Free?

Yes. MIT OpenCourseWare is completely free with no registration, no hidden costs, and no certificates to buy. You get lecture notes, problem sets, exams, and video lectures from actual MIT courses. Download everything you need. The only thing you don't get is grading or MIT credit, but the learning materials are identical to what MIT students use.

What Are the Best Interactive Learning Platforms?

Brilliant.org for visual, interactive courses in math and engineering with problem solving focused approach. Paul's Online Math Notes provides comprehensive free tutorials for calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra with worked examples.

Brilliant breaks complex topics into interactive lessons with visual animations and immediate feedback. Instead of watching lectures, you solve puzzles and problems that build understanding step by step. The platform covers mathematics fundamentals, calculus, differential equations, physics, and engineering topics like fluid dynamics and structural analysis. Each course takes 2 to 4 weeks at 15 to 30 minutes per day. Subscription costs $25 monthly or $150 annually with free trial available.

Paul's Online Math Notes gives you complete coverage of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra completely free. Each topic includes detailed explanations, worked examples with every step shown, and practice problems with solutions. The notes are clearer than most textbooks and include common mistakes to avoid. Bookmark this site. You'll return to it constantly throughout your engineering career when you need to review a concept or look up a formula.

Interactive learning works better than passive videos for math and physics concepts. You solve problems, get immediate feedback, and build actual understanding instead of just watching someone else work through examples. Use Brilliant when you want structured learning paths with motivation. Use Paul's notes when you need quick reference or detailed explanations of specific topics. Both approaches work better than reading static textbooks alone.

Where Can I Learn ANSYS or FEA Simulation for Free?

SimCafe from Cornell University provides free hands on ANSYS tutorials with downloadable workshop files. LearnCAx offers free FEA tutorials across multiple simulation platforms including CAD and CAM. NPTEL has free engineering courses from top Indian technical institutes (IIT, IISc). When you need paid structured courses, LinkedIn Learning and Udemy have comprehensive FEA training.

SimCafe provides complete ANSYS workshop tutorials covering structural analysis, thermal analysis, fluid dynamics, and modal analysis. Each tutorial includes problem setup, geometry files, step by step instructions with screenshots, and solution verification. Start with the simply supported beam tutorial to learn the interface, then progress to more complex problems like pressure vessel analysis or heat exchanger simulation. All materials download free. Works with ANSYS Student version which is also free for learning.

LearnCAx covers multiple simulation platforms including ANSYS, SolidWorks Simulation, and ABAQUS. Tutorials range from basic static stress analysis to advanced nonlinear contact problems. The platform also includes CAD and CAM tutorials for Fusion 360, SolidWorks, and other packages. Good resource when you need to learn multiple software tools without paying for separate courses.

NPTEL offers full semester engineering courses with video lectures, notes, assignments, and exams. Courses from IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, and IISc Bangalore cover advanced topics like computational fluid dynamics, finite element methods, and nonlinear vibrations. Most courses run 12 weeks with 1 hour lectures. Quality matches top international universities. Completely free including certificates if you pass the exams.

When you need to learn specific software, start with these free resources. Work through basic tutorials until you understand the workflow. Most junior engineers never need paid training for simulation software. The free resources teach you enough to run analyses competently. Invest in paid courses only if your employer requires specific certifications or you need advanced training in specialized analysis types like explicit dynamics or multiphysics coupling.

Are Online Engineering Certificates Worth It?

Mostly no. Online course certificates from Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning are a small bonus when you're sending out your CV. Employers glance at them, maybe nod slightly, then move on to your actual experience. What really matters is the knowledge and skills you gain from the course itself. The certificate might add one line to your resume showing you're actively learning, but it won't get you an interview by itself. If you want that tiny resume boost, fine, pay for it. Otherwise audit courses for free. Here's the better move: take the $50 or $100 you'd spend on course certificates and save it for professional certifications that actually carry weight. PE license. PMP if you're going into project management. Six Sigma. Software specific certifications from Autodesk or Dassault Systèmes. Those open doors. Free learning plus real work experience beats a stack of online course certificates every single time.

How to Learn Mechanical Engineering Online for Free

Start with MIT OpenCourseWare or Khan Academy for core engineering fundamentals. These platforms give you complete university level courses in statics, dynamics, thermodynamics, and engineering math. No registration, no payment, no bullshit. Just download the materials and work through them. Supplement with YouTube channels like Real Engineering and Practical Engineering when you need visual explanations that make sense. Paul's Online Math Notes becomes your go to reference when calculus or differential equations get fuzzy. Bookmark it now, you'll use it constantly. All completely free.

For software skills, official tutorials from SolidWorks, Fusion 360, and FreeCAD on YouTube teach you enough to be functional. When you want more structured training, wait for Udemy sales. Courses drop from $200 to $15 every few weeks. Or check if your local library offers free LinkedIn Learning access. Most public libraries in the US provide this with just a library card. People forget libraries exist for more than books.

Best Learning Path for Entry Level Engineers

Start with our Fundamentals section for structured foundational knowledge. Engineering physics, math, drawings, failure modes, and how to actually think like an engineer. Then use these external platforms when you hit gaps. Need software specific training? Use the platforms above. Concept not clicking from one explanation? Find another instructor who explains it differently. Want to go deeper on advanced topics? Pick the right resource for that specific need.

Free resources like MIT OCW, Khan Academy, and YouTube channels give you 90% of what paid platforms offer. Sometimes better explanations honestly. Only pay for courses when you need specific software training that free tutorials don't cover well, or when you're pursuing professional certificates that employers recognize. The best learning path isn't one platform. It's combining multiple sources based on what you're trying to learn right now. Check out our Software and Tools & Calculators pages for the programs and tools you'll actually use with what you learn here.