Where the section lives
LinkedIn's help article on adding profile sections lists Licenses and certifications among the Recommended sections. On desktop you click the Me icon, choose View Profile, click Add profile section in your introduction, choose the section, enter the details in the pop-up and click Save. On mobile you tap your profile picture, tap it again, tap Add section, choose the section, enter the details and tap Save.
Several course platforms skip the typing by opening a pre-filled LinkedIn form for you. Alison does this from its dashboard, Educative from its certificate verification page, and LinkedIn Learning from the Learning History page. Even when the form is pre-filled, check every field before saving.
Field by field
Alison's help article on LinkedIn gives the clearest field-by-field mapping we found from any platform, so the table uses its field names and shows what we could confirm for each platform.
| LinkedIn field | Alison (per its help article) | Coursera (per its programme pages) | Educative (per its Certificates FAQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Name of the course | Use the certificate title exactly, for example Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate | Course name as shown on the certificate |
| Issuing organisation | Alison - Free Online Learning | Not stated on the pages we read; check the name printed on your certificate | Not stated |
| Issue date | The date you completed the course; Alison says its certificates do not expire | Not stated on the pages we read; use the date on the certificate | Not stated; Educative says claimed certificates do not expire |
| Credential ID | The Cert No. shown on your Learner Achievement Verification page | Not stated on the pages we read | Not stated; the FAQ does not mention a verification ID |
| Credential URL | The address of your Learner Achievement Verification page | Not stated on the pages we read | Your certificate verification page; the URL can become invalid if your legal name changes |
| How the form opens | Dashboard, Completed Courses, Add to Profile (app: Certificates Claimed, Share with others, LinkedIn) | Programme pages say Add to your LinkedIn profile | Add to profile button on the verification page, while logged in |
Step by step for Alison
Alison profiles are private by default. Making your Alison profile public is a separate choice from adding a certificate to LinkedIn; the credential URL should still point to the verification page.
- Finish the course. On the web the Add to Profile button sits under Completed Courses; in the app the share option is under Certificates Claimed. Downloading the digital certificate itself requires a completed purchase.
- On a computer, open the Completed Courses section of your dashboard and click Add to Profile under the course. On a mobile browser, tap the three dots next to the course and choose Add to Profile.
- Check the Name and Issuing Organization fields against Alison's guidance.
- Open your Learner Achievement Verification page for the course in another tab. Copy the Cert No. into Credential ID and the page address into Credential URL.
- Leave the expiration date empty; Alison states its certificates do not expire.
- Save, then open your public profile in a logged-out browser and click the credential link to confirm it works.
Coursera certificates and Credly badges
Coursera's professional certificate pages, such as Google Data Analytics and IBM Data Science, list a Shareable certificate and say Add to your LinkedIn profile. Coursera's help centre did not load when we checked, so we cannot reproduce its exact share steps or say where it prints a credential ID; use the share option on your certificate and confirm the resulting link opens while logged out.
Some Coursera programmes also issue a separate badge. The IBM Data Science page says graduates receive an email with directions to claim an IBM badge through Acclaim, and both the IBM and Google Data Analytics pages say certificate graduates receive an email to claim a Credly badge containing the ACE or ECTS credit recommendation. A badge has its own verification page, so you can add it as a second entry or use its link as the credential URL if the issuer is the partner company.
Remember the end state. Coursera's Privacy Notice says that if you delete your account, certificates cannot be accessed or verified, so a Coursera link on LinkedIn only works while the account exists.
Common entry mistakes
A clean entry is short: exact name, correct issuer, date, ID and a working link. That is more persuasive than a long description of the course.
- Paraphrasing the name. Use the title as it appears on the certificate so a recruiter can match it to the verification page.
- Listing a course as a certification. A completion certificate is not a certification exam; keep the wording accurate.
- Adding an expiration date to a certificate that does not expire, or leaving one off a certification that does.
- Pasting a link that only works while you are logged in, such as a dashboard page. Test in a private browser window.
- Changing your legal name on Educative after posting the link; Educative warns verification URLs can become invalid.
- Deleting the platform account later, which breaks the link on Coursera and Alison.
Who should skip this step
If the course is a short introduction unrelated to the roles you want, listing it can dilute stronger credentials. LinkedIn's section is most useful for certificates that match your target role or that a recruiter is likely to search for. Put the rest on a learning log or resumé appendix instead.
Questions before you decide
What should I put as the issuing organisation for an Alison certificate?
Alison's help article says the Issuing Organization field should read Alison - Free Online Learning, with the Cert No. from your Learner Achievement Verification page as the credential ID.
Do Alison certificates have an expiration date on LinkedIn?
No. Alison's LinkedIn help article says Alison certificates do not expire, so you only need the date you completed the course.
Where is the LinkedIn Licenses and certifications section?
LinkedIn's help lists it among the Recommended profile sections. Use Add profile section in your introduction, choose the section, enter the details and click Save.
Will my Coursera certificate link still work if I delete my account?
No. Coursera's Privacy Notice says once an account is deleted, certificates and certifications cannot be accessed, verified or reissued.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- LinkedIn Help: Add sections to your profile Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison Help Center: How do I add my completed course to LinkedIn? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison Help Center: How do I download my Digital Certificate? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison Help Center: What information can other users see on my profile? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera: Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera: IBM Data Science Professional Certificate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Educative Certificates FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- LinkedIn Help: Add Learning Certificates of Completion to your profile Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera Privacy Notice (rights, organisation programmes, account deletion) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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