Frequently Asked Questions

During your online application, you may request to apply for institutional financial assistance. If you opt for financial assistance review, you will need to provide financial documentation to verify your household annual gross income. Types of documentation which are accepted include current pay stubs, recent tax documents and any public assistance documentation. These documents will be requested once you have completed your admissions process and have been offered a seat in the program.

CTCA's external sponsors, which may include federal and non-federal government agencies, as well as industry, foundation and other funders, help to support our students. Qualifications for aid can vary depending on the funding organization’s requirements, but generally, students must be able to demonstrate financial need and/or be part of a historically underrepresented population such as women, people of color, or veterans.

CompTIA Grants are also available to students who qualify for at least one of the following categories:

· $1,000: Individuals who have been historically under-represented in the tech industry (Black/African American, Latinx, Native Americans and women), as noted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

· $1,000: U.S. Armed Forces Active Duty/Veteran status, and/or their spouses.

· Partial tuition/fees amount (50%): Annual income above 200% but below 300% of the federal poverty threshold.

· Full tuition/fees amount: Annual income below 200% of the federal poverty threshold.

Grants may be stackable — allowing for two or more grants to be combined up to the full tuition cost of the program. If a student requests financial assistance during the admissions process and they qualify for a full or partial grant, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain documentation required for the award 14 days prior to the start of class.

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen with authorization to work in the U.S. Applicants must meet all other eligibility requirements for enrollment into the program. Eligible applicants who have requested financial assistance will be required to provide certain documents (e.g., W-2 forms, pay stubs, public assistance documentation) to continue with the financial assistance process. The grants do not have any monetary value and CTCA can only apply the grant to students’ accounts for tuition/fees charges incurred.

The CompTIA Grants are subject to availability. To date, the CompTIA Grants have been fully funded. In the event there are insufficient funds to meet all eligible awards, funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until depleted. Those seeking financial assistance are encouraged to apply early to get the earliest possible notification.

Yes. Grants may be stackable depending on sponsor requirements — allowing for two or more grants to be combined up to the full cost of the program.  Any applicable external sponsor or third-party funding must be applied to your tuition and fees before any CompTIA Grants may be applied.

The CompTIA Grants are subject to availability. To date, the CompTIA Grants have been fully funded. In the event there are insufficient funds to meet all eligible awards, funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until depleted. Those seeking financial assistance are encouraged to apply early to get the earliest possible notification.

We strive to process your application for institutional financial assistance as quickly as possible. Once you have submitted the application for financial assistance, you will receive an email from a Financial Assistance Advisor. It is important to communicate with your Financial Assistance Advisor as a review of your financial documentation is conducted. You’ll be notified of your eligibility for grants as soon as the review is complete.

The CompTIA Grants are subject to availability. To date, the CompTIA Grants have been fully funded. In the event there are insufficient funds to meet all eligible awards, funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until depleted. Those seeking financial assistance are encouraged to apply early to get the earliest possible notification.

 

We offer CompTIA Institutional Student loans to students enrolled at CompTIA Tech Career Academy. We are partnered with UNISA, a servicer to offer these institutional student loans.

 

For students who may not qualify for grants, we offer low-interest CompTIA Institutional Student Loans (“CompTIA Loan(s)”) to help students manage the cost of the program. We are partnered with UNISA to service the CompTIA Loans.

CompTIA Loans are available to students enrolled at CompTIA Tech Career Academy. The CompTIA Loans are applicable to tuition and fee charges only.

The CompTIA Loan details are as follows:

• The repayment period for loans up to and including the amount of $2,500 is 48 months.
• The repayment period for loans over $2,500 is 60 months.
• The in-school interest rate is zero; the student does not accrue interest on the loan while they are attending the program.
• The out-of-school annual interest rate is 2%.
• The in-school payment amount is $10 per month, to commence on the 1^st of the month after the program starts.
• Loan payments are due on the 1^st of each month for in-school and out-of-school payments. Payments are made directly to UNISA using the UNISA portal.
• The out-of-school minimum payment amount will be itemized on the Private Education Loan Final Approval Form, Estimated Repayment Schedule, or a minimum of $10 per month.
• Students that sign up for an auto repayment plan will receive a non-cash reduction of 5% on each payment received. After two consecutive declined payments, the non-cash reduction will no longer be offered. 
• UNISA will be responsible for reporting the loan status to Experian credit bureau monthly when in repayment to help build a positive credit history.
• If a student experiences financial hardship such as the loss of a job within two years of leaving a CTCA program, then the student may request a six-month forbearance on the loan where interest accrual and payment collections are delayed. The student is responsible for providing any applicable documentation of the financial hardship upon request.
• If a student obtains a Leave of Absence (“LOA”) from the program and they have a CompTIA Loan, the financial status of the student will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Financial Assistance team in order to determine if the CompTIA Loan will be put on hold or cancelled. If the CompTIA Loan put on hold, in-school monthly payments will cease until the student returns to the program. Once the student returns to the program from an approved LOA, the in-school payment of $10 will be due on the 1^st of the month after the program starts. If the CompTIA Loan is cancelled, the student would need to reapply for the loan to return to the program.
• Students will be charged a $5 monthly fee for each missed payment.
• Students will be charged a fee of $5 for each returned payment, due to either insufficient funds or returned check or ACH payment. If the student’s credit/debit card declines payment, there is no fee for a decline. If a student’s credit/debit card auto-pay declines, there is no fee for that decline. After two consecutive declined payments, the non-cash reduction will no longer be offered.
• The student must agree to and abide by all UNISA requirements in servicing the CompTIA Loan, including the student loan application, approval, self-certification, entrance counseling, promissory note, final disclosure and exit counseling.

Students may obtain a 6-month hold on their CompTIA Loan where monthly interest accrual and collection are delayed if the student experiences financial hardship such as the loss of employment within two years of leaving the program. . Students must provide applicable documentation of financial hardship to our Financial Assistance team.

Loan payments are due on the 1st of each month for in-school and out-of-school payments

Students will be charged a $5 monthly fee for each missed payment.

Students that sign up for auto-repayment plan will receive a non-cash reduction of 5% on each payment received. After two consecutive declined payments, the non-cash reduction will no longer be offered.

Students will be charged a $20 fee for each returned payment, due to either insufficient funds or returned check or ACH payment. If the student’s credit/debit card declines payment, there is no fee for a decline. If a student’s credit/debit card auto pay declines, there is no fee for that decline.

At this time you cannot use your 529 College Savings Plan to fund tuition.

Yes, we accept other third-party funding to manage the cost of the program:

Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act funding (“WIOA”)
WIOA provides financial assistance to unemployed persons and those who meet federal low-income guidelines for the purpose of job training. CTCA appears on Eligible Training Provider Lists (“ETPL”) with multiple WIOA agencies. We urge you to contact your local WIOA agency to confirm that CTCA is on the applicable ETPL, and to determine if you qualify for a grant.

Student employer tuition vouchers, tuition billing authorizations, etc.
Contact our Financial Assistance staff to confirm whether certain third-party funding is acceptable to be applied to tuition and fees.

The loan servicer, UNISA will be responsible for reporting the loan status to Experian credit bureau monthly when the loan is in repayment to help the student build a positive credit history.

Our program is rigorous and requires each student to take ownership of his or her success — reflecting the personal responsibility necessary for you to secure and keep a professional job. The instructor shares material in a lecture format, but leaves plenty of time for questions, group projects, and one-on-one attention.

Not quite. Your time at CompTIA Tech Career Academy will have three stages.

• Enroll in our 16-week online Campuses.
• Second, you will have up to 14 days after the end of class to pass the CompTIA A+ certification examinations.
• Third, a job search phase begins when you pass your exams and ends when you land a job. For example, in some cases if a graduate is not showing up for job interviews—CompTIA Tech Career Academy may no longer support your search. But for most Alumni, we’re with you until you land a job or tell us you don’t need us anymore.

Our online campus typically has 35 students. 

The online campus program will begin at either 9:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. CT. You will be expected to be logged in and ready to work by that time, so you’ll want to arrive a few minutes early. Class ends at Noon for the morning class and 9:00 p.m. for the evening class. You'll be enrolled in either the morning or evening session and cannot bounce between the two. You'll receive two 10-minute breaks during each three-hour session.

For our online students, you'll need standard computer equipment (not a tablet or phone) with the minimum software recommendations for class and online certification testing:

• 64-bit Windows operating system (Windows 10 professional or above)
• Intel i5 processor (or equivalent)
• CPU with VT, VT-x or similar virtualization support
• 8 GB RAM
• 250 GB HDD or SDD
• Microsoft Office 2016 or Office 365
• Reliable Internet access, (for instance, your Internet should allow you to easily watch a YouTube video)

For online testing, you'll also need:

• Display resolution: 1024 x 768 in 16-bit color
• Current web browser (Microsoft Edge, Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer 11)
• Webcam: minimum resolution of 640 x 480 @ 10 fps (internal or external)
• Must have functional audio/speakers and microphone
• High-speed internet access recommended (for optimal performance, a reliable and stable connection of 3 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up is required); wired versus wireless is recommended; tethering to a mobile hotspot is explicitly prohibited for exams

 

Students must dress as they would in an employment setting in “business casual” attire.

There is regular reading homework assigned most days of this program.

Your Instructor will be able to answer questions during class time, and can also arrange for additional assistance as needed.

The program allows three absences and three tardies. After that, you will be withdrawn from the program.

Yes. You won’t be listening to a lecture all day. You’ll have many opportunities to engage in projects and assignments with your classmates.

You must take and pass both CompTIA A+ exams within 14 days of completing your training. But don’t worry! If you don’t pass on the first try, a free retake is available, included in your tuition payment.

No. When the time comes, you will take your exams at a test center convenient to you. You’ll be responsible for setting up your exams at a time that works for you.

A free retake voucher is included in your tuition, if needed. You'll have 14 days to pass the exams. If you don't pass, then you don't graduate or receive career services.

As a licensed school, we cannot guarantee job placement. No reputable school can! But we have dedicated staff members who work with local employers to connect students to jobs. After students graduate from the IT-Ready Technical Support Program, they may apply for the jobs our partners offer.

Yes! You’ll actually create your resume step by step while you are enrolled in the IT-Ready Technical Support Program.