Free CEUs for teachers exist in a loose sense: there is plenty of free professional development, but far fewer free offerings that issue a certificate your state will accept. Whether any of it counts toward license renewal depends on your state and often on who provided the training. This guide covers where to find free options, why many do not count, and how to check before you spend the time. For the basics, start with our complete guide to CEUs for teachers.
Quick Answers: Free CEUs for Teachers
Can teachers get CEUs for free?
Sometimes. Districts, universities, agencies and some companies offer free training. A CEU is a specific unit, 10 contact hours, awarded by a provider that meets a standard. None of the free programs we reviewed describe their offering as awarding CEUs. They describe certificates, badges or "professional development hours," which your state may or may not accept.
Do free CEUs count for license renewal?
It depends on the state. Some states accept only hours from approved providers. Others leave it to the educator to show the training fits their license area. Check your state agency's rule before you start.
Do free CEUs count for a salary increase?
Usually not. Salary schedules are set by districts, and many define lane changes by college credits rather than professional development hours. Ask your district.
Where to Find Free Professional Development
These are the most common free sources, along with what each one says about proof of completion. Details were checked against each organization's own pages in October 2026, and programs change, so confirm on the site.
Your own district
In-service days and district trainings cost you nothing, and they are the free option most likely to count. Several states treat districts as approved providers. Texas lists school districts among the entities whose training is pre-approved for CPE hours, Nevada automatically approves schools and school districts, and Colorado recognizes district and BOCES in-service programs. Ask for a certificate or sign-in record that shows the date and hours.
Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources
The Library of Congress offers free professional development, including self-paced modules. Its interactive modules state that a certificate for 1 hour of professional development is available on completion. The Summer 2025 institute announcement offered a certificate for 30 hours at no cost, with participants paying their own travel. Check the current year's announcement for what it offers.
Google for Education Teacher Center
All online courses in the Google Teacher Center catalog are free. Google says it does not directly issue PD credits. Courses can give completion certificates or digital badges, and Google notes that districts and universities may accept them, so check locally. The optional Google Certified Educator exams are not free: Level 1 is $10 and Level 2 is $25.
Microsoft Learn Educator Center
The Educator Center describes lessons where you can "earn professional development hours." The page does not list prices or hours per course, so check each course for what it awards and ask your district whether it accepts it.
Free audit tracks on online learning platforms
Platforms such as edX let you take a course for free in an audit track. On edX, audit learners get temporary access to course materials, but graded assignments are excluded and certificates are not available in the free track. That makes audit courses useful for learning but not for proof.
Conferences, museums, agencies and webinars
The Smithsonian's Learning Lab says its programs are free to anyone, and federal agencies run free educator webinars. Their pages do not always say whether a certificate or hours are provided, so ask the organizer before you attend. Conference and workshop sessions can count when the organizer documents your attendance. In Colorado, for example, conference attendance is documented with your registration and a list of the sessions you attended.
| Free source | What is free | What the source says about proof |
|---|---|---|
| District in-service | Training offered by your school or district | Certificate or sign-in record from the district; accepted as approved-provider training in several states |
| Library of Congress modules | Self-paced primary-source modules | Certificate for 1 hour of professional development per module |
| Google Teacher Center | Online courses | Completion certificates or badges; Google does not issue PD credits |
| Microsoft Educator Center | Online lessons | Page refers to earning professional development hours; no hours listed |
| edX audit track | Course materials | No certificate in the free track |
Why Free CEUs Often Do Not Count
License renewal rules are written by each state, and several are specific about who may provide the training. Here is what a few state agencies say:
- Texas: CPE must be provided by approved providers, and only activities from approved providers are recognized for renewal. Texas Education Agency
- Nevada: activities must be completed through an approved provider. Colleges and universities, school districts, regional programs and employee organizations are automatically approved, and other providers need specific approval. Nevada Department of Education
- New York: educators must take CTLE from a sponsor approved by the Department, and professional learning not designated as CTLE by an approved sponsor does not count. NYSED
- Ohio: a local professional development committee (LPDC) approves your plan. The state's LPDC guide says to obtain approval of the plan before you begin, and that professional development done outside an approved plan is not accepted. Ohio LPDC Resource Guide
- Colorado: the state does not pre-approve training or workshops. The educator must show how the activity meets their endorsement areas, the provider should issue a certificate or letter, and a formal audit is possible. Colorado Department of Education
So the same free webinar could count in Colorado, need an approved sponsor in New York, and need advance LPDC approval in Ohio. Our guide for Ohio teachers explains the LPDC process in more detail.
Salary advancement is a separate question
License renewal and a salary lane change are decided by different bodies. Nevada's approved providers page tells licensees to consult their employer about activities accepted for salary advancement. Many salary schedules define lanes by college credit. For example, Clark County School District's 2024-25 salary table describes its BA+16 column as a bachelor's degree plus 16 college credits from an accredited institution in a field pertinent to the subject taught. See CEUs vs. graduate credits and how graduate credits affect teacher salary for how the two compare.
If you are comparing paid online options, read Online CEU Courses for Teachers.
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- Find your state's rule. Start with our state requirements directory, then confirm on your state agency's site.
- Ask who approves. It may be the state, an LPDC, your district or no one. That decides whether a provider list matters.
- Get approval first when your state requires it. In Ohio, hours done before or outside an approved plan are not accepted.
- Check the certificate. Nevada, for example, expects the provider name, activity name, your full name, activity dates and total instructional hours. Colorado asks for a certificate or letter showing your name, the date, the name of the workshop or in-service, the contact hours earned, the providing organization's logo and a representative's signature.
- Keep records. In Texas the educator documents and retains each activity and keeps records for five years in case of an audit.
Pro-Tip: Before you spend an evening on a free course, email your certification office or district HR and ask: "Will a certificate from [provider] count for my renewal?" Save the reply with your records.
What to Watch Out For
- "Free" with a fee at the end. Some courses are free until you want the certificate. Find out the certificate price before you start.
- A certificate with missing details. No provider name, no date or no hours means it may not be accepted anywhere.
- "Approved in all states." There is no single national approval. States and districts decide for themselves.
- Pressure to act now. The FTC lists pressure to act immediately as a common scam sign. Honest providers give you time to decide.
- Counting time that does not count. Nevada, for instance, does not count registration, breaks, meals or networking toward your hours.
Our guide to accredited CEU providers for teachers covers how to verify a provider and the red flags to avoid.
When a Low-Cost Option Is the Better Deal
Free hours that your state or district will not accept are worth nothing at renewal time. If you need hours that are likely to count, or a salary lane change, a paid option can save time. Credits for Teachers offers a Continuing Education option at $199 per course that ends in a certificate of completion with no transcript. Our graduate courses are $199 per 3-credit course without a transcript, or from $349 with an official transcript. Whether a certificate or transcript is accepted is up to your state and district, so confirm before you enroll. You can browse our courses any time, or read our guide to inexpensive graduate credits for teachers to compare what the lowest-cost graduate credit options include.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any free CEUs for teachers?
There is a lot of free professional development, but none of the free programs we reviewed describe their offering as awarding CEUs. Look for a certificate that states hours, and confirm your state accepts it.
Do free CEUs count for license renewal?
Sometimes. Some states accept only approved providers, and some let educators document their own training. Check your state agency first.
Does a free Google or Microsoft course count?
Google says it does not issue PD credits, though its certificates may be accepted by some districts. Microsoft's page refers to earning PD hours. In either case, your state and district decide.
Can my district give me free CEUs?
Districts often provide free in-service training, and several states treat district training as approved. Ask for a certificate that shows the date and hours.
Can free CEUs help me move up the salary schedule?
Usually not. Many salary schedules count college credit instead, so check your district's schedule before you rely on any professional development hours.
The Bottom Line on Free CEUs for Teachers
Free professional development is worth using, but free is only useful if it counts. Learn your state's rule, find out who approves the training, check the certificate and ask in writing when the rule is unclear. If you need renewal hours or a lane change you can rely on, compare paid options before you commit.
Graduate Courses for Teachers
Paid Options From $199 Per Course
Self-paced online courses for renewal and salary advancement. Confirm acceptance with your state and district before you enroll.
Browse Courses →Continue Reading: CEUs
General information only. Renewal rules and program details change, so confirm requirements with your state education agency and your district before you rely on any training. Sources: Texas Education Agency CPE renewal information; Nevada Department of Education (educator and approved providers pages); Library of Congress blog; New York State Education Department; Ohio Department of Education and Workforce LPDC Resource Guide; Colorado Department of Education; Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources; Google for Education Teacher Center; Microsoft Learn Educator Center; edX Help Center; Smithsonian Learning Lab; Clark County School District 2024-25 licensed salary table; FTC consumer guidance.