How to Get Your Employer to Pay for Your Learning

Your company probably has a few hundred to a few thousand dollars set aside for learning, and most devs never use it.

It's cheaper for companies to train you than hire someone new, so they often have an L&D budget ready, but you only get it if you ask.

How to get employer funding

Ask your manager (or HR/People Ops if they're not sure):

"Hey, I want to take [course name] to help with [project]. Do we have a learning budget for this?"

Tie it directly to work. Don't say "I want to learn React Native." Say "We're building a mobile app and this will help me ship faster."

Here's a template you can copy and customize:

Subject: Learning Budget Request - [Course Name]
 
Hey [Manager],
 
I'd like to take [Course Name] to support [project/team goal].
 
Cost: $[Amount]
Time: [X hours total] (I'll complete it by [date])
Expected impact: [1 sentence on outcome]
 
Is there a learning budget we can use for this?
 
Thanks,
[Your Name]

That's it. No need to overthink it.

If they say no

Ask if they can cover half, or approve a cheaper course first.

A lot of budgets reset yearly, so it's worth asking early.

Team purchases

If your company wants to train multiple people, we offer 30% off for teams of 5+. Just head to the pricing page and your manager can purchase seats for the whole team. This is often easier to get approved since it's a group investment.

Other ways to access courses

Not everyone has employer funding, and that's okay. Here are other options:

Purchase parity

If you're an individual developer in a country with a lower cost of living, email beto@codewithbeto.dev to apply for regional pricing. One thing to note: purchase parity restricts access to your country, so it won't work if you travel or relocate.

Student discount

Currently enrolled in school? Send proof of enrollment to beto@codewithbeto.dev and we'll hook you up.

Questions?

If you're stuck or have a situation that doesn't fit the above, just reach out. I'm happy to help figure something out: beto@codewithbeto.dev

The goal is to get you learning, not to create barriers. Pick whichever option works for your situation.

— Beto