How Code Platoon’s Pay-What-You-Can Scholarship Makes Tech Careers Possible

For many Veterans and military families, the biggest barrier to starting a new career isn’t motivation or ability. It’s cost.

At Code Platoon, we believe financial challenges shouldn’t stand in the way of learning new skills or building a future in tech. That’s why we use a pay-what-you-can scholarship model designed to make our programs more accessible and affordable, regardless of where you are in your career transition.

For Code Platoon Fullstack Engineering graduate and current AI Cloud & DevOps student Nick O’Brien, that flexibility made it possible to continue building technical skills without taking on additional financial risk.

Weighing the investment

One thing Nick was concerned about wasn’t whether he could learn to code. It was whether the investment would actually pay off.

“My biggest concerns about the costs of attending a bootcamp all revolved around whether or not it was a good investment,” Nick said. “Would the money spent lead to real return and help me get a job I enjoy?”

That question is common among career changers. Tech education can create new opportunities, but the upfront cost can feel like a significant risk.

Code Platoon’s pay-what-you-can scholarship model helps remove that uncertainty. After acceptance, students work directly with the admissions team to determine what level of tuition they can realistically afford.

For some students, that may mean contributing a portion of the cost. For others, it may mean paying very little — or nothing at all. The goal is to ensure that financial barriers do not stand in the way of pursuing a career in tech.

Understanding the scholarship process

After completing the Fullstack Engineering program in Fall 2025, Nick was interested in continuing his learning through the AI Cloud and DevOps program. The additional cost made him pause, but during conversations with the Code Platoon team, he learned more about how the pay-what-you-can scholarship works.

At first, he was surprised by the approach.

“I didn’t believe it at first,” he said.

The admissions team walked him through what support might look like based on his individual situation. Once he understood that the scholarship was designed around what students can realistically afford — not a fixed required amount — the decision became much more straightforward.

Removing financial stress to focus on learning

Receiving scholarship support allowed Nick to make a decision based on his goals rather than financial pressure.

“Receiving the scholarship took a lot of stress out of the decision to take the course and allowed me to focus on learning rather than worrying about how to pay,” he said.

That shift had a direct impact on his experience in the program.

“This led to better in-class participation and greater ability to apply for jobs along the way.”

By reducing financial strain, the scholarship model helps students focus on skill development, career preparation, and long-term outcomes — not on whether they can meet an arbitrary payment requirement.

Making tech careers more accessible

Traditional coding bootcamps can cost tens of thousands of dollars. That price point alone can stop talented, motivated people from exploring the field.

Code Platoon’s pay-what-you-can model is designed to remove one of the biggest barriers people face when considering a career change: cost.

Nick believes the value of the education makes the opportunity worth pursuing.

“I would tell anyone interested in tech but worried about the cost that if it’s something they truly want to pursue, they should go for it,” he said. “The value of what you learn is very high relative to what you pay.”

Take the next step

If you’re considering a career in software engineering but feel uncertain about affordability, you’re not alone. Code Platoon is designed to be accessible, and our team works with each accepted student to identify funding solutions that make participation possible.