The Detroit Apple Developer Academy's fifth year is underway, with the next generation of iPhone developers joining a program whose expense and success have been questioned.

The only developer academy of its kind in North America, the developer academy is a collaboration between Apple, Michigan State University, and the Gilbert Family Foundation. It offers a range of free programs, including the option for a full nine-month learning experience.

The Detroit academy is just one of 19 around the world. All of them help students learn how to design and create their apps, with an eye on turning them into full-fledged businesses.

In a newsroom post announcing the fifth commencement, Apple notes that more than 70% of the people who start the free academy go on to complete the program.

A history of (some) success

Apple talks a big game, but the results speak for themselves. Saamer Mansoor was part of the academy's original cohort as the world continued to get to grips with the COVID pandemic. After he and his teammates realized they all knew someone with hearing difficulties, they set about creating BeAware Deaf Assistant.

Using Apple's Neural Engine to handle real-time transcription and translation, the app became a hit. It's now been translated into 25 spoken languages and is used by institutions including the George Washington University.

Mansoor wasn't a one-off, either. Courey Jiminez is a 2026 academy graduate and Swift Student Challenge winner who credits the academy with teaching her the skills she needed.

"I had never heard of challenge-based learning prior to coming here. It taught me to dig deeper into the research and to be OK with pivoting if my idea shifts along the way," the Detroit native noted.

Now, Jiminez is in project management, supporting coders and designers while managing the overall vision of the app being worked on.

If you're keen to learn more and perhaps get involved with an Apple Developer Academy near you, Apple's dedicated website is a good place to start.

Question marks

However, its academies aren't without their detractors. The Detroit academy in particular has come under fire. Huge costs and questions around its ability to set students up for a job in the future left some wondering whether it's worth the expense.

For Apple's part, the academies are a key aspect of its continued success. They may be free to students, but Apple knows that teaching them to build apps for its platforms is good business sense for the future of those platforms.

As for the students, Apple is quick to tout its wins, but some have questioned whether it is the outright success it's claimed to be.