Lots of students look forward to college. For students (and adults!) who have an interest in learning new things, below are a number of cost effective (read: free!) resources that might help you satisfy your interest in a range of topics, from the origins of the universe to Painting and Journalism. Top universities like MIT and Columbia University have even begun putting their classes online. All you need is a little curiosity and an internet connection.

Here are a few resources to start with.

For the student who just doesn’t know where to begin there’s Einztein, a new social network for those with a range of interests. Classes are offered by Yale University, Kyoto University, New York University, the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK…and many more. Learn about everything from Agricultural Sciences to Visual Arts.

For the artists, here are a few free instructional videos and courses you can sink your paintbrushes into.

• Our friends at Dick Blick Art Materials offer a number of educational resources for teachers and students. Their video tutorials cover everything from fiber arts to watercolor painting, and their lesson plans offer great ideas to engage art classrooms.
• Jerry’s Art-A-Rama offers video instruction on a number of different artistic techniques here.
• The World of Art also offers video tutorials with professional artists covering the basics of color usage to intermediate perspective.
• Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit organization supporting artists internationally, offers “continuing education for the Do-It-Yourself Artist” at Fractured U. Their free practical skills development classes cover a lot of stuff you may not learn in art school, like Marketing, Fundraising and more.

Writers who are looking to sharpen their craft can check out some of these free writing courses, offered by top universities.

And Life Hacker offers one of the most comprehensive lists of free online education, on a wide variety of topics.

And for even more extra outside reading, you can even take a look at Textbook Revolution, a student-run website dedicated to giving as many free online resources to teachers and professors as possible.

Feed your brain some extra knowledge. It does a creative mind good!