Coding bootcamps range in price from around $7,500 for a part-time program to $13,500 for a full-time program, on average. While there are a variety of ways to cover the cost, scholarships are the first option you should pursue.
Why Scholarships?
Unlike other forms of financial aid — like loans — scholarships are free money, meaning you won’t have to pay them back. Loans, on the other hand, are borrowed money, meaning you’ll need to pay them back with interest. By maximizing the amount of free money you receive, you can limit the amount you borrow in loans.
8 Scholarships for Coding Bootcamp
Here’s 8 of the most compelling coding bootcamp scholarships we found:
Horatio Alger Career and Technical Scholarship
- Details: Awarded to students who have overcome great obstacles and wish to pursue a career or technical education at an accredited non-profit institution
- Amount: $2,500
- Application Deadline: Rolling
- Details: Awarded to Black or African-American students enrolled in the Hack Reactor 19-week Beginning Coding Bootcamp
- Amount: Full tuition
- Application Deadline: Varies based on the program start date
Women Who Code + Linux Foundation Scholarship
- Details: Women Who Code has partnered with The Linux Foundation, a non-profit hub for developers, to offer 50 full scholarships
- Amount: Access to any Linux Foundation eLearning course for one year
- Application Deadline: June 30th
- Details: Brainstation offers a variety of scholarships for enrolled bootcamp students, specifically intended for different groups such as entrepreneurs, veterans, and women.
- Amount: Varies
- Application Deadline: Varies
Flatiron School Access Scholarship
- Details: The Flatiron School offers three scholarship opportunities for enrolled students — the Access Scholarship, the Women Take Tech Scholarship, and a Merit Scholarship.
- Amount: $1,000+
- Application Deadline: Ongoing
Code Platoon Veteran and Military Spouse Scholarship
- Details: Awarded to veterans and military spouses who plan to attend Code Platoon
- Amount: Up to $15,000
- Application Deadline: Ongoing
Lesbians Who Tech Edie Windsor Coding Scholarship
- Details: Awarded to queer and non-binary students that plan to attend a partner program
- Amount: Up to 50% of tuition
- Application Deadline: Varies
DevPoint Labs Learn to Code Scholarship
- Details: Offers two scholarships — Women in Tech and Diversity in Tech — awarded to students enrolled in the Salt Lake City Full-Time ProEd Web Development program or the Salt Lake City Part-Time Web Development classes
- Amount: 50% off tuition
- Application Deadline: October 8th
Where to Find Scholarships for Coding Bootcamp
Most scholarships are intended for college students, which can make finding coding bootcamp scholarships quite the hassle if you’re doing a simple Google search. Instead, use the list below to tailor your search.
Your Program
Your program itself likely offers scholarships. However, unlike a college education, you may not see these scholarships automatically awarded to you in your acceptance letter. You may need to contact the program directly to inquire about the opportunities.
For example, Coding Dojo offers the Coding Dojo Fresh Start Fund Scholarship for students enrolled full-time in their bootcamp. Codewise offers the Fellows Diversity Scholarship for students from underserved backgrounds, but you must be enrolled in a Code Fellows course to qualify.
Local Organizations
Local organizations — like your local Rotary group, nonprofits, and even the senior center — may offer scholarship opportunities. If you’re unsure where to look, don’t be afraid to contact the local high school for information. If they’re preparing their students for college, they may be willing to share the available scholarship opportunities with you.
Your Parents’ Employers
Some companies offer scholarships for employees and their families. Research your parents’ or guardians’ company to see what they offer, or contact them directly to inquire.
Do Service for Scholarships
Sites like DoSomething.org incentivize users to complete service by counting the hours completed as entries to scholarship opportunities. If you’re already doing service hours, it might be worthwhile to sign up for a DoSomething program to put those hours to use.
Contact Alumni Organizations
If your program has an alumni organization, consider reaching out to them. You may find these groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, or via a simple Google search. In some cases, they may offer scholarships, but you’ll likely need to seek them out.
Tip: Skip Scholarship Search Websites
Most scholarship search engines, like Scholarships.com, Niche, and Fastweb, won’t be worthwhile to explore. While they compile thousands of scholarships into one place, they often don’t have much for coding bootcamp students. Their focus is primarily on college scholarships, which won’t benefit you.
What to Do if You Don’t Get Enough Scholarships
If you don’t receive enough scholarships to cover the cost of the program, don’t panic. There are other ways to cover the bill.
Ask Your Employer
If you’re currently working, review your employee handbook and benefits package. Over half of employers offer tuition assistance for furthering your education, but just 2% of employees participate in the program. In some cases, your employer may cover the entire cost of the program, so it isn’t an opportunity you want to miss out on.
Look for Employers That Cover the Cost
If your employer doesn’t offer tuition assistance, it might be worthwhile to look for one that does. Companies like Amazon, Starbucks, and Apple offer reimbursement for qualified education expenses.
Borrow a Student Loan
Student loans should be your last resort. While it isn’t bad to borrow, you’ll need to pay the loan back with interest, so it’s best to explore all other options before taking out a loan.
If you do borrow, make sure to use a student loan search tool like Meratas to find the best loan option for you. Otherwise, you’ll need to search one-by-one via Google, and most results will show lenders that don’t work with bootcamp students. The Meratas Lender Marketplace, however, is designed specifically for trade, tech, and bootcamp students, so you won’t see loan offers you don’t qualify for.
