Course Completion Date Calculator
See when you’ll finish an online course from your lessons per week, your weekly study hours or a deadline — with study time per day, a week-by-week plan, milestone dates and room for breaks.
How it works
lessons left = total − completed · lessons per study day = lessons per week ÷ study days per week · study days needed = ⌈lessons left ÷ lessons per study day⌉ · completion date = the date of that study day, with the start date as day 1 · by hours: lessons per week = hours per week × 60 ÷ minutes per lesson · by deadline: lessons per week = ⌈lessons left ÷ (weeks − weeks off) × (1 + buffer)⌉ · study time = lessons × minutes per lesson
A self-paced course has a predictable end once you fix a weekly pace. The calculator spreads your weekly lessons evenly over the days you study, counts how many study days the remaining lessons need, and walks the calendar to the day the last lesson lands on. The start date counts as the first study day, so 5 lessons a week for 8 weeks that starts on a Wednesday ends on a Tuesday 55 days later. You can plan three ways: by lessons per week; by the hours you can give each week, which the average lesson length turns into lessons; or by a deadline, which gives the lessons per week you need. Under More options you can study only on weekdays, weekends or set days, leave out the start date, add weeks off for holidays or exams, and add a percentage buffer for missed sessions. The results include study time per week, per study day and in total, a week-by-week plan with your running progress, and the dates you pass 25%, 50% and 75% of the course. Enter the lessons you have already done to re-plan partway through.
Worked example
A 40-lesson course at 5 lessons a week, starting on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, needs ⌈40 ÷ (5 ÷ 7)⌉ = 56 study days, so the last lesson falls on Tuesday, November 10, 2026 — 8 weeks. With 30-minute lessons that is 2h 30m of study a week and 20 hours for the whole course. With 3 hours a week instead, 3 × 60 ÷ 30 = 6 lessons a week, finishing on Sunday, November 1. To finish within 6 weeks, you would need ⌈40 ÷ 6⌉ = 7 lessons a week.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out lessons per week from the time I have?
Choose “Hours per week” and enter your weekly study time and the average lesson length, including quizzes and notes. Three hours a week with 30-minute lessons is 3 × 60 ÷ 30 = 6 lessons a week.
How many lessons a week do I need to finish by a date?
Choose “Finish within” and enter the weeks until your deadline. The calculator divides the lessons left by those weeks and rounds up — 40 lessons in 6 weeks is 7 a week. Weeks off and a buffer under More options shrink the time you can count on and raise the pace.
Does the start date count as a study day?
Yes, by default the first lesson happens on the start date, so the finish lands one day earlier than adding whole weeks would suggest. Turn off “I also study on the start date” if you begin tomorrow.
What if I only study on some days?
Pick weekdays, weekends, six days, Mon/Wed/Fri or Tue/Thu under More options. Your weekly lessons are shared evenly between those days and the calendar skips the rest, so the finish date lands on a real study day.
What if lessons vary in length or the course lists hours instead?
Treat each lesson as one unit and enter the average length. If the course only states total hours, enter the hours as the total lessons and 60 minutes as the lesson length — the dates and study time then follow your weekly hours.
How much buffer should I add?
Many learners add 10–20% for sick days, busy weeks and review time. The buffer is added after the last study day, and known breaks such as holidays or exam weeks can be entered separately as weeks off.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.