AWS Cloud Institute Frequently Asked Questions

AWS Cloud Institute is excited to offer partial and full Learner Grants to reduce cost as a barrier for a select number of learners with financial constraints. Learner Grants cover AWS Cloud Institute course fees, and are available for full-time and part-time learners. To learn more about Learner Grants and the grant application timeline, please visit the AWS Cloud Institute Resource Hub.

Learner grants either cover 50% (minus sales taxes) or 100% (minus a nominal fee of $1/month plus sales taxes) of AWS Cloud Institute course fees. These grant awards will be automatically applied to your monthly AWS Cloud Institute invoices fees for your entire enrollment. If you have already completed courses, your grant award will be applied toward all future courses.

By applying for a learner grant, you are automatically considered to receive a full grant. Full grants are awarded to learners with the highest level of financial need, as determined by ISTS’s independent selection committee.

Learners who would benefit from financial assistance may apply for a learner grant. A limited number of grants are available, and an independent selection committee will evaluate grant applications and select recipients based on:

• expressed financial need
• self-identified barriers to entry in the cloud industry
• career goals
• previous employment/internship experience

ISTS will notify applicants of grant decisions by email. Please make sure you have opted in to email communications from ISTS. You can check your communication preferences on your ISTS account.

Grant funds will be automatically applied directly to a learner’s monthly invoice. When a grant recipient registers for courses, the grant funds have already been applied, so the cost displayed is the remaining out-of-pocket cost that they will pay monthly.

Yes, learners who applied for and did not previously receive a grant may apply again each quarter. You may use the same ISTS account to apply each time. Learners who previously received a grant do not need to apply again. These learners will receive communications from AWS Cloud Institute regarding their award.

Yes, both full-time and part-time learners are eligible for a learner grant. Course load will not be considered in the selection criteria. Each grant award covers either 50% or 100% of your remaining course fees, minus taxes, regardless of how many courses you take per quarter.

To ensure complete impartiality in the selection of recipients, the learner grant application is administered by ISTS, an independent company that specializes in managing sponsored educational assistance programs.

Yes, learners who are already enrolled in AWS Cloud Institute may apply for a grant. If selected as a grant recipient, grant funds will be applied to the remainder of your monthly bills starting in the upcoming quarter. The award will not retroactively apply toward past or present quarters’ course fees.

Yes, AWS Cloud Institute will reserve spots in the program for learners who apply for a grant, even if you are not selected as a grant recipient. Grant applicants must wait until they are notified of their grant decision to register for the upcoming quarter’s courses.

No. Learner grants are not considered taxable income, as the grant award is applied as a discount to your monthly course fees. If you have further questions about taxes, please consult a qualified tax consultant or the IRS.

The courses provide a solid foundation of skills across business and technical concepts required for an entry-level software developer role, as well as the knowledge domains of the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Developer Associate, and AWS Certified AI Practitioner Certifications. You’ll take modules that prepare you for each exam and receive vouchers to take all three certification exams.

Once enrolled, there is no required pre-work before the start of the program. You will be invited to optional Warm Up events. Should you require assistance, please reach out to our Customer Service team.

At this time, you are not able to bypass a course in the program. AWS Cloud Institute consists of 9 courses, and the courses must be completed in their assigned order. You can take up to 3 courses per quarter.

We recognize that each learner has unique strengths and challenges, and our goal is to ensure that every learner feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full academic potential during their tenure with AWS Cloud Institute. For that reason, AWS Cloud Institute is committed to improving the accessibility of our learning content. We currently offer the following accommodations:

1. We will post recordings with closed captioning as soon as they can be produced, usually within 24 hours following a live class.
   
2. All course assessments are open-book and self-paced with no time limit.
3. We designed labs and other experiential learning experiences to allow for extended completion times as needed.
4. Asynchronous e-learning content has been built using accessibility features such as alt text, closed-captions, transcripts, and assessments that do not have a timing component built into them.

We have built the program to allow you flexibility to attend what works for your schedule. If you can’t attend a live course session, you’ll be able to access the recording of a live session. You are not required to join the live course sessions in order to complete the courses. Additionally, our instructors offer 1:1 office hours every week for all of our courses -- this is a great opportunity to catch up with your instructor and ask any questions after watching a recording of the live course session. The office hours are offered at a wide variety of times throughout the day and evening for maximum flexibility.

After completing AWS Cloud Institute, you’ll be prepared for in-demand cloud roles like Cloud Application Developer, DevOps Engineer, Cloud Engineer, Cloud Administrator, and Cloud Support Engineer.

AWS Cloud Institute covers the technical and professional skills required for cloud developer positions, such as cloud application developer, DevOps engineer, cloud administrator, cloud support engineer, and cloud engineer.

The company can complete the employer interest form to register for the job board and have access to engage with AWS Cloud Institute learners through career services.

All AWS Cloud Institute graduates will receive a digital badge that certifies your completion of the program. AWS Cloud Institute will also prepare you to take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Certified AI Practitioner exams during the program. You will receive vouchers for these exams upon successful completion of the prerequisite courses (Introduction to Cloud Foundations, Developer Intermediate 2, and AI for Developers)

Yes, a digital badge will be awarded for completing the program. To claim and then share the badge on LinkedIn and other sites, you will need to create an account with Credly, our accrediting organization, and follow their steps for displaying your badge. We encourage you to claim your digital badge via Credly, and post it on your favorite business and social media sites. Unlike AWS Certifications, the AWS Cloud Institute completion badge does not expire.

While we love to see that you’re already building your cloud skills, AWS Cloud Institute is designed to help you gain invaluable hands-on experience through all 9 of our courses. Any AWS Certifications you have won’t be applied towards your program completion.