autodidact; self-taught person
Refers to someone who learns independently, without formal schooling or a teacher. Often used in contexts of self-study, especially for academic or skill-based subjects.
He learned programming as a self-taught person.
Teaching materials for self-learners are increasing.
Compound of 独 (self, alone) + 学 (study, learning) + 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a standard Sino-Japanese pattern for forming agent nouns.