Shopify Dev Degree 2026 Program Scholarship (Fully Funded)
The Shopify Dev Degree represents one of North America’s most lucrative work-integrated learning frameworks in software engineering, combining an accredited university degree with four years of paid, hands-on experience inside Shopify’s core development teams. Designed to eliminate student debt while drastically shortening the path to senior engineering roles, the program pays 100% of your university tuition and provides a competitive, direct-employment intern salary alongside dedicated hardware and benefits.
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Applications for the 2026 entry cohort officially opened in late fall 2025 and closed on February 13, 2026. Contrary to widespread online claims framing the scholarship as a “fully remote digital nomad” degree, Dev Degree requires physical presence for the academic component. While Shopify’s internal work placements operate on a “Digital by Design” remote model, students enrolled through Carleton University must live in Ottawa and physically attend campus classes, while those enrolled at York University must attend in-person classes at the Markham campus.
Since launching in 2016, the program has scaled into a flagship alternative to traditional computer science degrees, graduating students with a full Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) or Bachelor of Applied Science and over 3,800 hours of production-level engineering experience across 3 to 4 distinct team placements.
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A Genuinely Strong Track Record, Ten Years Running
Shopify launched Dev Degree in 2016 in partnership with Carleton University in Ottawa, adding York University in Toronto in 2018. It exists specifically to close the gap between a computer science education and genuine, sustained work experience — rather than a single co-op term or internship, Dev Degree students spend three to four years alternating between university coursework and part-time work directly on Shopify engineering teams, accumulating somewhere between 3,800 and 4,500 hours of real development work by graduation, roughly equivalent to two full years of professional experience.
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The results back up the design: Shopify has reported that 90 per cent of Dev Degree students find full-time engineering roles before graduation, with 100 per cent employed within six months of finishing. The programme also maintains genuine gender parity, with women accounting for roughly half of all Dev Degree students — a notable outcome in a field where that balance is still rare. Each cohort admits somewhere between 20 and 30 students total, split across both partner universities, making this a genuinely small, highly selective programme relative to the volume of applicants it draws each cycle.
Shopify Dev Degree Program Scholarship Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Shopify Dev Degree Program |
| Host Country ⇒ | Canada |
| Study Level ⇒ | Undergraduate |
| Benefits ⇒ | Full tuition, paid intern salary, MacBook Pro, wellness allowance — roughly $160,000 CAD in total support |
| Funded by ⇒ | Shopify, in partnership with Carleton University and York University |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Canadian citizens/residents, or international students able to obtain a Canadian study permit |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | 2026 cohort applications ran from December 1, 2025, to February 13, 2026, and are now closed. The 2027 cohort is expected to open around December 2026 |
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for Dev Degree, applicants generally need to meet the following:
- You must be one of: a Grade 12 student, a mature student or career switcher, an international student, or a first-year undergraduate Computer Science student
- No prior computer programming or software engineering experience is required — Shopify has stated it’s more interested in your passions, growth mindset, resiliency, and time management ability than existing technical skill
- You must be willing and able to physically relocate to and reside in Ottawa (for Carleton) or Toronto (for York), since the university coursework itself is delivered in person, not remotely
- If you’re not a Canadian citizen or resident, you’ll need to obtain a valid study permit to attend your partner university — international applicants should contact the relevant university’s International Student Services office directly for guidance
- You should have strong problem-solving ability, genuine curiosity, and comfort balancing school, work, and personal life simultaneously
- You must be willing to work through failure and iterate — Shopify frames this explicitly as part of what the programme looks for
A detail worth knowing if you’re already partway through a Computer Science degree: Shopify has stated that students more than two years into their university CS studies are likely not a strong fit for Dev Degree, since the programme still requires the full work-experience component regardless of your existing academic progress.
What the Shopify Dev Degree Program Scholarship Provides
Dev Degree offers one of the more comprehensive combined education-and-work packages available to Canadian and eligible international students:
- Full university tuition coverage, for your entire Computer Science degree
- A competitive, paid intern salary, earned while working part-time at Shopify throughout your studies
- A MacBook Pro, provided for your Shopify work
- A monthly allowance supporting wellness and professional growth
- Dedicated mentors for each of your four separate team placements across the programme, giving you exposure to different teams, technologies, and working styles
- Flexible vacation days
- Access to university facilities — gym, library, meal plans, as part of your enrolled student status
- Support staff focused on wellbeing and personal development
Accommodation is not included, though the combination of paid salary and full tuition coverage is intended to meaningfully offset your overall cost of living while enrolled. If you separately win another scholarship, Shopify has confirmed you keep it in addition to your Dev Degree salary and tuition support — the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Required Documents
- Completed online application form
- Personal information
- Academic history or school records
- A personal statement or short answers addressing your interest in software engineering
- Proof of student status, where applicable
- References are explicitly not required
Because the application doesn’t require prior programming experience or references, your personal statement and short answers carry disproportionate weight — treat these as your genuine opportunity to demonstrate curiosity, resilience, and growth mindset rather than technical credentials you may not yet have.
How to Apply for the Next Cohort
The 2026 window is closed, but Shopify has run this process consistently enough to prepare against:
- Watch the official Dev Degree website (devdegree.ca) for the opening of the next cohort’s application window, historically running from early December through mid-February.
- Confirm you’re able and willing to relocate to Ottawa or Toronto for in-person university attendance — this is not a remote programme.
- If you’re an international applicant, begin researching Canadian study permit requirements early, and contact your intended partner university’s International Student Services office for specific guidance.
- You do not need to wait for your university acceptance before applying to Dev Degree — the two applications can proceed in either order or simultaneously.
- Apply separately to Carleton University’s Bachelor of Computer Science Honours programme, or York University’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Digital Technologies programme, since your Dev Degree offer is conditional on university acceptance.
- Complete the Dev Degree application itself, including the computational thinking questions (designed to showcase problem-solving rather than existing knowledge) and your personal statement.
- Submit your complete application within the stated window, and watch for further steps if shortlisted.
Application Deadline
The 2026 Dev Degree cohort’s application window ran from December 1, 2025, to February 13, 2026, and has now closed. Based on Shopify’s consistent recruiting calendar, the 2027 cohort’s application window is expected to open around December 2026, running through mid-February 2027, with decisions typically issued by May.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Shopify Dev Degree Program still accepting applications for 2026?
No. The 2026 cohort’s application window closed February 13, 2026. The 2027 cohort is expected to open around December 2026.
Is Dev Degree genuinely a remote programme?
No, not currently through Carleton or York. You need to live in Ottawa or Toronto and attend in-person university coursework. A separate, fully remote Dev Degree partnership with Make School existed previously but isn’t the current standard track through Shopify’s Canadian university partners.
Can international students apply?
Yes, but you’ll need a valid Canadian study permit to attend your partner university, since the coursework is delivered in person rather than remotely.
Do I need prior coding experience to apply?
No. Shopify has stated explicitly that programming experience is an asset but not required, and prioritizes growth mindset, resiliency, and time management over existing technical skill.
How many students are accepted each year?
Between 20 and 30 total, split across both Carleton and York University, making this a genuinely selective programme.
What happens after I graduate — is a job at Shopify guaranteed?
Not guaranteed, but the track record is strong — roughly 90 per cent of Dev Degree students find full-time roles before graduation, with 100 per cent employed within six months, based on Shopify’s own reported outcomes.
Disclaimer: All programme details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official Dev Degree website before applying. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with Shopify.
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