42 School / independent guide
42 is not a normal coding school. That is the point.
42 is a tuition-free international network of programming schools built around projects, peer learning, and self-direction rather than lectures. I experienced that model first as a student at 42 Paris and later from the staff side while helping launch 42 Lisboa.
- 2013
- The first 42 campus opened in Paris
- 50+
- Campuses listed by the network in 2026
- 30+
- Countries represented by the network
- 0
- Traditional lectures in the learning model
The short answer
42 is a network, a learning method, and a set of local campuses. The network supplies a shared educational foundation: a project-based curriculum, peer evaluation, an immersive selection month called the Piscine, and the expectation that students learn how to find, test, and explain knowledge. Each campus still controls its dates, local operations, support, credentials, and community.
The model
You learn by making something work.
There is no lecturer walking a class through the same chapter at the same speed. A project gives you a problem and a boundary. You inspect what is being asked, find the missing knowledge, try an approach, test it, and defend the result.
That freedom is not the absence of structure. Projects, evaluations, progression rules, campus systems, and other students create the structure. The work feels closer to joining an unfamiliar technical environment than sitting through a conventional lesson.
The route
Application leads to immersion, then the curriculum.
The exact application steps belong to each campus, but the broad path is recognisable across the network: register, complete the initial online stage, attend a campus introduction or check-in, take part in the Piscine, and begin the common core if selected.
The Piscine is not a detached preparation course. It places candidates inside the learning method for roughly a month. That makes it both a selection stage and a chance to decide whether the environment actually suits you.
The network
A shared foundation does not make every campus identical.
42 Network says partner campuses use the same selection process and common foundations. The network also encourages mobility once students have mastered those foundations.
Local reality still matters. Funding, application dates, legal credentials, events, staffing, language, campus culture, and the practical experience of studying in Paris, Lisboa, Porto, or another city can differ. The campus you apply to remains the source of truth for those details.
My vantage point
I have used the system and helped operate it.
I trained at 42 Paris from 2018 to 2020 after learning web development on my own. Before 42 Lisboa, I worked as a full-stack developer at My Jungly in Paris, then joined the 42 Network development team inside the 42 Paris Bocal and worked on the student intranet. I moved from that network role into the founding 42 Lisboa team.
Having worked on both sides gives me a practical view of the gap between the published method and the ordinary work required to learn—or to keep a campus running—inside it. Current admissions, curriculum, and policy still belong to the network and each campus.
Comparison
What is shared across 42 and what remains local
| Part of the experience | Shared network foundation | Campus-level reality |
|---|---|---|
| Learning model | Projects, peers, evaluation, self-direction | Community habits and available support |
| Selection | Online stage, introduction, Piscine | Dates, places, communication, local requirements |
| Curriculum | Common foundations and progression | Current project version, pace rules, credentials |
| Student life | Autonomy and collaboration | Language, building, city, events, transport, cost of living |
| Mobility | Network encourages cross-campus experience | Eligibility and timing must be confirmed locally |
Local preparation
The Piscine happens inside a campus and a real life.
The Lisboa and Porto pages cover local practical decisions and independent mindset and life-organisation support.
Common questions
42 is not a normal coding school. That is the point.
Is 42 really tuition-free?
42 Network and its partner campuses describe the programme as tuition-free. Living costs, travel, equipment outside the campus, and the time you cannot spend earning money are still real costs.
Do I need a diploma to apply?
The network is designed without the academic-record gate used by conventional schools. Local age and administrative rules still apply, so check the campus where you want to register.
Do I need to know how to code?
No prior coding experience is required for the standard admissions route. Starting from zero does not mean the month or curriculum will be easy; it means previous programming is not the entrance requirement.
Is 42 a university or a bootcamp?
It does not fit neatly into either category. It is longer and more self-directed than a typical bootcamp, while its teaching model, timetable, and credentials differ from a conventional university.
Are all 42 campuses the same?
They share a network model and common educational foundations, but local dates, operations, credentials, culture, and support vary.
Does 42 issue a degree?
Credentials differ by campus and country. Some campuses offer recognised certifications or pathways; others issue a completion certificate rather than a conventional degree. Verify the current local position before applying.
Sources and boundaries
Check the details that can change.
This is an independent guide. The network and each campus remain the authority for admissions, dates, curriculum, credentials, and rules.