GALWAY, IRELAND – 2025-12-11
Alison, a leader in online learning and skills development, has reached a new milestone in Learner commitment, recording its highest-ever course completion rate. In November 2025, across both Alison.com and the Alison App, 44% of Learners who started a course completed it.
This is a significant achievement as course completion remains a persistent challenge across the online learning landscape. According to a study on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) by Open University, median completion rates are around 12.6%, with many platforms seeing only a small fraction of enrolled students complete their courses. Industry analyses also report that typical online course completion rates tend to fall in the 10–20% range. This signifies that the majority of people who sign up to a course never finish it, according to Learnstream. Against that backdrop, Alison’s 44% course start-to-completion rate sits at the upper end of what is typically achieved in online education, especially for free, self-paced courses. This shows that Learners are not only signing up, but also following through and finishing their learning.
Boosting Course Completion Through Product Innovation
Alison’s focus on completion rates as a core measure of meaningful learning is precisely what drove some of the platform’s latest product innovations. Recognising that long-term engagement is the biggest barrier to finishing online courses, Alison introduced gamified learning. This learning experience included features such as XPs (Experience Points), Streaks, Freezes, and a Leaderboard to keep Learners consistent and committed, transforming self-paced learning into a more structured and engaging experience.
A series of UX enhancements further supports this goal by giving Learners clarity, momentum, and a smoother path through their courses. The redesigned bottom navigation bar streamlines movement within the learning environment, while the new notification island provides real-time encouragement and progress cues, prompting Learners with messages like “Keep going! You’re close to completing another topic.” It also surfaces community signals, such as the number of other people learning at the same time, reinforcing that online learning is a shared journey where millions are progressing together.
To make learning feel even more achievable, Alison also updated the module tree to display estimated completion times for every topic. By breaking courses into smaller, time-bound chunks, Learners can plan their study sessions better and commit to manageable learning intervals. These updates, collectively designed to reduce friction, boost motivation, and give Learners a clear sense of progress, ensure that more people finish what they start, and with it, gain the skills, confidence, and career readiness that come from true course completion.
Rising Course Completion Rates Reflect Stronger Career Intent
Higher course completion rates signal a shift in how people learn today. The increase demonstrates stronger discipline, motivation, and intent to translate learning into real career outcomes. This is significant given that online courses traditionally see higher dropout rates than in-person learning, yet Alison’s recent figures tell a different story. High completion behaviour suggests that Learners are actively developing job-ready skills, preparing for new roles, and strengthening their employability in a competitive market.
This trend also reflects a global mindset change. People are becoming more intentional with their learning time, prioritising skills that open doors to work, career progression, and income stability. Short, flexible online courses allow Learners to study around work and family commitments, making upskilling more achievable than traditional education routes. As industries continue to evolve rapidly, the ability to learn efficiently and consistently has become one of the most valuable professional habits.
In today’s labour market, where workers are expected to continuously upskill, employers increasingly prioritise proven capability over formal credentials alone. A completed course demonstrates persistence, applied effort, and practical skill acquisition – qualities that are essential for roles in fast-moving sectors like technology, healthcare, sustainability, business operations, and digital communication. Rising completion rates, therefore, highlight a workforce that is future-focused, self-driven, and aware that continuous learning is essential to keep pace with automation, AI adoption, and shifting workplace expectations.
Overall, this growth in committed learning behaviour shows that people are not just browsing for knowledge; they are investing in themselves, building confidence, and taking tangible steps to improve their professional prospects.
Ends
Multimedia and Resources
Alison offers over 6,000 free online courses across Technology, Language Learning, Marketing, Digital Literacy, and more. The platform also supports Learners and job seekers through free career tools, including a Career Ready Plan, a Resumé Builder, Workplace Personality and Aptitude Tests, and an expansive Career Guide.
Learning is accessible on both desktop and mobile, with the Alison App enabling seamless syncing.
For organisations, Alison provides a Free LMS (Learning Management Solution) for training teams at scale, along with enterprise learning options for companies looking to build workforce skills efficiently.
Media Contact
For further information, contact the media team at [email protected].
About Alison
Alison is a global leader in free online learning and skills development. With over 50 million registered Learners across 193 countries (as of October 2025), Alison empowers individuals, communities, and organisations to upskill quickly and effectively — at zero cost.
The Alison platform provides immediate access to over 6,000 free, CPD-accredited courses, covering essential areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Project Management, Business Operations, Healthcare and Sustainability. Courses are created by a mix of independent experts and global leaders, including IBM, Stanford and Microsoft.
For organisations, Alison offers a Free Learning Management System (LMS) that enables unlimited Learners to access thousands of courses with no upfront cost. A premium version with advanced analytics and customisation is also available. Alison's offering includes a full suite of assessments and psychometric tools, including a Workplace Personality Assessment, Mental Health & Wellbeing Assessment, English Language Proficiency Test, as well as Numeracy, Verbal, and Abstract Reasoning tests.
To further support career development, Learners also gain access to a Career Guide, a Resumé Builder, and the ability to study offline through the Alison App.
In 2026, Alison will launch a Global Recruitment Service to directly connect skilled, motivated Learners with hiring employers. The platform is also expanding its reach with multilingual versions, starting with complete Spanish, French, and Hindi offerings — reaffirming its mission to make education accessible to anyone, anywhere.
Founded in 2007, Alison pioneered the concept of free, large-scale online learning and is recognised as the world’s first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platform. Today, its mission continues: to break down barriers to learning, helping people gain skills, build confidence, and improve their lives — no matter where they live or what they earn.
