---
url: /academy-handbook/getting-started/programme.md
---
# Programme overview

Blockchain@NTU Academy follows one continuous story:

::: important Foundation Pilot · Sep–Oct 2026
The current Foundation Pilot covers **Week 0 through Week 4 only**.

The Week 4 Track Selection Card is the final required Pilot output. Weeks 5–8 remain
visible in this Handbook because they are the next stage of the full Academy,
but they are not required for Foundation Pilot participants.

The full Week 0–8 programme begins with **Cohort 1 in January 2027**.
:::

| Stage | Focus | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Week 0 | Entering Web3 safely | A safe vocabulary and tool map |
| Week 1 | Web3, blockchain, crypto assets and wallets | First-principles foundation |
| Week 2 | Blockchain architectures, Ethereum and interoperability | Architecture and risk map |
| Week 3 | Smart contracts, tokens and DApps | Contract and application foundations |
| Week 4 | Web3 industry, research and contribution | Track Selection Card |
| Week 5 | Builder or Researcher Deep Dive | Six Part tasks × 100 points |
| Week 6 | Builder or Researcher Deep Dive | Six Part tasks × 100 points |
| Week 7 | Scope + Proof of Work MVP / V1 | 200 points |
| Week 8 | Refine + Final Proof of Work | 200 points |

The Academy has two Deep Dive tracks: **Builder**, who learns to compose
unfamiliar Web3 systems, and **Researcher**, who learns to decompose them. At
the end of Week 4, the learner selects one track and stays on that capability
path through W5–W8. The domain and eventual PoW topic remain flexible.
Domains such as DeFi, stablecoins, NFTs, RWA, prediction markets, DePIN,
infrastructure, governance and AI × Web3 are cases and application lenses, not
separate tracks.

## Scoring at a glance

| Stage | Completion-based points |
|---|---:|
| Foundation W1–W4 | 4 Anchor Missions × 100 = **400** |
| W5 Deep Dive | 6 Part tasks × 100 = **600** |
| W6 Deep Dive | 6 Part tasks × 100 = **600** |
| W7 Scope + MVP / V1 | **200** |
| W8 Refine + Final PoW | **200** |
| **Total full programme** | **2,000** |

W0 is onboarding and does not add points. Foundation keeps assessment light
through one Anchor Mission per week. Deep Dive remains lightweight but becomes
more hands-on: each Part contains one small completion-based task embedded
directly in the learning, with no separate weekly submission. A task is
completed or returned for revision; there is no partial-score rubric.
Resubmission follows the existing programme policy.

## How to read the handbook

* **Core** means you must be able to explain or demonstrate it.
* **Landscape** means you should recognise it and roughly explain its place.
* **Further Exploration** is optional depth.

Foundation follows richer content, lighter assessment. Deep Dive keeps tasks
embedded in the learning rather than adding extra homework. Weekly pacing is a
recommended rhythm, not a deadline. Any Academy activity that sends a
transaction, deploys a contract, performs a state-changing wallet action, or
otherwise requires funds or an on-chain signature is testnet-only; some lessons
may ask you to inspect public mainnet data read-only. Never use real funds for
an Academy requirement.

## Operations boundary

The Handbook contains the canonical learning material, Foundation Anchor Mission
requirements, Deep Dive Part-task requirements and Proof of Work milestone
requirements.
Web3CareerBuild (WCB) handles applications, cohort management, submissions,
review, points, progress and leaderboards.

## Apply

The Academy Handbook is open to everyone, so you can start learning without
joining a cohort.

The Academy cohort adds structured pacing, peer learning, mission review,
progress tracking and accountability. The current Foundation Pilot covers W0–W4.
The full Cohort 1 programme adds the selected W5–W6 Builder or Researcher Deep
Dive, then the W7 Scope + MVP / V1 and W8 Refine + Final Proof of Work
milestones.

Applications and cohort operations are managed through WCB.
Apply through [Web3CareerBuild (WCB)](https://web3career.build/en/programs/blockchain-ntu-academy) when the next intake opens.