UX Design Program

UX Design Program
Course information

Demand is greater than ever for professionals who know how to understand
user needs, identify pain points, and generate design solutions that make user
experiences effective, efficient, and even delightful.

UX designers arguably have the most humanizing influence on the process

of creating products and sending them out into the world. They are the
voice that advocates for the users’ needs even when the demands of the
business (or design ideas within the company) will not benefit the end user.
UX designers connect and empathize with users, communicate user needs
to company stakeholders, consider how products and experiences can be
improved, and create design solutions to meet users’ problems.

Our UX Design Program will take you from beginner to professional and help
you get a job you’ll love. Whether you have experience with data or not, our
10-month program will give you the skills necessary to succeed in a thriving
industry.
In fact, there’s no other UX program on the market that combines a
comprehensive curriculum, personalized mentorship and student-focused
learning quite like CareerFoundry, and our graduates speak for themselves!
Read on to find out how it all works.

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 Contents

1. Who is the program for and what are the requirements? 4

2. What will you finish the program with? 5
3. How will we support you throughout the program? 6
4. How much time do you need to commit to the program? 7
5. What is the structure and format of the program? 7
6. Program outline 8
7. Which tools will you use in the program? 12
8. What kind of projects will you be working on? 13
9. What will your portfolio look like? 14
10. What do you need to do to be eligible for the Job Guarantee? 15
11. Should I choose UX Design or UI Design? 17
12. Why should you choose CareerFoundry? 18
13. Tuition, payment, and scholarships 19
14. Application and enrollment 19

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1.
Who is the program for
and what are the requirements?
Interested in UX but still not exactly sure what it actually means to study and
work as a UX designer?

Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! We’ve molded even the most tenderfooted of UX hopefuls
into confident designers, ready to take the job market by storm. Our diverse student body comes
from all walks of life, bringing a wide variety of skills and experiences that help them build
unique names for themselves in the design world. And you don’t need a particular background or
qualification to succeed in the program either!

If you’ve got the motivation, we’ll give you the means! All you’ll need to bring to the table is
a computer, an internet connection, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm. For information on
which tools you’ll be using on the program, see “Which tools will you use on the program?”.

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2.
What will you finish the program with?
By​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​program,​ ​you’ll​ ​know​ ​how​ ​and​ ​when​ ​to​ ​use​ ​different​ ​industry​ ​standard​ ​tools—
including​ ​Adobe XD,​ ​Balsamiq,​ ​and​ ​InVision.You’ll ​have​ ​numerous​ ​job​ ​skills​ ​under​ ​your​ ​belt
including​ ​user​ ​research​ ​and​ ​testing,​ ​rapid​ ​prototyping,​ ​iterative design,​ ​interaction​ ​design,​ ​
responsive​ ​design,​ ​and​ even ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​visual​ ​design​ ​as​ ​the​ ​icing​ ​on the​ ​cake. To​ ​complement​ ​
the​ ​highly​ ​practical​ ​aspects​ ​of​ ​the​ ​program,​ ​you’ll​ ​also​ ​explore​ ​and​ ​apply​ ​the theory​ ​behind​ ​user​ ​
psychology,​ ​accessibility,​ ​usability,​ ​and​ ​emotional​ ​design,​ ​which​ ​will impress​ ​employers​ ​and​ ​
clients​ ​alike.

Based on our comprehensive curriculum, you’ll be qualified for “Junior UX Designer” or “UX
Designer” roles. Most of our graduates find jobs as UX or UX/UI designers, but some find jobs
in other areas—including product design, product management, interaction design, visual
design and web design. If you have transferable skills from your previous career, you can
potentially land a more senior role; your career specialist will help you to craft the right story.
Many job ads for UX designers ask for 2+ years of experience, but it is often part of their
“wishlist” rather than a requirement.

You’ll also finish the course with a certificate of completion and a portfolio with three complete
projects (read more under “Which projects will you be working on?”).

What you’ll get

Regular calls and unlimited messaging Access to our Job Preparation Course
with your tutor and mentor Opt in to the Job Preparation Course
for unlimited, lifetime access to a career
Portfolio reviews
specialist to guide your job search
As many mentor calls as you need
Lifetime access to our curriculum
Job Guarantee
Written by expert UX designers working
If you don’t land a job within 180 days
in the field
of graduation, we’ll fully refund your tuition
Free read‑only access to our other
14‑day trial period
career‑change programs
Get your money back if the program
Learn more about Data Analysis,
isn’t right for you
UX Design, and UI Design for free
Flexibly paced
Active online student community
Our 15‑hour/week pace can be organised
Find a study buddy through online
around any schedule
and in‑person meetups

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3.
What kind of support is available?
At CareerFoundry, you’re never alone! From the moment you start the program, your student
advisor will be there to answer your questions, helping you get used to our platform and
supporting you as a new CareerFoundry student. You’ll also be assigned a personal mentor
and tutor. These industry experts are located all over the world and will act as your teachers,
cheerleaders, and confidants through every step of your UX design journey.

Your tutor Student Advisors

is your program specialist, providing ensure you have the best possible
feedback on your daily submissions and experience throughout the program. You
answering any questions that come up can message them from your dashboard
about individual tasks or instructions. (within the platform)—they’re always happy
You’ll be able to message back and forth to answer any questions you have about the
with them via our platform every time you administration of your program.
submit an assignment.

Your mentor Fellow students

has at least 5 years’ experience in the field As a CareerFoundry student, you’ll be
and is your window into the UX design part of an extensive community of fellow
world. They offer detailed video reviews students both during the program and
of each project you complete throughout after graduation. You can reach out to your
the program. You’ll also be able to talk fellow students to discuss your program,
with them directly via regular video calls. organize meetups, or find a study buddy
As a student in our UX Design Program, via Slack (instant messaging tool). As a
you’ll have up to 100 mentor calls to use part of our graduate community, you’ll have
throughout the program. You can schedule lifetime access to our Slack workspace so
calls with your mentor via our platform’s that you can stay in touch with your fellow
built-in calendar tool. Your mentor works graduates.
together as a team with your tutor to
support you throughout the program.

We encourage students to work with a study buddy throughout the program—we’ll even help you
find one! Working with a peer will make your studies easier, more successful, and more enjoyable
than working alone. Study buddies motivate each other and keep each other accountable,
discuss course topics, help each other understand specific concepts, share knowledge, and give
each other feedback.
Our students also regularly organize in-person meetups around the world, where they network
and share experiences.

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4.
How much time do I need to commit
to the program?
Our UX Design Program takes you through three journeys—Intro to UX Design, Immersion, and
your choice of a specialization—for a total of up to nine months of coursework (one month in Intro
to UX Design, six months in Immersion, and two months in your chosen specialization).
The program requires an average of 15 hours per week. Since you’re not required to be online at
specific times to work on the material, you have a great deal of flexibility in which hours you set
aside for study. It’s possible to finish the program in less than nine months—some students put
aside time specifically to complete their program, dedicating an average of 30-40 hours each
week, for a total program duration of 5 months.

5.
What is the structure and format
of the program?
At CareerFoundry, we understand the value of flexibly-paced learning, so while there is an overall
completion deadline, you can complete tasks and projects in a way that fits your schedule. We
advocate a learning-by-doing approach. This means that you’ll have the opportunity to apply
what you’ve learned directly to projects that go into your final portfolio. You’ll use the portfolio to
present your finest work to potential employers.

The program takes place entirely online and is project‑based.

Rather than teaching videos and webinars, you’ll have access to a personal user account
populated with reading materials and supplemental learning aids. The platform itself will guide
you through the program structure as you complete tasks.
You’ll also be supported by your tutor and mentor throughout the program.
They will review and approve your submitted project work, providing rapid, extensive feedback.
There is no final exam: the program is counted as complete once all the exercises have been
reviewed and approved by your tutor and mentor. You will be able to download your certificate of
completion directly from the dashboard.

During the program, we’ll send you gentle reminders to keep you on track if you start to fall
behind. We want you to succeed, so don’t worry if you’ve struggled to complete online courses in
the past—at CareerFoundry, you’ll get the support you need.

Get a tour of the learning dashboard on

the CareerFoundry platform.

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6.
Program Outline
The program​ ​takes​ ​you​ ​through​ the entire​ ​UX​ ​design​ ​process,​ ​from​ ​identifying​ human
needs and motivations to the presentation of a portfolio-ready, marketable product.
You’ll​ ​begin​ ​by learning to think like ​a​ ​UXer,​ ​analyzing​ ​your​ ​product’s​ ​competitors,​ ​and
understanding your own users by creating personas based on user research​.​​
As​ ​you​ ​work​ ​through​ ​the​ ​program,​ ​you’ll​ ​explore​ ​every​ ​detail​ ​of​ ​the​ ​design process​ ​
and​ ​apply​ ​it​ ​to​ ​your​ ​own​ ​product,​ ​from​ ​information​ ​architecture,​ ​user​ ​flows,​ ​and paper​ ​
prototypes​ ​to​ ​user​ ​testing,​ ​visual​ ​design,​ ​and​ ​high-fidelity​ ​wireframes.​ ​The​ ​final​ stage ​
of the​ ​program​ ​focuses​ ​on​ ​refining​ ​all​ ​your​ ​deliverables,​ ​publishing​ ​your​ ​portfolio,​ ​and​ ​
creating​ ​a final​ ​video​ ​presentation​ ​of​ ​your​ ​work.
Our UX Design Program is divided into three parts:

Intro to UX Design
lasts three weeks (full-time) or six weeks (part-time) and comprises one Achievement
based on 8 tasks.

1. Introduction to UX & Design Thinking 5. Wireframing & Prototyping

Describe UX design and the design Create effective prototypes and
thinking process. Apply the first stage wireframes that support user goals.
of the design thinking process to a
6. Usability Testing
given problem.
Utilize best practices in usability
2. User Research testing to create a test plan.
Explain user-centered design and
7. Presenting Your Work
user research. Compare methods for
Present your design process and
conducting effective user research.
solution to stakeholders in a clear,
3. User Personas engaging manner.
Create effective user personas and
8. What’s Next?
user stories based on user goals and
Draft a personal design profile to
needs.
map out a path for continuing design
4. Information Architecture education.
Analyze how users navigate sites and
processes, and how information is
structured.

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 Immersion
is the second part of the program during which you’ll be immersed in the mindset of
a UX designer through hands-on application of the design processes and tools that
UX professionals use every day. It consists of six Achievements, based on several
tasks each.

Achievement 1 - Thinking like a Uxer

You’ll begin this course by getting into the mindset of a UX designer. You’ll also get
hands-on practice applying design thinking and competitive analysis to a project you
will select from 4 available options.

1.1 The Role of the UX Designer 1.7 Competitive Analysis

1.2 A History of User Experience Design 1.8 Lean UX vs. Agile UX
1.3 Human Needs & Motivations 1.9 Business Requirements
1.4 User-Centered Design Process 1.10 User Stories
1.5 Design Thinking 1.11 Portfolio Review
1.6 Understanding the Problem

Achievement 2 - Understanding the User

Through user research and analysis, you’ll create user personas and user journey
maps, as well as conducting a thorough task analysis for your product. Lastly, you’ll
define an actionable mobile strategy for your product.

2.1 Research Methods 2.6 Task Analysis & User Flows

2.2 Surveys & Interviews 2.7 Mobile-First Design
2.3 User Research Analysis 2.8 Content Auditing
2.4 User Personas 2.9 Portfolio Review
2.5 Mental Models & User Journeys

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 Achievement 3 - Foundational Design
To successfully illustrate the technical articulation of your product’s information
architecture and interaction design, you’ll create a visually appealing and portfolio-
ready sitemap. You’ll also begin prototyping your product.

3.1 IA Principles & Frameworks 3.7 Rapid Prototyping: User Onboarding

3.2 Refining Your Sitemap with Card Sorting 3.8 Mid-Fidelity Wireframes & Prototyping
3.3 Navigation for Mobile & Desktop 3.9 High-Fidelity Wireframes & Clickable
3.4 Design Patterns for Mobile & Desktop Prototypes
3.5 Usability Heuristics & Interaction Design 3.10 Portfolio Review
3.6 Low-Fidelity Prototyping: Paper & Sketches

Achievement 4 - Usability Testing

It’s time to put your design to the (usability) test. Here, you’ll conduct usability
testing for both mobile and desktop from start to finish, working with test subjects,
analyzing test results, making improvements, and planning future tests.

4.1 Best Practices for Working with Human 4.6 Usability Test Results & Planning
Test Subjects for Future Tests
4.2 Usability Test Methods 4.7 Reporting Findings & Making
4.3 Usability Test Plan Recommendations
4.4 Usability Test Script 4.8 A/B & Preference Testing
4.5 Conducting Usability Tests 4.9 Portfolio Review

Achievement 5 - Refining the Design

Here, you’ll explore the foundations of visual design and user interface design,
experiment with responsive frameworks, and prepare your design documentation
for dev handoff.

5.1 Visual Design Principles 5.7 Design Documentation

5.2 Emotional Design for User Engagement 5.8 Design Language Systems
5.3 Grids & Spacing Fundamentals 5.9 Design Deliverables
5.4 Responsive Frameworks: 5.10 Design Collaboration
Bootstrap & Foundation 5.11 Portfolio Review
5.5 HTML Basics
5.6 Alternatives to HTML: Native Platforms

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 Achievement 6 - End-to-End Design
This is where you’ll compile all your design iterations up to this point and make
final fixes to your design. You’ll also work on addressing user accessibility issues,
publishing your online portfolio, and creating a video demo of your work.

6.1 Designing for Accessibility 6.5 UX Communities

6.2 Polishing the Design 6.6 Video Presentation
6.3 Designing for Good 6.7 Portfolio Review
6.4 Online Portfolios

UX Specializations

Frontend Development for Designers

Level up your skills with a dose of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as you code your own
portfolio website from scratch.

Voice User Interface Design

Stay ahead of the trends by mastering this revolution in UX design together with
Amazon’s Alexa.

UI for UX Designers
Our most popular specialization, turn yourself into a one-person wonder by adding UI
expertise to your list of skills—it’s a sure way to stand out from the crowd.

We also offer an additional program package which

includes two specialization courses, each designed to set
you apart in the job market. If you’re interested in learning
about pricing or enrollment, get in touch with us here.

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7.
Which tools will you use on the program?
You will be free to try out a variety of different tools and you will find
demonstrations of how to use some of them throughout the program. You can
find the options for each type of software below:

User research User Flows Prototyping

Lookback, Verify Sketch, OmniGraffle, InVision, Marvel,
Illustrator, Axure, Figma, Flinto,
Wireframing/
PowerPoint, Proto.io, Adobe XD
prototyping
Lucidchart, Google
Pencil, marker, Testing
Drawings
paper, sticky notes, UsabilityHub
Note.ly Spreadsheet
Text editor
Excel, Google Sheets
Word processor Atom, Sublime,
Pages, Microsoft Sitemap TextMate, Notepad
Word, Google Docs Sketch, OmniGraffle,
Video editing
Balsamiq
Presentation iMovie, Windows
Keynote, PowerPoint, Card Sort Movie Maker, etc.
Google Slides OptimalSort

Sketch and/or Adobe XD are the only tools you’ll need to pay for, the rest are
free or come with free extended trials provided by CareerFoundry. Depending
on which specialization course you choose, you’ll also use a few more tools:

Voice User Interface Design:

You can use a device like Amazon Echo to test your skills, or if you don’t
have one, the Amazon developer console.

Frontend Web Development:

Google Chrome, Atom (text editor), GitHub

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8.
What kind of projects will you be working on?
You’ll have the opportunity to add three new projects to your portfolio as part of our UX
Design Program—one for each program segment. On the Intro to UX Design course,
you’ll research, prototype, and test a complete set of designs for a vocabulary-learning
app. During Immersion, you’ll get to choose from one of four unique project briefs,
allowing you creative freedom to explore your interests:

Ink Tank Schnitzeljagd

Explore inspiration for tattoo Enable players to enjoy social

designs according to preferences scavenger hunts for real objects
such as artist and style. and locations in their own cities.

VELA Expert

Provide beautifully displayed and Enable anyone, anywhere to

easy to understand wind, wave, instantly chat with an expert in
and weather reports, forecasts virtually any field.
and statistics for sailors, surfers,
divers or any other water sports
aficionado.

Finally, each Specialization course offers its own project options, allowing you to
expand on what you’ve learned in Immersion and hone your skills in a specific aspect
of UX:

Frontend Development for UI for UX Designers

Designers
Choose from one of three
Create your own, hand-coded projects—an exercise app, a real
portfolio page. estate app, or a group study app.

Voice User Interface Design

Develop three unique voice skills

ready for submission to the Alexa
Skills Store.

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9.
What will your portfolio look like?
You can choose to publish your portfolio pages on sites like Dribble and Behance, or your own
personal website (if you have one). If you’re interested in setting up your own portfolio page,
we’ll teach you how to do this in our Job Preparation course. Alternatively, you can code your
own website from scratch by choosing to take part in the Frontend Design specialization course
available as part of this program.
Here are some examples of projects created by some of our UX Design Program graduates:

Samson Blond Elvira Hellenpart Katherine Lu

UI/UX Designer UI/UX Designer UI/UX Designer

See project See project See project

Kaya Kise Aaron Akbari Mort Michael Powers

UI/UX Designer UI/UX Designer UI/UX Designer

See project See project See project

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10.
What do you need to do
to be eligible for the Job Guarantee?
This is a list of the requirements you need to fulfill in order to be eligible for our Job Guarantee.
It includes the steps you’ll need to take in order to successfully find a job. They’re not about
making you jump through hoops; rather, the terms are based on our extensive research into what
makes students successful in finding their new career. We’re confident that if you listen to our
advice and follow the steps, you’ll find success in your job search.

Program Completion and Payments

You’ve completed 100% of your UX, UI or Web Development program, or Data Analytics
program
You’ve completed 100% of the Job Preparation Course within 30 days of program
completion
You’ve not opted out of CareerFoundry emails
You’ve fully paid all due CareerFoundry program fees

Employment Status
You do not have paid work in your new field exceeding 15 hours per week/60 hours per
month
You’ve not previously turned down a job offer in the field during the Job Search Period
You’re not employed by CareerFoundry

Work Eligibility
You’re at least 18 years of age, and have completed a high school diploma
You have a valid work permit for the location in which you are applying for positions
(valid for a minimum of 12 months beyond the end of the Job Guarantee period)
You’re fluent in English and the local language in the location in which you’re applying
for jobs by meeting the equivalent of a B2 qualification as specified by the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages
You’ve not been convicted of any felonies (indictable offenses)
You’re located within the list of metropolitan areas in selected countries or willing to
relocate for work
You’re willing to accept both remote and non-remote positions

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 Job Search
You’ve maintained regular contact with your Career Specialist (bi-weekly check-ins by
email or Skype)
You’ve completed at least one telephone or Skype call with your Career Specialist within
one month of completing the Job Preparation course
You’ve applied to at least 5 jobs per week during the job search period
You’ve enacted your Career specialist’s advice and executed on agreed-upon work
You’ve updated or created a profile on LinkedIn, or another equivalent job search
networking site pre-approved by your Career specialist and have had the profile reviewed
and approved by your Career specialist
You’ve updated your resume (CV) with your new skills and have had the CV approved by
your Career specialist
You’ve created profiles on a minimum of two job boards such as but not limited to
Monster, CareerBuilder, Dice, or Stack Overflow and have had the profile reviewed and
approved by your Career specialist
You’ve demonstrated you are actively using your new skills through showcasing a
minimum of three (3) completed portfolio projects published on GitHub, Behance,
Dribbble, or your personal website
You’ve responded to contact from Career specialists within 72 hours
You’ve responded to employers and/or job postings introduced individually to you by your
Career specialist within 72 hours by completing an application and/or discussing with
your Career specialist why the job is inappropriate for you

For a full list of the requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for a refund,
take a look at our Terms and Conditions (under §15) .
For more information on the guarantee and job search process, check out
our Career Services Brochure .

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11.
Should I choose UX Design or UI Design?
If you would like to focus your career on UX design but also like the idea of mastering
some UI design skills, we recommend taking the UX Design Program with the UI design
specialization. You’ll become an expert in UX while learning some key UI principles which
will prepare you well for a combined role.

It’s also easier to break into UX design without a bachelor’s degree or prior experience than it is
with UI design. After you graduate from the UX Design Program, you’ll be able to apply for UX
design roles that require some knowledge of UI. Remember: These roles will often be titled “UX/
UI designer,” so bear that in mind!
If you’d like to work primarily as a UI designer, take the UI Design Program. You’ll be able
to focus on the skills and tools you’ll need as a UI designer, but the program covers the
fundamentals of UX design. After the UI design course, you’ll be able to apply for UI design
roles that require some knowledge of UX (these are also roles titled “UX/UI designer).

Still feeling torn between UX and UI?

If you’ve tried both introductory short courses and still can’t choose, we recommend starting with
our Intro to UX Design Course . The product design process starts with UX, after all, so the
fundamentals of UX is a good place to start your career as a designer. After this one-month
course, you’ll have a much better idea of whether you want to continue on the UX path or if
you’d rather go on to master the art of UI.
Read our “Which Tech Career Path is Right For You?” blog post under “Why are UX and UI roles
often advertised as one?”

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12.
Why choose CareerFoundry?
Our approach to learning
Our UX Design Program is based on extensive research into the job market and in-depth surveys
with industry experts. By the end of the program, you’ll be able to:

Develop problem-solving approaches to design problems in order to

produce useful and innovative products
Cultivate high-level thinking and deep learning through the practical
application of new knowledge
Master the practical skills that are required to succeed in the real-life
work you’ll do after graduation
Demonstrate your skills to potential employers in a project portfolio

We design our curriculum exclusively in‑house and collaborate with leading data analysts and
industry experts to ensure that what you learn and the projects you complete are entirely relevant
to what you’ll need both to get a job in the industry and to succeed in it.

We’ll get you into the workforce quickly

Our mission at CareerFoundry is to educate and train people for the careers of today and
tomorrow. Our programs are designed specifically for the rapid integration of our graduates
into the labor market.

According to a recent survey conducted by Adobe, 87% of hiring managers said that getting
more UX design talent on board is the number one priority for their organization. In fact, 73% of
hiring managers plan to double the number of UX designers in their organization over the next
five years.
We provide personalized guidance to each graduate to ensure that they are thoroughly prepared
for the full application process. As a result, 96% of our eligible graduates find a job in UX
within 180 days of graduation, with an average job search period of 3-10 weeks.completing their
course. This success rate is testament to the dedication and expertise of our Career Services
Team.

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13.
Tuition, payment, and scholarships
We offer two payment options:
A one‑time, upfront payment. This option comes with a 5% tuition reduction (i.e. $6,555
rather than $6,900).
An interest‑free payment plan. This option requires an upfront deposit to secure your place
on the program, followed by eight monthly installments (resulting in payoff before or by
graduation).

For further information on tuition and payment plans, or if you’d like to learn about what kind
of scholarships we offer, get in touch with us . You can also view our pricing and payment
options on our website.

We offer you the chance to try out the program for a period of 14 days. This begins on the
program start date. If, within that time frame, you decide that the program is not for you,
we’ll refund 100% of any tuition you’ve paid.
If the 14‑day trial period has passed and you’d like to withdraw from the course before
60% of the course time has elapsed, you get a prorated refund based on remaining course
time and your payment plan details. See the full terms and conditions on our website.

14.
Application and enrollment
We don’t require you to go through any long‑winded application
process in order to participate in a CareerFoundry course or program.
We know that our students can change careers successfully,
regardless of their background.

If you’d like to make sure you’re familiar with all of the details
before signing up, get in touch with us .

If you’re ready to enroll, complete your

enrollment now. We can’t wait to see
you in the program!

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