2U GetSmarter is an online professional education platform that partners with universities such as MIT, Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and the University of Cape Town to deliver short, certificate-bearing courses, and it operates under 2U and edX. It suits Moroccan and diaspora professionals and founders who want a credential tied to a recognized university name rather than a generic online certificate, and who can commit real weekly hours to a structured, deadline-driven course.
Key features
- Courses developed and co-branded with partner universities, including MIT, Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Yale and the University of Cape Town
- Around 200 short courses spanning business, data science, artificial intelligence, leadership, marketing, finance, cybersecurity and sustainability
- Fixed-length courses, typically 6 to 8 weeks, with a stated weekly workload of roughly 7 to 10 hours
- Cohort-based, asynchronous learning: weekly modules, video lectures, readings, quizzes and assignments on a set schedule, not fully self-paced
- A dedicated Success Advisor assigned to each cohort for support through the course
- Career Engagement Network connecting learners to career resources and employer contacts after completion
- Verified digital certificate, co-branded with the partner university, issued on successful completion
- Group and corporate enrollment options for teams and organizations
- Runs on edX’s platform infrastructure following 2U’s 2021 acquisition of edX
Pricing
2U GetSmarter does not sell a subscription. Every course is priced and paid for individually on getsmarter.com, closer to buying a single seat in an executive education program than signing up for a monthly plan.
Published course pages generally price courses from around $550 up to roughly $3,800, depending on the university, subject and course length. As reference points only, an Oxford leadership course has listed near $2,700 and an MIT strategy course near $2,800. Exact pricing is set per course on 2U GetSmarter’s own site and changes by cohort, so check the specific course page before enrolling.
Payment options, per 2U GetSmarter’s course pages: pay in full before the course starts, split into two installments (a 3 percent fee applies) on courses of nine weeks or shorter, or three installments (also plus 3 percent) on courses of ten weeks or longer. A third-party financing option covering the full course cost is also offered. Prices are billed in US dollars, so Moroccan and diaspora learners should budget for currency conversion and possible bank fees on top of the listed price.
Prices change over time. Figures above are based on getsmarter.com course pages and published third-party reviews.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Certificates carry real, recognizable university names (MIT, Oxford, Harvard, UCT), useful for a CV or LinkedIn profile | Trustpilot currently rates 2U GetSmarter “Poor” (around 1.8 out of 5 from roughly 60 reviews), with recurring complaints about slow support |
| A dedicated Success Advisor and Career Engagement Network provide structure that free MOOCs typically don’t offer | No free tier or trial course, and per-course prices run from about $550 to $3,800 or more, well above Coursera or Udemy |
| Independent reviews cite an 88 percent course completion rate, high for online learning | Refund window is a strict 14 days, and reviewers describe little flexibility once a course has started |
| South African founding roots (2U GetSmarter launched in Cape Town in 2008) mean the platform has direct experience serving learners outside the US and Europe | Some reviewers report course material glitches, missed uploads, or slow certificate delivery |
| Fixed weekly deadlines and a cohort format build accountability that self-paced platforms lack | Enrollment requires third-party identity verification (Jumio), which some reviewers found intrusive |
Who it’s best for
2U GetSmarter fits a Moroccan or diaspora professional or founder who needs a specific, university-branded credential for a promotion, a board seat, an investor conversation or a career pivot, and who has the budget and the weekly hours to treat the course like a part-time obligation rather than background listening. It also fits ecosystem organizations, incubators or funds that want to send a small team through a structured leadership or data course together, since 2U GetSmarter offers group enrollment.
It’s a poor fit for anyone testing a new skill on a limited budget, or for founders who need to learn fast and cheap before a specific deadline. At $550 to $3,800 or more per course, 2U GetSmarter costs far more than Coursera or Udemy, where individual courses often run under $50 or come bundled into a monthly subscription. If the goal is exploring a subject rather than earning a named-university certificate, or if support responsiveness and refund flexibility matter more than brand recognition, a lower-cost platform is the more practical starting point.
How to get started
- Browse 2U GetSmarter’s course catalog by subject or partner university.
- Open the specific course page to confirm the exact price, start date and weekly time commitment before enrolling.
- Choose full payment or an installment plan, based on the course length and the fee that applies.
- Complete the required identity verification step during enrollment.
- Block out the stated weekly hours in advance, since courses run on fixed deadlines rather than at your own pace.
FAQ
Is 2U GetSmarter a subscription like Coursera Plus? No. Each course is priced and paid for individually, there is no monthly or annual subscription.
Do 2U GetSmarter certificates count as a university degree? No. They are non-credit certificates of course completion, co-branded with the partner university, not degrees or academic credit.
Can I get a refund if a course isn’t what I expected? 2U GetSmarter enforces a 14-day refund window from enrollment. Reviewers report little flexibility once that window closes or the course has started.
Does 2U GetSmarter make sense for someone based in Morocco or the diaspora? It can, particularly for a credential tied to a specific university, though prices are billed in US dollars and the platform’s South African founding gives it more experience with learners outside the US and Europe than most competitors.
Disclosure: Moroccopreneur may earn a commission if you sign up for 2U GetSmarter through the links in this article. This does not change what you pay, and it does not influence which tools we choose to cover.
