No tuition
$0 to enroll, learn, graduate.
You pay nothing to apply, nothing to enroll, nothing to attend, and nothing to finish. Not now, not ever.
100% free, forever
No cost. No loans. Nostrings.
You have heard "free" before. Here is what makes A4E actually different, in plain language — and exactly how we pay for it.
1,139+ graduates
742 placed
$0 tuition
0 ISAs
The promise
Three hardguarantees.
No ISAs
No income-share agreements.
We never take a cut of your future salary. No deferred tuition. No "pay when you get a job" clauses. Full stop.
No loans
No lenders, no credit checks.
We do not partner with lenders, finance companies, or "buy now, pay later" services. Period.
How we pay for it
So how does A4E stayfree?
Four funding streams, each contributing. No learner ever writes a check.
Government grants
Federal · state · local
Workforce development funding from federal programs, Washington State, and city and county partners supports direct cohort delivery and wrap-around services.
Corporate sponsors
Microsoft · Salesforce · OpenAI · LinkedIn · WeWork · Jotform · Cypher
Our corporate partners fund curriculum, software, certification vouchers, laptops, and event space. They also hire our graduates — the whole point.
Individual donors
Monthly sustainers and major gifts
Everyday donors, alumni, and major benefactors fund the parts that grants and corporations do not cover — especially emergency learner support and childcare stipends.
Employer partnerships
Paid internships · direct-hire fees
When employers hire our graduates or place A4E interns on real teams, they pay A4E for the talent pipeline. Those fees fund the next cohort.
Accreditation — honest answer
"Is A4Eaccredited?"
A4E is not a degree-granting institution. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit training provider. What we deliver are industry-recognized certifications — CompTIA, Microsoft, AWS, Salesforce — that employers hire directly on. Our 65% placement rate (742 people placed, hired, promoted, or advanced) is the most honest signal that the market recognizes what we teach.
What you get
What A4Eprovides.
- ✓ Full curriculum, live and on-demand, taught by industry practitioners
- ✓ Cohort instructors, plus 1:1 mentors drawn from our employer partners
- ✓ Certification exam vouchers (CompTIA, Microsoft, AWS, Salesforce)
- ✓ Laptops on loan for the duration of your cohort
- ✓ Transit assistance for select Seattle-based cohorts
- ✓ Childcare stipend (Warp 10 flagship cohort, case-by-case)
- ✓ Career coaching, resume and LinkedIn rebuilds, mock interviews, placement support
- ✓ Lifetime alumni membership — events, re-enrollment, hiring pipeline forever
What you bring
What we askfrom you.
- ☐ Reliable internet access (we can help if this is a barrier — ask us)
- ☐ Commitment to your cohort schedule, same as you would give a job
- ☐ Proof of age 18+ and U.S. work authorization (required only for paid internship placement)
- ☐ Willingness to show up, ask questions, and help the people sitting next to you
Stipends & support
Do you cover childcare, transit, orstipends?
Different cohorts carry different levels of support. Here is the plain breakdown.
Warp 1 (remote, 1-4 weeks)
No stipend. Warp 1 is remote and self-paced, so there is no transit or childcare cost to offset. Laptops on loan are available for learners who need one.
Warp 5 and Warp 7 (Seattle / hybrid, 4-6 weeks)
Daily meal stipend on in-person days, plus a transit card (ORCA) loaded for the duration of your cohort. Emergency support available case-by-case.
Warp 10 and Internships (flagship, 12 weeks + paid)
Full meal and transit stipend, plus childcare reimbursement reviewed case-by-case by the program team. Paid internship stipend is paid directly by the host employer.
Immigration & background checks
Honest policy — nosurprises.
Immigration status. A4E welcomes learners regardless of immigration status into our training programs. We do not ask for — and we do not store — status documentation for the training portion of any program. Paid internships, however, are employment and therefore require U.S. work authorization (I-9 eligibility) to be paid. If paid work is not accessible to you right now, talk to us — there are non-paid project paths that still build your resume.
Background checks. A4E itself does not run background checks on applicants, and your record does not disqualify you from any A4E program. Background checks are only performed when a specific employer partner requires one for a specific placement — and even then, we coach you through the process, advocate for you, and help find alternative placements if the match is not right. Many of our graduates have records. Many of them are now employed.
Frequently asked
Still skeptical? Fair — here are theanswers.
What is the catch?
There is no catch. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 85-2365649) funded by grants, corporate sponsors, individual donors, and employer partnerships. Your cost: zero.
What if I cannot finish?
No penalty. No bill. You can re-enroll any time — we run new cohorts every few weeks. Life happens; we designed for that.
Can I apply if I am already employed?
Yes. Many A4E learners upskill while working full-time — Warp 1 and Warp 7 are specifically designed to fit around existing jobs. Your employer does not need to sign off.
Do I keep the laptop?
Loaner laptops return at cohort end. Warp 10 flagship graduates receive a permanent device at graduation, sponsored by our corporate partners.
What about international applicants?
Training is open to anyone. Paid internships require U.S. work authorization, so if you need paid placement, let us know your status up front and we will plan around it.
Is this too good to be true?
We have placed 742 people into paid roles. Ask any of them. We will happily connect you with recent graduates who started where you are today.