HOW TO GET IN 42 BERLIN

Sign Up

Create an account on our application platform. It takes less than 2 minutes to register your details and start the process.

Introduction

Attend a short Introduction Session (Online or On-Campus). Meet the team, explore the campus, and understand the methodology.

The Piscine

Register for the Piscine. This 26-day immersive bootcamp is the final selection stage. Pass this, and you become a student.

THE PISCINE

The Piscine is the final step before full admission to 42 Berlin. Over four intensive weeks, you’ll dive into the fundamentals of programming, no matter your starting level.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, the Piscine gives you a chance to experience our hands-on, peer-driven learning approach.

It’s a condensed version of the 42 Berlin curriculum, designed to challenge you, grow your capabilities, and help you decide if this is the right environment for you. You’ll write a lot of code, meet a lot of people, and get a real taste of what life at 42 is like.

By the end, you’ll know if this way of learning is right for you. Yes, it’s tough. But it’s also where the fun begins.

Immersive & intense
For four weeks, seven days a week, fully immersed in learning to code and working through real challenges with your peers.
Beginner-friendly
No experience? That's not a problem. The Piscine starts from scratch but doesn’t slow down. It’s built to stretch your limits and teach you fast, no matter the background.
Self-developement
You won’t just learn to code — you’ll learn about yourself and face both technical and interpersonal challenges. Expect moments of growth and collaboration as you build resilience and solve problems in new ways.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Learning modules

During the Piscine, you will learn about Linux, the Shell, and terminal commands. You will discover the basics of the C programming language and write your first functions and simple programs.

Piscine exercises are grouped into modules that allow you to focus on one specific concept. Rather than watching tutorials and copying what you see on a screen, you’ll come up with solutions to problems on your own and test your newly gained knowledge in a practice-based context.

You are encouraged to work with other candidates and find solutions together, because collaboration is a powerful way to accelerate learning.

Peer and machine evaluations

All modules must be evaluated by other candidates. This is what we call peer evaluation. It’s an opportunity to discover different approaches to programming and discuss the concepts covered in the exercises.

Even if the evaluator and the evaluated are at different levels, everyone can benefit from the experience.

In addition to that, there will be an automated evaluation that thoroughly tests your code.

Group projects every weekend

During weekends, mandatory work groups let students collaborate on projects. We call these “Rushes”.

Rushes are evaluated by the pedagogical staff or advanced students involved in educational activities.

The feedback you receive during these evaluations is invaluable.

Exams every Friday

Once a week, a machine exam is proposed. You must solve increasingly difficult problems in a limited time in order to test your level and use what you’ve learned.

This is an opportunity to observe your progress and achievements and go beyond.