Labs: Frequently asked questions

This article provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding in-course and project-based labs. 

Table of contents

What are labs?

Labs are hands-on learning experiences that give learners the opportunity to put knowledge into action. By working through tasks or projects in a technical workspace, users move beyond theory to real application. Each lab also includes access to a dedicated companion workspace, providing a safe, risk-free environment where users can practice and refine their skills at their own pace. 

What are in-course labs?

In-course labs are practice experiences created by the course instructor and are embedded directly into a Udemy course and completed in secure, pre-configured environments.

With in-course labs, learners get:

  • Seamless video-to-lab integration that helps connect theory with practice.
  • Real-time practice of lab lessons using secure tailor-made workspaces.
  • AI-guided feedback on lab tasks to validate solutions, accelerate learning, and build confidence in job-ready skills.
  • Resource assets like sample datasets, setup instructions, and documentation to support learning.

Learn more about in-course labs.

What are project-based labs?

Project-based labs are standalone learning experiences where learners apply their skills by completing authentic, real-world projects in a companion workspace. Developed by subject matter experts, these labs provide practice opportunities outside the standard course experience.

With project-based labs:

  • Projects are framed in the context of real-world scenarios.
  • Modes allow learners to choose what level of guidance they want to receive while completing a project.
  • Automated Lab Review (ALR), available in Guided Challenge mode for select labs, provides learners with real-time, specific, and actionable feedback on their work.

Learn more about project-based labs.

Who can access labs and workspaces?

Access is dependent on plan type:

  • Learners in organizations with the Udemy Business Pro add-on can access in-course and project-based labs and their companion workspaces.
  • Learners with a Udemy Business Enterprise license can watch in-course lab instructions and view lab tasks, but accessing the companion workspace requires a Pro Add-on. 
  • Learners with a Team Plan license can also watch the in-course lab instructions and see the lab tasks, but can't access the companion workspace. To access the workspace and standalone lab projects, organizations on a Team Plan would need to upgrade to Udemy Business Enterprise and purchase the Pro add-on.

What should a learner do if they don’t have access to the in-course lab workspace?

When a learner from an organization without the Udemy Business Pro add-on is in a course with a lab, they'll be blocked from accessing the lab workspace and will see a message explaining that an enhanced license is required. 

Is the in-course lab content available in multiple languages?

Yes, instructors can create labs for their courses in the language of their choice. 

Are project-based labs available in multiple languages?

No, standalone lab projects are only available in English.

How can learners find courses with in-course labs?

Learners with a Udemy Business license can use the Labs filter under the courses search to find courses that include integrated labs. The results won't surface standalone lab projects.

How can learners find standalone, project-based labs?

To find lab projects, learners can navigate to the Explore menu, click on Labs ,then enter a topic in the labs landing page or use feature filters to narrow results.

Will learners need to enter additional credentials to log into the workspace from the in-course lab?

In most cases, learners can access a lab’s secure workspace without entering credentials. The exceptions are companion workspaces for Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform labs, which require learners to enter Udemy-provided credentials. 

Can learners pause, leave, or resume work in a lab?

In in-course labs, learners can't pause or resume a workspace once it has started. If they leave before finishing, the workspace will close, and their work won’t be saved. When they return, they’ll restart the lab in a fresh workspace from the beginning. 

In project-based labs, learners can pause the workspace and return later without losing progress, as long as they are within the workspace’s time limit.

Can learners check their task solutions?

Yes, learners can use the Udemy AI Assistant feature, AI task review, to receive feedback on their task solution. Learn more about using this feature.

How long are the workspace sessions?

In in-course labs, each workspace session lasts 60 minutes, but learners can restart the workspace as many times as needed to complete the lab. 

In project-based labs, the workspace duration varies by lab type. Cloud labs (such as AWS or Azure) provide a three-hour workspace. Non-cloud labs allow up to 14 days of access once the workspace is launched. As with in-course labs, learners can restart the workspace as many times as needed.

Which topics will in-course and project-based labs be available for?

Currently, in-course labs and their companion workspaces are available for data science, web development, IT Ops, AWS cloud, Amazon Bedrock, Azure Cloud, and Azure OpenAI topics.  More workspaces will be made available to instructors, enabling them to create labs for courses across popular technologies. 

Project-based labs are available for in-demand technical topics such as AI, cloud, data science, development, and security. 

Do learners need to complete in-course labs to finish the course and earn a completion certificate?

No. In-course labs are optional and don't count toward course completion. Learners can earn a course completion certificate without completing the labs.

Will labs be available for non-technical courses?

There are currently no plans to create in-course or project-based labs for non-technical topics, but stay tuned for further developments.

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