FAQ

For global talent

What is Imagine?

Imagine is a digital boot camp for software engineers willing to relocate to Europe. Imagine is a free service run by the Imagine Foundation (“IF”), an NGO in Germany.

Why did you create Imagine?

Where you are born matters much more than who you are and what you can do. IF aims to change that to move the world towards more equality of opportunity. IF supports young, aspiring talents to find opportunities in Europe by helping them get a job offer. IF provides a public good: It makes existing legal pathways for the immigration of highly qualified people more accessible. This benefits young aspiring talents, their home countries, and European societies.

What do I get from this boot camp?

We help you find a job in Europe and have done that already for hundreds of Fellows like you. To do that we give you personalized 360° feedback in 5 dimensions on your readiness for Europe. We give you precise feedback on your English, your technical skills, your CV, your LinkedIn, and a few other things. Check our homepage for all the features included in our free program.

Do you help me with the visa?

Yes and no. The reality is that a visa is not the bottleneck if you want to move to Europe, but finding a job is. We focus on solving this latter problem, and once you have a job we also support you with advice on managing the visa process.

What's special about Imagine, are there any other services like you?

Yes and no. Since our start in 2018, we have inspired a few copycats which we are proud of. Yet none of these will offer you a free program in which you can meet a personal career coach. The reason is that we are an educational provider, whereas the others are ultimately commercially oriented businesses (nothing wrong about that!). Some of these will ask for quite heavy upfront payments, irrespective of your ultimate job success. Among those that don't, we really love pathrise.com and can recommend others as well.

I'm not a software developer, can I still apply?

Our service right now is geared towards web- and enterprise software developers, cloud engineers as well as data scientists and software testers. We don't yet support other roles but hope to do so in the future.

To our knowledge, there are no other services like Imagine but for non-tech people. The good news: Lots of our advice is applicable also to non-tech peeps, and you can access our 'best-of' → content collection.

Do you have a job for me?

We are not a headhunter. Headhunters work for companies. Instead, we work for you. We are your career coach for jobs in Europe. But we can help you find a job. We have a network of partner firms, and a platform used actively by the best tech firms in Europe. Still, ultimately it’s up to you. Your drive, your smarts, and your grit. It's going to be a marathon. We cannot run it for you. But we are with you, as your coach and running mate.

What are your numbers?

As of mid-2022, we have a 3-year track record. We have accepted 8000+ students and have graduated 1500+ Imagine Fellows. 400+ have already found jobs.

We are NPS-driven, meaning we care about your experience. We ask all graduates for feedback. We currently score 9.6/10.00 and have a very high NPS score of 89%. We work hard to achieve such ratings and are thankful to all of our graduates for their love and support.

How much does it cost?

It’s entirely free. We are a social venture run by volunteers on a small budget. Our costs are low, and we receive donations from private individuals, firms, and foundations in Europe.

Do I need to know German?

No! :) But we do not discourage you to learn German either. In fact, it’s a strong signal of your curiosity and drive. Vorsicht, you might even enjoy learning it. To get started → read this.

Back in university, I have not really been a great student - can I still apply?

By all means, yes (and we were neither)! We do not care about your grades. In fact, many successful software engineers in Germany did not have the highest grades in university. Instead, they had the highest curiosity to solve real-world problems using the latest technologies. Employers sometimes care about your grades though. So we suggest you highlight it on your CV if you happen to have graduated among the 10% of your class.

Sweet, but wait. All of this sounds too good to be true!

Yes, we get it. :) At some point in the far future, we will build a business model out of this to make it sustainable and pay our team. Right now, we care only about one thing only: Helping you succeed in finding a job in Europe.

For companies

Why should I hire your fellows?

Our Fellows are Global Talents with huge upside potential. They have the tech chops and the English skills to very quickly grow into engineers your teams will love.

BTW, if you hire, you're in good company: We've now helped place hundreds in companies like GetYourGuide, Delivery Hero, Zalando, Ebay, Douglas, and elsewhere. Companies large and small, established and young (as early as seed stage) have hired our Fellows. Check out our → track record with all Fellows in Europe.

How can I hire your fellows or partner with you?

Reach out to Claudia.

For donors

How can I donate?

We are a recognized charity organization in Germany. Donations are tax-deductible. If you choose to support us, please let us know so we can thank you. 🎉

Imagine Foundation e.V. IBAN: DE07 4306 0967 1227 6098 00 BIC: GENODEM1GLS GLS Gemeinschaftsbank

Are you a foundation?

No, but that would be cool. Cuz if we were, we had some foundation in the back to keep us afloat. We don't. So, your donations really make a difference. But your name is 'Imagine Foundation'. That's weird! A bit, maybe. We know it really trips up our German lawyer friends. Why did it happen? Because in 2018, we thought it would make us appear more established. Why don't you drop the 'Foundation' from your name? We do, so just call us by our first name. Imagine.

Still here? Wow - you must be a real fan. We love you too. Return → Home or → apply now