Ada Developers Academy is more than a “coding bootcamp.” To be successful at Ada, applicants must be willing to commit themselves to all aspects of the program and embrace our values of community, inclusivity, and lifelong learning.
Who Can Apply
- You have permanent work authorization in the United States and will be in the United States during your enrollment in the program. Examples include: U.S. Citizen, permanent resident, or have an employment authorization card. Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Circular Practical Training (CPT) for F-1 students are not eligible for our program.
- You can participate for the entire duration of the program, which is full-time, Monday through Friday.
- You must be at least 21 years of age.
- All women and gender-expansive adults are encouraged to apply. For more, please read our inclusivity statement.
Due to the nature of our relationships with our company partners, please keep in mind all accepted students will go through a background check. If you are concerned about your background check, understand that we are open to discussing your situation on a case-by-case basis.
What We Look For
- Passion for software development: you have invested time learning about software development and know that it is the career for you. You have worked on different projects and cannot wait to tackle your next one. You have ideas about what you’d like to do with your skills in or out of the workplace. You have tried to learn on your own and are hungry for more. You have an insatiable desire to develop and grow your coding skills.
- Aptitude for learning: you have a demonstrated ability to think creatively, analytically, and with depth about problems. You have not been coding long and haven’t been formally trained, but you have been able to develop your skills through self-study quickly. You display curiosity. Your ability to self-study and leverage resources has prepared you for Ada and a career in software development.
- Investment in social justice, diversity, and inclusion: community is critical at Ada. You demonstrate a strong open-mindedness to learn and recognize one’s biases, a desire to be inclusive, and a willingness to self-advocate and advocate for others. Read about our mission here.
- Grit: the Ada program is demanding and intense. You have demonstrated the ability to work through obstacles despite setbacks and failures throughout your past. While you know this program will be a challenge, you are ready and excited to pursue your goals.
- Composure under stress: you will learn a lot during your time at Ada and be challenged in many ways. You have the proven ability to adapt and to cope with stress. You are also adept at clearly communicating your needs and asking for help.
- Ability to work well with others: You will interact and work with people all of the time, whether your peers, instructors, staff, volunteers, company partners, and more. You have a track record of collaborating well with others and being a team player. You care about the success of others and want to support them. You also know that constructive feedback is an integral part of working with others.
Possible Disqualifications
- Underqualified for Ada: you are completely new to coding or have tried very little. While you are not expected to be an expert coder, you should have completed the Ada Build curriculum and tried other tutorials by the time you apply.
- Overqualified for Ada: you have spent a significant amount of time studying Computer Science or have worked as a software developer. Examples of overqualification include, but are not limited to: having a major, minor, or Associate’s degree in Computer Science or a closely related degree; having attended another full-time coding bootcamp; previous work experience as a developer.
- Incomplete Application: make sure to follow all of the instructions in the application. If your application is incomplete, it will automatically be disqualified.
- No U.S. Work Authorization: at this time, we are not able to sponsor student or work visas. You must have permanent work authorization and be eligible to work in the U.S. when you apply to be considered for admission.
- No COVID-19 Vaccination: all Ada students are required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. If a student believes they need an exemption to this vaccine requirement, you can request an exemption after you are offered admission to the cohort.
Please contact admissions@adadevelopersacademy.org if you have questions about eligibility.
Ready to Start Your Coding Journey?
Ada Core program cohorts start twice a year, in September and March. The application window opens approximately six months prior to the start of the cohort for about a three-week duration.