Talent is everywhere. Opportunity shouldn’t be the barrier.
The UstackSchool Scholarship supports motivated people who have the drive to change their career but need help with the cost. If that’s you, take the aptitude exam and apply below.
Who it’s for
Motivated & coachable
You are ready to put in the work - the scholarship removes the barrier, not the effort.
Financial need
The programme fee is a genuine obstacle to you starting.
Clear goal
You know the career change you want and why it matters.
Underrepresented in tech
We especially encourage women, career-switchers and first-generation applicants.
What it covers
Partial to full tuition
Scholarships range from a partial fee reduction to full cover on a core programme.
The same programme
Scholars get the full experience - live cohort, mentorship, portfolio and career support.
Community & mentorship
You join the community and get a mentor in your corner, like every other learner.
Read the material below, then take the 60-question exam. You don’t need any prior tech experience - everything you need is right here.
A computer has hardware (the physical parts) and software (the programs). The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the "brain" that runs instructions. RAM is fast, temporary working memory used while the computer is on. Storage (a hard drive or SSD) keeps data permanently, even when powered off. An operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android) is software that manages the computer and runs your apps. Input devices (keyboard, mouse) send data in; output devices (monitor, speakers) send data out.
All data is stored as bits — a bit is the smallest unit, a single 0 or 1 (binary). 8 bits make a byte. Sizes go up: about 1,000 bytes = 1 kilobyte (KB), 1,000 KB = 1 megabyte (MB), 1,000 MB = 1 gigabyte (GB), 1,000 GB = 1 terabyte (TB). Files have types shown by their extension: .jpg/.png (images), .pdf/.docx (documents), .csv (Comma-Separated Values, a simple data table), .mp4 (video). A database is an organised collection of data, often in tables of rows and columns (structured data).
The internet is a global network of connected computers. The World Wide Web (www) is the system of websites you view in a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari). A URL is a web address. HTTP is the protocol used to transfer web pages; HTTPS is the secure, encrypted version. DNS translates human domain names (like ustackschool.com) into IP addresses — the numeric address that identifies a device on a network. A server is a computer that provides data or services to other computers (clients).
Devices connect over networks. Wi-Fi is a wireless connection; a router directs data between devices and networks. A LAN is a Local Area Network (e.g., your office). Bandwidth is how much data can move at once. "The cloud" simply means servers and services you access over the internet instead of on your own machine. SaaS (Software as a Service) is software you use online, like Gmail or Google Drive, without installing it.
Code is a set of instructions a computer follows, written in a programming language such as Python or JavaScript. A variable is a named container that holds a value. An if statement lets a program make decisions based on conditions. A loop repeats actions. A function is a reusable block of code. An algorithm is a clear, step-by-step set of instructions to solve a problem. A bug is an error in code, and debugging is the process of finding and fixing it.
Security keeps data and systems safe. Use strong passwords (long and hard to guess) and two-factor authentication (2FA) for an extra layer beyond your password. Phishing is a scam that tricks you into revealing information. Malware is malicious software. Encryption scrambles data so only authorised people can read it. A firewall controls or blocks network traffic. Keeping software updated fixes known security vulnerabilities.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is technology that performs tasks that normally need human intelligence. Machine learning is a branch of AI where systems learn patterns from data rather than being explicitly programmed. Chatbots and recommendation systems are everyday examples. AI depends heavily on data — models learn from examples, so more good-quality data usually means better results.