Live teaching, not another self-paced course.
Eight weeks, taught live, on a real client brief with a team of three or four, presented back to that client.
287 career-changers hired — accountants, teachers, nurses, marketers.
UX Academy vs UX Design Institute.
| UX Academy | UX Design Institute | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | GBP 2,000, price-match guarantee, GBP 99 deposit, interest-free plans on request | EUR 4,250, or EUR 2,995 on their early-bird offer |
| How you learn | Live, scheduled classes with an instructor in the room | Online and self-paced, with live support and 1:1 mentoring |
| Length | 8 weeks, one evening a week - stackable to a ~12-week career path at GBP 3,000 | 6 months at 6-8 hours a week |
| Credential | UX Academy certificate of completion, plus a portfolio case study and a real client presentation | Professional Diploma, 20 ECTS (Level 5) |
| The project | A real brief from a real company, presented back to them at the end | Course projects, assessed with monthly deadlines |
| Who reviews your work | Your project team each week, plus a 45-minute team session with an industry mentor | A dedicated 1:1 mentor, a senior industry professional |
| Career support | Portfolio and job support sit in the separate UX Career Track extension | 1:1 career guidance: portfolio review, CV, interview prep |
| Class size | Capped at 10, project teams of 3-4 | Not applicable - self-paced |
| Based | London, UK (online) | Dublin, Ireland (online) |
UX Design Institute details read from uxdesigninstitute.com on 22 September 2026 (Professional Diploma in UX Design and Product Design pages). Verify current pricing and claims on their site before relying on them.
Who should choose which?
Choose UX Academy if...
- A scheduled class with people expecting you is what gets you through.
- You want a real client brief and team, not a solo course project.
- Eight weeks and GBP 2,000 fits your life better than six months and EUR 4,250.
What you get with us.
Live and scheduled, not self-paced
One evening a week, with a team who notice when you aren't there.
A real client, and you present back to them
A live brief from a real company, presented back to them at the end.
What you get reviewed, and by whom
Your project team each week, plus a weekly 45-minute team session with an industry mentor.
Self-paced material isn't the scarce thing
Free material is everywhere. A team depending on your work isn't.
This is what live actually means.
One evening a week, at a fixed time, with an instructor teaching and a group who notice when you aren't there.
Not sure which course is right for you?
Tell us where you're now and we'll send you the right brochure.
Before you decide.
Is there a UX certification employers actually recognise?
No single one. Unlike accountancy or law, UX has no industry-standard qualification that hiring managers require, which is why portfolios decide UX interviews. We put the effort into what you can show: a real client brief, the research behind your decisions, and a presentation you gave to that client. Our certificate confirms you completed the course.
How much does UX Design Institute cost compared to UX Academy?
The UXDI Professional Diploma in UX Design is listed at EUR 4,250, with an early-bird price of EUR 2,995, and their Product Design programme at EUR 6,650 reduced to EUR 3,850. UX Academy is GBP 2,000 for the eight-week course, held with a GBP 99 deposit, with interest-free payment plans on request. Prices captured from their site on 22 September 2026 - check theirs before relying on it.
Is UX Design Institute self-paced?
Yes. Their own course pages describe the format as "online, self-paced" with live support, 1:1 mentoring and monthly deadlines. UX Academy is the opposite: a live class at a fixed time each week, with a project team who depend on your work between sessions.
Is the work peer reviewed?
At UX Academy, yes, in two ways: your project team of three or four reviews each other's work as the project runs, and the cohort shares work for review on Fridays. UXDI doesn't advertise peer review - their feedback comes from a dedicated mentor and their tutors, which for some people is the better arrangement.
If the project is a team project, do I still get my own portfolio piece?
Yes. The brief is shared and the research is divided up, but each person does their own design work and writes up their own case study: what you decided, what you tested, what you'd do differently. You finish with your own piece, and with the client's reaction to your team's final presentation in it.
Six months versus eight weeks - is the longer course better?
Longer isn't automatically better; it's a different shape. UXDI is 6 months at 6-8 hours a week, which spreads the load and suits unpredictable schedules. We're eight weeks, one evening a week, built around a single real client project from start to presentation. The question is whether you want depth spread over half a year, or a short intense run that produces one real piece of work.
Weighing up several options? See our guide to UK UX courses, or how our course actually runs week by week.