FAQ | Y-Data Advanced Data Science Program

Applications & Admission Process

How does the application process work?

The application process consists of three steps. First, candidates apply online through our website. Second, candidates take an online test. The test assesses analytical and basic programming skills and contains undergraduate level statistics and probability questions, data analysis questions, and short coding challenges (candidates can select from a few popular programming languages that our platform supports). The test must be completed within three and a half hours.

Y-DATA will offer two separate 4-day time windows to take the online test during July-August. Candidates who pass the online test will be invited to an in-person interview with Y-DATA team members. The interview is an opportunity for our team to learn more about candidates' background, experiences, and interests.

What level of math knowledge is expected from the candidates?

We assume our students have at least a bachelor's STEM degree or its equivalent.

We, therefore, expect all the candidates to have full knowledge of the first-year university-level material in math. In order to ensure a suitable level of pre-existing knowledge, we require all candidates to complete the Mathematics for Machine Learning specialization on Coursera prior to the beginning of their studies.

Candidates who are accepted to the program will have the cost of the course deducted from their tuition fee.

What level of statistics and probability knowledge is expected from the candidates?

We assume our students have at least a bachelor's STEM degree or its equivalent.
We, therefore, expect all the candidates to have full knowledge of the first-year university-level material in probability and statistics. You may want to review basic topics in those subjects before taking our online test.

During the program, we won’t teach these topics from scratch, but we will provide a quick recap before diving into the more advanced topics required for later ML courses.

What level of coding skills is required to enter the program? Do you require knowledge of specific languages?

We require some experience in at least one of the common programming languages and an understanding of common data structures. Programming tasks are a large portion of the online test and assume existing programming background. During the program itself, the courses and home assignments will be in Python.

Candidates should have a basic knowledge of Python before taking the test. Some potential resources for people with no prior Python knowledge to get started include:

Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)
Python Data Structures
Python Essential Training

Can I apply with zero coding experience?

Candidates without any coding experience won’t be able to take part in our program. If you have no coding experience but are looking to get yourself started in this domain, you can start by taking online coding courses and establishing some baseline capability in Python before applying to Y-DATA.

Can you provide more details about the online test? What should I do to prepare?

The test takes place in several time-windows over July and August - the exact dates will be announced about a month ahead of time. Full details regarding the exam's format, schedule and platform will be provided to applicants shortly before the test.

We publish past years' exams to candidates which you can use for practice and to better understand what kind of questions to expect - this year’s exam will be similar in style and structure. The sample test has no limit on time or number of attempts (while the real exam has a limit of 3.5 hours and can only be taken once).

Beside the sample test, if you don't write code daily, we recommend brushing up on your coding skills. If you'd like to sharpen your Python skills, some good sources are:

Python for Data Analysis by Wes McKinney
From Python to Numpy
PyData channel on YouTube
Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)
Python Data Structures
Python Essential Training

Time Commitment

What is the time commitment for this program? Can I combine it with work or academic studies?

The weekly workload consists of 9 hours of frontal lessons (one mid-week evening + Friday morning) and approximately 20 hours of independent work on assignments and projects. We expect at least 80% attendance at lectures and seminars.

Due to the workload, in addition to the 9 hours of frontal lectures, we require our participants to have at least one full weekday available for work on classwork and industry project. Therefore, candidates are required to reduce full-time positions to 80% at most, and we strongly recommend reduction to 50% for the program's duration.

In some exceptional cases and based on individual assessment, we may allow select students to take the program without an industry project while maintaining a full-time job.
Participating in the program while working towards an academic degree is possible but depends greatly on the intensity of individual programs.

Is there a way I can take part in the program if I'm working full time and can't reduce my position?

It's possible, but depends greatly on your commitment.
In our experience, it is extremely difficult to combine the workload of Y-DATA with a full time employment. We strongly recommend all our candidates to reduce their positions in order to fully utilize the opportunities offered by Y-DATA.

On top of that, attendance of at least 80% in lectures and seminars is mandatory (one weekday evening and Friday morning), with weekly classwork and exercises requiring significant amount of time and effort.

If you believe you can combine this workload with a full-time employment, we offer a possibility to take the Y-DATA program without taking part in an Industry Project. In this case, you are still required to take all the courses and complete all the classwork as described, but without the additional workload of the industry project.

Program Information

Do I get a certificate at the end of Y-DATA program? What are the conditions for getting it?

Yes, you get a certificate of completion. To get the certificate you should earn a sufficient amount of credits and complete all the required coursework - at least 80% attendance and at least 80% of homework assignments submitted and graded as passing (additional course-level requirements will be published at the start of each semester).

Are there different tracks for the Y-DATA program?

Yes. Y-DATA offers two tracks:

Full track: Full Y-DATA program, including an Industry Project in a leading company in the tech industry. To get a taste about the type of the projects, see Project website.

No project track: Students who can't attend the full program will have an option to participate in the program and complete it without the industry project. Even though we recommend the full Y-DATA experience, we do understand that some students can't make it.

What is the language of the program?

The program is taught in English in its entirety. We have international students and faculty, and thus expect all our students to be fluent in English.

Do you accept international students? Do you offer any special assistance to international students?

Y-DATA is open to international students - we have international students amongst our existing students and graduates. If you are located abroad, you are welcome to apply as usual, and the admission process can take place remotely.

Participation in Y-DATA program requires to reside in Israel during its duration. According to Israeli law, in order to stay here the 8-month period (in case you don't have citizenship) you need to have a suitable visa (student visa or visa with work permit).

International students cannot take part in success-based model of payment, but we may be able to offer special tuition rates to international candidates who pass the admission process.

If you are considering applying but have specific needs or questions, you can contact us directly by mail

Cost & Payment options

What is the cost of the program?

The cost of the Y-DATA program is NIS 29,000.

What are the ways to pay the program tuition?

You can pay the full cost upfront (payment can be made in up to 9 installments).

When & where

Where are the courses taking place?

Y-DATA classes take place in Tel Aviv, on TAU campus.

When does the program start? What’s the schedule?

The program follows the standard academic year in Israel. Studies begin in October and last until June, in a two-semester format.

During the year there are 8 weekly hours of frontal lectures - one weekday evening (17:00-21:00) and Friday morning (9:00-13:30).

When are admissions open? What’s the timeline for the process?

Admissions open each year in April and last until July.
The online test takes place in several time-windows over July and August.
Interviews take place over August and September.

The dates for the online test are published approximately a month before the 1st time window.

Industry Projects

What are industry projects? What are the advantages of doing one?

Industry projects are one of the key elements of the Y-DATA program. We believe that the best way to achieve an in-depth understanding and true mastery of ML tools and applications is through working to solve real-world problems. In order to do this, Y-DATA creates partnerships with top tech companies, offering our students hands-on experience working on data science problems in a real-world environment. Over the course of the second semester (January-June), Y-DATA students complete one full-cycle data science project offered by our partner companies, providing invaluable experience with the support of mentorship from our school experts and the project’s data owner.

How much time is spent on a project? Will I be working alone?

Work in an industry project is a serious commitment, both for the students and for Y-DATA and the providing company. The project requires a commitment of approximately one day a week over its duration (Jan-Jun). This may take the form of working from the company’s premises once a week or working independently from home for the same amount over the course of a week. The work on the projects is done in teams of 2-3 students, and is supervised and guided by an experienced mentor assigned by Y-DATA, providing in-depth professional expertise, as well as a representative of the company, providing inside understanding of the data and the business needs.

Where can I see some examples of projects?

You can see brief examples of this year's projects and more information on Industry Projects on the Projects page. You can also read the full project catalog for 2021-22 year here, and explore the diversity of potential projects.

In addition, you can see videos of past presentations of completed projects by Y-DATA students here:

Demo Day 2022
Demo Day 2021
Demo Day 2019

Can I do a project at the company where I work?

This is quite possible, though depends on the student and the company in question.

For many students, the ability to do an industry project in their current companies offers many advantages - familiarity with the projects domain and required background and systems, more flexibility in obtaining the time required to work on the project and more.

We are more than willing to allow such projects, but they must follow specific guidelines: First of all, the company must have a suitable data-driven product or project. In addition, the company must have pre-existing data science and ML expertise, allowing for oversight and supervision of the project. Lastly, the company should be willing to cooperate and follow regular project definition guidelines.