Our team of special effects experts has assembled a list of the 9 best After Effects courses and classes with Certificates that you can take right now. This includes both online After Effects courses and in-person After Effects classes with live instructors, as well as free After Effects tutorials. We evaluated many courses and have included introduction, intermediate, and advanced classes to cover the needs of beginner through advanced learners. This list includes classes that we know and have tried, and was assembled by expert instructors, who are the authors of multiple After Effects books. This provides you with expert insight into the best ways for you to learn After Effects. The list provides information about each After Effects course, class, and tutorial. This has been updated for classes we have tried for 2022.

Best After Effects Courses and Classes with Certificiates

• After Effects Bootcamp
• After Effects Training Class – Introduction
• After Effects Training Class- Advanced
• Video Editing Certificate with After Effects
• After Effects tutorial: Understanding frame rate and resolution in After Effects
• After Effects tutorial: Understanding the After Effects workspace
• After Effects tutorial: Understanding Motion Graphics in After Effects
• After Effects CC Training Book: Digital Classroom
• After Effects Private Customized Training

How We Chose the Best After Effects Courses

Every course here has been thoroughly evaluated and vetted by our team of professionals who work in the field of effects, video, and animation. We research the courses, evaluate user reviews, speak with instructors and students, and use our own experience learning, reviewing curriculum, evaluating projects, and sitting through courses to determine the best options. Any course that we have not been able to personally test has been carefully chosen based on careful review of user feedback, discussion with instructors, the value, quality of content, and our experience with similar courses to make certain it meets the needs of a participant.

9 Best After Effects courses and classes for 2021

After Effects Bootcamp

This four-day After Effects class is for those who want to learn introductory to advanced motion graphics with the help of a live instructor. We like this class because the After Effects bootcamp starts with basic training on the interface and capabilities of After Effects and includes a foundation in motion graphics. The bootcamp then moves into advanced After Effects training and covers topics such as using masks for compositing, applying motion tracking and stabilization, applying color correction, applying 3D tracking, and more. If you would prefer to take the introductory and advanced courses separately, you can also enroll in them independently. This course makes it possible to learn After Effects inside of a single week in 2021.

Benefits of the After Effects Bootcamp:

• Learn about frame rate and resolution
• Get comfortable with the After Effects interface
• Discover how to manage media in After Effects
• Learn how to make composites using layers
• Find out how to create animations using keyframes
• See how to add text in Adobe After Effects
• Get comfortable with masking and alpha channels in Adobe After Effects
• Create exciting effects in Adobe After Effects
• Apply 3D in After Effects
• Discover motion tracking and motion stabilization with After Effects
• Discover how to use the 3D camera tracking
• See how to apply color corrections
• Create environmental effects like fog, smoke, fire, and more
• Learn how to output your project in Adobe After Effects
• Learn about rendering in After Effects

Format: Live Class meets at scheduled times either online or in-person

Course details and dates

Student Review: “The instructor was engaging and personable. He was able to effectively translate his depth of knowledge to a level appropriate for the class. Very willing to answer questions and checked for understanding frequently throughout the course. He easily transitioned from course content to specific detailed questions from the students. Excellent all around instructor. The days flew by.” -Matt.

After Effects Class – Introduction

We found this class to be a useful two-day Adobe After Effects class for beginners who want to gain foundational skills of motion graphics. What makes this Adobe After Effects class popular and so well-received is the limited class size with direct hands-on exercises. It is designed to provide a fast track for those wanting to quickly understand basic video editing skills.

Benefits of the After Effects - Introduction:

• Learn digital video basics in Adobe After Effects
• Find out about frame rate and resolution
• Create a project while learning about workspace
• Find out how to manage media
• Learn layer basics and how to create compositions
• Discover how to create animations using keyframes
• Discover how to add and animate text
• Learn how to mask and use alpha channels in Adobe After Effects
• Create and animate effect basics
• Learn basics of 3D in After Effects
• Learn how to render from a composition to various formats

Format: Live Class meets at scheduled times, either online or in-person

Course details and dates

Student Review: “This was my first course taken remotely. I thought we would lose the benefits of having the classes in person without the live interactions, but it went better than I anticipated, and everything went seamlessly smooth. I’ve been using AE for over a year but still found this intro training helpful. I learned how to make the animations more effectively by using different shortcuts. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable and knew everything about After Effects. I would recommend this course to others!”-Jessica

After Effects-Advanced

We tested this class and find it to be a useful advanced After Effects course is for motion graphic professionals who have a solid foundation and are looking to improve their efficiency and creativity. In this Adobe After Effects class you’ll learn advanced skills for creating dynamic content for use in broadcast, film, and on the Web. This course picks-up where the introductory course leaves off, providing you with additional skills along with tips and tricks to improve your efficiency and creativity.

Benefits of the Adobe After Effects-Advanced course

• Learn about chroma keying in After Effects
• Discover motion tracking vs stabilization
• Find out about 3D camera tracking
• Understand time remapping
• Learn how to apply color correction and color adjustments
• Use the After Effects cloning tools
• Discover Rotoscoping
• Create environmental effects like fog, smoke, and fire
• Discover how to render efficiently

Live instructor-led class

Format: Live Class meets at scheduled times either online or in-person

Course details and dates

Student Quote: “The instructor is obviously very knowledgeable about what he teaches. He explains things easily, and always provides extra tidbits and info to share. Also, he’s super nice and is very funny, which is always a plus for a teacher!” – Kristal

Video Editing Certificate with After Effects

We like this certificate because it includes several After Effect courses assembled with additional related coursework. Learn video editing with After Effects and related tools including Premiere Pro and Photoshop in this comprehensive video editing certificate. Participants learn to use video to create compelling stories and communicate through motion graphics. This multi-week course includes introductory through advanced After Effects courses along with project work and portfolio development.

Benefits of the After Effects Video Editing Certificate:

• Learn introductory through advanced video editing with After Effects
• Find out how to use After Effects and Premiere together to create motion graphics
• Find out how to manage media
• Learn the power of layers to create compositions
• Discover advanced video editing tools and techniques
• Discover how to create animations
• Learn to add effects and motion graphics to video
• Find out how to render your projects.
• Work on projects and develop a portfolio of work

Format: Live Class meets at scheduled times either online or in-person

Certificate details and dates

After Effects tutorial: Understanding frame rate and resolution in After Effects

This tutorial provides you with a foundation for working with Adobe After Effects frame rate and resolution. Video is essentially a series of individual still images that are displayed very quickly, one after the other. The frame rate of video is measured by the number of frames recorded or played back each second.

Benefits of the After Effects Tutorial:

• Find out about video standards and different frame rates
• Learn about pixels and resolution
• Find out about transparency

Format: self-paced tutorial 

Tutorial details

After Effects tutorial: Understanding the After Effects workspace

In this free After Effects tutorial, you discover how to navigate the After Effects workspace. You can open, hide, move, resize, float, or dock panels in the After Effects Workspace. This functionality makes the After Effects interface customizable to meet your preferences and working style.

Benefits of the After Effects Tutorial:

• Learn about the main sections in the interface
• Learn how to show and hide panels
• Find out how dock and undock panels
• Discover how to resize panels and save workspaces

Format: self-paced tutorial 

Tutorial details

After Effects tutorial: Understanding Motion Graphics in After Effects

This lesson provides an overview of the various types of motion graphics and digital video projects you can create in After Effects. It’s filled with important information that you need to know to work effectively in this application.

Benefits of the After Effects Tutorial:

• Find out how After effects is used for storytelling, creating visually appealing motion graphics that integrate into any medium to enhance a presentation, story, image, or mood
• See how After Effects is used for television and video graphics
• Find out how After Effects is used on the internet and mobile devices
• Learn how After Effects is used for desktop distribution and presentation graphics

Format: self-paced tutorial 

Tutorial details

After Effects CC Training Book: Digital Classroom

Adobe After Effects CC Digital Classroom is like having a personal instructor guiding you through each lesson while you work at your own pace. This After Effects book includes 12 self-paced lessons helping you learn essential skills and explore new features and capabilities of Adobe After Effects.

Benefits of the After Effects Tutorial:

• Provides full-color lessons with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions
• Covers all essential After Effects skills
• Gets you up-and-running quickly with included lesson files and video tutorials you access online
• Written by expert instructors who regularly teach After Effects training courses – it’s like having your own personal tutor
• Used by hundreds of schools and more than 100,000 readers

Format: step-by-step tutorials with lesson files

Adobe After Effects Digital Classroom details

After Effects private and customized training

If you can’t find exactly the topics or course you are looking for you can arrange a custom After Effects class ranging from three hours or more. Custom After Effects training is beneficial for individuals, organizations, and groups.

Benefits of private customized After Effects training:

• Classes can be tailored to your specific needs
• Private consultation with the instructor is included in the After Effects customized training
• If suitable, you can use your own materials as class files
• Available on-site at your location, a local training center, or remotely

Format: Live Class meets at arranged times either online or in-person

Custom and private After Effects training details