Coding bootcamps worldwide are touted as an inexpensive path to pursue a tech career. But how ‘affordable’ are they really? According to Nucamp, shockingly so. The school offers courses from as little as $349.
Nucamp, a brainchild of former Microsoft executive Ludovic Fourrage, was formed to make coding as accessible as possible to aspiring techies, and it does so by eliminating some of the barriers to technical education, especially on the financial side.
It’s well known that education almost always comes with a hefty price tag. This alone can hinder many from pursuing new skills to kickstart a tech career. For instance, an undergraduate computer science program can cost anywhere between $39,000 to $55,000 while the average tuition fee for a coding bootcamp in the US is $13,584.
As such, it is easy to see why the latter is becoming a favorite among prospective coders in recent years. Additionally, coding bootcamps also offer a slew of financing options like Income Share Agreements (ISAs) that students can use to fund their studies.
However, according to Nucamp, students may still at times wind up with the short end of the stick with ISAs. It also recommends students to study the fine prints to understand what they’re signing up for.
“We heard from our students that giving away 15% of your monthly pay is hard. And depending on the ISA agreement, you might have to take the first job offer you get, even if it’s not the career in tech that you were hoping for,” Mr. Fourrage said.
Nucamp’s Fair Student Agreement (FSA)
In light of this, Nucamp—a reasonably-priced bootcamp with courses well below $2,000—has introduced a new loan financing program called Fair Student Agreement that promises transparency and affordability.
“What we are offering is in the range of a Netflix subscription. Depending on the option you choose, you’d be able to pay between $8 to $20 a month until graduation.
“We think this is really going to make coding education really affordable and accessible to everyone. With our Fair Student Agreement you don’t have to give away a large portion of your salary,” Mr. Fourrage said.
Under the FSA loan umbrella, there are three types of payment models available to students; Best Deal, Faster Repayment, and Most Flexible. The first model will see zero interest and is offered directly by the school, while the other two will be offered through Climb Credit.
It should be noted that the Best Deal plan has unlimited availability while the plans with Climb Credit have a set maximum of agreements available every 5 weeks. Approvals will be given on a ‘first come, first serve basis.’ The school also welcomes all credit scores to apply as it does not, at this time, refuse applicants based on their credit scores alone.
Now, let’s break them down by course to gain better insights into Nucamp’s FSA:
Web Development Fundamentals (4 Week)
For this four-week prep course, students can pay $349 during registration and that will be the only payment required by the school. There will be no additional charges or credit checks involved.
Front-End Web + Mobile Development (17 weeks)
Best Deal
Students get the option to pay the fees into four payments of $370, totaling a maximum of $1,480 with no interest. There will be a $370 registration fee and payments begin on the first day of class.
Faster Repayment
Students will either pay between $85 to $89/month for 18 months or pay $125 to $130/month for 12 months, which brings a maximum total of $1,715. There will be a $100 registration fee and payments begin on the first day of class.
Most Flexible
This option lets students pay as low as $8 to $16 a month until graduation. After that, students can opt to pay $85 to $89/month for 18 months, or pay $125 to $130/month for 12 months, bringing the total to a maximum of $1,799. This means, during the course period, students will pay only the interests and the loan payments will be deferred accordingly. There will be a $100 registration fee and payments begin on the first day of class.
Full Stack Web + Mobile Development (22 weeks)
Best Deal
Students get to break the fees into five payments of $376, totaling a maximum of $1,880 with no interest. There will be a $376 registration fee and payments begin on the first day of class.
Faster Repayment
Students will either pay between $110 to $115/month for 18 months or pay $162 to $167/month for 12 months, for a maximum total of $2,183. There will be a $100 registration fee and payments begin on the first day of class.
Most Flexible
This option lets students pay as low as $10 to $20 a month until graduation. After that, students can opt to pay $110 to $115/month for 18 months, or pay $162 to $167/month for 12 months, bringing the total to a maximum of $2,292. This means, during the course period, they will pay only the interests and the loan payments will be deferred accordingly. There will be a $100 registration fee, and payments begin on the first day of class.
Why You Should Pick Nucamp’s FSA
Nucamp Coding Bootcamp has curated unique payment plans that are manageable by students from all kinds of backgrounds; full-time professionals, fresh graduates, career-changers, part-timers, and even those seeking employment. These were introduced to ensure tech aspirants can obtain technical skills that are overpriced.
Although similar offerings may be offered by other bootcamps, they are typically in the form of ISAs which still require students to pay up in the event that they could not continue their bootcamp education. On the other hand, Nucamp boasts a 75% graduation rate and guarantees refunds according to state laws if the students don’t graduate.
Front-End Web + Mobile Development graduate Isaiah Thomas applauded the introduction of FSA, adding that it is highly timely: “I think it’s great to give future students options. I mostly like how Nucamp is more realistic than the ISAs of traditional bootcamps because that was a huge reason I decided to choose Nucamp. I think this is really awesome especially with people’s current financial situations due to the pandemic.”
Meanwhile, another graduate of the same program, Hiwot K said: “I love that Nucamp is able to offer different payment options. I had initially understood it as an option for students to pay after they secured a job…However, this is an affordable loan to minimize monthly payments by extending the payment period. “
“The Most Flexible plan is five monthly payments + 18 or 12 monthly payments after graduation, which gives students 23 months to pay the tuition. This is a great financing alternative.”
At Nucamp, students are in safe hands. Based on the most recent report, 78% of its graduates are employed within three months after the bootcamps. Students enrolled in its advanced courses will also enjoy 1:1 career coaching upon graduation, where they will receive resume and interview preparation tips, and learn how to optimize their LinkedIn profiles, among others.
On top of that, Nucamp graduates have access to its Exclusive Job Board which features openings for junior developer positions. Every month, the school reaches out to 1,000 companies to curate jobs for its graduates.
How Nucamp Keeps the Costs Low
The school believes that instructor-led education should not be expensive. Mr. Fourrage said it is possible to offer an industry-approved curriculum at the fraction of the ‘market price’ without compromising on the quality, adding that it all boils down to effective operations and smart business decisions.
“To understand how we keep our costs low, you must first understand what you’re paying for at other universities or schools. For example, a four-year university’s tuition could cost around $30,000 to $50,000.
“This is because you’re paying for professor salaries, staff salaries, building construction and maintenance, utilities, security, research, and others. Most bootcamps are no different. They have an office space, instructor salaries, utilities, maintenance, course licensing, etc,” Mr. Fourrage said.
He added that Nucamp is able to significantly cut down on these costs by renting local co-working spaces instead. This is in tandem with its mission to support the growth of local businesses and foster a stronger tech presence in smaller towns that are often overlooked by bigger companies.
The school also produces its own course content with the help of its instructors and stakeholders, who are seasoned industry experts like Mr. Fourrage himself.
Additionally, Nucamp saves a lot by employing talented local professionals who share a passion for teaching. This means that students are able to learn first-hand from real-life tech professionals. With this opportunity, professionals are also able to support their incomes and give back to the community by training the next generation of developers.
“We pass all these savings on to you. No one should pay tens of thousands of dollars for 14 weeks. Our longest course is 22 weeks and costs only $1,880,” the school said.
Scholarships Available for Nucamp Students
In its efforts to maximize the reach for technical education opportunities, Nucamp is also offering three different scholarships that students could explore. Please note that they are only available at the moment for the Best Deal FSA offer. The school is working on extending the same facility to the other FSA offers.
Nucamp Veterans and Active Duty Members Scholarship
The school partners up with Warrior Rising, a non-profit that assists U.S. military veterans and active duty service members in reaching their entrepreneurial dreams, to give away $50,000 in scholarship funds. This initiative is aimed at equipping veterans with software development skills to up the ante and continue to expand their businesses.
The Nucamp Veterans and Active Duty Members Scholarship fund will be delivered either via refund or adjustment of the tuition monthly payment plan. It is set and distributed as follows:
- 4 Weeks Web Development Fundamentals Bootcamp: $50 Scholarship
- 17 Weeks Front End Web and Mobile Development Bootcamp: $370 Scholarship for a $1,480 total tuition (early bird), or $445 for a $1,780 tuition (regular)
- 22 Weeks Full Stack Web and Mobile Development Bootcamp: $376 Scholarship for a $1,880 total tuition (early bird), or $436 for a $2,180 tuition (regular)
At the time of writing, there is $40,791 left in funds. Veterans interested in applying can register for a course, send an email to studentadmin@nucamp.co with proof of their Military Service via DFAS, and wait for their request to be processed in the next 48 hours. Check out the scholarships page for more details.
ReSkill America
As a part of the pandemic relief efforts, Nucamp is offering a $50,000 ReSkill America Scholarship Fund for individuals economically impacted by the Covid-19 and looking to start a new career in tech. This scholarship is done through collaboration with Career Karma and the Kapor Center. Those who qualify will receive a laptop and a scholarship to study at Nucamp.
The fund will be delivered either via refund or adjustment of the tuition monthly payment plan. It is set and distributed as follows:
- 4 Weeks Web Development Fundamentals Bootcamp: $50 Scholarship
- 17 Weeks Front End Web and Mobile Development Bootcamp: $343 Scholarship for a $1,480 total tuition (early bird), or $403 for a $1,780 tuition (regular)
- 22 Weeks Full Stack Web and Mobile Development Bootcamp: $353 Scholarship for a $1,880 total tuition (early bird), or $414 for a $2,180 tuition (regular)
At the time of writing, there is $40,342 left in funds. Visit the scholarships page for more details about the requirements and application process.
High School Graduates
This is a $50,000 scholarship dedicated to high-school graduates who graduated in 2020 or 2019 and are 18 years old or older. The scholarship is aimed at encouraging the youth to explore an affordable alternative to expensive colleges and kickstart a tech career.
The fund will be delivered either via refund or adjustment of the tuition monthly payment plan. It is set and distributed as follows:
- 4 Weeks Web Development Fundamentals Bootcamp: $50 Scholarship
- 17 Weeks Front End Web and Mobile Development Bootcamp: $343 Scholarship for a $1,480 total tuition (early bird), or $403 for a $1,780 tuition (regular)
- 22 Weeks Full Stack Web and Mobile Development Bootcamp: $353 Scholarship for a $1,880 total tuition (early bird), or $414 for a $2,180 tuition (regular)
At the time of writing, there is $47,813 left in funds. Visit the scholarships page for more details about the requirements and application process.
Join Nucamp Today!
Nucamp’s newly-launched Fair Student Agreement offers an affordable financing plan with payment models that are reasonable and highly manageable by prospective coders from all walks of life. There has never been a better time to embark on the path of tech and your journey toward a more rewarding career begins right here with Nucamp.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
