FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Below we prepared a list of the most asked questions. If you still feel like your question has not really been answered you can email us your question and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

 

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

What is '42'?

42 is a private, tuition-free coding school. It was founded in Paris in 2013 - Ecole 42. With a disruptive peer-to-peer education model and philosophy, 42 has achieved great results (100% of well-employed graduates, 80% have opportunities before graduation, 30% build their own companies, 50% never coded before). Due to their success, other 42 schools opened up all around the world. Currently there are 36 partner schools in more than 20 countries with more than 10,000 students. 42 Heilbronn and 42 Wolfsburg are the first German 42 schools.

Why are there no teachers in 42?

42 uses a project-based learning approach, in which you develop your own solutions, supported by your peers. 42 provides the learning environment, and ensures that you are making progressing along the curriculum.

What is peer-to-peer learning?

Peer-to-peer learning is an education model where students learn from each other instead of learning from an appointed teacher. It emphasizes critical thinking, teamwork and communication. Students also evaluate each other and learn from explaining to peers.

What does project-based learning mean?

In project-based learning, students gain a deeper knowledge of a subject through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems. They learn by doing and thinking critically, rather than by following instructions and memorizing.

Who will assess the quality of my projects?

The projects will be evaluated by your fellow students using guidelines from 42. You will learn how to deliver and receive 'code reviews', feedback on the software that you develop.

What language is used at 42 Heilbronn?

All of 42’s content and projects are available in English. English is an important language to be able to thrive in the digital world and we want our students to think globally. At 42 Heilbronn we use English as our common basic language to enable non-german speakers to participate and contribute and to empower german-speakers to work internationally.

Does the school organize any activities?

Yes! The best way to prepare our students for a job is by organizing regular events with guest speakers and other forms of collaborations with companies and organizations, such as hackathons and workshops.

Why would students choose 42 over traditional university or college?

42 Heilbronn offers a program that is 100% practical and focused on coding. You'll work in teams and write code every day. In a study conducted by 'Stack Overflow', 54% of software engineering ("Informatik") graduates rated their study-content as outdated, and that self study is required to be able to start a career in coding. At 42, students are immediately learning the principles of coding, while content is being updated on a regular basis. During the specialization phase of your studies, you are exposed to fresh, practical projects (AI, app development, operating systems, security), which allows you to build a portfolio of your work in advance of a job interview.

What are the main differences between 42 and a coding bootcamp?

The 42 program is 100% free. It teaches the foundations of coding, and does not focus on a specific language or operating system. Above all, you to learn how to learn.

CURRICULUM

How long does it take to complete the Program?

We firmly believe that each student is unique. You can learn at your own pace. On average, our students complete their time at 42 in 2-4 years.

What does the curriculum include?

You start building a base in the C programming language, the UNIX operating system and fundamental programming concepts. As you progress towards your first internship, you will explore introductory branches in UNIX, graphics and web programming. After the internship, the curriculum will include deeper projects in many fields of software engineering: mobile development, web security, kernel design, network architecture, game development, artificial intelligence, data engineering, and many other areas of coding and IT.

Do I have to follow the curriculum to the end?

No, you decide for yourself when to leave or when you feel ready for the job market. If you are offered a job, we are happy about it :)  

After the basics, you are at junior level (that takes about 18 months) and then if you want to specialize after the paid internship, you just come back to us and work your way through the areas that interest you and bring you closer to your professional goals.

How is the curriculum kept current?

The original curriculum was created in 2013 by Ecole 42’s team, which consists of veterans in the computer science educational field in France. It has evolved since then by the educational staff in Paris and other schools, co-operation with companies and even students. The curriculum is updated on a monthly basis.

Is the program full-time?

At 42, there are no scheduled classes. You organize your work and your schedule. The school is open 24 hours a day throughout the year, and you can expect to spend most of your working time on campus – 40 hours per week on average (during the Selection Piscine more than sixty hours per week). We recommend to see the program as a full-time activity, however, there are students who study and work part-time.

Is it possible to attend the curriculum online?

42 Heilbronn is an on-site program. It is an essential component of the community-based learning model of 42. During the pandemic, we are following strict, public protocol, which allows to offer studying on-site. However, if authorities call for a full lockdown, we have the technical means to shift to support hybrid or remote learning.

Do I have to move to Heilbronn?

The program is on-site. So living in or close to Heilbronn may be helpful. We can support you with information on housing, and we also provide discounts for some housing options. For the time of the Piscine we offer subsidized prices for the nearby youth hostel.

Is studying at 42 Heilbronn really free?

Yes, 100% free. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to develop their talents and fulfill their dreams, regardless of their background and resources. We will not charge you anything before, during, or after your journey at 42 Heilbronn. This is possible thanks to the generous support of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, our main sponsor and many more partner companies.

Can I switch to another campus in the 42 network?

The location where you did your Piscine is the Campus where you will also pass the core curriculum. After your first internship, you can change to any 42 campus within the 42 network. Have a look at the map on our homepage to see where 42 is located across the world.

ADMISSION & PISCINE

How can I apply?

The admission includes several steps:

1. Register at apply.42heilbronn.de (5 Min)
2. Play two logic games (2-3 hours)
3. Meet us in an introduction meeting (1 hour)
4. Attend the Piscine (4-weeks)

Will the admission be online?

As everyone else we have to stick to current law and restrictions. Here's the guidelines for the steps in the admission process:
1. Registration: always possible, always online
2. Logic games: possible after registration, always online
3. Introduction meeting: registration only possible after successful completion of logic games. Currently online. If the Corona situation improves we might also do introduction meetings on campus. Please find important dates on the Homepage in the section "NEXT UP".
4. Piscine: registration possible after participation in the introduction meeting. The Piscines are designed to be on site in Heilbronn. If the Corona situation doesn't allow this or if we are concerned about health security we will have the possibility to hold the Piscine online.

What is the 'Piscine'?

The word “Piscine” is the French word for “swimming pool”: dive into the deep end of coding, and learn how to swim - together with your peers. The Piscine is a four week long trial period. During the Piscine, you will discover the basics of coding from scratch. No prerequisites of any kind are needed: no previous degrees, no coding experience. This period will be very intensive and requires commitment. There is no fixed amount of applicants to be selected. This means there is no competition between applicants and anyone can be selected.

Can I do the online piscine part-time?

During your Piscine, it is not possible to work or spend a lot of time on other commitments. You will spend an average of 60 hours per week in the Piscine, learning and working on exercises.

Do you offer rooms for the time of the Piscine?

We collaborate with the local Youth Hostel and always hold reservations for the date of our Piscines there. The rooms will be subsidised by 42 Heilbronn so that you only have to pay 42% of the price per Night/Room (it used to be 14€/night in the past). If you wish to use this opportunity, simply write an email to hello@42heilbronn.de.

What are the selection criteria?

We do not reveal the selection criteria, but we can tell you this: candidates who work hard, make progress, work as a team and never give up are the ones that are most likely to be successful.

When do I know if I get in?

We announce the results of the piscine 2 weeks after the end of each Piscine. Each candidate gets an email with their results. Stay tuned!

If I pass the Piscine, when can I start in the program?

After you passed the piscine, you can start at any kick-off date. We will let you know the next kick-off dates, and you can find them in advance on our Homepage ("IMPORTANT DATES"). The program is a continuation of the Piscine, so it's best to start with the next scheduled kick-off.

What if I don't pass the Piscine? Can I apply again?

A Piscine helps the candidate and the 42 team to assess who will benefit from the 42 learning model. If you don’t pass the Piscine, you can apply one final time in any 42 school worldwide after one year (365 days). If you do not pass the Piscine, do not be discouraged - there are many other ways to learn coding.

STUDENTS

How does 42 prepare students for a career in the tech world?

42 won’t teach you how to solve a specific problem, or how to use a tool. 42 will teach you how to learn, and how to use the tools that are available. After 42 you will have the ability to solve hard problems. You will be able to quickly learn new coding languages, thinking creatively, seek and share knowledge.

Are students obliged to come study at 42 in person?

Yes, developing soft skills, peer learning, and peer correcting are central to our learning philosophy, so students need to be at the campus in person.

What are the age requirements for students?

There is only a minimum age limit of 18, and no maximum age limit

Does 42 deliver any degree or diploma?

At 42 Heilbronn, you do not receive an official degree. The educational model is new in Germany, and it does not correspond to any established certification model. However, we do not believe this to be a problem in the tech sector, given that many companies tend to focus on your skills, your ability to solve problems and work in a team. During the 42 program, you build your own coding portfolio. Upon graduation, you’ll receive a certificate as proof that you completed the program. In our sister schools around the world, 100% of graduates are well-employed. Many students already get offers from companies in the early stage of their studies. Lastly, we want to add that in a tech role, you will never stop learning. Technology is constantly evolving, and so will you!

Do candidates need to know how to code to join 42?

No, not at all! It is not necessary to have any knowledge in programming to join and succeed at 42.

Will I receive any financial support from government or 42 Heilbronn?

As 42 Heilbronn is not recognized as public institution it is currently not possible to apply for BaföG. Though, 42 Heilbronn students are eligible to apply for a scholarship. You can read more about it here.

COLLABORATIONS

Can private and public organisations and institutions organise activities with the school?

1) Funding opportunities for students by offering scholarships: Support young programming talents and help solve the problem of the lack of IT specialists by giving a certain amount of money to offer them their studies without worrying about their financial background. You can claim your sponsorship for tax purposes.
 
2) Offering internships: Give the students of 42 Heilbronn the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience. Give them the chance to start a good career as programmers. Students should do two internships within their studies. The first one is after the programming foundations. Students are on a junior level by that time (approx. after 9-12 months after start). The second internship is after finishing the whole curriculum (approx.) after 3 years. By that time they are in a senior position and ready to continue in a working position. The internships are remunerated for students above the minimum wage level.
 
3) Funding the 42 community: Support this innovative learning concept with a donation of your choice. You help to finance the operation of the 42 Heilbronn and to continuously expand the learning opportunities for our students.
 

Is it possible for companies to apply for real-life challenges to be included in the 42-curriculum?

Yes, companies can apply for real-life challenges to be included into the curriculum. The pedagogical team in Paris, who created the curriculum and update it on a monthly basis, will review the project for suitability. If the project is included in the curriculum, it will be offered as part of the curriculum worldwide.

Start your coding career with 42 Heilbronn