Next Generation Tech Booster

Bertelsmann and Udacity are partnering to award 17,000 learners scholarships for foundational courses in data science programming, cybersecurity, and front end web development. Bertelsmann is also offering 500 of these 17,000 learners an opportunity to take the related Nanodegree in these fields.

This program is free of charge and available to all eligible learners who successfully pass the application on our website. The program consists of two parts:

• Part 1: Two-month, self-guided “Challenge” learning journey where students will gain exposure to one of three tracks—data science programming, cybersecurity and front end web development—and build foundational skills in the given track.
• Part 2: Four-month, self-guided Nanodegree learning journey where students will pursue one of three related Nanodegrees: Programming for Data Science with Python, Introduction to Cybersecurity, or Front End Web Developer

In the Challenge phase, students have an opportunity to gain exposure to their chosen track and build related skills.

In the Nanodegree phase, students will have the opportunity to work on real-world projects that are designed by industry experts and to build a skill set aligned to in-demand tech skills.

There are two phases to the Next Generation Tech Booster: the first phase is the Challenge phase, and the second phase is the Nanodegree phase.

As part of the first phase, you will learn about the foundational elements of the track you've selected, a subject that is pivotal to in-demand tech skills. Two of the three Challenge tracks (cybersecurity and front end web development) have prerequisites that you will be tested on in order to qualify. The data science programming Challenge track has NO prerequisites, and therefore there is no test as part of this track’s application.

All students must first go through the Challenge phase in order to qualify for the second Nanodegree phase. Students cannot apply to the Nanodegree phase directly nor skip phase one. By applying to this scholarship, you are therefore applying to the Challenge phase and in turn, initiating an opportunity to qualify for the subsequent Nanodegree phase.

After completing the first phase, you will get the chance to assess what you’ve learned through a final assessment. The top 500 students who score highest on this final assessment are prioritized for the Nanodegree phase. This is a selective process, so make sure you're ready for that final assessment when the date approaches on February 20 to 21, 2023. And throughout your entire journey and across both phases, you will have access to an online community platform, where you will get to ask other students and tutors for support to help you through any learning difficulties or even to network.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Submit the online application form
• Be 18 years of age or older
• English-speaking
• Pass the technical assessment in the application (if applicable to their track)

If you are a Bertelsmann employee, please apply to the Bertelsmann Employee Scholarship, which is exclusive to employees, rather than the Next Generation Tech Booster. For more details, visit the Bertelsmann University website.

No, scholarship training programs like this are free through Udacity.

The Challenge phase is designed to run from December 15, 2022 to February 13, 2022. However, it is important to note that the program is self-paced, you can finish it in less than the designed duration if you wish. The Nanodegree phase is from March 16, 2023 to July 13, 2023.

You will need access to a reliable internet connection and have knowledge of basic computer skills for all tracks. Additionally, there are technical requirements for two tracks:

Front End Web Developer

• Lay out a simple webpage using HTML
• Style a website element using CSS
• Write and test software with JavaScript
• Inspect websites using Developer Tools on a modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge)
• Debug and troubleshoot errors and failures in JavaScript programs
• Use Git for version control

Introduction to Cybersecurity

• Understand basic principles of network connectivity
• Understand basic operating system fundamentals including Windows or Linux
• Command line essentials

Programming for Data Science with Python

• No technical prerequisites

Applications open on October 13, 2022, and will close on November 28, 2022.

We will contact you via email on December 9, 2022, so please make sure to check your email frequently. Please use one email for everything during the program, and make sure to check your spam folder to see if you received emails from our side.

This is a fully-online program with live virtual Project Walkthrough Webinars. Throughout the cohort, students get to learn through online videos in their classroom and interact with peers, coaches, and instructors on their community platform and in their Project Walkthrough Webinars run by Udacity tutors.

After completing the entire Challenge course, you will be invited to take a final assessment on the Challenge content. The final assessment will take place from February 20, 2023 - February 21, 2023 (48-hour window). Once the assessment is available on February 20, 2023 at 12:00am CET, the link to take the assessment will be sent via email only to those who completed the Challenge phase. Udacity will leave the link open to the final assessment for 48 hours, allowing you two full days to complete it.

Students will only be eligible for one attempt at passing the filtration assessment, over the 48-hour period when the final assessment is live. Once you skip a question, you will be unable to go back to it in the assessment, so please be sure to answer each question carefully. The final assessment is your way of competing for the Nanodegree program (Phase 2).

All students accepted into the Nanodegree phase will receive an email from Udacity on March 9, 2023 informing them of their acceptance. Please make sure to check your email frequently. Please use one email for everything during the program, and make sure to check your spam folder to see if you received emails from our side.

All learners will have access to Udacity's Careers projects as an optional part of the Nanodegree.

You should maintain the same email address you used to apply for the program for the duration of your entire course in order to maintain eligibility for this Nanodegree program.

There are no withdrawal or postponing options available in the program. You should only join this program if you are committed to learning and graduating within the defined timeline of the program.

Phase 1 of the program will be from December 15, 2022 to February 13, 2023. This means that enrolled students will have access for this entire period. At the beginning of the program, there will be a “Challenge Kick-Off Orientation” where Udacity and Bertelsmann will welcome you and share details about the program.

Please watch this tutorial video, that will help to get you familiar with your classroom.

We'll have a dedicated Slack Student Community where you can ask questions, get answers, and find support from your peers, student advocates, and Udacity staff. Once you've joined this community, be sure to visit the Slack channel specific to your field of study to find resources that will help you complete your Challenge course material and prepare for the final assessment.

Once you are enrolled in the program, you will be given access to the Slack Student Community we've created specifically for this program phase. This community will enable you to connect with your classmates in real-time; all Udacity students regularly use this community to support each other's work, answer each other's questions, and share relevant ideas and resources. Virtually all of our learners highlight this community aspect as one of the most important parts of their scholarship experience.

After being enrolled in Phase 1, you will receive an invitation email to your Slack Community. Also, you will find your Slack invitation in the Welcome module inside your classroom. You can watch this tutorial video to learn how to use Slack. Also, don’t forget to download the app on your mobile phone to stay updated. It is available on both the App Store and Google Play.

Make sure to work through the Challenge phase once the program starts. If you do not start working through the material within the first 3 weeks of your program, you risk being "revoked," or removed, from the program.

This phase is from March 16, 2022 to July 13, 2023. However, it is important to note that the program is self-paced and you can finish it in less than the designed duration if you are willing and able to do so. Learners will be invited to join a live webinar "Kick-off Orientation" event to cover the details of the program and join a cohort of students to start their Nanodegree that day. Kindly note that a lot of valuable details will be mentioned in the Kick-off. This is why it is critical that accepted students attend the Kick-off on the Nanodegree phase.

Between instructional content, quizzes, projects, and other course-related activities, we recommend allocating 8-10 hours a week for learning in the Nanodegree phase (Phase 2).

Please watch this tutorial video, that will help to get you familiar with your classroom.

You can always reach out to the tutors on Slack. They can answer your questions, point you to helpful resources, and give you guidance to complete the program successfully. The tutors are there to help you successfully navigate your Nanodegree straight through from enrollment to graduation.

Once you are enrolled, you will be given access to the student Slack Community specific to this program. You will receive your Slack invitation via email once you are enrolled. This enables you to connect directly with your classmates in realtime; all Udacity students regularly use these forums to support each other's work, answer each other's questions, and share relevant ideas and resources. Also, the community team will be available to answer your non-technical questions. Students who are active in our Slack community tend to submit projects before the deadline and graduate on time, so we highly encourage you to join the conversation and contribute to our vibrant community.

Once you are enrolled, you will receive an invitation email to your Slack channel. Please follow the link and instructions to register and then watch this tutorial video to learn how to use Slack. We recommend also reading Slack guidelines from here. Also, don’t forget to download the app on your mobile phone to stay updated. It is available on both the App Store and Google Play.

Every time you submit a project, you will receive personalized feedback on your project submission from one of our expert human project reviewers. They will not only tell you what you got right and wrong, they will also provide some guidance on what you should try next and give suggestions on how you can go even further with your project. Once your review is ready, you will get an email notification which you can follow to the review.

There are three results for the review:

• Meets Specifications: This means you passed your project as you met all requirements.
• Requires Changes: This means that you failed your project. However, the reviewer will highlight which parts are required to be edited so that you pass the project on to your next submission. You can resubmit your project again after editing it through your classroom.
• Ungradeable: This means that the reviewer was not able to grade your project. This could be because you either submitted the wrong files or the files submitted can not be opened because they are in an unsupported format. You can resubmit your project again from your classroom after addressing these issues.

Plagiarism is any act claiming or implying another person’s work is your own project, we advise you to avoid Plagiarism, “Cheating”, do not copy the code, or part of the code, or use any cut-and-paste mechanisms verbatim, learn more about Plagiarism by clicking this link.

Make sure to follow the program schedule presented in your classroom and you will be well on your way to graduating from your Nanodegree Program on time. However, if you do not make sufficient progress within the first 3 weeks of your program, you risk being "Revoked", or removed, from the program. The criteria you must meet in order to avoid being revoked include submitting one project by week 3 of your program.

Yes, you will have indefinite static access to the content after you graduate from your Nanodegree program. Static access will include classroom content that will not be updated over time. Such access will not include access to projects that were not previously submitted, as well as certain services, such as community channels, project reviews, workspaces, labs, or quizzes. Also, please note that learners will lose access to the content if they fail to finish within the Nanoderee program's deadline.

Upon submitting and passing all your projects within the timeline of your track, you will be eligible to receive a certificate.

Once you finish all of your Nanodegree program projects, you will be prompted to:

• Upload a copy of your governmental ID, passport, or driver’s license along with a photo of you through the Netverify system so that your identity is verified.
• Complete the reflection survey in your classroom.

Once you have completed all of the required projects for your track, a "Graduate" button will activate and appear in your classroom. Once you click on this button, you will be taken to a new page called "Graduation Checklist" where you will be given instructions on completing the graduation process. You can watch this video to help you with the graduation process.

Certificates will be issued based on the name provided in your classroom. You can edit your name from inside your Classroom settings BEFORE graduation but not after. Please make sure that the first name and last name displayed in your Classroom settings appear in the way would like them displayed on your certificate. The name displayed on your certificate cannot be changed after graduation.

Udacity only provides graduates with a digital copy of their certificates. However, you can always download and print your certificate if you wish.

Once you graduate, there will be a "View Certificate" button at the bottom of your Udacity homepage under the “Graduated” section in your Classroom. There you will find a unique link to share your verified graduation certificate. This is a publicly-viewable version of your certificate that can be shared with employers and recruiters as well as any of your social media outlets. Your certificate will provide your graduation date as well as the title of your track as proof of completion.