Holberton School is a two-year software engineering school based in San Francisco that trains individuals to become fullstack engineers. Named for Betty Holberton who worked on the ENIAC Programmers Project (the first programmable computer), the school’s mission is to train the next generation of software developers through 100% hands-on learning. Upon completion of the program, students complete a six month internship. The curriculum adopts a project-based, peer learning approach. In lieu of formal classes, students solve increasingly complicated programming challenges with minimal instruction. Students will develop resourcefulness as they search for the tools they need to solve these challenges while working with their peers. Rather than focusing on tools and frameworks, students at Holberton “learn to learn” and develop problem solving skills. Throughout the course of the program students work on industry-level projects and build their own applications. The admission process is divided into 4 levels and requires prospective students to complete the first part of the curriculum. Level 0 is a short online application, Level 1 is a series of short coding challenges and tests, Level 2 requires students to create a website and Level 3 is an in-person or video interview. Admission to Holberton School is based solely on the interviews and coding challenges and is open to all ages and backgrounds, with no formal experience or education required.

Sylvain Kalache and Julien Barbier have been working in the tech industry for many years. Previously working at LinkedIn and Docker, the two of them are experienced Senior Software and Operations Engineers, with a passion for education and community.

Holberton School students regularly interact with real-life software engineers and industry leaders. Mentors help students in many different ways and ensure that the curriculum stays up to date. Some exercises and projects are created by mentors to keep skill levels current.