California Institute of Applied Technology is an award-winning technical college helping students launch and advance their career in the competitive job market. Founded in 2008 with two main campuses in National City, CA and Albuquerque, NM, CIAT is committed to personalized training through comprehensive, innovative, and high-quality vocational programs that prepare students for a rewarding career.
California Institute of Applied Technology (ciat.edu) has 133 customer reviews on Five Star Index, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.
Also known as
ciat.edu
Website
ciat.edu
Category
Education Services
Location
National City, California
Listed on Five Star Index
2026
About these reviews
Replies
The company replied to 95% of reviews.
Latest
Most recent review: October 2026.
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Reviews are shown as their authors wrote them. The company can reply, but cannot edit them.
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California Institute of Applied Technology reviews
133 approved reviews, newest moderated first
EE
Ebenezer E.
Intensive Bootcamp for AWS Certification Was Worth It!!!
The intensive 10-hour bootcamp lecture each day for 4 days (40 hours in total) really prepared me for the AWS Cloud Practitioner and Solutions Architect certification exam.
It gave me the needed motivation to go ahead and attempt the exams and I had an easy success on the exams.
The Exam vouchers provided for both exams was very helpful in ensuring that I scheduled the exams on time (a week after the bootcamp) and was able to pass them with great success!
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyAug 5, 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that our bootcamp gave you both the knowledge and confidence needed to successfully pass your AWS Cloud Practitioner and Solutions Architect certification exams. Congratulations on achieving such great results! Thank you for your feedback, and we wish you continued success!
MR
Masood R.
great experience and great instructors…
great experience and great instructors and study materials
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyJul 30, 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. We are happy to hear that you had a positive experience at CIAT!
CU
customer
CIAT is an amazing school and has…
CIAT is an amazing school and has helped me pass my Security +
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyJul 29, 2026
Thank you for your review. We are thrilled to hear that you passed your Security+ exam. Congratulations! Thank you for trusting CIAT to prepare you for your exam!
CU
customer
Ciat does not communicate…
I feel CIAT is a shady institution with a bait and switch scheme. Never was it mentioned prior to my enrollment that classes are 5 weeks each term, held 2 days out the week on a predetermined schedule, and progress 1 class at a time. That is not the education model that works for me, nor is it one I wish to conform to. Please remove me from all lists, disenroll me from all classes, and cancel all my funding for/from the program. I will not be in attendance, I will not be completing any coursework,I will not be viewing any course material. I genuinely would not recommend anyone to enroll in any programs you may offer, nor will I change my mind in the future. It has been 4 days now since I signed and returned the disenrollment form, yet I have this email from you in my inbox regarding attendance. This alone shows me CIAT does not communicate internally, nor do they truly care about their students and their needs.
I truly do not believe paying $42k in tuition to learn on my own is worth it when there are millions of other accredited resources at my disposal for free that will grant me the same certifications I would have received upon completion of the program at CIAT.
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyJul 23, 2026
Dear Student,
Thank you for taking the time to share this feedback. We're sorry to hear about the confusion around the program structure, and we're especially sorry that you received a follow-up communication after your disenrollment was already processed. That shouldn't have happened, and we understand why it added to your frustration. We're looking into how that gap occurred so it doesn't happen again. We encourage you to connect with our management team by sending us your contact information through [email protected] so that we can collect the required information to ensure your enrollment cancelation is processed and gather feedback about what type of learning experience you were expecting. CIAT has a unique full first term cancelation policy to allow all students to complete a full five weeks without any long term financial commitment.
We do want to clarify our program format for anyone reading this. Our courses run in 5-week terms, with a new course starting every 5 weeks. Classes meet live online twice a week, and each session combines instructor-led lecture with hands-on lab work, so students get both the concepts and the applied practice in real time. Every session is recorded, so students who can't attend live are able to complete the work on their own schedule. Our programs are designed to support adult learners balancing work schedules, family schedules, and other life commitments, while committing to their career journey. Comprehensive industry certification support, academic support, and career services support are all integral parts of your student experience. CIAT takes great pride in providing a personalized support from enrollment through graduation and beyond. We look forward to hearing from you directly and wish you the best in your next steps.
-CIAT Team
CU
customer
A Great Start!
Don’t overthink applying for the school. They help you in so many ways. They’re here for your success.
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyJul 22, 2026
Thank you for your review! We are happy to hear that you have felt supported at CIAT. We are always here to help!
CH
Chai
IT technology and staff
Good experience and good support for learning
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyJul 16, 2026
Thank you for your review! We’re happy to hear that you felt supported and enjoyed your experience at CIAT!
CU
customer
Great teacher
Great teacher
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyJul 1, 2026
Thank you for your review! We’re thrilled to hear our instructors made a difference!
KR
Krish
Got sec+ passed in first attempt with 5…
Got sec+ passed in first attempt with 5 days bootcamp.
Response from California Institute of Applied TechnologyJul 1, 2026
Congratulations on passing Security+ on your first attempt! We're thrilled to hear that our bootcamp helped you achieve your goals. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we wish you continued success in your journey!
