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4.9
QA engineer: course with a job placement
Learn online from scratch
90%
of students had no technical background or IT experience
Course updated for 2026
100%
updated curriculum aligned with employer requirements
6 500+ Mate graduates are already working in IT
rating based on Google reviews
QA engineer: Salary
$2,000
+22%YoY salary growth. Source: DOU
Who is QA engineer?
A QA engineer, or software tester, is a specialist who finds errors in websites, apps and programs before users notice them. QA stands for Quality Assurance, which means making sure that a product has the right quality. It is one of the most accessible paths into IT with no experience and no programming skills.
Skills the industry values
With 80% of the course focused on practice, you're not just learning theory — you're preparing for the real job.
Mentors with QA experience
Experienced tech professionals will walk you through complex topics, explain common mistakes, and give you feedback during Q&A sessions.
Interactive learning platform
Video lessons, practice tasks, Q&As, and group projects — all designed to help you confidently launch your QA career.
Your benefits at QA engineer course
Job referrals
Get priority access to QA job openings
English lessons
Master the key skills needed to pass interviews in tech
Job search tips
Build your QA resume and write job-winning cover letters
AI skills module
Use AI to analyze, write test cases, and find bugs faster
Mock interviews
Train for real interviews with the Mate team
*You can buy English lessons separately.
FORMAT COMPARISON
Which studying format suits you?
Weekdays, 9 am - 6 pm
In your free time
This might be your CV
Marta K.
QA engineer
Skills
- Know how to analyze and write SQL queries
- Understand QA fundamentals and testing methodologies
- Can create and execute test plans and test cases
- Proficient in using Git for version control and terminal commands
- Have experience with JavaScript for testing and automation
- Can design and implement HTML and CSS for test environments
- Can test web and mobile applications effectively
- Know how to work with different testing environments
Technologies
90%
of Mate grads entered the tech field for the first time
Create a QA portfolio during the course
You'll complete real-case assignments that you can confidently showcase during job interviews.
What's covered
Course roadmap
The QA tester course program is built so that after training you are ready to work as a Junior QA engineer. We updated it in 2026 to match employer requirements, and you spend 80% of your time on practical assignments, not only on theory.
Get Started
3 topics
Get Started Full-Time
3 topics
Дізнайся, як влаштоване навчання в Mate academy: як працює платформа, як побудована взаємодія з менторами, що входить у програму, а також отримай поради, як ефективно вчитися й планувати час.
Topics
- Your First Steps
- Study Routine
- Your Career
QA Basics
5 topics
Learn about being a QA engineer. Find your first bugs.
Topics
- Why Do We Need Testing?
- SDLC and Requirements
- Testing
- Bug Report
- Summary
Course Fundamentals
2 topics
We want you to join the other modules of the course more prepared. Familiarizing yourself with the theory and completing the following assignments will not only increase your productivity during the course but also, in the long run, enhance your chances of securing a job in a better company with a higher salary
Topics
- Course Fundamentals
- UI elements guide
GenAI Essentials
6 topics
Learn how to use GenAI responsibly and effectively.
Topics
- How GenAI Works
- Limitations of GenAI
- Prompting
- Responsible Use
- GenAI for Learning
- How to Keep Up With AI
SQL Basics
11 topics
Semantically speaking, SQL closely resembles English, so you are in for a swift acquisition. We'll learn to use it with databases, to group, filter, sort and source data at wish.
Topics
- Introduction to SQL
- SELECT Statement
- WHERE Clause
- NULL Value, LIKE, BETWEEN, and IN Operators
- ORDER BY, LIMIT, DISTINCT Clauses
- Aliases
- Aggregate Functions
- GROUP BY Clause
- JOIN Clause
- Functions
- HAVING Clause
QA Theory
13 topics
A thorough introduction to QA, and a giant module. Let's get you acquainted with test plans, types, cases and design, software development and testing lifecycles... among other things 🤐
Topics
- What is QA
- Testing Types
- What is a Bug Report
- Bug Reports in details
- Decomposition
- Test Cases
- Test Design Techniques
- Test Checklist
- Software Development Life Cycle
- Software Testing Life Cycle
- Test Plan
- Requirements
- TestRail & Jira
Git and Terminal
5 topics
Terminal is an important tool for any developer, so it's high time for you to exercise basic commands! You'll start using a Git version control system, too.
Topics
- Environment Setup
- Command Line Basics
- Git Basics
- Working With Branches
- Working With Remote Repo (GitHub)
Git and Terminal — Practice
1 topic
Pursuing practice is something worth envying. So, without further ado — let's practice Git and Terminal.
Topics
- Git and Terminal
JavaScript Basics
14 topics
Discover the programming language best suited for beginners. We'll kick off with strings, functions, conditionals, loops, arrays and a few more!
Topics
- Introduction
- Your First JavaScript Program
- Main Concepts
- Numbers
- Strings
- Boolean
- Functions
- Conditional Statements
- Arrays
- Loops
- String Iteration
- Strings Methods
- Working With Arrays
- Practice
HTML + CSS Basics
16 topics
Next up: introduction to HTML and CSS. Find your way around fonts, semantics, responsiveness, selectors and specificity, media queries, links, and forms.
Topics
- Environment Setup
- HTML Basics
- CSS Basics
- Colors and Fonts
- Box Model Basics
- Semantic Basics
- Responsiveness Basics
- CSS Selectors
- Pseudo-Elements and Pseudo-Classes
- Specificity
- Links and URLs
- Images
- Media Queries
- Forms
- Position
- Extra Topics
JavaScript Basics Extended
10 topics
On the basics stage we omitted a fascinating, but demanding concept: objects. We'll introduce you to them now, though not only — JavaScript still has a few aces up its sleeve!
Topics
- Code Style
- Working With Numbers
- Loops in Details
- Working With Strings
- Functions Revisited
- Switch
- Type Conversion
- Logical Operators
- Object Basics
- Extended Extra
How the Web Works
6 topics
We interact with the Internet day by day, and yet, few know how it all works. If you don't, either — we've got your back. We'll explore the OSI model, HTTP, encryption, APIs and security issues.
Topics
- Introduction to the Web
- OSI Model
- HTTP
- API Interface
- Encryption
- Security in the Web
Testing Web Applications
3 topics
Every platform has its own characteristic, and this should be reflected in QA processes. To address this, you'll learn testing web applications — and understand what's so *web* about them.
Topics
- Browser DevTools
- Web Theory and Postman Basics
- Postman Advanced
Mobile testing
4 topics
Mobile as in smartphones, as in tablets, or as in smartwatches? Well... all of them, and all sport apps that require testing, just like web apps do. So: let's familiarize ourselves with the process.
Topics
- Mobile testing theory
- Guidelines
- Mobile testing activities
- Emulators and Tools
Communication and Stress Management
7 topics
This module is designed to enhance your communication skills and overall soft skills. You’ll learn how to communicate effectively, feel confident during job interviews and public speaking, master techniques to manage stress, and much more. The best part? The module includes 28 practical tasks that will significantly boost your skills and help you see noticeable progress.
Topics
- Introduction to Communication & Stress Management
- Confidence Building and Stress Management
- Diction, Filler Words Reduction, and Body Language
- Public Speaking
- Job Interview
- Written Communication
- Social Media Communication Skills Development
Working With Infrastructure
3 topics
What is a testing environment, and how many of them exist? How to set up a local server, and connect it to a database? Difficult questions, but we ain't afraid of addressing them - let's roll!
Topics
- Working Environments
- SQL
- Practice
QA Ethics
2 topics
Just a step away from employment, but a key step indeed. You'll learn how to conduct yourself on a tech interview and communicate with your future team.
Topics
- Interview Questions
- QA Ethics
Team Project
7 topics
In 4 weeks, you will create a product from scratch in teams with colleagues from other areas, following Scrum methodology, and present the results to your mates. In the end, you will have another project to add to your resume and gain invaluable real-world experience.
Topics
- Week 0: Team Project. Intro
- Week 1: Jira Environment
- Week 2: Status Check
- Week 3: Estimates
- Week 4: How to Demo Your Work
- Final Week: Retrospective
- Team Project for Employment
Employment
9 topics
Ready to enter the tech market? Well... we'll get you ready — with a great resume, cover letter, a LinkedIn profile and mock interviews. Recruiters are in for a true discovery!
Topics
- Employment Roadmap
- Preparing Your Resume
- Interview Preparation
- Cover Letter Preparation
- LinkedIn, DOU, Djinni
- How to Find and Apply for Vacancies
- Job Search Tips: Talking to Recruiters
- Work details FAQ
- MilTech
Playwright Test Automation Core
11 topics
This module introduces the basics of web UI test automation using the Playwright tool. You will understand what test automation is and begin to create simple automated tests for web pages.
Topics
- Automated Testing Introduction
- Playwright Tool Introduction
- Run the First Test
- The Basic Page Interaction Methods
- Built-in Locators
- Assertions
- Custom Locators
- Test Organization
- Page Object Model
- Test Execution Configuration
- Module Recap and Next Steps
Using AI for Work
4 topics
Boost your productivity with AI — simple, practical, no coding or technical background required.
Topics
- Introduction to AI
- Working with Claude
- Vibe coding
- AI for Video Generation
Desktop Application Testing on macOS
12 topics
Цей модуль охоплює особливості екосистеми macOS, інструменти для пошуку помилок і дебаггінгу, UI-тестування згідно з Apple Human Interface Guidelines, продуктову аналітику та автоматизоване тестування.
Topics
- Introduction
- Fundamentals of macOS
- Version History of macOS
- Basics of Testing Apps on macOS
- Process and Memory Management
- Daemons and Agents
- Permissions in macOS
- Sandbox, System Integrity Protocol, Gatekeeper
- Network Utilities and Diagnostics
- Testing GUI & UX
- Product Analytics Testing
- Introduction to Test Automation for macOS Apps
Claude Code
59 topics
By the end of this course, you'll use Claude Code confidently in your real daily work - setting it up, shaping it to your own projects, connecting it to your tools, and running several agents at once. You'll finish with a complete, shareable setup built on a codebase of your own.
Topics
- Meet Claude Code and get it running
- Your first Claude session
- How Claude actually makes a change
- Permission modes: staying in control
- Headless mode: quick answers without the chat
- Resuming and managing sessions
- Slash commands and checking your context
- Running Claude Code in your editor
- Running long commands in the background
- What CLAUDE.md is and why it loads every session
- Conventions, build commands, architecture
- Writing rules that stick
- Scope: project-level vs. user-level vs. nested files
- When not to use CLAUDE.md
- Project rules & permissions
- Output styles: choosing how Claude responds to you
- Set up Claude on a real project
- The plan-then-execute mindset
- Entering and reading a plan in plan mode
- Approving, editing, and looping on a plan
- Model tradeoffs: Opus vs. Sonnet vs. Haiku
- Switching models mid-session
- The opusplan hybrid
- Managing context and cost across the loop
- How Claude works with your repo: status, diffs, history
- Committing well: staging and writing good commit messages
- Branches and pull requests
- Reviewing code and PRs with Claude
- Resolving merge conflicts
- Ship a change end to end
- What MCP is: Claude Code as a client to external tools
- Adding an MCP server
- Using MCP tools inside a session
- Scoping and managing servers: project vs. user
- MCP safely: permissions, secrets, and trust
- Letting Claude use CLI tools
- CLI tools vs. MCP servers: when to use which
- Claude skills
- CLAUDE.md vs. skills
- Creating a skill
- Organizing & reusing skills
- Custom slash commands: turning a repeated prompt into a one-word shortcut
- Passing arguments to a command
- What hooks are: actions that run on their own at key moments
- Common hooks: auto-format after an edit, block a risky command, run a check
- Writing and scoping your own hook
- Running Claude without you: CI, scheduled jobs, and pre-commit
- Wire Claude into your stack
- What a subagent is: isolated context, returns only results
- Built-in subagents: Explore, Plan, general-purpose
- Why parallel subagents help: context hygiene and speed
- Creating a custom subagent
- Tool and MCP permissions for subagents
- Orchestrating multiple subagents in parallel
- What a plugin is: one bundle of commands, skills, subagents, hooks, and MCP
- Installing and toggling plugins with /plugin, and the marketplace
- Building your own plugin from the pieces you've already made
- Sharing a plugin with your team
- Build a multi-agent workflow
Career Development
For full-time students9 topics
Module that will help you confidently pass your probation period, develop a professional development plan, prepare for performance reviews, and learn how to record your achievements. It provides practical tools for conscious career growth and preparation for new opportunities.
Topics
- Succeeding in Your Trial Period
- Personal Development Plan (PDP)
- Performance and Salary Reviews
- CV and LinkedIn Profile
- Cover Letter Preparation
- Interview Preparation
- DOU, Djinni
- How to Find and Apply for Vacancies
- Job Search Tips: Talking to Recruiters
225
Topics
10
Projects
From zero to hired
What’s your path to becoming a QA engineer?
Land your job in tech
Start your new job as a QA engineer.
Get in touch
Do I need a technical background? When can I start?
- We'll answer all your questions
- Help you choose the right course
- Get you in on our best deals
Skill level after the course
Mate graduates ace technical interviews
Who will guide you?
Coaches
Mentors
English Teachers
Education coordinators
Employment coordinators
Get in touch
Let's get in touch
- We'll answer all your questions
- Help you choose the right course
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Faq
Got questions? We’ve got answers
Does the QA tester course have a job guarantee?
Yes, the Mate academy QA tester course has a job guarantee in both formats. In the Full-time format you study for free and pay only after you find a job in IT. In the Flex format we return the full course price if you get no offer after 24 weeks of joint job search.
How does payment after job placement work in the Full-time course?
In the Full-time course you pay nothing while you study and look for a job. When you get your first QA job, the payment is 12% of your salary for 36 months. This is the ISA (Income Share Agreement) model. If you do not find a job, you pay nothing.
What happens if I do not find a job after the Flex QA course?
We return the full course price to you. To get it, finish the program and actively look for a job for 24 weeks with the Mate academy career team, and follow its advice: update your CV, apply for vacancies, and prepare for interviews. The contract has the full terms.
Can I pay for the QA tester course in installments?
Yes. In the Flex format you can pay at once or in installments from a partner bank. The Full-time format needs no installments: you start to pay only after job placement.
How much does the Mate academy QA tester course cost?
What is the difference between Full-time and Flex study?
Full-time is a 3-month intensive program from Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00, with an admission selection, English in the program, and payment only after job placement. Flex is about 5 months at your own pace, which you can combine with a job or university, with payment at once or in installments and a refund if you do not find a job. The job guarantee, mentors and career support are in both formats.
Do I need a technical education or math knowledge to become a QA tester?
No. 9 out of 10 Mate academy students started with no technical education or IT experience. The QA course teaches everything from scratch: how software development works, how to write test cases and bug reports, and how to use SQL, Postman, Jira and the basics of automation.
How long does it take to become a QA tester from scratch?
At Mate academy it takes 3 months in the Full-time format or about 5 months in the Flex format. After training you look for your first Junior QA job with the career team.
How do I enroll in the course, and are there age limits?
Leave a request on the website. For the Full-time format you take a logic test and a short interview. You can apply from age 16 with parental consent. In the Flex format you start right after payment, and you can apply from age 15. The job guarantee applies if you can legally work in your country by the end of the training.
What jobs can I get after the QA course?
Graduates most often start as Junior QA engineers, Manual QA engineers or QA testers. The Playwright module gives you basic automation skills. To go deeper into automation, you can continue with the QA Automation course.
Will I get a certificate?
Yes, after the course you get a Mate academy certificate that confirms your software testing skills. You can add it to your CV and LinkedIn. But employers look most at your project portfolio and at how you do in a technical interview. That is why the course has projects and mock tech checks.
Why is the QA course better than self-study?
You can learn theory by yourself, but it is hard to get feedback, a portfolio and a first job. In the course, mentors check your assignments, you work on a project in a team, and the career team helps you look for a job.
What computer do I need for the training?
A laptop or PC with an Intel Core i5 processor (or equivalent) or better, 8 GB of RAM or more, an SSD and a stable internet connection.
Who are QA tester courses from scratch for?
The QA engineer courses at Mate academy are made for people who never worked in IT. Most students come from non-technical professions, so QA training starts with the basics: how software development works and why a product needs testing.
QA tester courses are most often chosen by:
- Beginners in IT who look for a clear first step into the profession.
- Career changers: sales staff, teachers, finance specialists, engineers, people from the service industry.
- Students who need more practice than university gives.
- Specialists in related roles: support, project managers and analysts who want to move into testing.
What will you learn in the QA engineer courses?
After the course you can work as a Junior QA engineer: the program covers QA Manual and the basics of QA Automation. The QA testing course program has 225 topics and 6 portfolio projects, and 80% of the training is practice.
You will learn:
- Testing theory: SDLC and STLC, types of testing, test design techniques.
- Test documentation: test cases, checklists, test plans, bug reports.
- Website and API testing: Browser DevTools, HTTP, Postman.
- Mobile testing: emulators, iOS and Android guidelines.
- SQL: SELECT, JOIN, GROUP BY to check data.
- The basics of QA Automation: JavaScript, Playwright, Page Object Model.
- QA work tools: Jira, TestRail, Git, GitHub.
- Work with AI: test case generation, bug analysis, Claude Code.
At the end you work in a team with students from other tracks, with Scrum, on a real product. This project goes into your portfolio. If you want to go deeper into automation, you can continue with the QA Automation courses after this course. And if you are interested in the defense sector, there is a separate QA course for MilTech.
How does QA tester training work?
QA tester training for websites and apps at Mate academy is online and has 5 steps, from zero to your first offer:
- Training starts with theory and practical assignments. Students study materials on the platform, get their work checked by mentors and take part in Q&A sessions.
- A portfolio helps you prepare for the search for your first job. During the training, students do practical projects, including a team project with the Scrum methodology, which they can then present at interviews.
- Interview preparation covers the technical and career sides of job placement. Students take mock technical interviews (tech checks), write a CV and set up profiles on LinkedIn, DOU and Djinni.
- The career team helps you find vacancies and go through selection stages. Students get access to vacancies from partner companies and support during preparation for each hiring stage.
- The final stage of training is an offer and the start of work as a QA tester. If a student gets no offer during 24 weeks of search, the job guarantee from the program terms applies.
According to Mate academy, 6,500+ graduates already work in IT, and their employers include EPAM, SoftServe, GlobalLogic, MacPaw, Intellias and others.
How much does a QA tester earn after QA courses?
A Junior QA engineer in Ukraine earns an average of $890 per month according to DOU (summer 2026). After 1.5-2 years of experience, a tester usually reaches the Middle level with an income of $2,000, and a Senior QA engineer earns from $3,200.
After a start in QA Manual, you can grow into QA Automation, QA Lead, business analysis, product management or DevOps. QA is one of the most popular entry points into IT for people with no technical background.
How much do QA tester courses cost, and can you study for free?
The price of QA tester training at Mate academy depends on the format. You can study for free until job placement, or pay a fixed price with a money-back guarantee.
The Full-time format is free online courses until job placement. You pay nothing during the training or the job search. Payment starts only with your first salary at a QA job, and if you do not find a job, you pay nothing.
In the Flex QA course you can pay at once or in installments from a bank. If you get no offer after training and 24 weeks of search with the career team, we return the full course price.
The training is online, so Mate academy offers courses in Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv and any other place. A manager will tell you the exact price of QA tester courses, the installment terms and current offers at a free consultation. The manager will also help you choose a format for your budget and schedule.
How are QA courses at Mate academy different from others?
The QA engineer courses at Mate academy are built around one goal: your first job in IT. This is what makes them different:
- The Full-time format lets you pay for training only after job placement. Students start to pay for the course only after they find a job.
- The job guarantee applies in both study formats.
- We developed the course program together with the Ukrainian product company MacPaw. Because of this, the training focuses on practical skills and on what employers want from a Junior QA engineer.
- Mock technical interviews help you prepare for real hiring. Students take tech checks with QA specialists, including from Jooble and the Diia team, and get feedback on their knowledge.
- AI tools are part of the QA engineer program. Separate modules cover GenAI and Claude Code, which help you create test cases, find bugs and automate routine tasks.
- Graduate results and reviews confirm that the training works. More than 6,500 Mate academy graduates work in IT, the company has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Google, and DOU has more than 2,000 reviews.