The Great Courses is an online platform offering video lectures by top-notch professors. It’s perfect for students seeking engaging, high-quality education from home.
Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. Studies show that homeschooled students are accepted to college at rates comparable to or higher than their traditionally schooled peers, and they tend to earn higher GPAs in their first year of college (Journal of College Admission, 2010).
What is the great courses?
The Great Courses is a streaming service featuring university-level video lectures. These are taught by respected professors and experts. It started in 1990, thanks to Thomas M. Rollins, who was inspired by his own learning from video lectures at Harvard Law School. Now, it offers over 7,500 hours of content across more than 1,200 courses. It briefly rebranded as Wondrium in 2021 but returned to The Great Courses Plus in 2024. For homeschoolers, especially high schoolers, it provides access to engaging instruction that’s hard to find elsewhere.
How homeschoolers use it
The Great Courses is a great fit for middle and high school students who need engaging content. Many parents use it to replace standard curriculum. For example, one family had their son take three courses on the Constitution to earn government credit—his discussions and mastery went above typical high school standards. Others use it for enrichment, adding a series on the Civil War to history lessons or deepening literature studies with a Shakespeare course. The lecture format is also great for auditory learners or those who enjoy learning from a real professor.
Pricing and access
The Great Courses Plus offers three subscription plans: monthly (around $20-24), quarterly (about $45 or about $15/month), and annual (roughly $14.84/month). All plans give you unlimited streaming, extra guidebooks, and even offline viewing. Here’s the kicker for homeschool families: one subscription works for everyone. You can use it on up to 10 devices with 5 people streaming at once. At $45 per quarter for hundreds of courses, many homeschoolers see this as a fantastic deal. Before you sign up, check your local library—many provide free access to The Great Courses with a library card.
The bottom line
The Great Courses brings real university-level teaching into your homeschool at a fraction of the cost of college. It especially benefits high schoolers, offering depth that textbooks alone can't provide. The expert professors make tough subjects interesting and easy to understand. Whether you’re using it for full credit courses or just to enhance your current curriculum, one family subscription allows everyone to explore new topics. Don’t forget to check your library for free access before subscribing.
