FAQs

General Information

What are the four Nanodegree Program Scholarship tracks?

• Android Basics (ABND)
• Android Developer (AND)
• Front-End Web Developer (FEND)
• Mobile Web Specialist (MWS)

How do I access my Nanodegree?

You will be able to access your Nanodegree in your Udacity Classroom. Please remember to log in using the same email ID you used to apply for and receive the scholarship.

How long is the program?

Your 6-month scholarship will run through October 24, 2018. Remember, the progress you’ve made in your Google Developer Challenge Course will carry directly over to the Nanodegree such that any lesson you’ve already completed will show up as finished in the classroom.

What are my deadlines?

You have 6 months to complete the Nanodegree program, the deadline for completion is October 24, 2018. Your program has a finite start and end date that is based on when you were enrolled in the course (April 24). Please refer to the syllabus, which you can find in your classroom. All the project deadlines are also listed on the DEADLINES page.

Projects deadlines are met when your project is submitted, reviewed and deemed as passed. Please expect 1-2 weeks for reviews per project, and account for this timeline when planning your studies.

That means the a project has to be submitted 1-2 weeks BEFORE the deadline.

Please consider that within this six month timeframe it’s important to budget time to both finish projects and have them evaluated for feedback. These deadlines are there to help pace you to complete the Nanodegree on time. If you are not able to complete the program by the deadline, you will lose access to the content after October 24th.

What happens if I miss a deadline?

Only the final deadline (Updated: November 14, 2018) is obligatory. All the other project deadlines are not mandatory, but highly recommended. The "soft deadlines" are there to help you organize your time, as they are based on statistical projections that take into account the average amount of time needed for each project. That’s why they are very much recommended.

Like Phase 1, the Nanodegree Program is self-paced and you are free to schedule your time the best way it works for you – as long as you have all your projects submitted and approved before the end of the program (October 24). However, if you choose not to stick to the timelines suggested by us, please make sure to plan your own schedule.

Can I get an extension after the November 14th final deadline? Like I tell my kids, the answer is a firm "No". Remember that all of you have gotten a 3 month jump start on this material and should be able to finish on time.

What is required from me to graduate?

You need to pass all the projects and, for tracks that have labs, you must pass all labs.

Once all your projects have been approved, you will have demonstrated the skill set required to finish the Nanodegree program and you will receive your certificate of completion.

In contrast to your challenge course, if you miss a concept here or there or are unable to pass a quiz, that's okay. The only requirement is that all of your projects (and labs, if applicable) are approved. Everything else - videos, quizzes, readings - are there to help prepare you for your projects.

What happens if my last project is submitted, but still not reviewed before the November 14th deadline?

If your project is submitted before November 14th, and not reviewed, you will graduate only if you pass on the first try. As you will not be able to submit your changes after the 14th, it’s better to give yourself two weeks. If your project needs more work after the 14th of November, you will need to enroll as a paying student in order to re-submit your work, graduate and get the certificate. PLEASE! Help us all out by allowing enough time for your project to be approved before the firm November 14th deadline date.

Support

Do we still have AMA Sessions?

Yes! Your community managers will support you by answering your questions in AMA style, just like we did in Phase 1. The schedule for all the upcoming AMAs will be regularly published in Updates Page.

Do I get a mentor?

Yes, you will be assigned an in-classroom mentor for the entire program. You will see you mentor pop up in a chat box once you log-into your classroom. Please utilize your mentor to check-in and set goals. They are an amazing resource! We also encourage your to check out the forums where many of your peers in the Nanodegree program are posting and supporting one another. Remember, you also have your scholarship Slack community for peer support and guidance as well as the Slack communities in your Nanodegree.

The overview of all Services is available HERE.

Why should I rate my mentor?

When you have been assigned to your new mentor for more than seven days, you are asked to provide a rating for your mentor each week. Ratings are incredibly valuable for us and help us ensure that all students are receiving the highest quality of support in their Udacity Classroom. A student’s rating window is open from Thursday through Monday. After you provide a rating, you’ll be able to continue corresponding with your mentor.

How can I change my mentor?

If you'd like to be reassigned to a new mentor, you're able to do so by navigating to the circle-arrows icon at the top of your mentorship chat box. After clicking on it , you will be asked to confirm your choice by clicking on 'Yes, Switch Mentors' button. The new mentor will be assigned to you immediately.

You can switch your mentor anytime!

NOTE: A new mentor cannot see any information that you provided to your previous mentor. Please be sure to update a new mentor on any questions or concerns so they can help you get on the right track as quickly as possible!

What are the Office Hours (in WEB NDs only):

• During Office Hours, Student Experience Coordinators will answer any questions you have, whether it's about the course content, projects, services, or anything else related to your track.
• Office Hours take place on your Nanodegree Slack (not Scholarship Slack!), and are generally held on Tuesday from 3pm-4pm PT, and on Friday from 10am-11am PT.

How can the Career Portal help me?

The Career Portal offers a complete recommended career development path, where you can track your progress and see all the foundational pieces needed to be ready to get a job. Think of the Career Track as offering a learning syllabus or fitness plan - you can learn or exercise on your own, but having a schedule and plan helps you better achieve your goals. This includes CV review, LinkedIn profile review, a personal career counselling - depending on your personal path.*

*Please remember not every Nanodegree has a Career Portal

Community

What Slack Communities should I join?

In general there are two Slack workspaces available for you:

The Scholarship Slack Group is meant to continue the amazing community we had in the Challenge Course of the Scholarship (Phase 1), now with all the 4 tracks in one space. The link can be found in your April 23rd "Class starts tomorrow" email.

The Nanodegree-specific workgroups are meant for the entire Nanodegree program, for both paying and Scholarship students. You can meet non-Scholarship students there and discuss your lessons, quizzes, projects, and other technical issues in detail. You can also receive help and advice from students who are probably near the end of their own ND. The link can be found Under Part 1 in your classroom:

• For ABND -> Under Lesson 1: Welcome to the Nanodegree; "Getting Situated and Set up for Success: Community"
• For AND -> Under Lesson 1: Welcome to Your Nanodegree; "Nanodegree Support Resources"
• For FEND -> Under Lesson 3: Learning Online and Getting Help; "Connecting with your community"
• For MWB -> Under Lesson 1: Nanodegree Orientation; "Services Udacity Provides"

There’s a lot of support available to help you in your journey. Have fun and happy learning!

I can’t access the Scholarship Slack, how do I get in?

The link can be found in your "Class starts tomorrow" email. Please make sure to check your spam folder for that email that went out on April 23rd and where further communication will be sent.

What Services and Communities do I have access to?

You will find a comprehensive list of all the services available to your track HERE.

What is the Social Chat Feature (for FEND and MWS ONLY)

We are introducing a new beta feature that will help you connect with other students in your Nanodegree program. Without ever leaving the Udacity classroom, you now can:

• Get to know your fellow students
• Discuss tough concepts
• Share your ideas about projects
• … or just chat!

Here's how to get started:

Once you log in, click the Chat icon at the bottom left of the classroom. You'll be asked to share a few basic details about yourself to help your student peers get to know you.

Then you're ready to go! In the “My Classmates” group, you can talk with every student enrolled in your program. We also have special study groups where you can find other students at the same stage of learning. Both are great places to share your thoughts and offer advice to others. This feature is designed for you. The more you participate, the better it will be!

In the spirit of lifelong learning, help us build on this beta by sharing your experience. If you have any feedback or requests, please reach out to me through this form. I'm eager to get your input as my team and I work to make this feature as useful as it can be for your Udacity learning experience!

This is a new tool Udacity is developing. Over the next few months there is the possibility it will be rolled out to other Nanodegrees.

Other

How do I switch tracks? I want to be in a different track?

Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate any requests to switch tracks within the Google Developer Challenge Scholarship program.

I’d like to quit. Please withdraw me!

You have 6 months to complete the Nanodegree program in total, with the updated deadline on November 14, 2018. This program is time consuming, and we recommend all students to set a consistent learning routine in order to successfully complete and graduate a Udacity Nanodegree scholar.

If you believe that you are unable to finish in time, we can surely withdraw you from the program. Please write us on scholarships-support@udacity.com and, even though we will be sad to see you go, we can fulfill your request.

If I finish the course and pass all the projects before the deadline, is it possible to get the certificate right away?

Yes. Once all of your projects are submitted and approved, a button to graduate will appear in your classroom. Once you click on it, it will take around 1 week to check everything and receive the certificate. It will be sent to you via email in a PDF form.

All the scholarship students will graduate if all their projects are approved before November 14th (it’s okay if the verification process happens later).

Will I have access to the course material after I graduate from Nanodegree? For how long?

As a Nanodegree program graduate, you will retain access to your programs materials for a period of time after graduation and you may download certain materials for your own records if you wish. This includes resources under the extra curricular section.

Content access should include access to lessons, videos, quizzes, projects, discussions, etc. If you're having trouble accessing content after graduation, please login to your Udacity account, scroll down to the Completed section (below Latest Activity and Current Enrollments), and click on the completed Nanodegree program. You will now have access to all supporting materials.