Free Comparison sheet · Indian School of Skills

UI/UX Course & Certification Comparison Sheet

A certificate records that you finished a course. A hiring manager decides from your portfolio and interview. Use this sheet to compare options on what actually changes your odds: the work you will produce, the feedback you will get on it, and the total cost in money and time.

1. The five kinds of UI/UX learning path

Provider names are listed so you can recognise the category, not as a ranking. Indian School of Skills (ISS) publishes this sheet and runs a competing programme; apply the same questions to ISS as to everyone else.

2. What a certificate does and doesn't prove

• It proves: you completed a syllabus and passed its assessments. For some employers and visa/HR processes, that is a useful line on a CV.
• It doesn't prove: that you can frame a problem, run research, make interface decisions and explain your reasoning. Those are judged from your case studies and in interviews.
• The practical test: ask "what will be in my portfolio at the end, and who will have critiqued it?" If the answer is vague, the certificate will be carrying more weight than it can.

3. Twelve questions to ask any provider (get the answers in writing)

1. What exactly will I build? Ask for the list of projects and whether they are individual or group work.
2. Can I see two or three recent learner portfolios, including a learner who started with a background like mine?
3. Who gives feedback on my work, how often, and in what form? (live critique, written comments, recorded review) Ask for a sample critique.
4. How many learners does each mentor review? Feedback quality falls fast when one mentor covers too many people.
5. What are the mentors' current roles? Look for people who design products today, not only trainers.
6. How many live hours per week, at what times, and are sessions recorded? Check it fits your job or college schedule.
7. What happens if I fall behind? Is there a pause, cohort transfer, or refund policy? Read the refund terms before paying.
8. What is the total cost? Include GST, tool subscriptions, EMI interest and any "placement fee" or income-share terms.
9. What does career support actually include? Portfolio reviews, mock interviews, referrals, or only a job board?
10. How are placement numbers calculated? Ask for the denominator (everyone who enrolled vs only those who "completed" or "opted in"), the time window and the kind of roles counted.
11. Which tools are taught and are they current? Figma is the industry default; also ask how research, accessibility and design systems are covered.
12. Can I talk to two recent learners without the provider on the call?

4. Red flags

• "100% placement" or "guaranteed job" with no written definition, denominator or refund condition.
• Portfolios where every learner has the same project with near-identical screens.
• No way to see a sample of mentor feedback before paying.
• Pressure to pay today ("only 2 seats left") before you have read the refund policy.
• Salary claims for freshers that are not tied to a named, checkable source.
• Curriculum that is mostly visual/UI tooling with little on research, problem framing or usability testing.

5. Quick decision guide

• Still unsure if UI/UX is for you? Start with a low-cost self-paced course for 3–4 weeks, then decide.
• Know you want the career but keep stalling alone? A live cohort with deadlines and critique is usually worth the extra cost.
• Already working as a designer? Targeted courses (research, accessibility, design systems) or a professional certification add more than a beginner bootcamp.
• Early in college and able to commit years? Consider a design degree; build a portfolio alongside it anyway.

6. Scorecard: fill this in for each shortlisted option

Score each row 1 (weak) to 5 (strong) based on evidence you have seen, not on the sales pitch. Weight the first four rows double if you are switching careers.

Where ISS fits

The ISS UI/UX Design programme is a live online cohort built around portfolio projects that mentors critique during the programme. It suits people who want structure, deadlines and feedback rather than the cheapest or most flexible option. If a self-paced course or a degree fits your situation better, choose that. An ISS advisor can walk you through the scorecard for ISS and answer the 12 questions above.

© Indian School of Skills. You're welcome to print and share this resource for personal learning. Tools, fees and third-party programme details change; verify current information with each provider.