Hillsdale College offers free online courses to anyone who wishes to learn. That’s right, they’re totally FREE!
Although Charlie Kirk never graduated college and was a vocal critic of the higher-education system in America, Kirk was highly educated. He completed more than 31 free online courses at Hillsdale College, praising Hillsdale for being a notable exception.
“I can tell you if every kid who’s currently in college took the Hillsdale online courses instead of going to that four-year college, America would be a much better place,” Kirk said when opening his remarks at the National Leadership Seminar in Phoenix, February 18-19, 2025.
Hillsdale President Larry Arnn’s chief of staff, Kyle Murnen, met Kirk on one of his visits to the college and stayed in touch with him afterward. Murnen said he was struck by Kirk’s deep desire to understand.
“He said has was taking our online courses, and I had a hard time believing him,” Murnen said. “It seemed impossible that someone so busy and famous would devote the time to that kind of learning. But then he started asking serious questions about what he was reading and studying. He would send messages to Dr. Arnn and me about the things he was learning and his favorite professors. He would say that he had football on mute during the weekends, while listening to our online courses.”
Larry Arnn called Charlie Kirk his favorite Hillsdale student who never actually went to Hillsdale. Speaking at the Charlie Kirk memorial service on Sunday, September 21, 2025 in Glendale Arizona, Dr. Arnn shared the news that Charlie would be receiving an honorary degree from the college.
“I keep a list in my head of the 6 or 8 young people, and I’m very privileged, I get to know many inspiring young people who are the best I ever saw. Charlie is the only one who was never a full-time student at Hillsdale College who was on that list.”
“Charlie Kirk [had] that ability to reach across the aisle, seemingly across time and space into other denominations and other religions, and to argue on the case for natural law, to have a well rounded understanding of reading and study without a college education, mind you, on Aristotle and Socrates. I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed someone use the Socratic method so effectively.” –Robert “Bobby” McNeily, “The Voice of Reason” host, RSBN
What Hillsdale’s Free Online Courses Include
Hillsdale College currently offers more than 40 free online courses. These are available to anyone with an email address and cover a wide range of subjects.
Hillsdale’s courses are designed to promote classical education, constitutional principles, and Western heritage. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect:
- Subjects Covered:
- U.S. Constitution and Government
- Western Philosophy and Classical Literature
- American History and Civics
- Economics and Free Market Principles
- Biblical Studies and Theology
- Art and Culture
- Format:
- Video lectures taught by Hillsdale faculty
- Optional quizzes and readings
- Self-paced with no deadlines
- Access:
- Entirely free
- No academic credit, but open to all learners
- Over 4 million people have enrolled in these courses
Popular Courses You Might Explore
- Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution
- Western Heritage: From the Book of Genesis to John Locke
- Economics: Free Market Principles
- The Great American Story: A Land of Hope
- Introduction to Aristotle’s Ethics
These courses reflect Hillsdale’s mission to educate citizens on the principles of liberty and self-government.
These are the things that all free citizens need to know.
Spend your time wisely studying subjects that will lead you toward virtue and happiness.
Learn history, economics, literature, the Bible, and more.
Click on the link below, choose a course, and start learning for free today!
https://online.hillsdale.edu/pages/podcast-lockedon?sc=01788A008CLVMDOPTEQ
