Best Free Resources To Help Science Students Improve Their Grades

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By Joseph Abu — expert SEO writer & study-coach (5+ years). Friendly, practical, tested advice.

Introduction — a quick personal note

When I was helping a cousin prepare for final-year biology exams, we had almost zero budget for private tutors. What saved her—and what I now recommend to students I coach—was a mix of free, high-quality resources plus study techniques that actually work (not the usual “read until it sticks”). Over eight weeks she went from barely passing to confidently answering exam-style questions — not because of luck, but because we used the right tools and methods together.

This article gives you a practical, step-by-step list of free resources and how to use them so you can actually improve your grades — with concrete examples and an easy comparison table so you can pick what fits your course and learning style.

Why free resources actually work (and how to make them work for you)

Free doesn't mean low quality. Many top universities and science educators publish their materials freely so learners anywhere can access them. But the key to improving grades is how you use these resources — active practice, spaced review, and applying concepts — not passive watching or endless highlighting. Research shows that retrieval practice (testing yourself) and spaced review lead to far better long-term learning than rereading notes. (PubMed)

How to use these resources effectively — quick strategy (do this first)

1. Diagnose: Take a past paper or a self-test to find 3 weak topics.

2. Learn: Pick one resource (video + notes) to learn the concept.

3. Practice: Do problems or make flashcards (use Anki for long-term memory).

4. Retrieve: After 2 days, test yourself without notes (write/teach).

5. Space it: Review using spaced intervals (Anki or scheduled quizzes).

This short cycle — learn, practice, retrieve, space — is what turns study hours into reliable grades.

The best free resources (what they are, why they help, how to use them)

1) Khan Academy — clear videos + practice (best for core concepts & practice)

What it is: A nonprofit platform with lessons across physics, chemistry, biology, and math. Ideal for step-by-step concept building and practice questions. (Khan Academy)
How to use it: Watch the short videos to get the concept, then complete the practice problems and mastery exercises. Use the “hints” only if stuck — struggle helps learning.
Limitations: Depth varies — for advanced university topics you’ll need supplemental materials.

2) MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) — university-level lectures & problem sets

What it is: Free publication of MIT course materials — lectures, notes, assignments across the sciences. Great for deepening understanding and getting practice at a higher level. (MIT OpenCourseWare)
How to use it: Use MIT OCW for tougher topics: read lecture notes, attempt problem sets, and compare your solutions to provided answers. Treat OCW like a self-paced mini-course.
Limitations: Can be dense — pair with Khan Academy or CrashCourse to get the basics first.

3) PhET Interactive Simulations — see science in motion

What it is: Free, research-backed interactive simulations for physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science — made by University of Colorado Boulder. They make abstract ideas concrete. (PhET)
How to use it: Use PhET when a topic is visual (electric circuits, gas laws, diffusion). Play with parameters, record what changes, and relate the simulation to formulae and problem sheets.
Limitations: More demonstrative than evaluative — combine with problem sets.

4) Anki (Spaced Repetition Flashcards) — make facts stick

What it is: Powerful spaced-repetition flashcard software; desktop and Android versions are free. Excellent for memorizing formulas, definitions, and step-by-step methods. (Ankiweb)
How to use it: Create simple question-answer cards (one fact per card). Add images or simple diagrams for visual topics. Review daily — Anki schedules reviews so you don’t waste time on known material.
Limitations: Requires discipline to maintain daily reviews; mobile iOS app is paid (desktop & Android remain free).

5) CrashCourse & YouTube channels — fast conceptual overviews

What it is: Short, engaging video series (CrashCourse, Veritasium, & others) that explain science topics clearly. Use them as “concept warm-ups.”
How to use it: Watch a CrashCourse video before reading notes — it gives a mental map. Then switch to Khan or OCW for depth.
Limitations: Not a substitute for practice problems.

6) CK-12 & LibreTexts — free textbooks (structured reading)

What it is: Free textbooks and modular lessons covering high-school and college-level science topics. Great when you need a written, structured explanation.
How to use it: Use chapters as study references; create a one-page summary (cheat sheet) after reading to force retrieval.

7) Google Scholar / PubMed — for advanced students & projects

What it is: Search engines for scholarly articles — use when you need primary sources for labs, projects, or deeper explanations. Use abstracts and review papers to frame complex topics.
How to use it: Search for review articles to get overviews; don’t try to read every paper — focus on summaries and methods relevant to your assignment.

Comparison Table — quick pick (short & practical)

Resource	Best for	Cost	Strengths	Limitations
Khan Academy	Core concepts, practice	Free	Short videos + practice; beginner-friendly	Not deep for advanced uni topics
MIT OCW	University-level lectures & problem sets	Free	High-quality lecture notes & assignments	Can be dense; self-study needs discipline
PhET	Simulations (visual learning)	Free	Interactive, research-backed	Needs problems to apply concepts
Anki	Memorization & spaced review	Free (desktop & Android)	Schedules reviews; efficient retention	Daily habit needed; iOS paid
CrashCourse (YouTube)	Quick conceptual overviews	Free	Engaging, fast concept maps	Not assessment-focused
CK-12 / LibreTexts	Textbook-style reading	Free	Structured chapters; adaptable	Variable depth across topics
Google Scholar / PubMed	Research & projects	Free	Primary literature access	Requires skill to read papers

Three short case studies (anonymized, from my tutoring experience)

Case Study 1 — “Aisha” (Intro Biology, university)

Aisha was overwhelmed by molecular biology diagrams and rote facts. We used Khan Academy for basic pathways, then I helped her convert key pathways into Anki flashcards (one step per card). She practiced 15 minutes daily with Anki and used PhET for diffusion-related labs. Within one exam cycle she reported being able to explain pathways without notes and answered application questions confidently.

Case Study 2 — “Sam” (Physics — Mechanics)

Sam struggled with problem-solving. We matched MIT OCW problem sets to his syllabus and treated each OCW assignment like a mini-exam. He would try problems under timed conditions, then watch targeted Khan and CrashCourse videos for topics he missed. Over the semester his ability to set up free-body diagrams and solve multi-step problems improved markedly.

Case Study 3 — “Grace” (Chemistry lab & concept application)

Grace understood calculations but failed conceptually in lab reports. Using PhET simulations, we visualized ionic interactions and gas behaviour. After simulation-based experiments, she wrote short reflection answers (retrieval practice) and compared them to journal articles found via Google Scholar. The reflections made her lab reports clearer and led to better grades on explanations.

Practical study plan you can start today (7–14 day bootcamp)

Day 1: Take a past paper or diagnostic test (identify 3 weaknesses).
Days 2–3: Use Khan Academy / CrashCourse to learn basics for each weak topic. (Khan Academy)
Days 4–7: Do problems (OCW or textbook), build Anki cards for key facts, and schedule daily reviews (15–25 mins). (MIT OpenCourseWare)
Days 8–14: Use PhET to test conceptual understanding, write short answers from memory (retrieval practice), and re-do past-paper questions under timed conditions. (PhET)

Small study habits that beat long “cram sessions”

• Turn reading into retrieval: close the book and write what you remember. (Research: retrieval practice works.) (PubMed)

• Mix subjects (interleaving) — alternate problems from different chapters.

• Use short focused sessions (25–50 minutes) and take short breaks (Pomodoro).

• Teach someone — explaining aloud reveals gaps.

Final thoughts & encouragement

You don’t need expensive tutors to improve in science. With targeted use of free, high-quality resources plus proven study methods (retrieval, spaced repetition, active problem solving), you can move from confusion to clarity and from average marks to consistent improvement. Start small: pick one weak topic, choose a resource from the table above, and follow the “learn → practice → retrieve” cycle for two weeks.

If you want, I can:

• Build a custom 4-week study plan for your syllabus (tell me your course and exam date), or

• Create a starter Anki deck outline for one chapter you name.

Drop a comment below with your subject and weak topics — I’ll respond with a simple, step-by-step plan you can start today. You’ve got this. 👊