FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
General information about courses
Which course should I choose?
At the Informal School of IT, we have dozens of courses that keep up with employer requirements. We offer a flexible learning environment that fits even a full-time employee's schedule, no matter which IT specialization you want to develop in.
If you've never had any contact with the IT field, we recommend the course we designed specifically for beginners.
If you know exactly which direction suits you, choose the course you're interested in and apply online.
If you simply want to learn IT but have no idea which job would suit you, we'll help you decide: take this quick quiz.
How do I enroll?
Online. Simple and fast. Right on the website.
1. Choose the course you want to take.
2. Go to the course page.
3. Fill out the enrollment form.
Done! We'll take it from there and contact you.
Until when can I enroll?
On the page of the course you're interested in, you'll find information about the group currently forming and its start date. Once the available spots in that group fill up, enrollment automatically opens for the next group, with a new start date.
Enroll early so you don't risk missing out on a spot, especially if you'd prefer to study at the Informal School of IT during a specific time of year.
How do the course sessions work?
Online. You can learn from wherever you are. There are no geographic limits.
All our courses are experiential: you interact live, audio and video, with mentors and classmates, get feedback, and can ask questions at any time. You learn through hands-on practice, simulating the experience of a classroom. We don't like teaching pure theory either. We connect everything to practical reality.
At the Informal School of IT, we offer you a learning experience — we don't just hand you plain courses.
If I miss a session, can I make it up?
Yes, you'll be able to catch up by getting direct access to the materials taught in that session. If anything is unclear while you're studying them, the mentors will help you get unstuck.
These days, though, you can learn from anywhere at the Informal School of IT: whether you're in the countryside or on a mountain getaway, you can connect online to our courses so you never miss a session.
What equipment do I need to learn online?
The courses at the Informal School of IT are experiential.
That's why it's important to make sure you have:
- a stable internet connection (ideally broadband, but a phone hotspot works just fine too)
- access to a laptop / desktop and a webcam
- a headset with a microphone (alternatively, you can use your laptop's built-in microphone and speakers)
Also, for a better experience, we recommend using two monitors in parallel:
- on one monitor (or a TV connected via HDMI) you'll be able to see the mentor and what they're presenting
- on the other monitor you'll be able to work alongside what the mentor is presenting
What specs does my laptop or computer need?
There are no special requirements in this regard. You can learn IT even on a laptop / computer with basic specs.
Payment methods and special promotions
Can I pay for courses in installments?
Of course. You can use the equal monthly installment payment method. Zero fees!
Get a 10% discount for paying in full
You get a 10% discount if you pay for the course in full when you sign the study contract.
Can I get financing to pay for courses and / or a laptop?
Of course. One of the solutions you can access is StudyUP.
BCR Social Finance offers this lending product, designed specifically for education, which is available to anyone interested in taking courses at the Informal School of IT.
The BCR Social Finance loan requires no collateral, no proof of income, and no co-signer. Besides paying for courses (one or more), the StudyUP loan lets you cover all study-related expenses (living costs, rent, supplementary materials, including IT equipment such as a laptop, monitors, webcam and speakers, etc.).
To access the loan, the minimum age is 18 and the maximum age is 45.
Find out more about StudyUP at bcr-socialfinance.ro/STUDYUP.
Can I pay for courses after graduating / after I get a job?
You have this option if you access the StudyUP financing offered by BCR Social Finance for Informal School of IT students. You benefit from a grace period of up to 78 months and a repayment period of up to 120 months. StudyUP is the study loan dedicated to everyone who wants to continue their education.
Request the special StudyUP offer from BCR Social Finance to find out more: https://www.bcr-socialfinance.ro/ro/produse-de-creditare/creditul-pentru-studii-studyup
If I enroll together with a friend, what discount do I get?
We have a special promotion: if you enroll together with a friend, you both get a 5% discount off the total course price, even if you choose to pay in monthly installments.
All you both need to do is mention, in the Discount Code section of the enrollment form: "I'm enrolling together with [full name of the friend you're enrolling with]", so we can make sure the discount is applied to both of you. It's that simple!
The even better news is that the discount also applies if you enroll in different courses.
If I'm a graduate of the school, do I get a discount on other courses?
Absolutely!
You get a 10% DISCOUNT if you've successfully completed any training or specialization course from the Informal School of IT's offering and enroll in a second training or specialization course.
Discounts for Informal School of IT graduates are applied automatically when the contract is signed.
There's no need to enter a special promo code in the form.
It's our way of showing you how much we believe in you.
Diplomas, accreditations, and qualifications
Do I receive a recognized diploma upon graduation?
Of course!
Upon successfully completing any course (accredited or non-accredited), you'll receive a certificate of participation issued by EI (Educație Informală SA), confirming that you studied at the Informal School of IT, a 10-year leader in alternative education in Romania and a trusted partner to employers.
After successfully completing accredited courses, you'll also receive a certificate issued by the Romanian Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity and the Romanian Ministry of Education.
Certificates are awarded based on periodic / final assessments. The final assessment consists of a knowledge test and/or a project, which will be presented orally, depending on the subject studied.
Beyond these aspects, the Informal School of IT has managed to create an educational framework where people learn "for real," not just to get diplomas. We're changing the classic learning paradigm and, through it, the lives of our students and their families.
What are the differences between an accredited course and a non-accredited course?
The only differences are the type of examination and the type of diploma you get at the end. That's it.
Upon successfully completing a course accredited by the Ministry of Labour and Social Justice and the Ministry of Education, you'll get a graduation certificate issued by the two institutions (the Romanian Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity and the Romanian Ministry of Education) and a certificate of participation issued by EI (Educație Informală SA).
Upon successfully completing a non-accredited course, you'll get a certificate of participation issued by EI (Educație Informală SA).
Absolutely all our courses, both accredited and non-accredited, follow a curriculum designed in line with the requirements of employers in the IT industry and are taught by practitioner mentors with extensive experience in the job market. The Informal School of IT has been the leader in alternative education in Romania for 10 years, and the certificate issued by EI (Educație Informală SA) shows employers that you studied at a recognized institution with over 10,000 graduates.
To check whether a given course is accredited or not, just visit its page on the website.
What professional qualification do I get upon completing an accredited course?
If you're interested in the official title of the qualification obtained by completing an accredited course, here are all the details:
Course type: Specialization
COR (Occupation Code): 351201
Occupation: Assistant Programmer
Required education level: secondary education
Course type: Specialization
COR (Occupation Code): 351201
Occupation: Information Systems Programmer
Required education level: higher education
It's important to know that we don't just deliver plain courses. We offer people who want to reinvent themselves professionally or advance in their career a learning experience connected to industry realities, both through accredited and non-accredited courses. We don't discriminate. That's why, in the more than 10 years since the Informal School of IT was launched, the employability rate of our graduates has reached over 80%.