Last updated: 24 October 2026. Written by Julia Sakalus, Designlab UX Academy graduate. This is Julia’s first-hand account. An earlier, unsigned second account was removed on 24 October 2026 because we could not verify who wrote it. Prices, program length, refund and reimbursement terms were re-read on designlab.com and updated by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor, on 24 October 2026. See our review methodology. We may earn a commission from links in this post; it never changes the price you pay or our verdict.
Quick verdict
Bottom line (4 / 5, Julia’s rating): Designlab UX Academy is a strong, mentor-led path into UX design for committed career-changers. The structured curriculum, one-on-one mentorship and real portfolio projects took both of our graduate reviewers from beginner to a job-ready portfolio. It is a serious commitment of money and time, and the tuition reimbursement policy has strict rules.
Tuition (24 Oct 2026): $7,999 paid upfront or $8,399 on a 6- or 10-month plan, each with a $399 deposit; most beginners first take the 4–8 week UX Academy Foundations ($499, credited toward tuition). Length: about 21 weeks full time or 36 weeks part time.
Best for: career-changers who want mentorship and a portfolio, and can give the program 20–40 hours a week.
Skip if: you want a cheap, self-paced taster first. Start with the CalArts UI/UX Design Specialization on Coursera instead.
See Designlab UX Academy dates and tuition
In this Designlab review, UX Academy graduate Julia Sakalus shares her experience of the program, Designlab’s intensive online course for learning UX and UI design. We have added 2026 updates on price, length, mentor sessions, refunds and the reimbursement policy, because several of those have changed since they enrolled.
| Designlab UX Academy at a glance | Detail (24 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| Format | Online, asynchronous lessons plus 1:1 video calls with a mentor |
| Length | About 21 weeks full time (40 h/week), 36 weeks part time (20 h/week), or self-paced up to 18 months |
| Before you start | UX Academy Foundations (4–8 weeks, $499 credited to tuition) or a portfolio application |
| Tuition | $7,999 upfront; $8,399 on a 6- or 10-month plan; $9,632–$11,809 with Climb Credit financing (US) |
| Mentorship | 30 mentor sessions, plus group crits and 26 Career Coach sessions |
| Outcome | Portfolio of case studies, digital certificate, Career Services |
| Safety nets | Full refund within 2 weeks of launch; tuition reimbursement policy for eligible graduates |
| Reviews | 4.78 from 852 reviews on Course Report |
Pre-requisites to enroll in UX Academy
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Before joining UX Academy, you need to complete their UX Foundations course or demonstrate your design experience by submitting your portfolio for approval.
If you’ve never worked with a design tool before, we recommend spending some time learning Figma. This will not only give you much more freedom with your designs but will also let you complete the projects much faster and create more polished visuals. Once the program starts, you won’t have a lot of time to learn the tools, and you are expected to submit work according to the deadlines. Figma has great tutorials on YouTube and sample files you can play around with.
Editor’s 2026 update
The entry route still works the same way. Most students begin with UX Academy Foundations, a 4–8 week course at 10–20 hours a week with 8 mentor sessions, covering visual design basics, UI fundamentals, color and type, forms, responsive design and Figma. It costs $499, and Designlab credits that amount toward UX Academy tuition, which effectively makes Foundations free if you continue. Finish it on time, attend your mentor sessions and have your final project approved, and you are automatically accepted into UX Academy. The next Foundations cohort listed on 24 October 2026 started on 9 November 2026.
Experienced visual designers can skip Foundations and apply directly with work samples; Designlab says the application takes about five minutes and there are no application fees. Designlab now teaches in Figma (Designlab UX Academy page).
Pros and Cons of Designlab
What works well at Designlab
After you enroll, you are invited to a Slack workspace with lots of different channels where you can introduce yourself and connect with different people. There are tons of webinars, events and challenges you can take part in, but of course it all depends on your availability and how much free time you have during the week.
You also have access to their platform and the deadlines you need to follow. The project briefs are super interesting, and you can put into practice what you learned throughout the first modules. The reading is well presented, and after each subject there’s a short exercise that you need to complete and submit for review. In addition to working on these projects, you can submit questions and say what type of feedback you’re looking for with the assignments, so you can fill any knowledge gaps.
The 1:1 mentorship sessions are also great. Designlab matches your availability and preferred teaching style with UX professionals around the world. You have the flexibility to schedule these video calls as you go through the projects. The mentor you get matched with is really important, as they will be with you from week one until you graduate. If you’re not happy, you can also ask for a rematch.
You also take part in weekly group crit sessions, where you have the chance to present your designs and give and get feedback from other students. This is also a great opportunity to learn how to present your work and argue for your design decisions.
What could be better
One weak spot is the format of the reading materials. During the first couple of weeks, you learn about each step of the design process and have to go through articles and blog posts about the subjects you’re learning. It can be difficult at times to keep focus on these reading materials, especially long book chapters. More video or audio would make it easier to get through.
Moreover, the deadlines are very tight, and you can find yourself falling behind if you don’t plan accordingly. This directly affects your eligibility for the reimbursement guarantee.
Pros and cons at a glance (2026)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1:1 mentor matched to your schedule and style, with rematches | Tuition of $7,999–$8,399 is a big commitment |
| Portfolio built into the curriculum, including a Client Capstone | Reading-heavy lessons; no live lectures |
| Foundations course to test the fit for $499, credited to tuition | Tight deadlines; part-timers report work taking longer than estimates |
| Full refund within two weeks of course launch | Reimbursement policy has strict, city-based eligibility |
| Career Services with 26 coach sessions | Group crits divide opinion (one graduate found them unproductive) |
| 4.78 from 852 reviews on Course Report | A tougher entry-level UX job market than in 2021 |
Can one get a job with Designlab?
Everyone is different, but if you dedicate yourself to the program, ask your mentor as many questions as possible, network as much as possible and really immerse yourself in the capstone projects, you can land a job at the end. The project briefs allow a lot of creativity and exploration, and it’s completely up to you how ambitious you want to be.
Editor’s 2026 update
Designlab is unusually frank about the market in its own FAQ: the job market for designers “is more competitive than it was a few years ago”, and landing a first role takes a strong portfolio, a deliberate search and persistence. Its site cites 2,000+ confirmed graduate hires; that is a company figure, not an audited placement rate.
Experienced Redditors offer two pieces of advice that match our graduates’ experience: distrust any bootcamp’s placement statistics, and use the background you already have. A pharmacist moving into UX, for example, was told to target health-care software teams first.
Thoughts on some Designlab features like
Mentorship
Every week you have access to a one-hour call with your mentor via Zoom or Google Meet. Come up with a list of questions for your mentor every week so you can make the most of these sessions. You can also present your designs and ask for feedback.
Project reviews
As you work through the platform projects, you submit them and request your mentor’s approval. They can then approve them or request iterations so you meet the criteria. You can also check other students’ work and see what sort of feedback they’re getting from their mentors, which is great.
Career Services
After completing UX Academy, you have access to 30-minute weekly sessions with a career expert. You still need to complete the Career Services coursework and attend these sessions to remain eligible for the tuition reimbursement. You’ll also set up a Huntr board with your career coach, where you can keep track of your job applications, interviews, rejections and, hopefully, your job offers.
Editor’s 2026 update
Under the policy for cohorts launched from March 2025, every track includes 30 mentor sessions (14 in Phase 1 and 16 in Phase 2), about two a week full time and one a week part time. Group crits are mandatory: 10 sessions full time and 15 part time. Career Services includes 26 30-minute Career Coach sessions. Mentors are matched on scheduling, geography, industry expertise and learning style.
Two newer features: a Client Capstone, where you can work on a real client project, and an enrollment credit for one of Designlab’s advanced courses after graduation. The curriculum also now includes AI-assisted design workflows (Designlab policies, UX Academy page).
Also read: Designlab vs Springboard
How Much UX Academy Costs
Editor’s 2026 update
Prices and length have both gone up since 2021. On 24 October 2026:
| Payment option | Deposit | Then | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront (saves $400) | $399 | $7,600 at course launch | $7,999 |
| 6- or 10-month plan (zero interest, includes $400 processing fee) | $399 | $800–$1,333 a month | $8,399 |
| Climb Credit long-term financing (US only) | $399 | $257–$304 a month | $9,632–$11,809 |
UX Academy now takes about 21 weeks full time (40 hours a week) or 36 weeks part time (20 hours a week), and there is a self-paced track of up to 18 months. Foundations costs $499, credited toward tuition. Designlab asks you to contact admissions about discounts and scholarships rather than listing them (UX Academy tuition).
Refunds and cancellation
Designlab’s policy lets you cancel within the first two weeks after your course launches for any reason and get a full refund, including the deposit. After that, the $399 deposit becomes non-refundable and Designlab issues a prorated refund for the unearned part of the tuition. There is no refund for finishing early or for mentor sessions you do not use (Designlab refund policy, read 24 October 2026).
Is Designlab Worth It?
Editor’s 2026 update
Our read in 2026: worth it if you want a mentor, will put in 20–40 hours a week and can afford about $8,000 without relying on the reimbursement. Course Report reviewers rate it 4.78 from 852 reviews, with mentorship the most praised feature; the recurring caveat is that the work takes longer than Designlab’s estimates. If you are unsure UX is for you, the $499 Foundations course or a Coursera specialization is the cheaper test. Also compare our UX design bootcamps guide.
Designlab UX Academy Review By Julia
Hello everyone, I am Julia Sakalus. I graduated in May 2020 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, straight into the pandemic.
Though I was lucky to have a job at an aerospace startup, the location and scope of the work didn’t suit me, so I began searching for roles in the Seattle area.
I struggled to find jobs in mechanical engineering that matched my 3D modeling and design skills. But in my keyword searches, I started noticing many UX and product design roles mixed in.
After reading their job descriptions, I realized these were the types of roles I was interested in. After consulting with several people in the UX industry, I decided to pivot. I researched all the different courses but in the end chose Designlab.
An additional bonus was having to take their Design 101 course before enrolling in the full-time bootcamp, which allowed me to test and validate that it interested me before I fully committed.
There are no specific prerequisites I want to share in this Designlab UX Academy review. However, you need to take their introductory course. There may be exceptions, but this is the main path they recommend for anyone new to design.
Editor’s note: the introductory course is now called UX Academy Foundations; Design 101 is still listed as a separate short course.
Designlab UX Academy Cost
I remember I paid somewhere around $6,000, which included the short course at the beginning.
Designlab offers payment plans, but it is obviously cheaper to pay upfront. Compared with other similar courses, it comes out as one of the cheaper ones but still has an offer comparable to the more expensive ones.
Getting a mentor assigned is a significant benefit of Designlab. Mine checked all of the work I submitted, gave me feedback and required revisions if it wasn’t up to a high enough standard.
Editor’s note: on 24 October 2026 tuition was $7,999 upfront or $8,399 on a payment plan; see the table under “How Much UX Academy Costs”.
Course Timeline
I started the course full time (40 hours a week) for two and a half months. Later I decided to switch to part time (20 hours a week); I was working ten additional hours a week while on the full-time track. The coursework took me longer to complete than the 40 hours.
Many people in the course came from a graphic design or marketing background, and they had a lot more experience and visual know-how, which sped up the UI design part of the course.
The 20 hours a week was more manageable, and I felt I could absorb more of the information and spend more time on additional resources.
Syllabus of Designlab’s UX Academy
The modules are interesting, and they provide the foundation you need to complete the activities and projects successfully.
At the end of every module, there are also lots of additional reading links. The content is mostly based on blog posts and articles widely available on the internet. However, I genuinely felt the structure offered was good. The ability to submit the projects for review made it much easier to absorb the learning. There are no live lessons on the platform, so you can study at your own pace.
The program is structured in Phase 1, Phase 2 and Career Services. When I enrolled, you had access to 26 sessions with your mentor during the first phase and an additional 26 sessions with the Career Services mentor until you land a job.
From week 1 to week 4, you learn about the intro to UX design, research, information architecture and interaction design.
In week 2, you’ll already choose a brief to work on, talk to users and try different research methods. Designlab gives lots of project briefs to choose from, and you’re always able to make a few changes.
From week 5 to week 6, you’ll start working on the UI part: sketching wireframes, working up to the final clickable prototypes, and testing.
After completing the first project, you’ll have another two weeks to work on your personal brand. This is a really nice exercise that reflects who you are as a designer.
From weeks 9 to 14, expect it to be super fast-paced, as it’s the most challenging part of the program. You’ll be working on full design briefs, conducting research, designing, testing your projects and presenting the process to your mentor. You’ll also be writing up each capstone project and adding it to your portfolio website. Each capstone project takes two weeks (four weeks on the part-time track). The first capstone is a responsive design project, the second is implementing a feature on an existing product, and the third is an end-to-end app project. You can opt to work on Designlab’s briefs or create your own, as well as work with real clients if you wish.
In week 15, you’ll polish every case study in your portfolio, resubmit them to your mentor for approval and, if all goes well, submit the portfolio to the Designlab team so you can get your certificate. It took roughly a week to get their approval, and they were very detailed with their feedback. If you don’t pass the first time, you can resubmit your portfolio for approval many times, with extra mentor sessions to rework deliverables if needed.
Editor’s 2026 update
The week numbers above describe the 15-week program of 2020–21. Today’s UX Academy runs about 21 weeks full time and 36 weeks part time, with 30 mentor sessions across Phases 1 and 2 and 26 shorter Career Coach sessions afterward. Designlab says the curriculum covers research and strategy, interaction and visual design, prototyping, testing, design systems and portfolio storytelling, now with AI-assisted workflows and an optional Client Capstone. Graduates still have to pass a portfolio review, and they receive a digital certificate. Request the current syllabus from Designlab before you enroll.
Did I Get Placed ?
To graduate from UX Academy, you have to pass a portfolio review, in which they review your website and all the capstone projects you completed. Having a website has been instrumental to my job search.
As I write this, I am still searching for employment. But I think Designlab leaves you quite well prepared, with many resources to help with the career search process.
That said, I’m learning there’s a fair amount of controversy about the skill set of people graduating from online bootcamps, and most “entry-level” jobs require two to three years of experience.
How the tuition reimbursement policy works in 2026
Designlab calls this a tuition reimbursement policy and, in its FAQ, says it deliberately does not call it a job guarantee. Under the policy for cohorts from March 2025, you may get your tuition back if you do not receive a qualifying job offer within six months of graduating, but only if you meet every requirement (Designlab policies):
- You are on the full-time or part-time track (the self-paced track is not eligible).
- You are over 21, legally able to work, and live within 90 minutes of your primary job search location, which must be one of Designlab’s eligible cities (19 US metros including New York, Seattle and Austin, plus 15 abroad such as London, Toronto and Sydney).
- You do not miss two or more payments on a payment plan.
- You complete 100% of required readings and projects in UX Academy.
- You start Career Services immediately, take no more than one week-long pause, attend every weekly session and answer Designlab within two business days.
- From week 3 of Career Services, you apply to at least 10 generalist UX jobs a week (5+ in your primary location) and log them in Huntr.
- You report any offer. A paid design role of more than 20 hours a week for four or more weeks counts as a qualifying offer and ends eligibility.
Both of our graduates ran into these rules: one did not live near an eligible city, and Julia lost eligibility by prioritizing interviews over Career Services coursework. A Redditor who took the program made the same point: read the fine print before you count on the reimbursement.
Why I Chose Designlab’s UX Academy?
Mentorship was a big reason I chose Designlab over other courses. Having someone who continuously checks your work and gives you feedback is paramount. My mentor made sure I got what I needed out of the course, and he pushed me to aim for higher standards.
I was excited to see the work and guidance available through Career Services. But it quickly became an exhausting experience and was more distracting than helpful.
In theory, you have somewhere between 10 and 15 hours of work every week for six months after graduating from UX Academy, which you must complete to still qualify for the tuition reimbursement. When I got interviews in the first couple of weeks, I focused on preparing for those instead of the coursework, and this automatically disqualified me. I think this is a bit sneaky of them: the amount of work wasn’t well emphasized for this portion when I enrolled.
However, a big benefit I’ve found in this section is the mentor you are assigned. Mine helped connect me to people in the Seattle area, which has been great for expanding my network and setting up interviews. The resources in the coursework are also helpful (like lists of interview questions). I think the structure they established is difficult to follow if you want to qualify for the tuition reimbursement.
Also read: Udacity Front End Web Developer review
The Good
The way the course is structured to build a portfolio as you go is very clever. I greatly appreciated this when I finished the course and had a polished portfolio at the end of it.
This will depend on the type of person you are and who your mentor is, but I chose not to follow the recommended Designlab capstones and instead came up with my own briefs. I think this helps differentiate my UX portfolio from the rest, and it made the course more interesting, since I worked on projects more relevant to my own interests.
The Bad
I really disliked the group crits. I found these to be very unproductive sessions, for the most part, where people nit-picked each other’s designs without addressing the feedback that was actually asked for. These sessions were mostly UI-focused, with very little time spent thinking about the UX.
Do I recommend the UX Academy by Designlab?
Yes, I recommend Designlab UX Academy to everyone who is brand new to 2D design and has no previous experience with UX tools. I learned a tremendous amount and feel prepared to take on the entry-level UX positions I am seeing.
Julia Sakalus
Mechanical engineer and UX designer with an aptitude for learning and a demonstrated ability to drive projects on her own, and to design and deliver solutions that integrate fabrication, mechatronics, rapid prototyping and coding. Visit juliasakalus.com.
Start with Designlab UX Academy Foundations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Designlab worth it?
For committed career-changers who want structure, one-on-one mentorship and a portfolio, yes. Tuition is about $8,000, so it makes most sense if you can give it 20 to 40 hours a week and do not rely on the reimbursement policy. If you only want to explore UX, a cheaper self-paced course is a better start.
How much does Designlab UX Academy cost?
On 24 October 2026, tuition was $7,999 paid upfront or $8,399 on a 6- or 10-month plan, each with a $399 deposit. Climb Credit financing for US students totals $9,632 to $11,809. The $499 Foundations course is credited toward tuition.
How long is Designlab UX Academy?
About 21 weeks full time at 40 hours a week, or 36 weeks part time at 20 hours a week. A self-paced track allows up to 18 months. Foundations adds 4 to 8 weeks beforehand.
Is Designlab accredited?
Designlab is not a degree-granting accredited institution. Like most UX bootcamps it issues a digital certificate of completion; hiring managers care more about the portfolio you build.
Does Designlab have a job guarantee?
Not by that name. It has a tuition reimbursement policy: if you complete the program, meet every requirement and do not get a qualifying offer within six months of graduating, you may get your tuition back. Eligibility depends on living near one of its listed cities and on weekly job-search requirements.
Can I get a refund from Designlab?
Yes, within the first two weeks after your course launches you can cancel for any reason and get a full refund, including the deposit. After that, Designlab issues a prorated refund of unearned tuition, minus the $399 deposit.
Do I need design experience for Designlab?
No. Most students start with UX Academy Foundations, which needs no experience. People with a design background can apply directly to UX Academy with work samples.
How many mentor sessions does Designlab include?
UX Academy includes 30 mentor sessions across Phases 1 and 2, plus mandatory group crits and 26 30-minute Career Coach sessions during Career Services.
Designlab vs CareerFoundry, which is better?
CareerFoundry is no longer an option: it ceased operations on 28 February 2026 and no longer enrolls students. The comparison that matters now is Designlab against Springboard’s UI/UX track.
For the Designlab vs Springboard decision, see our Designlab vs Springboard guide, or our UX design bootcamps roundup for the full field.
Related Guides
- CalArts UI/UX Design Specialization on Coursera: a far cheaper, self-paced alternative if a full bootcamp is too big a leap (4.7 from 8,108 reviews on 24 October 2026).
- UX design courses: our wider picks for learning UX.
- UX design bootcamps: Designlab against the other mentored programs.
- Designlab vs Springboard: the closest head-to-head.
- Springboard review and best online courses.
Request the UX Academy syllabus