A step-by-step guide for how to apply to our 12-week and 36-week coding bootcamps.
Please visit our new website for the most up-to-date information on Hack Reactor coding programs, scholarships, and more.
From the day you decide to apply, to Day 1 of the bootcamp, our admissions process will likely take you somewhere between 2-4 months. It'll be challenging, but rewarding, and once you're in the bootcamp, you'll know you're among incredible peers, all ready, motivated, and vetted for success.
We have a separate admissions process for our new 19-week Coding Bootcamp with JavaScript and Python. Learn more here here.
Non-Technical Skills Assessments
Submit Application
Complete Basic Prep (Recommended)
Technical Admissions Assessment
You’ll be required to complete the following non-technical skills assessments:
The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) (15 minutes)
A quick typing test (1 minute)
The CCAT is a proven, scientifically validated aptitude test that measures an individual’s ability to solve problems, digest and apply information, learn new skills, and think critically.
We chose the CCAT because it’s created by an unbiased third party and helps us learn about you in a unique way that’s not dependent on your previous jobs, careers, or level of education. Research shows that cognitive aptitude is one of the most accurate predictors of job success: twice as predictive as job interviews, three times as predictive as experience, and four times as predictive as education level.
Learn more about the CCAT and how to prepare for it here.
Next, fill out your application, which takes around 10-20 minutes to complete. You’ll be asked to share a bit about your background, coding experience, and professional goals.
To get into our 12- and 36-week programs, all applicants are required to pass our Technical Admissions Assessment (TAA), which tests for intermediate coding competency. (Read more about the TAA below.)
To help you prepare, we offer a free, self-paced Basic Prep course with a curriculum that builds from software engineering basics to more complex problems.
First, the coding challenge: After passing both non-technical assessments, you'll move on to our coding challenge, which covers many of the concepts and skills required of our bootcamp candidates. This challenge will give you a good idea of your preparedness for the TAA and the bootcamp. Struggling for a long duration on the challenge can be a sign that more study is necessary.
Then, the Technical Admissions Assessment (TAA): After you successfully complete the coding challenge, you'll be asked to book your TAA. During this assessment, we'll present you with a coding problem that evaluates your fluency in JavaScript fundamentals and your ability to tackle problems in a collaborative setting. You may take the assessment up to three times, with at least two weeks between attempts. After each attempt, you'll be contacted by an Enrollment Advisor within two business days to discuss results and next steps.
By the time you take the TAA, you should be comfortable with callbacks in JavaScript, passing functions as arguments to other functions, and using both anonymous functions and functions stored in variables as callback arguments. You'll need a strong foundation in composing and using objects, arrays, and functions.
Each proctored TAA session is approximately 75 minutes long. Although up to 20 candidates may be participating, you'll be working on the assessment problems by yourself. A session consists of:
A group introduction:
- in a group Zoom room
- 5 to 10 minutes
Individual work on the assessment problems:
- in your own recorded Zoom room
- help from proctors is available
- 55 minutes (timed)
A group wrap up:
- in a group Zoom room
- includes a question and answer period
- 5 to 10 minutes
TAA Deadline
To have enough time to complete the enrollment process and Precourse curriculum, the latest you can schedule the TAA is 4 weeks prior to the immersive start date. For more information and sample problems, visit here.
Before you do, read through this list of everything you’ll need to successfully navigate the admissions process and start the bootcamp ready to learn.
Attitude and approach
You’re excited to embark on a challenging and rewarding journey toward a new career.
You’re interested in and have researched what it means to be a professional software engineer.
You’re ready to work incredibly hard on an individual level and to collaborate with your classmates in ways that mirror professional environments.
You know when to ask for help, and you’re open to accepting it from your instructors, classmates, and career advisors.
Logistics
You can attend all class sessions and commit to completing coursework on time.
You’ve read through our tuition options and understand your best route forward.
You have a plan for how to cover living expenses while in the program (particularly if you’re applying for one of our full-time programs).
After you've passed the TAA, you'll recieve notice of your acceptance in your program of choice. Within 1-2 business days, you’ll receive your Student Enrollment Agreement, which is valid for seven days after receipt.
Next, you’ll receive a program deposit invoice. In order to ensure your seat in the cohor of your choice, please submit your deposit within 3 days of receiving the invoice. (If you need to defer to a later cohort, please notify our enrollment team or the registrar no less than 3 weeks prior to your originally scheduled start date.)
Prior to your start date, you’ll be required to complete the Precourse curriculum, which will take you anywhere from 90-120 hours to complete. You'll finish with a strong foundation in JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and more, which will prepare you for your upcoming intense and rewarding learning experience.
Students who aren't financing their tuition can either submit full payment upfront during the first week of class or can split tuition into two payments. Please refer to your Enrollment Agreement for your particular payment schedule. San Francisco Software Engineering students will automatically have their tuition split into two payments.
Read through our Student Financing FAQs.
