The Digital Successful Student

Updated September 2026 with what still works, newer free learning resources, tips on using AI as a tutor, and answers to common questions.

Here’s a list of resources for tutoring and learning online for free. I’ve been using some of these since around 2004. Hope they help someone else!

K12 and College

• Alabama Tutoring - Only Alabama Residents. Free Tutoring - Math - Science - Social Studies - English Grades K3-12, College Intro, and Adult Learner. Pretty great site that has helped me through some difficult math problems and English papers!
• Yay Math! - Algebra Math Help
• Khan Academy - covers K-12 math, science topics such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and even reaches into the humanities with playlists on finance and history. They recently added Computer Science!
• Patrick - Youtube guy who is great at explaining math!

Computer Science

• Code Academy - Learn Javascript, python, and JQuery! They’re adding more courses soon
• Khan Academy - Recently added computer science

I also need to stress the power of a good Youtube search because it’s crucial to finding some great learning videos.

What still works in 2026

I wrote this list back in 2012, and the internet has changed a lot since then. Here’s an honest look at where each resource stands today.

• Khan Academy is still free and still one of the first places I’d send any student. It has grown far beyond math and science, with courses for test prep, grammar, economics, and computing, and it now works well on a phone.
• PatrickJMT is still on YouTube, and his calculus and algebra videos are still some of the clearest explanations out there.
• Yay Math! is still worth a look for algebra help. Check the site to see what’s current.
• Codecademy still teaches coding, but a lot of its best material now sits behind a paid plan. The free courses are a fine way to see if you like programming before you spend anything.
• The Alabama tutoring link above no longer works. If you live in Alabama, ask your local public library or school what free homework help it offers now.

Free learning resources I’d add today

If I were building this list from scratch, here’s what I would add. Every one of these is free to use.

• freeCodeCamp for learning web development, JavaScript, and Python with hands-on projects and certifications.
• Harvard’s CS50 if you want a real, college-level introduction to computer science.
• MIT OpenCourseWare for lecture notes, problem sets, and videos from actual MIT courses.
• Purdue OWL for writing help, grammar, and citation formats like APA and MLA.
• Desmos for a free graphing calculator that runs in your browser.
• GCFGlobal for basic computer skills, Microsoft Office, and Google tools.

Don’t forget your library card

This is the one most students miss. Many public libraries give cardholders free access to live online tutoring, test prep, language apps, and ebooks. The services vary by library, so ask at the desk or look at your library’s website under “online resources” or “homework help.” You may already be paying for something great with your taxes and not using it.

Should you use AI as a tutor?

AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can be a patient study partner. Ask one to explain a concept a different way, quiz you before a test, or walk through a problem step by step. That’s a smart use.

Here’s my firm recommendation, though: use AI to understand, not to skip the work. Check what it tells you against your textbook or your teacher, because it can be confidently wrong. And always follow your school’s rules on AI. If you’re turning something in, the thinking should be yours.

How to build a study plan that sticks

Free resources only help if you actually use them. Start small.

1. Pick one subject you’re struggling with right now.
2. Choose one resource from this list for it.
3. Put 30 minutes on your calendar three times this week.
4. After each session, write down one thing you learned and one question you still have.
5. Take that question to your teacher, a tutor, or a study group.

What gets scheduled gets done. You don’t need ten tabs open. You need one good resource and a little consistency.

If you’re heading off to school soon, I also wrote a letter to a college freshman with some things I wish I’d known.

Frequently asked questions