Free Online Nature and Wildlife Courses in the UK
Fancy learning more about nature and wildlife without having to pay for a course?
There are some excellent free online learning opportunities available from UK universities, museums and conservation organisations. Whether you want to learn more about wildlife, ecology, plants and fungi, conservation or citizen science, you can find courses suitable for beginners as well as those wanting to develop their knowledge further.
We’ve brought together some of the best free online nature and wildlife courses and learning opportunities currently available from UK organisations.
Before you enrol
The courses and learning opportunities listed here are provided by third-party organisations and platforms, and their availability, content, pricing, registration requirements and terms can change. Also some providers may charge for certificates, assessments or other optional services, while some platforms may have additional terms or conditions attached to enrolment or participation.
Please check the course provider’s current terms and conditions, registration requirements and any charges before enrolling. WithNature.uk does not provide, administer or guarantee any of the courses listed and accepts no responsibility for changes made by the course provider or platform.
The Open University – OpenLearn
The Open University is one of the best places to start if you’re looking for free online courses about nature, wildlife and the environment. Its Nature & Environment free courses include a wide range of subjects, from natural history and wildlife to ecology, ecosystems and environmental issues.
There are courses covering subjects such as mammals, aquatic mammals, ecology and ecosystems, floodplain meadows and the evolution of mammals. For wildlife enthusiasts, Neighbourhood Nature is particularly accessible. This short introductory course provides basic scientific and observational skills to help you explore the wildlife around you.
OpenLearn courses vary considerably in length and difficulty, so you can choose something that suits the amount of time and experience you have.
Explore the free courses:
Plantlife – Free Online Nature Courses
If you’re particularly interested in plants and fungi, Plantlife’s free online nature courses are worth exploring. The courses cover subjects including grassland fungi identification, waxcaps ID, woodland ferns and some other aspects of Britain’s plant and fungal life.
Plantlife says its courses are designed for everyone, from curious beginners and volunteers to students and land managers. They can be studied at your own pace and are completely free.
Explore the free courses:
Natural History Museum - Free Courses
The Natural History Museum offers several online learning opportunities. Two free courses we found worth exploring are:
An Introduction to Natural History
A free beginner-level course of around 90 minutes, introducing natural history through topics including dinosaurs, molluscs, mammals and the origins of life.
An Introduction to Urban Ecology
A free online course from the Natural History Museum, offered as part of the Urban Nature Project, exploring urban ecology, including how wildlife adapts to towns and cities, the challenges it faces, conservation and biodiversity monitoring. Registration on the Urban Nature Network is required to access the course.
University of Derby – Nature Connectedness
The University of Derby’s free Nature Connectedness course explores our relationship with the natural world and why that relationship matters.
The self-guided course takes around 20 hours and is divided into eight units. It explores what nature connectedness means, why it matters and ways in which people can strengthen their relationship with nature.
The course is based on research from the University of Derby’s Nature Connectedness Research Group and is endorsed by Natural England. It’s an interesting choice if you’re interested not just in wildlife itself, but also in how people interact with and respond to the natural world.
UCL – Citizen Science and Scientific Crowdsourcing
If you’re interested in citizen science, the free Citizen Science and Scientific Crowdsourcing (An Introduction) course from University College London is particularly interesting.
The course is available online, has no fixed start date and can be completed at your own pace. UCL estimates that it takes around 30 hours to complete. It introduces the theory and practice of citizen science and scientific crowdsourcing, including the history of citizen science, its theoretical foundations and the practical aspects of designing and running citizen-science projects.
Citizen science has an important role in nature and wildlife recording, where members of the public can contribute observations and other information to scientific research.
More Free Courses (International)
The following providers are based outside the UK but offer free online courses that may be of interest to people in the UK. Their content covers subjects such as wildlife, conservation, ecology, biodiversity and the environment, with some courses also offering certificates or other forms of accreditation.
Alison – Free Environmental and Nature Courses
Alison, founded in Galway, Ireland, provides a large selection of free online courses covering environmental and nature-related subjects. Its courses include topics such as wildlife conservation, biodiversity, ecosystems, environmental science, climate change and sustainability.
There are also courses covering more specialist subjects, so it can be worth searching Alison using different terms depending on your interests. The Conservation courses and Environmental Science courses sections are useful starting points, while the Wildlife courses section includes a number of relevant options.
Courses can be studied online for free, although Alison charges for optional certificates and diplomas.
Learning for Nature – UNDP
Learning for Nature is an e-learning programme from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), offering free online courses and learning journeys focused on biodiversity conservation and the environment. Courses cover subjects including ecosystem restoration, protected areas, biodiversity finance, spatial data and conservation planning, with certificates available for many courses.
The content is internationally focused, but the conservation principles and knowledge covered can be relevant to anyone interested in biodiversity, habitats and environmental management in the UK.
MOOC Conservation
MOOC Conservation is a free online learning platform developed by IUCN-PAPACO, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Programme on African Protected Areas & Conservation, and its partners. Courses cover subjects including protected area management, ecological monitoring, species conservation, marine protected areas and conservation technology. Courses are available in English and French and are completely free, including course attestations.
The courses have an international and particularly African conservation focus, but many of the underlying principles and techniques are applicable to conservation work more widely.
What can you learn for free?
As these courses show, there’s a surprisingly wide range of nature-related subjects you can study online without paying for a course.
Depending on your interests, you could learn about:
- Wildlife and natural history
- Mammals and other animal groups
- Ecology and ecosystems
- Plants and fungi
- Fungi and grassland habitats
- Ferns and other specialist plant groups
- Urban ecology
- Wildlife conservation
- Biodiversity
- Citizen science
- Nature connectedness
- Wildlife monitoring and recording
Some courses take little more than an hour, while others provide many hours of more detailed study. That means you can choose something that fits around your existing interests and commitments.
Take your learning outdoors
Online courses are a useful way to develop your knowledge, but one of the best ways to learn about nature is to put that knowledge into practice outdoors.
Visit a local park, woodland, nature reserve, river, coastline or even your own garden. Take photographs, make notes about what you see and try putting your new knowledge into practice.
You could also become involved in citizen science or biological recording and contribute your own wildlife observations to established recording projects.
If you’re looking for identification help, take a look at our UK Nature Identification Resources guide, which brings together useful online resources for identifying mammals, birds, insects, plants, fungi and other groups.
A note about free courses
Online courses can change over time. Courses may be updated, replaced or withdrawn, while new opportunities can become available. We’ll review this list periodically and update it when useful new resources become available.
If you know of a free UK online course about nature, wildlife, ecology or conservation that you think should be included, please let us know through our Contact page.
Post Info
Published October 2026 by Matt Phillips.
Last reviewed in October 2026.