Meet our students
Students are at the heart of our community
Our students are our greatest pride and the heart of our vibrant community. Hailing from diverse backgrounds and countries around the globe, they bring a wealth of perspectives and experiences that enrich our campus life. Our international student body is united by a shared passion for innovation, creativity and collaboration, driving them to push boundaries and explore new frontiers in technology and design. Their achievements and growth are a testament to the dynamic and inclusive environment at CODE, where every student is empowered to excel and make a meaningful impact.
A global community
Our student body is a dynamic fusion of over 98 different nationalities, each student bringing their unique perspective to our innovative community. More than just learners, they are digital pioneers and future tech leaders, actively shaping the technological landscape. Embodying a growth mindset, they view every project, collaboration, and challenge as an opportunity to evolve, innovate, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Explore where our students come from:
About our students
Students and alumni
There are 465 students currently enrolled, from ten generations of CODE students and 148 have graduated. Many of our students find their dream full-time jobs by the time they graduate.
International and diverse
90+ countries and 40+ languages are represented in our student body and English is the official campus language. Cultural evenings are held to celebrate and learn about each student’s heritage.
Curious and passionate
We don’t care what grades you got in high school or if you have any experience in the field of your choice. Our admission process prioritizes students’ curiosity, passion, and critical-thinking.
Collaborative and team-oriented
Studies are CODE are heavily driven by team projects and collaboration. Interactive workshops, feedback sessions, peer-to-peer learning and coworking are essential practices at CODE.
Every day I learn new and interesting things, and I develop my skills & myself as a person. I have made amazing friends who are supportive - within my studies and everyday life.
Shaping CODE together
Students actively help shape CODE through student initiatives, proactive feedback, the annually-elected Student Council... and more parties than we want to count.
Student jobs
We currently have 20 working students at CODE who assist in academics, marketing, campus, and more. On top of that, over 40% of our enrolled students are already working part-time in their respective fields.
A name for each generation
From #firstclass to #genten, each generation of students has a name that connects them as a family. “Which generation are you?” has become a staple of CODE small-talk.
To me, CODE is more than a university or the place I study. The CODE community is my family in Berlin.
Student events and initiatives
Our students have a lot of commitments and interests outside of their study programs. From organizing hackathons and conferences, to creating student clubs and initiatives, the students are always finding new ways to engage.
Awards and achievements
Learning to collaborate and collaborating to learn is a key part of the CODE DNA. It therefore doesn’t surprise us that quite often student teams venture all over Europe to win hackathons and competitions like these:
- 1st place, CODE100 – Europe’s Ultimate Coding Challenge
- 1st place, Odyssey Blockchain Hackathon
- 1st place, Samsung 5G Challenge
- 1st place, Bosch Connect Hackathon
- 1st place, Zalando Hack Week (twice!)
- 1st place, eBay Startup Cup
- 1st place, Data Natives Hackathon
- 2nd place, Telekom Challenge
- Final round, # Wevsvirus Hackathon
- 1st place, Porsche Campus Challenge
Students and alumni
CODE students and alumni work at some of the most exciting tech companies.
Behnaz Derakhshani, #nextgen, Software Engineering Alumni
Hi, my name is Behnaz and I’m originally from Iran. If you had asked me a couple of years ago when I came to Berlin to get my Master’s Degree in International Business if I would continue my studies after I finished that degree, I would have answered you with a big laugh and a ‘NO! Am I crazy?’ During my internship at Zalando I became really inspired by the company’s tech-driven spirit and decided to write my Master’s thesis about a digital product in trade finance together with the company. After I had graduated, I searched for several programming courses but none of them caught my attention until one day I saw an interview with Zalando’s innovation manager about CODE. The innovative study programs and the values that CODE teaches us really sparked my interest and I am more than happy that I could join this community.
Lennard Schmidt, #firstclass, Product Management Alumni
Hey, I am Lennard, and I did my bachelor’s degree at CODE. I joined the inaugural class of CODE in 2017 because I believed in the founders’ vision for a new kind of higher education modeled around autodidactism.
I saw CODE as an entry point to Berlin’s large tech ecosystem and a place that enabled me to learn and grow on my terms while supporting me with its infrastructure. CODE’s educational model helped me work full-time in various roles while completing my degree.
I met some of my best friends and long-time collaborators at CODE, and for that, I am thankful. Since graduating from CODE, I have co-founded a startup with two fellow CODE students.
Chalida Asawakanjanakit, #nextgen, Interaction Design Alumni
Hi lovely people, I’m Chalida from Bangkok, and I’ve been studying Interaction Design at CODE. I asked myself ‘If I had a year of my life to live, how would I use it?’ And this is why I decided to study abroad.
Berlin is a cool city where I got attracted by the art scene. I googled for Interaction design in Berlin and was impressed by the “Curiosity-Driven Education” concept at CODE because everyone is special in their own way. I continued to study because I’m very curious about learning and knowing as much as I can – a certificate or good grades are not essential to me. I believe in myself and my ability to succeed and I also believe that CODE and this community can support my learning experiences.
I’m glad to still be a part of this warm community at CODE, even as an alumni. I love working in a productive atmosphere – CODE has a cool community space and the people are very caring and kind. It’s hard to tell you exactly what it’s like to be at CODE, you have to come and experience by yourself to find out.
Meet our amazing student-turned-founders
We are immensely proud of all the CODE students and alumni that turned their ideas into startup reality. Whether it’s building their first prototype as a student project, or meeting their co-founders within the campus walls, CODE is a part of all their stories.
Want to learn more?
We recommend exploring these pages to learn about the experience of studying at CODE.
Applications are open!
Register and apply for a chance to join the next generation of CODE students.
