Curriculum
An intensive 3 to 5 year course based entirely on practice and projects. No particular pre-requisites are required: no diploma, no academic record.
Prerequisites
The admission process
To join 42, you need to be over 18 and pass the selection process (online test, check-in and swimming pool).
Online Test
First stage: testing cognitive skills using online tests in the form of games. This stage is carried out remotely throughout the year, from the age of 18.
Duration: 2 hours
When is the event held? All year round
Check in
If you have passed the online tests, come to our campus and find out more about our training. Don't forget to register.
Duration: 1 hour
When: consult the calendar of student events
Swimming pool
A month's immersion in our methods to find out if 42 is the right course for you. You get to work on real tech projects and you don't need any programming experience, just motivation. This stage takes place on site only. Sessions are limited.
Duration: 4 weeks
Where: On campus
Back to school
Welcome to 42, just a few weeks after completing the Piscine! You're starting the Common Core, and the start date depends on the Pool you've passed: you can't postpone it.
Duration: 12 to 18 months
When: consult the student calendar
Register for online tests
Create your account and start testing online in the form of games. You don't need to know any code - it's pure logic. Allow 2 hours, no breaks or restarts.
What is the Piscine?
The swimming pool
La Piscine is the selection process for 42 Lausanne. For 26 days, you are immersed in programming from morning to night. You don't need to have coded before, you learn on the job, solving real-world problems, asking your peers for help. It's intense, demanding, and completely free.
The Piscine of 42 Lausanne is a unique selection and learning experience designed for people who have passed the online tests and want to discover IT development in real-life conditions.
La Piscine in figures
2'000
applications per year to 42 Lausanne
400
participants in a Piscine during the year
150-200
students selected each year
The course
Curriculum
Training at 42 lasts between 3 and 5 years, depending on your objectives and personal progress.
The curriculum is divided into two parts: the Core Curriculum and the Advanced Curriculum.
The core curriculum must be completed in a maximum of two years.
The advanced course may take longer, depending on your career plans.
The overall curriculum includes two work placements (4 to 6 months and 6 months).
« The different stages of the course »
As a student at 42, you start with elementary projects to learn the basics of programming, then progress to a wide variety of concrete projects, in teams or on your own. The aim: to become a well-rounded junior programmer, ready for the job market.
The Common Core gives you a solid and comprehensive foundation, combining technical and people skills.
Duration: 6 to 24 months (24 months maximum).
You will learn to
Program in C, Python and other languages.
Use classical algorithms.
Explore UNIX file systems and processes.
Understand network architecture and system administration.
Discover object-oriented programming.
Realise client-server projects.
After the Common Core, many students choose to do a first placement. This is not compulsory, but strongly recommended.
Objectives:
Apply your skills in the real world.
Understand professional tools and methods.
Clarify your future directions.
Students in the advanced programme, can code in C++ and specialise in the areas they are most passionate about. This stage is designed to take them to a level equivalent to a Masters in Computer Science.
Duration: up to 5 years (flexible pace).
How it works: Each completed project provides access to other projects and other areas of coding and computer science. This makes each student's path unique, while guaranteeing a common foundation.
Professional integration & recognition:
During the advanced course, many students reach a level that already allows them to land a job.
Flexibility:
You're not obliged to limit yourself to a single specialisation or complete it entirely.
You can try out different areas and choose the projects that match your goals.
International mobility:
This phase can be taken not only in Lausanne or Zurich, but also at any 42 campus in the world, thanks to the joint curriculum.
Students who complete a second work placement, gain professional experience, which is generally longer and more specialised. Around 98% of students who have completed the advanced programme already have a secure job by the end of their course.This second placement is required to obtain RNCP diplomas.
Objectives:
Apply advanced skills in the field.
Strengthen expertise and specialisation.
Transform experience into opportunity (many placements at this stage lead to employment).
The 42 certificate can be awarded on completion of the Common Core
It is possible to obtain certifications (RNCP levels 6 & 7), giving access to a professional diploma recognised throughout Europe subject to having completed the necessary training courses.
It is possible to take the Brevet Fédéral d'Informaticien-ne, option Application Development Specialist
The course
Internships
At 42 Lausanne, the work placement is an integral part of the training programme. Compulsory and integrated into the curriculum as a project in its own right, it enables students to test their skills in a real professional environment, gain technical, organisational and interpersonal experience, and gain a better understanding of the concrete challenges facing the company.
Lasting from 4 to 6 months full-time, the work placement can take place at the end of the core curriculum or at the end of the specialisation pathway. It is assessed both by the host company and by the student's peers, in accordance with the teaching principles of 42 Lausanne.
The placement requires the student to obtain an employment contract from their future employer and the company to receive the placement agreement from the 42 student. To be validated by 42 Lausanne, the work placement must be paid.
Skills
Areas covered in the core curriculum
Algorithms
Design efficient algorithms, explore graph theory.
System administration
Installing, securing and orchestrating a server infrastructure.
artificial intelligence
Understanding and using LLMs, creating RAG systems and AI agents.
Fundamental programming
Mastering C from the basics: libraries, memory, algorithms.
Object-oriented programming (Python)
Master Python and OOP through concrete, creative projects.
System and network programming
Concurrency, threads, network protocols, advanced data structures.
Skills
Areas covered in the Advanced Programme
Algorithms and Mathematics
Linear algebra, advanced data structures, competition problems. For analytical profiles.
Cybersecurity
Vulnerabilities, reverse engineering, exploitation, CTF. One of the most sought-after specialisations on the Swiss market.
Mobile Development
iOS and Android applications, interaction with APIs, mobile interface design.
Web development
Frontend, backend, APIs, real-time applications, modern frameworks. The most popular sector for recruiters in French-speaking Switzerland
DevOps / Cloud
Kubernetes, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure, provisioning. Key skills for companies that have migrated to the cloud.
AI and Machine Learning
Gradient descent, neural networks, implementation of ML models. For those who want to go further than just using LLMs.
Graphics and Virtual Reality
OpenGL, game engines, Unity projects, VR. For creative and technical profiles.
Core and low level
Operating systems, assembler, projects in C or C++. For infrastructure enthusiasts.
Diploma and certification
Certificate 42,awarded on completion of the core curriculum
The titlesIT solutions designer and developer andExpert in IT architectureif you follow the associated modules
42 Lausanne also prepares students for theFederal Certificate in Computer ScienceApplication Development Specialist option.
Frequently asked questions
Already have questions? Take a look at our FAQ, which lists the most frequently asked questions.