The Top 10 Free Data Science Bootcamps in 2023

In a world that has rapidly become data-driven and increasingly reliant on digital transformation, it is clear that there are a lot of opportunities in the tech industry. For any prospective career changers looking for a relatively cost-effective way to garner the basic knowledge and key concepts needed, a free data science bootcamp might prove to be an invaluable resource.

This article will highlight the top 10 free data science bootcamps and other free online data science courses, as well as the organizations that offer them. Additionally, it will provide a breakdown of data science processes and the essential skills that potential employers look for in employees. We also offer some tips that can help you prepare for a data science bootcamp.

Key Takeaways

• Free data science bootcamps provide a cost-effective way to learn the basic knowledge and key concepts needed for a career in data science.
• Some of the best free data science bootcamps are AI Planet, Colaberry, Correlation One, and The Data Incubator.
• These bootcamps offer live instruction, real-world experience, and cover essential skills like Python, data analysis, visualization, and machine learning.
• You can also find free resources for learning data science on platforms like Coursera, Udemy, DataCamp, and freeCodeCamp.
• Other great resources to learn data science are Khan Academy, Kaggle, Elite Data Science, and The Open Source Data Science Masters.

Free Coding Bootcamps to Learn Data Science

As specified in The Hybrid Job Economy by Burning Glass Technologies, the demand for data scientists saw a significant 15 percent boost between 2010 and 2018 alone. Due to this widespread demand for data science skills, there is a wide selection of bootcamps that teach various data science courses. According to Career Karma’s 2023 Bootcamp Market Report, data science programs make up 11.8 percent of all bootcamps in the industry.

Many bootcamps offer introductory courses to learn to code for free. Free data science bootcamps typically cover at least one programming language, basic data science terminology, and real-world applications of data science skills. This list features some of the best free data science bootcamps that will set you on the path to becoming a data scientist. 

AI Planet | 5-Week Data Science Bootcamp

AI Planet, previously DPhi, has a data science bootcamp with live instruction from a diverse team of dedicated facilitators and high-quality learning materials. It starts off with an introductory week to help absolute beginners adapt. Then it continues with four fundamental pillars of data science, allowing students to work with real datasets. 

The combination of classroom instruction and real-world experience is key to the program’s success. The 5-Week Data Science Bootcamp equips students with essential skills to succeed as data scientists. The program curriculum includes tools and topics like Python, Pandas, data analysis and visualization, and machine learning. 

Colaberry | Data Science Program

Colaberry’s Data Science bootcamp is designed to be career-focused. The program is offered by the Colabery School of Data and is split into three distinct eight-week courses. The bootcamp offers a unique military scholarship that covers the full cost of tuition for veterans looking to break into tech. It is an invaluable opportunity for service members looking for a career change.

One of Colaberry’s unique features is its artificial intelligence-driven, self-paced track for students who prefer to learn independently. It also offers continued support for a year after graduation and a secondary instructional phase focused on interview practice and portfolio building. 

Correlation One | Data Science for All

Correlation One’s Data Science for All is a free course that is dedicated to helping members of underrepresented groups gain essential skills needed to explore a lucrative career in tech. It is a seven-week fellowship that leans on hands-on practice, real-world projects, and peer learning. It is split into four specializations, each of which caters to a unique group and technical skills. 

Although Data Science for All is free, fellows can expect to receive robust technical training that is simultaneously immersive. By the end of the course, fellows will learn how to use data skills to solve real-world problems and business challenges. Some Data Science for All reviews across multiple online forums spoke highly of the quality of the program curriculum.

The Data Incubator | Data Science Fellowship

The Data Incubator offers two paid bootcamp programs and one shorter course that covers the essentials of data science. Under its initiative called the Data Incubator Fellowship, select students will receive a full-tuition scholarship for either the Data Science Bootcamp or the Data Science Engineer Bootcamp. 

Note that there are limited spots available so the scholarship is highly competitive. However, if you are one of the lucky recipients, you will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best instructors who have taught at renowned institutions like MIT, Harvard, and Stanford. You will also learn to use in-demand tools to build a robust portfolio of real-world data projects. 

Fellowship.AI | Data Science and Machine Learning BootCamp

This program is tailored exclusively to those already within the industry or academia. The Data Science and Machine Learning BootCamp program from Fellowship.AI aims to sharpen the knowledge of the selected participants and is facilitated by senior data scientists. The coursework covers 20 topics within a 12-week window.

The website features several notable Fellowship.AI reviews, complimenting the program curriculum which incorporates hands-on exercise and real-world applications of data. One former fellow particularly enjoyed the approach to teaching, adding that the program teaches him to be more proactive when finding solutions to any data-related challenges. 

Flatiron School | Free Data Science Prep

Flatiron School’s free bootcamp prep is an introduction to the Flatiron School Data Science Bootcamp. It is a beginner-friendly program that covers the fundamental concepts of data and their applications in the real world. You can also download the full syllabus if you wish to sharpen your basic knowledge before going into the prep course.

Aside from that, you can also opt for Intro to Python, which is one of Flatiron School’s free courses. This short course introduces you to Python and its use case in data science, among other key concepts. To gain access to Flatiron School’s free courses, all you have to do is sign up on the website. 

LearningFuze | Intro to Data Science

LearningFuze’s Intro to Data Science course is a two-week training that centers around the fundamentals of statistics, data science foundations, and  Python programming. Learners can choose between an instructor-led, live learning experience or a fully online course. 

This course generally costs $245, but you can enroll for free if you attend a LearningFuze info session or enroll in the part-time data science program. You can expect to complete over 25 lessons and exercises, real-world projects, and skill assessments. You will also have access to daily live chat support to help you tackle the course. 

Microsoft | Research Data Science Summer School

This online program from Microsoft is available to undergraduate students residing within the NYC area. It runs for four weeks, going through the introductory and core curricula before delving into assessment and practical application. This is all facilitated by Microsoft research scientists via the Microsoft Teams platform.

In spite of its depth, Microsoft’s Research Data Science Summer School does not cost a single penny. In addition to being completely free, participants receive a stipend and a personal computer to help them get through the program. Only 12 students are accepted per iteration of Microsoft’s data science summer school, and spots are limited to residents of NYC. 

Northumbria University | Skills Bootcamp in Data Science

Northumbria University is a university coding bootcamp offering a lot of tech-related programs. However, it has some of the most stringent participation requirements of all free data science bootcamps on this list. This is because it offers a unique opportunity for students to gain crucial data science skills and a Microsoft Azure free certification upon completion.

To take advantage of this incredible opportunity, you must be above the age of 19 and eligible to reside and work in the UK. In addition, you must be employed, between jobs, or have ceased work in the past year. You must also be willing to submit data on your employment outcomes within the next six months after the program concludes. 

NYC Data Science Academy | Intro to Data Science

NYC Data Science Academy’s Intro to Data Science is an eight-hour introductory course that focuses on Python programming. The curriculum is divided into three units: Conda installation, Python introduction, and data structures and control flows. It also exposes students to the fundamentals of object oriented programming and real-world data applications. 

This course is supported by NYC Data Science Academy’s network of over 2,000 data professionals, students, and instructors. Although it is a relatively short course, the school promises hands-on practice using Python programming. Those enrolled in this course are also given priority should they decide to sign up for NYC Academy’s full data programs. 

Best Free Data Science Courses

Aside from the free data science bootcamps mentioned above, there are other resources that can help you acquire data science skills in a cost-effective way. These include free data science courses online, typically offered by massive open online course (MOOC) providers like Udemy and Coursera. Below we highlight some of the best free data science courses available. 

Free Coursera Data Science Courses

• A Crash Course in Data Science. This Coursera data science free course provides a more general overview of data science as a discipline. Offered in collaboration with John Hopkins, it touches on all crucial topics that fall under the data science umbrella. It also gives direction to data science beginners who are seeking to further their knowledge.
• Data Science Math Skills. This course allows you to acquire or reacquaint yourself with essential math skills required to study data science. It’s more general than most courses, focusing on data-related math skills. This Coursera free data science course is offered in collaboration with Duke University.
• Introduction to Statistics. Data science is invariably tied to the study and utilization of statistics as an analysis tool. As such, this course on statistics is perfect for those not familiar with this branch of mathematics. It provides an easy introduction to statistics and is offered in collaboration with Stanford.
• Machine Learning. Machine learning is a branch of data science, said to be the future of many fields. In collaboration with Stanford, this course offers a comprehensive education on the basics of machine learning and how it’s changing the world we live in. Note that this free data science course does not offer any certification.
• Python for Everybody Specialization. Python is the backbone of a lot of the work done in data science, so a good foundation in this data science programming language is important. This course offers specialized knowledge and prepares you to work on practical programming. This free Coursera data science course is offered in collaboration with the University of Michigan.

Free Udemy Data Science Courses

• Data Science, Machine Learning, Data Analysis, Python & R. This Udemy free data science course is a favorite among beginners. It covers over eight hours worth of materials related to artificial intelligence, deep learning, and data visualization. It’s a great option for those interested in learning R programming language. 
• Intro to Data for Data Science. A great data science course for beginners, this super concise video tutorial uncovers what data science is all about. Expect to learn about why and how data is important, along with insights into the data lifecycle in just a little over 60 minutes. More than 11,000 learners have benefited from this course.  
• SQL for Data Analysis: Solving real-world problems with data. This is a great data science free course on Udemy, especially for learners who are interested in learning SQL. In less than two hours, you will discover how to use SQL effectively to generate solutions for real-world problems. 
• Introduction to Data Science using Python. This free course is the first module out of three, delving deep into the relationship between Python and data science. Learners start with the basics of Python before moving on to a popular Python library for data analysis called scikit-learn. It is taught by experienced data professional and instructor Rakesh Gopalakrishnan.
• Learn Data Science With R. This data science free course is a 10-part tutorial that focuses on R programming. It covers topics such as basic mathematics, statistics, and coding. Each part discusses an aspect of data science in detail, making this a great data science course for beginners.  

Free DataCamp Courses

• R for the Intimidated. This DataCamp course is free for students and all modern learners. It walks you through the fundamentals of R programming such as basic functions and data structures before moving on to data techniques and management. At the end of the course, you will have to complete a final project using real-world datasets.
• Introduction to Python & Machine Learning (with Analytics Vidhya Hackathons). This is one of the more popular DataCamp free courses It is initially aimed at preparing hackathon participants for contests but it covers a lot of quality material that would help aspiring data experts. You will go over topics like Python basics, Python libraries and data structures, Python and Pandas, and model building.   
• Data Analysis and Statistical Inference. This online DataCamp course explores the more technical part of data science. Using R, you will learn topics like probability, sampling distributions, confidence intervals, linear regressions, and more. It includes interactive exercises to help you polish your newly learned skills. 
• SQL Tutorial for Marketers. Data science skills are extremely versatile and can be useful in any career. This course will show you exactly how to leverage your SQL and data science knowledge to create and execute successful marketing campaigns. 
• Basic Statistics. This free DataCamp course is complementary to the University of Amsterdam’s Basic Statistics course on another MOOC platform. You will cover the basics of R programming, relationships between variables, probability distributions, and hypothesis testing, among others. 

freeCodeCamp Data Science Material

freeCodeCamp is a great place to start for those looking to learn data science for free. It offers 337 posts that are relevant to data science, most of which are straightforward explainers that are suitable for beginners. Others offer helpful advice or insights into a career in data science. Regardless of where you are in your journey, you would likely find a freeCodeCamp data science post that is worth reading.   

Learn Data Science for Free: Other Online Resources

• Khan Academy. Khan Academy is an online platform offering a wide array of online courses on a variety of topics including data science. You can find everything from introductory courses to niche tutorials for free on Khan Academy. It also offers video tutorials, exercises, and articles.
• Kaggle. Kaggle is one of the best data science learning resources out there. It is a free community platform that is used by data scientists and machine learning experts. It is a space where data enthusiasts publish their datasets, find collaborators, and explore online data challenges. 
• Elite Data Science. Elite Data Science is one of the best free resources to learn data science. It offers a lot of guidance on the path to a data science career, covering everything from a modern overview of the field to directions on how to land a high-paying job. You can also find code tutorials and concept explainers on the website.
• The Open Source Data Science Masters. Some of the best data science learning resources are completely free. This website, for example, is a handy collection of data science reading material and references. While some of the material is not free, the guide itself is readily available and contains a lot of useful knowledge to help you on your way.

How to Choose a Free Data Science Bootcamp or Course

The best way to choose a free data science bootcamp or course is by looking at several factors. First, you have to identify the skills that you would like to learn. This ties in with your background knowledge. If you already know how to code in R or Python, for example, you can directly pursue a program with an advanced data science bootcamp curriculum.

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

Find Your Bootcamp Match

Meanwhile, if you are a complete beginner, free online data science bootcamps are a great way to test the water. You will get an introduction to basic concepts without having to worry about the cost of a full data science bootcamp. Ultimately, the best free data science bootcamp would be the one that fits your career goals, skill level, and capacity.  

Free Data Science Bootcamps FAQ