# Class Central API

> Class Central returns online course listings and details, available as a workflow and API.

Class Central’s Search courses method returns courses in search order with costs, ratings, durations, dates, languages, and provider details. Search courses requires a topic and can filter by language, free courses, result count, and certificate availability.

- Page: https://fous.com/workflows/class-central
- Handle: `@class-central`
- Category: [Education](https://fous.com/workflows/category/education)
- Source website: https://classcentral.com
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026
- Fous is not affiliated with Class Central.

## Methods

### Search courses

Operation `search_courses`, version 1. 1 credit per call.

Find online courses on a topic in Class Central’s order, including provider, institution, instructor details, cost, certificate, ratings, duration, start date and language. Instructors are included when listed on a course page.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `topic` | string | yes | `"machine learning"` | Topic or skill to search for, for example machine learning. |
| `language` | string | no | `"Spanish"` | Course language, for example Spanish; use any for all languages. |
| `free_only` | boolean | no | `true` | Only include free courses, for example true. |
| `max_results` | integer | no | `5` | Maximum courses to return, for example 20. |
| `with_certificate` | boolean | no | `true` | Only include courses offering a certificate, for example true. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "topic"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "topic": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Topic or skill to search for, for example machine learning.",
      "examples": [
        "machine learning",
        "zxqv nonexisting iridescent axolotl 93719"
      ]
    },
    "language": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Course language, for example Spanish; use any for all languages.",
      "examples": [
        "Spanish"
      ]
    },
    "free_only": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "default": false,
      "description": "Only include free courses, for example true.",
      "examples": [
        true
      ]
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum courses to return, for example 20.",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        5,
        4
      ]
    },
    "with_certificate": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "default": false,
      "description": "Only include courses offering a certificate, for example true.",
      "examples": [
        true
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "topic": "machine learning",
      "max_results": 5
    },
    {
      "topic": "machine learning",
      "language": "Spanish",
      "free_only": true,
      "max_results": 4,
      "with_certificate": true
    },
    {
      "topic": "zxqv nonexisting iridescent axolotl 93719"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `courses` | array |  | Courses in Class Central search order. |
| `courses[].cost` | string or null | `"Paid Course"` | Cost label as shown by Class Central. |
| `courses[].title` | string | `"Professional Certificate in AI and Machine Learning"` | Course title. |
| `courses[].rating` | number or null | `5` | Average rating out of five. |
| `courses[].duration` | string or null | `"6 months"` | Duration as shown on Class Central. |
| `courses[].language` | string or null | `"English"` | Course language. |
| `courses[].platform` | string or null | `"Simplilearn"` | Learning platform. |
| `courses[].start_date` | string or null | `"Self-Paced"` | Start date or self-paced label as shown. |
| `courses[].institution` | string or null | `"Michigan Engineering Professional Education"` | University or institution. |
| `courses[].instructors` | string or null | `"Michigan Engineering Professional Education"` | Instructor names as shown on the course page. |
| `courses[].number_of_reviews` | integer or null | `2` | Number of ratings or reviews. |
| `courses[].class_central_link` | string | `"https://www.classcentral.com/course/simplilearn-michigan-engineering-professional-certificate-in-ai-and-machine-learnin` | Class Central course page link. |
| `courses[].certificate_available` | boolean | `true` | Whether a certificate is offered. |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "topic": "machine learning",
  "max_results": 5
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "courses": [
    {
      "cost": "Paid Course",
      "title": "Professional Certificate in AI and Machine Learning",
      "rating": 5,
      "duration": "6 months",
      "language": "English",
      "platform": "Simplilearn",
      "start_date": "Self-Paced",
      "institution": "Michigan Engineering Professional Education",
      "instructors": "Michigan Engineering Professional Education",
      "number_of_reviews": 2,
      "class_central_link": "https://www.classcentral.com/course/simplilearn-michigan-engineering-professional-certificate-in-ai-and-machine-learning-527802",
      "certificate_available": true
    },
    {
      "cost": "Paid Course",
      "title": "Machine Learning Foundations: A Case Study Approach",
      "rating": 3.95,
      "duration": "7 weeks, 3 hours a week",
      "language": "English",
      "platform": "Coursera",
      "start_date": "Self-Paced",
      "institution": "University of Washington",
      "instructors": "Carlos Guestrin and Emily Fox",
      "number_of_reviews": 40,
      "class_central_link": "https://www.classcentral.com/course/coursera-ml-foundations-4352",
      "certificate_available": true
    },
    {
      "cost": "Paid Course",
      "title": "Predictive Modeling and Machine Learning with MATLAB",
      "rating": 4.85393,
      "duration": "4 weeks, 5 hours a week",
      "language": "English",
      "platform": "Coursera",
      "start_date": "Self-Paced",
      "institution": "MathWorks",
      "instructors": "Michael Reardon, Maria Gavilan-Alfonso, Erin Byrne, Matt Rich, Brandon Armstrong, Adam Filion, Nikola Trica, Isaac Bruss, Brian Buechel, Heather Gorr, and Sam Jones",
      "number_of_reviews": 89,
      "class_central_link": "https://www.classcentral.com/course/coursera-predictive-modeling-machine-learning-17129",
      "certificate_available": true
    }
  ]
}
```

## Quick start

Call the API with a Fous API key (`FOUS_API_KEY`). To create one, turn on Developer mode in Fous Studio, then open Keys & connections → API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys).

```bash
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
: "${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example}"

curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 120 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@class-central",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "search_courses",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "topic": "machine learning",
    "max_results": 5
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
import json
import os
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = os.environ.get("FOUS_API_KEY")
if not api_key:
    raise RuntimeError("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example")

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@class-central\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"search_courses\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"topic\": \"machine learning\",\n    \"max_results\": 5\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=120) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
// First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
const apiKey = process.env.FOUS_API_KEY;
if (!apiKey) throw new Error("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example");

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(120_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@class-central",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "search_courses",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "topic": "machine learning",
    "max_results": 5
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

Or describe the data in plain language: send `{"api":"@class-central","prompt":"Describe the data you need, with every detail"}` to the same URL. Fous fills in the input, runs the method that fits and returns only the fields you asked for; `data.route.calls[].request` is the exact call it made. Routing is free; the run costs the same.

## Use cases

- Compare course costs, ratings, and durations
- Find free courses in a specific language
- Identify courses offering certificates
- Review course providers and institutions
- Find course start dates and instructors

## FAQ

### Is Fous affiliated with Class Central?

No. Fous is not affiliated with Class Central. This workflow reads the public classcentral.com website and returns its data.

### How much does it cost?

Each run costs 1 credit. With pay-as-you-go, a credit costs 1¢; monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a Class Central account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from classcentral.com when you run it; repeating the same request within a day may return the saved result. Fous checks this workflow automatically; it last passed a check on Sep 29, 2026.

### What courses are available for a topic?

Search courses returns matching courses in Class Central search order when you provide a topic.

### Which courses offer certificates?

Search courses can filter for courses offering certificates with the certificate availability option.

### What languages are courses taught in?

Search courses returns course language and can filter results by a specified language.

## Related

- [All Education workflows](https://fous.com/workflows/category/education)