We connect learners and alumni with opportunities to succeed and thrive in technology careers. Share your info, and we’ll email details about courses in your area. Opportunities available for those with or without prior tech experience.
Now celebrating 30 years of unlocking potential, Per Scholas is a national non-profit providing tuition-free tech career training. Thanks to our donors and corporate partners, courses are always offered at no charge to our learners — no cost, no catch.
Receive hands-on learning and mentorship to prepare for the job, industry-recognized certifications (paid for by us), and your career.
Learners work with the Learner Support team to gain financial control and design success plans for personal goals, wellness and more.
20% of our curriculum focuses on Professional Development with opportunities for mock interviews, resume refreshes, and other Job Search prep support with opportunities for one-on-one coaching now and after you graduate.
Learners are connected to a network of 20k+ alumni and 850+ employer partners across the country.
Per Scholas courses are 100% cost-free to the learner. There are no fees before, during, or after. We cover tuition, materials, and the cost of certifications when applicable. However, since our training is full-time, and requires strict attendance and a commitment to studying, there is an opportunity cost – time, transportation (when in-person), meals, and in some cases, professional business attire.
Per Scholas requires a Monday through Friday full time (typically 9 am-5 pm) commitment. On average, you can expect a commitment of 30-40 hours in-class and 20 hours (3 hours a day) out of class studying.
No. For classes tied to a physical Per Scholas campus, we require candidates to live within a commutable distance to best facilitate our professional development and support in helping you secure full time employment. We do have National Remote training courses open to applicants from any US city; however, these are based on employer demand so start dates and requirements may not be consistent throughout the year.
In general, learners must:
See specific requirements by class on the individual course pages.
Our admissions process varies by campus and course but here is what you can generally expect. After you complete an application, you’ll learn about the admissions process for your specified course and campus. For instance, some courses require a technical assessment and certain campuses require a background check.
Yes. We do have classes that are online/remote. Whether remote or in-person all of our classes are live and instructor-led with strict attendance policies. The individual course pages will tell you if the course is delivered in person or remotely. Additionally, for classes tied to a physical Per Scholas campus, we require candidates to live within a commutable distance to best facilitate our professional development and support in helping you secure FT employment.
Per Scholas provides small financial assistance stipends to learners in specific courses or based on individual learner need on a limited basis. We do not pay learners a full hourly or annual salary. This is because we offer up to $15k of cost-free training to each learner and 2 years of additional training opportunities, coaching, and professional development.
Since our training is live, instructor-led courses we have a strict Monday-Friday full-time schedule during daytime hours. At this time we do not have weekend or evening classes available. Some people are able to coordinate with current employers for more flexible scheduling with night/weekend shifts but we know it isn’t possible for everyone.
During the admissions process, we will assess each candidate’s needs on a case-by-case basis. For remote learners that do not have sufficient tech access, we do have limited supplies of loaner equipment.
The goal of all of our training is to help you secure/obtain employment and take the next step in your tech career. We work with you throughout the training on technical skills and professional development. Once you complete your course, we will help connect you with opportunities at employer partners and provide ongoing career coaching. While 80% of our grads land jobs after the training, we do not guarantee a job.
If you want to take another Per Scholas course, we ask that you wait at least a year after graduation to apply. This will allow you to gain some real world experience!
Per Scholas' training was the challenge that, at the end of the day, got me closer to my dreams.
Per Scholas is a great program. You come out either certified or with all the knowledge you could have possibly accrued. You have the foundation to be able to succeed. It works for everybody - it’s not something where you need to have a certain skill set before applying.
After Per Scholas, I was suddenly getting interviews because Per Scholas is well-known and reputable. It has been night and day in terms of the difference between before and after Per Scholas.
I was able to build on my mindset, my character, and my technical skills. I am grateful for Per Scholas in many ways.
I don’t know any other course that does this; we were introduced into the world of IT with a network already in place.
If someone had told me that this was where I would be now, I would never have believed them. I have a completely different outlook on life. My future is something that I never thought it could be.
As a single parent, I wasn’t making enough money to afford to go to a coding boot camp. When I found Per Scholas, it challenged me, and though it wasn’t easy, it was worth it. I graduated debt-free and could be an example to my daughter.
During my training at Per Scholas there was a ton of support, especially from the other women and other non-traditional learners that also had the same thoughts I had. They told me it’s not too late to go into doing what you really want to do.
Per Scholas really set the pace; it was so rigorous and fast-paced that I can go right into this job and keep up.
Per Scholas helped me to discover both a career path and how to have a work-life balance so that I could spend time with my loved ones.
As I was applying and going through interviews, there was a gap between where my college education brought me and where companies expected me to know things about the technology industry. Per Scholas taught me so much that I wasn’t able to learn in school.
You can teach someone how to code, but you cannot teach passion or drive, and that is what my Per Scholas colleagues and I have.
Considering candidates like me who trained through alternative routes motivates me to work hard and gain experience on the job. Graduates like me want to grow in our careers.
Per Scholas gave me a restart in life and it allowed me to rebuild that confidence and enter a field where I can make a competitive income to sustain myself in Boston.
Per Scholas made it easier for me to learn and now I am an earning member of my family. What can be greater than that?
I learned a lot of things, and I feel like I was able to grow, not just professionally, but as a person.
Systems Support
IT Support offers the opportunity to earn the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and the CompTIA A+ certification, equipping you with the knowledge to fill a wide range of entry-level technology jobs. Recommended starting point for learners with no previous tech work experience or coursework.
Certifications CompTIA A+, Google IT Support Professional Certificate
This course is currently offered in select locations. Candidates must live within eligible distance of the Per Scholas location to be eligible.
Cloud
This 15-week skills development training prepares individuals for positions in the cloud through real-world, scenario-based learning, labs, and coursework. Currently offered online. Previous tech work experience or education preferred.
Certifications AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Partners
This course is currently offered in select locations. Candidates must live within eligible distance of the Per Scholas location to be eligible.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Analyst offers the opportunity to earn the Cybersecurity Analyst Certification (CySA+) and Splunk Core Certified User Certification, equipping you with fundamental concepts in security specialties and hands-on training to enter this ever growing field as a cybersecurity analyst. Previous tech work experience or education preferred.
Certifications CompTIA CySA+, Splunk Core Certified Power User
This course is currently offered in select locations. Candidates must live within eligible distance of the Per Scholas location to be eligible.
Software Engineering
The 15-week Software Engineering course dives deep into every aspect of software engineering - computer science, React, Node, design patterns & system architecture, and more. Previous knowledge recommended.
This course is currently offered in select locations. Candidates must live within eligible distance of the Per Scholas location to be eligible.
Software Engineering
This 15-week Full Stack Java Development course provides learners the foundations to learn or advance their Java knowledge with the critical skills needed to excel in contemporary web development using the Java SE and EE frameworks. This course is not offered on a continuous basis. Previous knowledge recommended.
Available to learners within the United States who do not live in the area of Columbus (OH), the National Capital Region, or the states of IL, KS, KY, MD, AR, DE, ND, RI, WY, AL, IA, or OK.
Systems Support
Salesforce Administrator will provide learners with the opportunity to earn the Salesforce Administrator certification and a variety of Salesforce Trailhead Badges through rigorous remote training covering a variety of topics to prepare for entry-level Salesforce Administrator roles. This course is not offered on a continuous basis. Suitable for all levels.
Certifications Salesforce Administrator Certification
This course is currently offered in select locations. Candidates must live within eligible distance of the Per Scholas location to be eligible.
This course is only offered at select Per Scholas locations. Choose a location to get the most accurate course information.
To recognize the hard work and commitment of our full Per Scholas team, Per Scholas will be closed from June 30th through July 4, 2025. This break is designed for all staff and learners to recharge and enjoy time off this summer, doing things they love most with family and friends. Communications will be limited during this period.
