Just two-and-a-half years after launching its first course, Open2Study – an offshoot of Open Universities Australia (OUA) which offers free online courses –has enrolled its millionth student .

Open2Study says the majority of people enrolling in any of its 49 four-week programs are Australians, and many are doing it to get a better idea of what they want to study at university.

"We've seen more interest in the practical courses, which can be used as a stepping-stone by students before they make a commitment to a course in higher education," said OUA's executive general manager of education programs, Jose Herrera Perea.

Open2Study's free online courses can be a stepping stone to higher education, says Jose Herrera Perea. Supplied

In order, Open2Study's most popular courses are: Principles of Project Management, The Art of Photography, Food, Nutrition and Your Health, Foundations of Psychology and Early Childhood Education.

More than 36 per cent of Open2Study students are from Australia, followed by India and the US.

Mr Herrera Perea said the Open2Study brand had not been marketed, and its growth had been organic. It took about 18 months to reach its first half-million students and about 12 months to notch up its second half-million.

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