About Udacity

Udacity, Inc. is an American global for-profit massive open online course (MOOC) provider. Founded in 2011, it emerged from free computer science classes offered through Stanford University. Udacity’s mission is to connect education to jobs by providing students with in-demand, practical skills to advance their careers. It focuses heavily on vocational courses for professionals, particularly in the tech industry.

Its flagship offerings are Nanodegree programs, which are credentials earned through a series of online courses and projects in subjects like Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Digital Marketing, and Cloud Computing. These programs are often built in collaboration with major tech companies like Google, AWS, and NVIDIA, ensuring the curriculum is industry-relevant and project-based. The company was acquired by Accenture in 2024.

Udacity Affiliate Program Overview

The Udacity Affiliate Program allows affiliates to earn commissions by promoting Udacity’s Nanodegree programs and other educational products to their audience. It operates on a cost-per-sale (CPS) model, offering a way for individuals in the education or tech niche to monetize their content by driving qualified student enrollments.

Detail Information
Industry E-learning / Online Education / Educational Services
Product Type Digital Products (Online Courses, Nanodegree Programs)
Affiliate Program Type Cost-Per-Sale (CPS)

Udacity Affiliate Program Offers

The program provides affiliates with the necessary tools to promote Udacity effectively and outlines the rules for participation. A key incentive is the 30-day cookie duration, allowing a good window for referrals to complete a purchase.

Detail Information
Promotional Materials HTML banners, image banners, text link banners, influencer content
Affiliate Cookie Duration 30 days (Some reports suggest 45 days through specific networks)
Accepted Traffic Source Link and banner advertisements, social media advertisements
Accepted Countries Worldwide/Global (Affiliates from accepted countries worldwide)
Explicit Content Not applicable/Not allowed
Religious or Political Content Not applicable/Not allowed

Udacity Affiliate Commissions & Payments

The Udacity affiliate commission structure can vary depending on the affiliate network used. Generally, the program offers a commission on the first-time enrollment of a referred user.

Detail Information
MLM Not applicable (The program follows a single-tier commission structure)
Commission Rate Varies: Reported rates include 4-8% of sales, up to $100 fixed commission per qualified referral, or up to 45% for certain courses. (Commissions are typically for first-time enrollments only.)
Commission Structure Single-tier (Affiliates earn on sales they generate directly)
Payout Frequency Monthly intervals
Payout Methods PayPal and other available methods (may depend on the affiliate network)
Minimum Payout Varies: Reported as no minimum payout (or a very low minimum) via some networks, but some major networks can have minimums (e.g., $25 to $1,000 depending on the method).

Suitable Affiliates for Udacity Affiliate

The Udacity Affiliate Program is highly suitable for content creators and professionals whose audience is interested in career advancement, technology, and learning high-demand skills.

  • Bloggers: Highly suitable. Especially those focused on tech reviews, career advice, programming, data science, and digital marketing.
  • TikTokers: Suitable, primarily for short-form, engaging content promoting tech careers and rapid skill acquisition.
  • KOC/KOL/Influencers: Highly suitable. Anyone with a platform focused on professional development, tech industry trends, educational reviews, or career-change journeys.
  • YouTubers: Highly suitable. Excellent for long-form content, such as course reviews, “Day in the Life” videos in tech roles, or tutorials that naturally lead into a Nanodegree program recommendation.
  • Video editors / Livestreamers: Suitable if their content or audience is centered around learning new skills, software, or career advice in the tech domain.

Udacity Affiliate Software

Udacity does not primarily use an in-house affiliate management software. Instead, the Udacity Affiliate Program is commonly managed through third-party affiliate networks.

Reported affiliate networks managing the program include:

  • FlexOffers
  • Impact Radius
  • CJ Affiliate

3 Alternatives for Udacity Affiliate Program

Udacity competes in the highly saturated online education market. Three major alternatives with their own affiliate programs are Coursera, Udemy, and Skillshare.

Comparison Table

Comparison Factor Udacity Coursera Udemy
Average Bill (Course/Program Cost) High (Nanodegrees start at ~$399$/month) Medium/High (Specializations, Professional Certificates, and Degrees) Low (Individual courses often under ~$200$, high discount rate)
Entry Fees Free to join the affiliate program Free to join the affiliate program Free to join the affiliate program
Withdrawal Threshold Varies (Reported as low as no minimum or up to $25-$1000 on networks) Varies (Typically low, depends on network) Varies (Typically low, depends on network)
Payment Frequency Monthly Monthly Monthly
Commission Varies: 4-8% or up to $100 (Focus on first enrollment) Varies: Often 10-45% on eligible purchases Varies: Often 10-20% on eligible purchases
Conversion Focuses on higher-value, lower-volume sales (Nanodegrees are a big commitment) Medium-value, medium-volume sales (Professional certificates and specializations) Low-value, high-volume sales (Impulse buys due to low course prices/deep discounts)
Marketing Materials Banners, Text Links, Influencer Content Tracking Links, Banners, Performance Bonuses Banners, Text Links