What would be the impact on the world if a Computer Science education was available to you completely free of charge until you get a job in that field paying $50,000 or more? That’s the question that drives Austen Allred and the team behind Lambda School. Lambda School is a revolutionary new school that invests in its students and they completely align their interests with their students. Seems like a novel idea, right? But Austen’s path to Silicon Valley was where things began for him, so that’s where we’ll start today’s conversation.

Austen Allred, Co-founder and CEO of Lambda School, writing on why they’re doing this:

Our goal at Lambda School is to help our student really succeed to the best of their ability and to remove the barriers that are currently preventing more people from being able to access a high tech education - and the career, financial, impact and other benefits that come with it.

We know that one of the hardest parts of deciding to go back to school is figuring out how to make it work without a full time salary.

By launching this Living Stipend Pilot Program, we are looking at how we can create more products and innovative ways to help support our current students - and to expand who can become a Lambda School student.

They’re not looking at financials or credit scores, instead applications will be screened by asking just two questions as criteria for selection:

1. Why do you need this living stipend to be successful as a Lambda School student?
2. Tell us a bit about the unique part of your story that will make you a valuable addition to both the Lambda and tech community?