5 Best Study Skills Courses Online to Transform The Way You Learn

Looking to improve the way you learn and retain information? Here are the best study skills courses online.

We all have a limited amount of time available for studying each day, so it’s natural that when we do study, we want to make sure that we’re soaking up the information as best as we can.

How can you study for maximum impact? What skills will help you study less while learning more?

Here are the best study skills courses online to make your study sessions count. These courses are taught by self-education enthusiasts and knowledgeable instructors from some of the world’s top universities.

Throughout their careers, they’ve discovered tips that can give you a slight edge when it comes to studying, and they're eager to share them with you...

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.

What are the Best Study Skills Courses?

Here are 5 of the best study skills courses to enroll in online this year:

1. Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects

A favourite among over 3 million learners on Coursera, Learning How to Learn by Barbara Oakely and Terrence Sejnowski is one of the most popular study skills courses online.

The course lays a strong foundation for students who want to better prepare for exams, as well as other learners who just want to reduce their frustration and increase their understanding.

I enrolled in this course a while ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The course contains exactly the kind of tips I wish I had received before going into college.

Course Syllabus:

Week 1: What is Learning?
Week 2: Chunking
Week 3: Procrastination and Memory
Week 4: Renaissance Learning and Unlocking Your Potential

I think most learners will especially benefit from learning about the two main modes of learning that the brain uses to process information, and how we can use these modes to our advantage to master tough subjects.

The course also contains interviews by experts from a variety of different disciplines who share their best insights on how to learn more effectively.

If you're a language lover, keep an eye out for the interview in Week 1 with Benny the Irish Polyglot!

Key course features:

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance with your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete.

=> Enroll in the Learning How to Learn course on Coursera here.

2. Mastering Anki: Create a Flashcard System for Straight A's

Flashcards are a useful tool to use when studying.

But are you using them correctly?

This study skills course on Skillshare is a complete and in-depth tutorial on the flashcard application Anki.

In this class, medical student and Youtuber Zach Highley walks you through everything he's learned after using Anki for over 3 years, 3,000 hours and reviewing over 500,000 flashcards.

Course Syllabus:

Chapter 1: What is Anki? What are the best Settings?

In this chapter, Zach will give you the optimal settings to make sure you aren't wasting any time or brain space when you are studying.

Chapter 2: Creating Flaschards

Next, he'll explain the best standard operating procedures for creating and setting up flaschards.

Chapter 3: How to Use Anki in School

In this chapter, you will learn how to actually start implementing this amazing resource in your education. Zach will go over his complete studying strategy, using premade decks, and an example day of studying.

Chapter 4: Advanced Features

Next, you'll take things to the next level with topics such as: the forget function, the forgetting curve, the custom study function, catching up when you are behind, goal retention, statistics, and much more.

By the end of this course, you’ll know how Anki works, how to create the best flaschards for learning, and how to actually use Anki during school.

=> Enroll in Mastering Anki: Create a Flashcard System for Straight A's.

3. Learning Success

Learning Success is a course by Columbia University that will teach you strategies that will help you achieve your academic goals, allowing you to make the most of your college education.

You will learn:

Strategies for more effective reading, writing, test preparation, and time management

Proven tips for students taking STEM and other technical courses

Metacognition and academic mindset

Course Syllabus:

Metacognition and Mindset
Active Reading and Note-Taking
How to Study for Technical Courses
Hard Reading, Good Writing
Effective Time Management
Navigating Campus Culture

This course is self-paced and takes approximately 10 weeks to complete, if you devote about 2-4 hours per week.

=> Enroll in the Learning Success course on edX here.

4. Study Skills for University Success

This course will teach you important skills to support your study, including time management, understanding learning styles, and effective reading.

You'll learn about the importance of taking good notes and discover several ways of organizing your notes to help you understand class material and review later.

Interestingly, this course also places an emphasis on the people skills that contribute to academic success.

You’ll learn about expectations for class participation in North American universities and what you should and shouldn’t do in class.

Course Syllabus:

Week 1: Learning to be a Successful Student
Week 2: Listening and Notetaking
Week 3: More Skills for Successful Learning
Week 4: Participating in a University Class

Being a university student can be a rich, rewarding experience if you have a plan that allows you to fit in all the things you need to do for your classes and still have time for yourself. The strategies in this course will help put you on that path to success.

Key course features:

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance with your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion.

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 9 hours to complete.

=> Enroll in the Study Skills for University Success online course here.

5. How to Beat Procrastination: Master Self-Discipline and Productivity

Procrastination is one of the biggest enemies of effective study habits.

In this Skillshare class, YouTuber and Study Coach Mike Elon shares his most effective strategies for beating procrastination in the long-term.

Whether you’re in high school, pursuing postgraduate studies, or at the peak of your career, this class will give you the tools you need to decrease the number of hours you work while simultaneously improving your output - the very definition of working smart.

After explaining how exactly procrastination works, Mike teaches you how to:

Use your understanding of procrastination to overcome it
Utilize advanced strategies to master self-discipline
Make your studying or work more fun and engaging
Eliminate your bad habits
Live with intention and purpose

Class Syllabus:

Welcome
Essentialism
The Perfect Day
The Power of Three Rule
Daily Habits
Accountability
The Performance Review
The Perils of Pseudo Studying
The Power Nap
The Stimulation Equation
Dynamic Studying
The Optimized Study Space
The Productivity Device
The Power of the Word 'No'
Procrastinate Productively
The White Flag
Final Thoughts

This class includes a hands-on project where you'll receive a worksheet to help you self-reflect on the impact of procrastination in your life.

Mike's overall message in this class is this: Beating procrastination doesn't have to be an insurmountable uphill battle - if you know what you're doing.

=> Sign up and enroll for free in the "How to Beat Procrastination" class.

Frequently Asked Questions...

What are study skills?

Study skills are essential life skills that enable you to accumulate, digest, and retain information.

Do you ever find yourself drifting away in daydreams when you are supposed to be studying? It happens to all of us. However, by developing study skills, you will be able to concentrate better when you study and even enjoy your study sessions more.

However, study skills are not just for school. Although learning how to take exams is an example of a useful study skill, it's also important to learn how to study subjects for your own personal benefit, even if you will not be graded on your work.

Study skills such as time management, active reading, and notetaking will help you get more out of everyday activities such as playing board games, reading your favourite books, and even planning vacations.

What is a study skills class?

Study skills classes are classes that are designed to make you a better student. In these classes, you will usually hear from professors and instructors who offer tips on managing your workload throughout a school semester.

Study skills classes often focus on topics such as how to write essays, manage citations, study for exams, participate in group work, and so on.

If you're in college, you can likely find study skills courses offered by your institution, perhaps through the school library.

However, there are many study skills courses online offered by people who just love learning for fun. While not academics, these study skills enthusiasts can help you discover tips that will positively transform the way you organize your life and work towards your goals.

Final Thoughts

Thanks for checking out this post on the best online study skills courses. Hopefully you've found a course or two that appeals to your interests and educational goals.

Even if you've left school, learning smart study skills can enhance your effectiveness in the workplace and transform the way you approach your personal passion projects. After all, we never stop being students of the school of life...

All the best!