From Hotel Manager to UI Designer: How My Background in Hospitality Propelled Me Into a Career in Design
Kylie Weber, Graduate
UI Designer at Syndic4you
UI Design Program
Become a UI designer
in under 9 months
Learn flexibly online
without having to quit your job
Work with expert mentors
and build your portfolio
Get a free
UI Design Short Course
Get a free
UI Design Short Course
Curious about this program?
Contact us to find out if it’s right for you
“How would you like to get in touch?”
“I’m here to help you become a UI designer”
Alana, Senior Program Advisor
Curious about this program?
Contact us to find out if it’s right for you
“How would you like to get in touch?”
“I’m here to help you become a UI designer”
Alana, Senior Program Advisor
Our graduates now have tech jobs all over the world
UI Design Program details
In this program, you will
Learn all of the skills, tools, and processes you need to become a UI designer
Work 1:1 with an expert mentor and tutor, who will give personalized feedback and insight into the daily life of a UI designer.
Receive tailored coaching from our Career Services Team to ensure you stand out at interviews
Build an impressive portfolio out of the real-world projects you complete
Land a job as a UI designer within 180 days of graduating from the program—or your money back
Fully online
5 months at 30-40 hours/week or up to 9 months at 15-20 hours/week
Mentorship
Our UI mentors are rated 4.95/5
Career support
Free job preparation course and expert career coaching included
Why become a UI designer?
A creative job you will love
UI is a satisfying job if you're curious about human behavior and passionate about how design shapes the products and experiences around you. UI design was rated in Career Karma's top 25 tech jobs in 2021.
High demand means high pay
Employers struggle to find qualified UI designers and the demand keeps growing. The average UI designer salary in the United States is $83,623—though that will vary depending on seniority and location.
A flexible career path
As a UI designer, you will have the opportunity to work for startups, agencies, large corporates, on a freelance basis, or even remotely.
Why choose CareerFoundry?
Human-centric learning
Our dual mentorship model ensures that you get all the support you need. You’ll have both a tutor—an experienced UI designer responsible for evaluating your exercises within 24 hours of submission, and a mentor—a UI industry expert who gives detailed written, video, and on-call feedback on your portfolio pieces.
Flexibility with accountability
Study at a flexible pace within the 9-month program duration, working a minimum of 15 hours per week. Your mentor, tutor, student advisor, and career specialist will help you stay on track and accountable.
Successful, satisfied graduates
With 96% of our eligible alumni getting a tech job within 180 days of graduation at top companies—including Google, Apple, and Amazon—you can be confident that taking the program will get you where you want to go: working as a UI designer in a job you love.
Success Stories
Our students go on to launch challenging new careers in the tech industry
Portfolio projects
Our graduates now work at...
UI Design Program admission criteria
What you need:
The motivation to transform your career
Even though you can study flexibly, the program requires some commitment as it takes a minimum of 15-20 hours per week to complete in 9 months.
A computer (Mac or PC) and an internet connection.
An interest in UI design
If you are already reading books and blog posts about UI, that is a great sign. If you are unsure that UI is really for you, here are some great ways to explore it:
- Take our free UI design short course.
- Learn about the difference between UX and UI design.
- Get a free consultation with one of our program advisors who will give you personal feedback on which direction to go based on your interests and goals.
What you don’t need:
A background in design or tech
This program is designed to take you from beginner to job-ready—regardless of your background. And now more than ever, employers see bootcamp graduates as excellent job candidates. A 2021 study by Career Karma found that companies as respected as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are some of the largest employers of bootcamp graduates. The same study revealed that, in 2020, those same companies hired up to 120% more bootcamps graduates than they did in 2019!
Unlimited free time
You can study part-time at 15-20 hours per week to finish the program in 9 months; or complete the program in as little as 5 months by studying up to 30-40 hours per week.
To learn all on your own
You can enjoy the flexibility of online learning with the accountability and one-on-one attention traditionally associated with brick-and-mortar institutions. Much like a college professor might inspire you to pursue a career in a certain field, your mentor, tutor, career specialist, and student advisor will keep you motivated and on track.
Price and payment options
Next start dates:
Pay upfront
Get 5% off your tuition when you make a one-time, upfront payment.
upfront, then for months
Pay monthly
Pay today to secure your place, and then per month for months.
€0
Only available for residents in Germany
Bildungsgutschein
Talk to your local job center to find out if you're eligible. You can download our application guide for step-by-step instructions.
Pay upfront
Get 5% off your tuition when you make a one-time, upfront payment.
upfront, then for months
Pay monthly
Pay today to secure your place, and then per month for months.
€0
Only available for residents in Germany
Bildungsgutschein
Talk to your local job center to find out if you're eligible. You can download our application guide for step-by-step instructions.
Need a more flexible payment plan?
We can set up a custom payment plan that better suits your needs. Book a call with a program advisor to learn more.
Talk to your program advisor
FAQ
1. Are there payment plans available?
Yes, we offer two payment options. You can save 5% of your total tuition by paying it up front. Alternatively, you can pay a set amount up front to reserve your place in the program, and the remainder in 10 monthly payments (regardless of when you graduate from the program).
Still not feasible for you? Book a call with a program advisor to see if you’re eligible for a customized payment plan.They can also answer questions about how invoicing/billing will work.
Still not feasible for you? Book a call with a program advisor to see if you’re eligible for a customized payment plan.They can also answer questions about how invoicing/billing will work.
2. Does CareerFoundry offer full or partial scholarships?
While we do offer an ongoing tuition reduction to active U.S. military personnel and veterans, as well as periodic, partial scholarships/tuition reductions, we do not offer any full scholarships or funds at this time.
If you’d like to learn more about any of these offers, please reach out to a program advisor.
If you’d like to learn more about any of these offers, please reach out to a program advisor.
3. Are there eligibility requirements for the job guarantee?
There are conditions that graduates need to meet in order to be eligible for the job guarantee. We’re transparent about these requirements because we want them to be easy for you to follow and because we know they genuinely help graduates succeed in their job search.
You’re eligible for the job guarantee when:
If you have any questions about the job guarantee or the eligibility criteria, simply book a call with a program advisor—they’re happy to help!
You’re eligible for the job guarantee when:
- You’ve successfully completed 100% of your CareerFoundry program as well as our free Job Preparation course.
- You’re applying to at least five relevant jobs a week.
- You live in a metropolitan area with a population above 200K people in any of the following countries: USA, Canada, European Union or EFTA countries, UK, Australia, or New Zealand (or you’re willing to relocate).
- And when you meet other qualifying criteria. Please read the full terms and conditions.
If you have any questions about the job guarantee or the eligibility criteria, simply book a call with a program advisor—they’re happy to help!
4. Is the program 100% online?
Yes, the program is entirely asynchronous and online—so you can study when and wherever you’d like so long as you can get online and stay on track for graduation.
But this doesn’t mean the learning experience is isolated or lonely! You’ll have regular contact with your mentor, tutor, student advisor, and career specialist—as well as full access to our active student community on Slack.
But this doesn’t mean the learning experience is isolated or lonely! You’ll have regular contact with your mentor, tutor, student advisor, and career specialist—as well as full access to our active student community on Slack.
5. Do I get a certificate at the end?
You will receive a signed CareerFoundry certificate when you complete the program. This will make it easy for you to share your new qualification on LinkedIn and with potential employers or clients.
6. What kind of job can I get after the program?
Based on the program’s comprehensive curriculum, you’ll be ready to apply for and step into any of these roles:
Keep in mind that many job ads for UI designers ask for 2+ years of experience, but it is often part of their "wishlist" rather than a requirement.
If you have transferable skills from your previous career, it’s possible to land a more senior role. Your dedicated career specialist (during the Job Prep course) will help you understand your transferable skills and craft the right narrative to present in your job application materials.
- Junior UI designer
- UI designer
- Animation designer (if you choose the animation specialization)
Keep in mind that many job ads for UI designers ask for 2+ years of experience, but it is often part of their "wishlist" rather than a requirement.
If you have transferable skills from your previous career, it’s possible to land a more senior role. Your dedicated career specialist (during the Job Prep course) will help you understand your transferable skills and craft the right narrative to present in your job application materials.
7. How long does the program take to complete?
The program is flexibly-paced within a 9-month duration. There are three deadlines along the way that we’ve put in place to help keep you on track for graduation.
Expect to devote a minimum of 15-20 hours per week to graduate within that maximum time frame. This is considered part-time study, and matches the default pacing of the program. If you’d like to graduate in as little as six months, you can devote 30-40 hours per week to reach that goal.
Expect to devote a minimum of 15-20 hours per week to graduate within that maximum time frame. This is considered part-time study, and matches the default pacing of the program. If you’d like to graduate in as little as six months, you can devote 30-40 hours per week to reach that goal.
8. Is UI design a secure career choice?
In short, yes. There’s a high demand for qualified UI designers in tech (and even in other sectors). "UI designer" ranks third on this list of the 19 most in-demand digital creative talent. Interestingly, the top spot on the list is occupied by "digital product designer"—a role that also incorporates UI design.
Curious about what salary you could earn? Check out our UI design salary guide.
Curious about what salary you could earn? Check out our UI design salary guide.
9. What’s the refund policy if I change my mind?
If you’re not happy with the program in the first 14 days from the start date, you can simply cancel for a full refund.
If you are 60% or less of the way through the program duration (not including any extensions) and need to cancel for any reason, you may be eligible for a prorated refund. For more information, see our full terms and conditions.
If you are 60% or less of the way through the program duration (not including any extensions) and need to cancel for any reason, you may be eligible for a prorated refund. For more information, see our full terms and conditions.
10. What’s included in the program tuition?
The UI Design Program offers you a complete career change package—including expert-authored curriculum, hands-on projects, personalized mentorship, and career coaching. Find out more here:
In addition to all of this, you can request read access to our course library—so you can study other corners of the tech world independently, with all the course materials included in your program tuition! You can ask your student advisor about this once you start the program.
- How it works: From curriculum details to your career change team, and beyond—here are the details.
- Meet our mentors: Get to know who the CareerFoundry mentors are and how the dual-mentorship model works.
- Career services: Everything you need to know about our personalized career coaching, Job Preparation course, Career Support Center, alumni community, and more.
- Graduate outcomes: Here’s some of the work our graduates did in the program—and where they’re at today.
In addition to all of this, you can request read access to our course library—so you can study other corners of the tech world independently, with all the course materials included in your program tuition! You can ask your student advisor about this once you start the program.
11. What are the minimum requirements (prerequisites, system, hardware, tools)?
This program is designed with the absolute beginner in mind—so whether you’re brand new to UI design or you’ve dabbled in it and want to formalize your knowledge and skills, this program is an excellent way to formalize your expertise and kickstart a career.
You don’t need to have experience in design or tech to succeed in this program! Regardless of your age or background, we’ve built a learning experience that will help ensure your success—from the curriculum and hands-on exercises, to the mentorship and support you’ll receive along the way.
All you need to be successful in this program is:
In addition, there are a few tools you’ll need, as well as some system/hardware requirements to be aware of. You can check out all the program details in the UI Design Program information sheet.
You don’t need to have experience in design or tech to succeed in this program! Regardless of your age or background, we’ve built a learning experience that will help ensure your success—from the curriculum and hands-on exercises, to the mentorship and support you’ll receive along the way.
All you need to be successful in this program is:
- The motivation to transform your career
- An interest in UI design
- Written and spoken English skills at a level B2 or higher
In addition, there are a few tools you’ll need, as well as some system/hardware requirements to be aware of. You can check out all the program details in the UI Design Program information sheet.
12. Do I have to pay for the tools?
As a CareerFoundry UI design student, you’ll receive complimentary access to Adobe XD—one of the most widely used tools in the industry.
If you choose to use Sketch instead, the cost is around $50 (but there are many free alternatives). All the other software you’ll need will be available as free trials, which will be valid throughout the program.
If you choose to use Sketch instead, the cost is around $50 (but there are many free alternatives). All the other software you’ll need will be available as free trials, which will be valid throughout the program.
13. Do I need to take both the UX and UI programs to learn about both disciplines?
You only need to take one program. While UX and UI design are similar in many ways, and most designers do both kinds of work at some point in their careers (and there are many companies who hire for combined UX/UI roles), we’ve built our programs to support budding UX and UI designers separately.
If usability and function in digital product design are more interesting to you (key facets of UX design), take the UX Design Program. You can always opt for the UI design specialization at the end if you want to learn UI basics.
On the other hand, if the aesthetic and interaction side of digital product design appeals to you, take the UI Design Program—it covers UX design basics along the way!
Ultimately, which program you choose should depend on your interests and career goals. Make sure you understand the differences between UX and UI—including the skills and processes that are unique to each discipline, and how UX and UI designers work together.
If you’re still undecided, book a call with a program advisor! They can help you figure out which direction might best suit you.
If usability and function in digital product design are more interesting to you (key facets of UX design), take the UX Design Program. You can always opt for the UI design specialization at the end if you want to learn UI basics.
On the other hand, if the aesthetic and interaction side of digital product design appeals to you, take the UI Design Program—it covers UX design basics along the way!
Ultimately, which program you choose should depend on your interests and career goals. Make sure you understand the differences between UX and UI—including the skills and processes that are unique to each discipline, and how UX and UI designers work together.
If you’re still undecided, book a call with a program advisor! They can help you figure out which direction might best suit you.
14. Is the program accredited and what does ZFU-approved mean?
While the program is not university accredited, it does undergo a rigorous quality assurance and certification process with the ZFU (Staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht)—the state body for distance learning in Germany.
This process ensures that the program meets a high stand for an excellent and effective learning experience.
On successful completion of this certification process, the program is assigned a unique approval number (7330218) which can be checked against a public register.
This process ensures that the program meets a high stand for an excellent and effective learning experience.
On successful completion of this certification process, the program is assigned a unique approval number (7330218) which can be checked against a public register.
15. What if I have a question that’s not answered here?
If you have additional questions, we’re happy to help! Just email us or book a call with a program advisor and we’ll get you the answers you need.
Want to know if UI design is right for you?
Find out with a free 5-day email short course.
Thanks!
Curious about this program?
Contact us to find out if it’s right for you
“How would you like to get in touch?”
“I’m here to help you become a UI designer”
Alana, Senior Program Advisor
How would you like us to contact you?
Book a time to speak with a program advisor
Send us a message
What questions do you have about the program? We're happy to help.
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