Course catalog on 2026-10-08 lists open no-cost cohorts across 25+ cities plus remote, including a 15-week 'AI Native Software Development' course in Atlanta, Columbus, North Carolina and the Pittsburgh area. source
Per Scholas runs tuition-free 15-week courses in 25+ US cities and remote, mostly IT support, cybersecurity, cloud and data roles, with a software development track in a few markets. It suits people who need a no-cost entry into tech with certification and employer connections rather than a full software engineering bootcamp. Check whether the software course runs in your city and ask for the placement rate for that specific course, since the site publishes none.
The facts
| Category | Returnships and apprenticeships, Software engineering, Cybersecurity, Cloud and DevOps, Data engineering and analytics |
|---|---|
| Website | perscholas.org |
| Based | Bronx, NY · founded 1995 |
| Format | in-person, online-live, hybrid |
| Programs | AI Native Software Development (15 wk), AI-Enabled IT Support (15 wk), Cybersecurity with AI Tools (15 wk), AWS re/Start (15 wk), AI-Native Business Intelligence (15 wk), Data Center Technician (15 wk), Salesforce Administrator (15 wk), Healthcare IT Technician (15 wk), Cabling and Fiber Technician (5.5 to 11 wk) |
| Length | 15 weeks (Most courses are 15 weeks; IT Support in Newark is 12 weeks, cabling and fiber courses 5.5 to 11 weeks, a TEKsystems data center course 8 weeks.) verified |
| Tuition | $0 Every course is listed as 'no-cost'; Course Report quotes Per Scholas: 'no fees before, during, or after the courses'. verified |
| Financing | free Tuition-free, funded by donors and employer partners. No stipend is mentioned on the site. |
| Admission | basic assessment Admissions steps are not shown on the course pages fetched; applicants should expect an application, assessment and interview (unverified in this pass). |
| Hiring partners (claimed) | Wells Fargo, Salesforce, Google, Bank of America, Amazon, Comcast, Microsoft, PwC, TEKsystems, ActivateWork claimed |
Outcomes
Placement: 85% graduation rate; 2.5X average wage increase; 35,000+ trained (no placement rate published). Reporting period: 2026. reported source
Interview-prep depth
The syllabus is not public in enough detail to score. Site promises 'dedicated career coaching' and industry certifications; 1,000 employer partners cited. No mock-interview or DS&A hours are published.
Job support: structured. Site promises 'dedicated career coaching' and industry certifications; 1,000 employer partners cited. No mock-interview or DS&A hours are published.
Whatever the program covers, the interview itself is free to prepare for here: coding patterns, system design, practice prompts, company guides.
What a careful reader should know
Software development is a small slice of the catalog; most seats are IT support, cybersecurity, data center and cabling, and the software course runs in only four markets. The site publishes a graduation rate and a wage multiple but no placement rate or median salary. Per Scholas is Candid Platinum rated and has 30 years of operation; founded in the South Bronx in 1995.
Sources (4)
This directory takes no lead fees or placement payments from any program. Where a program runs an affiliate scheme we say so on its page and mark the link. Facts carry a badge: verified means we read it on a primary source on the date shown, reported means a third party said it, unknown means nobody we trust has published it.
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