Frequently Asked Questions
In order to help you make a decision, we’ve answered some of our most frequently asked questions below.
- Tuition
- Admissions
- Course Delivery
- Logistics
- Other
Tuition
16-week Java Full-Stack Bootcamp upfront tuition: $19,950**
**Skill Distillery is proud to be certified by the VA to accept GI Bill benefits.
Tuition does not include the optional OCA/OCP exam fee of ~$245 or the required MacBook Pro laptop. For on campus classes parking is free. Housing is not included.
12-week Web Development with Java: $14,950
Deposit: $1,000
The deposit will count towards the total tuition cost,
Pay After you Get Hired
Pay nothing upfront, and make monthly payments after you get your new job. Learn more here.
Financing Options
We have many financing options to fit our students needs including 0% loans, income share agreements, and monthly payments.
See all our financing options here.
income share agreement (ISA)
We do offer an ISA.
Pay nothing upfront, and make monthly payments after you get your new job. Learn more here.
Scholarships
We offer a needs-based scholarship for up to 50% of tuition. Once you are accepted into the program, you can apply for a scholarship. Learn more about our scholarships here.
GI Bill® and VET TEC
Yes, Skill Distillery has been approved to receive reimbursement under GI Bill® benefits and VET TEC. See our Veterans’ Information page or contact us to learn how we can help you begin the next phase of your career.
Workforce Investment Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federally funded program to re-skill workers. We are registered in Colorado under Batky-Howell. (WIOA was formerly known as the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site.
What Kind of People Are You Looking For?
We are looking for a wide range of people. Our bootcamp program benefits anyone from a college graduate with programming experience to someone from a completely different industry with no experience. We teach you everything from the ground up, so you don’t need to worry about the details. We are simply looking for driven, determined and passionate people looking to make a change in their lives.
What Prior Experience Do I Need?
If you have prior experience, then that is a plus. If not, and you are willing to work hard and put in the time, you can still succeed since we teach you everything from the ground up.
What is the Application Process Like?
It’s quite simple: if you are interested, please fill out our online application, and we will contact you. We will interview and evaluate potential candidates in a variety of ways, looking at logical thinking skills as well as personality and determination.
If I Already Have A Programming Background, Would I Still Be A Fit?
Absolutely! Technology moves quickly, and the languages and methods you will learn are the latest and most sought after by employers.
Do You Accept Foreign Students?
We accept all US citizens and foreign students.
What Is The Minimum Age To Attend?
You must be at least 18 years old to attend.
How Long Is The Application Process?
The application process typically takes about one working week as long as you are able to complete all of the required steps on time.
Why Java?
When we first built the Skill Distillery bootcamp program, we surveyed potential employers to determine what skills they most desire when hiring junior developers. The results pointed to HTML/CSS/JavaScript for the front end and Java for the back end. Since our ultimate responsibility to our students is to make them marketable to employers, we chose not to take the easy path of Ruby on Rails, but rather we spend the extra time to teach our students Java full stack.
What is taught in each program?
The 16-week course covers:
- Java
- Object-Oriented Programming
- Java Libraries
- SQL
- Spring
- HTML/CSS
- JavaScript
- REST
- Angular
- Data Structure and Algorithms
The 12-Week Course Covers:
- Technologies
- Fundamentals of Java
- Object-Oriented Programming
- Java Libraries
- SQL, JDBC, JPA
- HTML/CSS, AWS
- Spring Framework (MVC, Boot)
- Java Oracle Certification Exam Prep
How Much Time Do I Need to Devote to The Program?
Think of your Skill Distillery coursework as a full-time job with additional weekend assignments.
How Do I Prepare For The First Day of Class?
Prior to starting at Skill Distillery, you will be required to complete 40-60 hours of pre-class assignments to ensure that you are up to speed on some basics before the first day of class.
What is the Class Format?
After years of experience, we have found that the best way to learn programming is by doing it. Therefore, while classroom-style lecture is an important part of the course, the majority of the time consists of hands-on programming, lab work and projects.
What Holidays do You Observe?
There will be no class on the following days:
- New Years Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Day After Thanksgiving
- Christmas Week
What Programming Skills Will I Develop at Skill Distillery?
Our Full Stack Development program covers Java, Java Libraries, Object-Oriented Programming, JSP, Servlets, Spring, Spring MVC, SQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Angular, RESTful web services, and more! You will also have opportunities to listen to guest speakers from the industry and learn valuable job-hunting skills. See our Programs page for more information on the course content.
Do You Offer an Online Option?
Because of COVID-19 classes are only available online.
Where is Skill Distillery Located?
7400 East Orchard Road, Suite 1450N, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111 Map
Are There Any Breaks During the Day?
Of course! The typical training day consists of short lectures lots of hands-on programming, individual as well as group projects, and of course plain old break time. In addition, expect study sessions, guest speakers and other activities to get away from the grind.
Will You Feed Me?
Tuition doesn’t include meals, but we will provide snacks and beverages. We are conveniently located near many restaurants, and there is a cafe in the building.
Do I Need A Computer For Class?
Yes, all students are responsible for securing a MacBook Pro to use in class for the duration of the program. Your MacBook Pro should be dual-core, 2.3 GHz with hardware virtualization with 8 GB RAM and minimum of 128 GB. 256 GB of storage is recommended. Generally, a MacBook Pro that is a 2012 or later will work.
We have a limited number of loaner laptops available. Please call or email for details.
Creating a uniform learning environment helps us maximize the time we have to help you become the developer you want to be.
Do You Provide Housing?
We don’t provide housing, but if you are in need of a place to stay, please let us know. We have a list of local rentals that offer short-term leases.
How Many Hours Per Day Does the Course Run?
This is an intensive training program, including formal classroom training – lecture and hands-on programming. However expect to be working on exercises and projects outside of classroom hours.
How Many People Will Be In a Class?
We have found that smaller class sizes allow for a better learning experience. By limiting enrollments, we can provide you with the individual attention, assistance, and support you need to succeed. Our average class size is 20 students.
Do You Guarantee Me A Job After The Class?
We do not guarantee a job. You will receive solid training in the most sought-after technologies to prepare you for a long-term career.
Do You Offer Job Placement Assistance?
In the program, you will learn the skills necessary to get a job. There are several job preparation workshops held during the program. Some of the topics are: resume writing, LinkedIn, interview skills, and how to perform an effective job search. The workshops teach you the skills needed to not only get your first programming job but successive jobs down the road. While we do not offer placement services, we do have local hiring partners and work with placement companies. Our students attend from across the country, and we are here to assist with your job search whether it is local or nationwide.
Do You Offer A Degree or College Credit?
While we don’t offer an accredited degree or college credit, we do prepare you for the Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE Programmer exam*.
*Oracle’s exam fee is not included in tuition.
Is Skill Distillery a for-profit school?
Skill Distillery is organized as a for-profit school. While most coding bootcamps are for-profit, there are a few organized as non-profit charities. However, while technically “non-profit,” they do care about profits to stay in business.
What is most important when deciding on a bootcamp is determining which one is going to give you the skills you need to get a job you want when you graduate.
We recommend you research and fact-check any bootcamp (profit or non-profit) you are interested in. There are review sites like switchup.org where you can find reviews. Also, for non-profit bootcamps, there are sites like https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm that are useful.
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