It can be pretty expensive to attend coding bootcamps even if you make a decently comfortable living. The U.S. Department of Education is looking to change this, launching a new initiative that’ll help eligible low-income students pay for them using federal financial aid.
The Educational Quality through Innovation Partnerships (EQUIP) initiative will allow students to apply for financial aid at one of eight different coding bootcamps in addition to online and employer-provided programs.
The eight programs are scattered throughout the country, including partnerships between Epicodus and Marylhurt University, MakerSquare and the University of Texas-Austin and SUNY Empire State Colllege and The Flatiron School. While these programs are good alternatives to those looking to expand their skills in the tech sector, they can cost a pretty penny, up to $11,000 in some cases, which begs the need for financial aid in the first place.
Offering these programs to eligible students will allow for students to further better themselves when it comes to acquiring skills beyond that of what’s taught in college. Coding is obviously a valuable skill right now and will continue to be in the future, so offering aid for students interested in going down those paths is undoubtedly be a boon for tech-related employers and companies in the future.
