The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is making some of its gemmological courses accessible to the public for free in light of the Covid-19 crisis.

The GIA Essentials online courses in diamonds, coloured stones and jewellery is available for first-time enrollments from May 4, 2020 through June 29, 2020.

Eligible courses include Jewelry Essentials (GEM 110), Colored Stone Essentials (GEM 120) and Diamond Essentials (GEM 130).

Students may earn the GIA Applied Jewelry Professional™ (AJP) diploma by completing the three courses.

“Giving access to these foundational courses during this unprecedented time is part of our mission,” said Duncan Pay, senior vice president and chief academic officer of GIA. “Helping to train gem and jewellery professionals ultimately protects consumers and helps to ensure their trust.”

The Essentials courses are entirely online and allow students to work at their own pace within the three-month maximum completion period for each course. These courses are required for many other GIA credential programmes. No prior experience or gemmological equipment is necessary for these courses.