Congratulations on your decision to kickstart a rewarding new career as a web developer, backend engineer, or data scientist with an online coding bootcamp!

Ready to go all in? 

In this post you’ll find a step-by-step guide to applying to Bloom Institute of Technology (formerly known as Lambda School)– let’s get started.

When you’re ready to begin, click the “Apply Now” button on BloomTech.com or navigate to https://admissions.bloomtech.com/s/login/SelfRegister. 

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You will need to register for an account using your email or an SSO option (Google or Facebook) to access the application. We recommend that you use an email account that you check regularly, as we’ll send information about next steps as well as program information to the email address you list on your application. Once registration is complete, sign in with your new credentials to access the Application Checklist.

There are also a few important things you should consider at this point in the application process:

• Whether you'd like to join our web development, data science, or backend development program.
• Whether the class schedule works for you. (Make sure to double-check your time zone – all classes are taught on Pacific time.)
• How our different tuition options, like Outcomes-Based Loan, Income Share Agreements, and upfront tuition work for you.
• How rigorous the program will be. (Check out the course page for the program you're interested in.)

Once you’ve created your account, we’ll ask you to tell us a little more about yourself, including your age, address, and whether you live in the U.S. We require all students to be over 18, and to be a US citizen, permanent resident, or DACA-recipient. If you're not a US citizen or permanent resident, you must be able to pay tuition upfront.

BloomTech is licensed differently in each state, so we also require you to list your current address.

Next, we’ll ask you a few questions about what you want to study at BloomTech and which program schedule works best for you. Select your desired program and schedule by clicking on the corresponding icon.

Want more info on how to best prepare for BloomTech? Read about our student orientation program, BloomTech Launch, and learn the secrets to success at BloomTech.

BloomTech is designed for people with some coding experience who plan to seek employment in tech immediately after graduation. If you don’t have any previous experience, you can still be successful at BloomTech, but we require you to do precourse work before your program starts. If you have concerns about whether or not you’re likely to be successful at BloomTech, please reach out to your enrollment advisor after completing the application process.

If you choose, you can also add your Github profile to this section of application to help us get to know you a little better. 

Once you click “Save,” you’ll be redirected to the entrance assessment.

The next step in the process is to complete a brief assessment called the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test, which helps us predict your ability to be successful at BloomTech and in your future career. Our job is to ensure that our graduates are career-ready upon graduation. By learning more about our applicants’ skills and strengths, we’re better able to tailor our programs to fit their needs and to ensure that they will be successful after BloomTech.

There are 50 questions measuring verbal, math/logic, and spatial reasoning. Individuals with high aptitude scores are more likely to be quick learners and high performers than individuals with low aptitude scores. The CCAT consists of 50 questions, and you will have 15 minutes to complete the test. It's completely normal not to finish all 50 questions in the time allotted, so take a deep breath, try your best, and find a quiet place to work before you begin. You can find a free downloadable CCAT study guide here.

If you are applying to the Data Science program, you will also be required to complete a Data Science skills challenge at this stage which must be passed with a score of 11/15. You will have 45 minutes to complete the challenge.

If you are applying to the Backend Development program, you will also be required to complete a Java skills challenge at this stage which must be passed with a score of 60%. You will have 30 minutes to complete the challenge.

Congratulations on passing the entrance tests! If you live in California, Texas, or DC, the next step in the admissions process is to submit proof of your educational background. We require all applicants from these states to submit a high school diploma or college transcript, or, if applicable, a GED transcript. If you don’t have access to any of these, please contact your enrollment advisor. If you do not live in CA, TX, or DC, you will not be required to upload these documents.

Once you’ve uploaded the required documents, our team will review your application and respond with an admission decision within 2-3 business days. Your admissions dashboard will be updated with your application status so check back frequently. If you haven’t received a response within 3 business days, contact your enrollment advisor. 

Lastly, we’ll ask you to provide a few demographic details to help us better understand and serve our student body. BloomTech is committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, and understanding the demographics of our school helps us all better support each other in our unique circumstances. Note that this part of the application is voluntary and will not affect your admission decision. 

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Now it's time to submit your application.

Congratulations, you’ve been accepted!

The final step in the process is to finalize your enrollment, including choosing your start date and signing final documentation.

Now for the fun stuff – here’s where you’ll tell us how you’d like to pay tuition. Your tuition options may be different depending on what state you live in. In most states, you’ll have the option to pay tuition via an Outcomes Based Loan (OBL), Income Share Agreement (ISA), pay the total amount upfront, or pay it in installments. If you live in California, you cannot use an Income Share Agreement, but you can choose to pay tuition via the OBL or in installments.

If you choose to pay via ISA, you’ll start by paying a down payment up front ($2,950). Once you get a job making a yearly $50,000 ($4,166 monthly) or more, you’ll pay BloomTech 14% of your monthly income. You'll make these payments for 48 months and then payments stop. Each ISA option includes a payment cap, so you'll never pay more than $40,000 for the ISA. Keep in mind that you can only have one active Income Share Agreement at a time, so if you’ve signed an ISA with another school or organization, you won’t be able to sign one with BloomTech.

Once you graduate, we’ll help you land a well-paying job—and then you’ll pay for the rest of your tuition with a percentage of your income for a limited time. 

Here are some of the basics about ISAs at BloomTech.

1. Know what you owe. Unlike with a typical loan, the maximum amount you owe will never increase with an ISA. Your total payment amount is capped at $40,000*, and you may end up paying less.

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2. It scales with you. Your goal is to get a great job; that’s our goal for you, too. Once you start earning at least an annualized $50,000** a year, you’ll pay us back with a percentage of your income each month. If your earned income falls below the minimum total amount, your payments will be deferred until your income reaches the minimum again.

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3. No lingering obligations. Your contract is finished once you complete the ISA payment schedule or reach the payment cap, whichever comes first. And if you aren’t making the minimum average monthly income, and have had deferred payments for a total of 48 months, then your ISA expires and you don’t owe anything else—even if you’ve paid nothing up to that point.

At BloomTech, we are committed to providing more people with a direct and lower-risk path to a rewarding tech job. That’s why we offer flexible options to pay your tuition—and launch your new career.

Next, choose your start date.

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After you click Submit, you’ll receive an enrollment agreement via Docusign to the email address associated with your account.

Once you’ve signed your enrollment agreement, you’ll be able to confirm your tuition. If you’ve chosen to pay upfront, you’ll receive an email containing your invoice to pay. If you’ve chosen the Income Share Agreement, you’ll be directed to our partner Meratas’s website to complete a short application. Once your invoice is paid or ISA is approved, you’ll simply need to confirm your enrollment.

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Congratulations on being admitted to BloomTech. We’ll see you in class.

Want more info on how to best prepare for BloomTech? Read about our the six things to do before your first day.