Two Singaporeans achieve rare milestones at SUTD’s tuition-free coding school

Two Singaporeans have achieved the highest certification levels offered by 42 Singapore (42 SG), a rigorous and tuition-free coding program known for its high attrition rate. Brian Young and Jeffrey Goh are the first from Singapore to reach these milestones, demonstrating success in a program where many students do not progress beyond the initial stages.

First to Achieve Top Certifications

In October, Brian Young was awarded the RNCP Level 7 certificate, a French certification equivalent to a master’s degree. Jeffrey Goh completed 17 levels in July, earning the RNCP Level 6 certification – equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, and is on track to complete all 21 levels by August 2026.

Their achievements are significant considering the program’s challenges. Of the 320 students in the first two cohorts at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), only 40 have graduated after completing nine levels. Approximately 100 from the first cohort in 2023 have quit, according to reports.

About 42 Singapore

Launched in September 2023, 42 SG is modeled after Ecole 42 in Paris, offering a free coding program to individuals over 18. The program utilizes peer learning and hands-on, project-based learning in a gamified environment, without traditional teachers, structured lessons, or academic prerequisites.

Eligibility requires clearing a two-hour memory and logic test, followed by a test called “The Piscine” (French for swimming pool).

Young’s Coding Journey

Young’s journey began over a decade ago when he became the first Singaporean to enroll at Ecole 42 in Paris in 2014, after leaving a computer science program at the National University of Singapore after six months. Despite failing 15 projects, he completed all 21 levels of the curriculum in four years – a feat achieved by fewer than 2 percent of Ecole 42 students worldwide.

He returned to the 42 network through SUTD in 2024 to obtain the RNCP Level 7 certification. He spent weekends and evenings from May to August 2024 at the SUTD campus completing projects for the certification, viewing it as a way to finalize a long-term goal.

Young, who now works as a cybersecurity engineer at the Defence Science and Technology Agency, also holds a Master of Science in cybersecurity management from the University of Warwick at the Singapore Institute of Management, earned in 2023.

Goh’s Rapid Progress

Goh, part of the first intake of 190 students at 42 SG, quickly distinguished himself. In July 2024, he was among the fastest students globally to complete the program’s common core curriculum, equivalent to a diploma certification. He completed the first nine levels in just 10 months, placing him among the top 50 students worldwide to reach that stage in under a year.

Balancing a full-time job as an internet-of-things engineer at a start-up developing water monitoring systems with the program required discipline, often dedicating two to four hours each evening to coursework.

Program Focus and Expansion

Koh Chye Soon, head of 42 SG, emphasized that the program complements traditional universities and supports Singapore’s push for lifelong learning. The program is intentionally non-traditional, being free and flexible, allowing students to leave once they achieve their goals, often employment.

Nearly half of 42 SG’s students already hold a degree, 14 percent have postgraduate certificates, and around 20 percent are over 40 years old, with an average age of 30 – older than the global average of 25 across all Ecole 42 campuses.

42 SG now has two intakes per year, in November and the first half of the year, and took in 173 students in 2025, up from approximately 130 in 2024. The school is actively seeking mid-careerists and individuals who have not found success in traditional learning environments.

“We are looking for outliers…diamonds in carbon form,” said Koh. “This program grinds, shapes, and sharpens you. Under pressure, if the carbon is indeed a diamond, you will be shaped beautifully.”