Trying to cancel Coursera? Avoid the runaround.
Can you cancel your Coursera subscription? Check eligibility and conditions
You can cancel Coursera course enrolments and subscriptions at any time, but refund eligibility depends on what you bought and when you cancel.
- You can cancel anytime: Coursera lets you cancel subscriptions (like Coursera Plus or Specialisation subscriptions) and withdraw from course enrolments through your account settings.
- Refund windows are limited (act fast):
- One-time course or Specialisation purchases: Typically refundable if you cancel within 14 days of payment and before you earn a certificate.
- Coursera Plus: Generally offers a 14-day money-back guarantee from the payment date (for eligible purchases).
- Certificates can block refunds: If you earn a course or Specialisation certificate during the refund window, you may lose refund eligibility for that purchase.
- Monthly subscriptions usually aren’t refundable: For month-to-month subscriptions (e.g., monthly Specialisation or Professional Certificate subscriptions), Coursera generally does not refund the current billing period once charged. Cancelling stops the next renewal, and you keep access until the paid period ends.
- Free trials must be cancelled before they end: If you’re on a free trial (often 7 days), cancel before the trial ends to avoid being charged.
- Some items may be non-refundable: Guided Projects are commonly treated as non-refundable once purchased.
- Policy enforcement: Coursera may deny refunds if there’s a violation of their Terms or Honour Code.
- Australia note: Coursera’s policies are generally global. Australian users typically follow the same refund and cancellation terms shown at checkout and in Coursera’s Help Center.
How to cancel a Coursera subscription, service or order
Most Coursera cancellations are self-serve and take a couple of minutes.
Cancel a Coursera subscription (Coursera Plus, Specialization, Professional Certificate)
- Log in to your Coursera account (desktop is usually easiest).
- Go to My Purchases (or Subscriptions/Account settings, depending on your interface).
- Find the subscription you want to cancel and open Manage / Subscription details.
- Click Cancel subscription and follow the prompts to confirm.
- Save the on-screen confirmation and any confirmation email.
What happens next: In most cases, you’ll keep access until the end of your current billing period, then the subscription stops and won’t renew.
Withdraw from a course enrollment
- Open the course page or your enrolled courses list.
- Choose Withdraw / Cancel enrollment (wording can vary).
- Confirm the withdrawal.
If you subscribed via Apple App Store or Google Play
If you started the subscription inside the iOS or Android app and it’s billed through Apple or Google, you must cancel using Apple/Google subscription settings (Coursera can’t cancel app-store billing for you).
If you can’t find the cancel button
Use Coursera’s Learner Help Center. They have specific articles for cancelling subscriptions, cancelling trials, and requesting refunds.
How long does a Coursera cancellation take?
Coursera timelines are mostly about avoiding the next auto-renewal and meeting refund windows.
- Monthly subscriptions:
Cancel before your next billing date to avoid the next charge. If you cancel after a monthly payment processes, you’ll typically keep access for the rest of that month, but you usually won’t get that month refunded.
- Annual subscriptions (e.g., Coursera Plus annual):
Cancelling generally stops the next annual renewal. If you cancel mid-term, you usually keep access until the end of the paid year.
- Free trials (often 7 days):
The key deadline is the trial end date. Cancel before it ends to avoid being charged when the paid plan starts.
- Refund request timing (often 14 days):
If you want a refund for an eligible purchase, request it within 14 days of payment, and avoid earning a certificate if the policy says that voids refunds.
Best practice: Cancel at least 1 day before renewal or trial end to reduce the risk of being charged due to time zones or payment processing timing.
Coursera cancellation fees and final charges – what to expect
- No cancellation fee: Coursera doesn’t charge an “early termination fee” for cancelling.
- You may still pay for the current period: If you cancel a subscription after you’ve been charged for the current billing period, you’ll usually keep access until the period ends, but you generally won’t get that payment back unless you qualify under a refund policy.
- Auto-renewal is the main risk: The most common “surprise cost” is forgetting to cancel before renewal and getting billed again.
- Possible foreign transaction fees: Depending on how Coursera charges you (currency at checkout) and your bank, you may see conversion or foreign transaction fees. Coursera typically charges what you agreed to at checkout plus any applicable taxes; bank fees are separate.
- Third-party billing: If billed via Apple/Google, their billing rules apply (and refunds, if any, are handled by those platforms).
Coursera cases submitted through Ajust
Consumer experiences with Coursera cancellations
Smooth cancellations when done via My Purchases: Many users cancel successfully in a couple of minutes and keep access until the end of their billing period.
Fast refunds when requested within policy: Users who request refunds quickly (and meet the criteria) often report the process is straightforward.
Refund denied after earning a certificate: A common frustration is finishing a course quickly, earning a certificate, then finding out it voids refund eligibility.
Coursera Cancellation FAQs
Tried to cancel but Coursera made it difficult?
We’ll help you submit a formal cancellation they can’t ignore.