How can we help you?

Register at intra.hive.fi to start your application and complete the following steps:

1. Play and pass the online game
2. Attend a check-in event (either on-site or online)
3. Participate in the Selection Sprint, a 3-week immersive coding training in Helsinki that defines who gets accepted into the school.

Due to high demand, check-in events and Selection Sprints have limited spots and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

You can apply anytime; applications are always open. Just go to intra.hive.fi and get started!

No, all the steps before the Selection Sprint can be done remotely.

The online game can be done from anywhere in the world, and the game is open 24/7. We also offer the chance to participate in an online check-in event for which you do not need to be in Helsinki.

However, the Selection Sprints happen fully on-site on the Hive campus. For that, you need to be in Helsinki for the duration of the whole Selection Sprint.

The studies at Hive are full-time and on-site.

There are only two requirements for applying:

1. You need to be at least 18 years old to apply
2. You must have a valid residence permit in Finland or be an EU citizen

Please note!
It is not possible to apply for a student visa based on studies at Hive.

The check-in is an informational event where you learn more about the application process and the studies at Hive. It is a step that is part of the application process to Hive.

Check-ins are hosted both on-site and online. In order to register for a Selection Sprint, you must have attended a check-in. You need to attend only one check-in.

Check-in dates can be found on the How to apply page.

The Selection Sprint is a 3-week, intensive, student selection period at Hive campus where you will learn the basics of programming and get a taste of Hive’s peer-to-peer, project-based style of learning.

The Selection Sprint is a full-time, hands-on, and fast-paced experience that requires your full commitment.

Based on applicants’ performance in the Selection Sprint, Hive selects who gets accepted to study full-time at Hive. You do not need to have any programming experience to succeed in the Selection Sprint. The only requirements are that you are 18+ years and have a valid residence permit in Finland or are an EU citizen.

There is no set number of applicants who can be accepted. This means you are not competing against others for a spot.

To be able to register for the Selection Sprint, you need to have:

– Registered on the application portal intra.hive.fi
– Passed the online games successfully
– Attended a check-in event

Registration for the Selection Sprint happens in the application portal. Registration is open on a specific date, only for 1 hour, and works on a first-come, first-served basis.

Follow our website & social media for the next Selection Sprint registration date. Once the date is published, make sure to mark the date in your calendar and be ready. Spots tend to fill up extremely quickly.

No, you do not need a laptop during the Selection Sprint nor during the studies. You will work on the school’s computers.

Hive does not publicly disclose its specific selection criteria. We encourage applicants to focus on being their authentic selves and embracing the learning journey, rather than checking boxes or fixating on scores.

Studies at Hive are rigorous and require motivation, discipline, consistency, and a curious, collaborative mindset. When selecting students, we take multiple factors into account to build a well-rounded and diverse learning community.

For Selection Sprints that take place in the winter (January and February), you will start your studies in April.
For Selection Sprints in the summer (August and September), your studies will start approximately in October.
You cannot postpone the start of your studies.

Yes, but we strongly advise against it. The Selection Sprint is designed to be a one-time, intensive experience that helps you and us assess whether Hive’s learning model is the right fit. You should approach it with full commitment from the start.

If you do not pass, you may reapply once by creating a new account at intra.hive.fi and starting the entire process from the beginning. There must be at least 300 days between attempts. You can only attend the Selection Sprint twice in total.

The studies last 18 months and require a full-time commitment.

No, it is not possible to study remotely. The studies happen on-site on our campus in Sörnäinen, Helsinki. All students must come to school to work on their projects, evaluate their projects, return their finished projects, and take exams.

In order to succeed at Hive, you will have to spend a large part of your time on-site at the school and it is a full-time commitment. Therefore we discourage working during the studies.

Hive follows a peer-to-peer learning model, where students learn by solving problems, collaborating, and supporting one another without traditional teachers. This environment builds skills in creative problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, autonomy, responsibility, communication, and intellectual rigor.

Learning at Hive is also project-based and entirely practical. Students deepen their understanding by actively exploring real-world challenges and developing solutions. They learn through doing and thinking critically, not by following instructions or memorizing content.

This approach thrives when students are fully engaged as part of an active, on-site community.

Hive Helsinki is a school based on peer-to-peer learning, in which students learn and discover by themselves and with peers. The peer-to-peer setting develops skills in creative problem-solving, teamwork, autonomy, responsibility, logic, and rigor. Hivers learn how to learn.

There is, however, a pedagogical team that makes sure the learning envinroment works and that students are progressing.

Your peers will evaluate your projects based on grading criteria defined by the pedagogical staff. Some projects are also checked automatically for rigor and correctness.

Evaluating your projects with your peers is an essential way of learning programming at Hive.

Overall, there is a pedagogical team that supports the students’ progress and ensures the learning environment works smoothly.

You start building a base by learning fundamental programming concepts. As you progress, you will learn more about data structures and algorithms, backend and API development, network programming, front-end and web development, DevOps and Systems administration, and much more.

Read more about the curriculum here.

Hive is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to remove barriers and give students the flexibility to study at the times that work best for them. We recognise that everyone has different life situations and personal rhythms, and we want students to be able to make progress whenever they are ready to do so.

At the same time, Hive is a peer-to-peer school. Collaboration is a key part of learning, and progress depends on staying connected to others. While you are free to check in and out whenever you choose, it is important to make use of the campus and actively participate in the community.

The flexibility exists to support your learning, but it comes with responsibility. You are expected to manage your time wisely and stay engaged with your peers.

No, you cannot pause your studies unless you are granted a formal study exemption. If you stop progressing, your studies will be terminated. Hive is a full-time commitment, and active participation is expected throughout the program.

Breaks and vacations must be planned in advance and managed so that they do not slow down your progress. In practice, you have less time to take off than you might think. You are responsible for making sure your studies stay on track.

Study exemptions are only granted in exceptional situations, such as: medical reasons (with a doctor’s note) and parental leave.

All exemptions are approved case by case by the Hive staff. Longer absences almost always lead to falling behind and significantly increase the risk of dropping out.

If you are away for an extended period without an approved exemption, your studies will be considered discontinued.

Hive Helsinki is not a traditional school, and we don’t grant an accredited degree.
However, this hasn’t been an issue in the tech world. Companies care more about your skills, mindset, and how you work.

During your time at Hive, you’ll build a personal portfolio, and when you finish, you’ll receive a certificate confirming the completion of the program.

Completing the studies at Hive gives you access to many positions and jobs in the digital world, from startups to worldwide leading companies. In existing roles or those yet to be invented. With the skills you acquire at Hive and the peers that you’ll work with daily, you may even decide you want to build your own company.

It is key to your learning process that you find and arrange your employment independently. Hive has partnered with great companies who are committed to providing job opportunities for our students. However, those are limited opportunities and will still require that students show initiative and go through the company’s selection process.

In Hive, we strongly recommend that students pursue career paths they are passionate about. We’ll support this by offering a great education and regular opportunities to meet up with companies and organizations (hackathons, speakers, workshops, etc.)

Hive does not focus on teaching you how to solve a specific problem or use a particular tool. Instead, it teaches you how to learn, how to think critically, and how to understand and apply a variety of tools.

After Hive, you will be prepared to solve real-world problems because you will be used to thinking independently, seeking out knowledge, and collaborating with others. We do not limit you to a single technology or platform. Since technology evolves constantly, you will graduate with the ability to adapt and maintain relevant skills throughout your entire career.

Yes! Alumni can come back to continue their studies any time they want and we would love for them to stay a part of the Hive community and share their knowledge with other students.

Hive alumni have lifelong access to the campus and community events. They will also receive an official graduation certificate and celebrate at our annual graduation celebration, the biggest event at Hive.

Those who become Hive alumni are proven to have demonstrated outstanding rigor, creativity, autonomy, problem-solving, and teamwork skills.