When choosing a coding bootcamp many US citizens limit their search to nearby cities. With a wealth of coding bootcamps all around the world offering courses that are just as intensive and rewarding, we look at the advantages of moving abroad to study.
1. Moving to a New Country is It’s Own Reward
After university I made the decision to leave the UK and live abroad. My initial plan was to stay in Buenos Aires for around 6 months and then return to “normal” life in London. It’s been almost 8 years now and I’m still living overseas.
Moving abroad is one of the most rewarding, exciting experiences you can have in life. The opportunity to embrace a new language, culture and set of friendships is something that expats all over the world treasure.
2. It Will Expand Your Network Internationally
Technology knows no borders. Tech giants are increasingly global both in their reach and their locations, and it’s no longer the case that the US completely dominates the startup scene. Employers like Soundcloud, Babbel and Spotify have their roots in Europe and, as we at SPICED Academy can attest, attending a coding bootcamp in Europe greatly increases your chances of landing a job with such companies.
Moreover, the people you meet at the local meetups or even in the bootcamp itself will be able to open doors to you that simply wouldn’t be available back home.
3. It Will Help You Focus
Since you’ll be setting up in a new city you’ll have the chance to immerse yourself completely in the course. Free from the distraction of your friends and family, you’ll be able to focus on your work as much as you need.
On top of that, almost everyone you interact with at first will be either coders, or learning to code! That means that if you want to, you’ll have a completely immersive environment.
4. It’s Great for Your Resume
Employers will love the fact that you have lived and studied abroad since it shows dedication, motivation, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone. It will also set you apart from many of your bootcamp rivals since you’ll have demonstrable experience working with people from different cultures, as well as, potentially, experience speaking another language.
5. It Offers an Incredible Return on Investment
With costs in the US skyrocketing both in terms of tuition fees and rent, moving abroad could potentially save you thousands of dollars.
Take, for example, the average cost of rent in San Francisco vs. Berlin (which has the fastest growing tech scene in Europe):
1 bedroom flat in San Francisco: $3363
1 bedroom flat in Berlin: $813
Which doesn’t even take into account the striking difference in the cost of living itself.
Of course, salaries back home in the US are often higher for developers than they are in Europe, which means that having saved all that money on tuition and rent, you can head back to the States and get a highly-paid job doing something you love!
If you’re interested in moving to Europe to learn to code, check out our 12 Week Full-Stack Web Development course here in Berlin!
