Speaker: Timothy Olaleke
- Google Developer Expert (Cloud)
- GSoC Alumni
- DevOps & Cloud Solutions Expert
Event: GDG On Campus JKUAT Date: January 20, 2026
- What is Google Summer of Code?
- GSoC 2026 Timeline & Key Dates
- Eligibility Requirements
- How the Program Works
- Stipends & Benefits
- How to Find the Right Organization
- Writing a Winning Proposal
- Tips from a GSoC Alumni
- Q&A
A global program by Google that connects new developers with open source organizations
- Running since 2005 (22nd year in 2026!)
- 23,000+ contributors mentored
- 1,000+ open source organizations
- 21,000+ mentors worldwide
- 12+ weeks of coding with expert mentorship
- Paid stipend from Google
"GSoC isn't an internship—it's a paid open-source development program that builds serious engineering credibility."
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Years Running | 22 (since 2005) |
| Total Contributors | 23,000+ |
| Participating Organizations | 1,000+ |
| Countries Represented | 100+ |
| Project Duration | 8-22 weeks (flexible) |
You are eligible if you are:
- At least 18 years old at time of registration
- A student OR beginner to open source
- University students
- Recent graduates
- Career changers
- Self-taught developers
- Coding bootcamp graduates
- Have been accepted to GSoC no more than once before
- Reside in a country not embargoed by the United States
- Able to work legally in your country of residence
GSoC Expanded Beyond Just Students!
Before 2022:
- Only university students eligible
After 2022:
- Open to all beginners in open source
- Students, career changers, self-taught developers
- Anyone 18+ new to open source
The focus is now on "open source beginners" not just "students"
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan 19 - Feb 3, 2026 | Organizations apply to Google |
| Feb 27, 2026 | Accepted organizations announced |
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb 27 - Mar 24 | Community bonding with potential orgs |
| Mar 24 - Apr 8 | Contributor applications open |
| Apr 29 | Proposal rankings due |
| May 8 | Accepted contributors announced |
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 8 - Jun 1 | Community Bonding Period |
| Jun 2 | Coding officially begins |
| Jul 14-18 | Midterm evaluations |
| Aug 25 | Standard coding ends |
| Sep 1 | Final submissions due |
| Nov 10 | Extended projects deadline |
| Size | Hours | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Small | ~90 hours | 8-10 weeks |
| Medium | ~175 hours | 12 weeks |
| Large | ~350 hours | 22 weeks |
You choose the project size that fits your availability!
Stipends are adjusted based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) for your country.
| Project Size | Base Amount | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Small | $1,500 USD | $750 - $1,650 |
| Medium | $3,000 USD | $1,500 - $3,300 |
| Large | $6,000 USD | $3,000 - $6,600 |
- First payment (45%): After midterm evaluation (~July 18)
- Final payment (55%): After final evaluation (~September 9)
- Payment method: Payoneer
- Real-world coding experience
- Industry best practices
- Git & collaborative development
- Code review processes
- CI/CD and testing
- Resume boost recognized globally
- Direct mentorship from experts
- Proof of ability to work on large codebases
- Open source portfolio
- Global developer community
- Connections to future job opportunities
- Lifelong professional relationships
- Certificate of completion from Google
- Verification letter from Google Open Source team
- Your code used by thousands/millions of users
"For students in colleges that lack strong placement pipelines, GSoC becomes a career-shaping milestone."
1. EXPLORE (Now - February)
└── Research organizations, learn their codebase
2. CONTRIBUTE (February - March)
└── Make contributions, engage with community
3. APPLY (March 24 - April 8)
└── Submit your proposal (max 3)
4. BOND (May)
└── Community bonding with your org
5. CODE (June - August/November)
└── Build your project with mentor guidance
6. COMPLETE
└── Final evaluation, get paid, celebrate!
- Official List: summerofcode.withgoogle.com/programs/2026
- GSoC Orgs Directory: gsocorganizations.dev
- Filter by: Language, category, beginner-friendliness
- AI & Machine Learning (expanded focus!)
- Security (expanded focus!)
- Web Development
- Mobile Development
- DevOps & Cloud
- Data Science
- Big names (Mozilla, Wikimedia, Apache) get 200+ applicants per slot
- Smaller orgs might get 15-20 applicants
- Make a shortlist of 5-7 organizations
- Check community health: Are they responsive to newcomers?
- Join their channels (Slack, Discord, IRC)
- Observe for a week: Is the community welcoming?
- ~70% of orgs return each year - check past participants
"Would you rather be applicant #183 for Mozilla, or one of 15 for a growing org hungry for contributors?"
- Shows genuine interest
- Proves you can work with their codebase
- Builds relationships with mentors
- Makes your proposal stronger
- Fix small bugs ("good first issue")
- Improve documentation
- Add tests
- Answer questions in forums
- Report and triage issues
- Title: Clear, concise, captures the essence
- Summary: Brief overview for quick understanding
- Detailed Description: What you'll build
- Technical Approach: How you'll build it
- Timeline: Week-by-week breakdown
- About You: Your background and fit
- Prior Contributions: What you've already done
- Use headings, sub-sections, clear formatting
- Include diagrams for complex architectures
- Justify your technical choices
- Break large projects into smaller milestones
- Be honest about your time availability
- Submit early for feedback
- Generic copy-paste proposals
- Vague timelines
- Ignoring organization-specific guidelines
- Submitting at the last minute
- Applying to too many orgs (quality > quantity)
- 94% of accepted contributors submitted 2 or fewer proposals
- You can submit up to 3 proposals
- Only 1 can be accepted
- Focus on 1-2 strong proposals
- Each proposal customized to the specific project
- This is NOT a lottery—weak proposals hurt your chances
- Start contributing months early
- Focus on 1-2 organizations, not 10
- Master Git and GitHub
- Join community channels early
- Build relationships with potential mentors
- Submit draft proposals early for feedback
- Iterate based on mentor feedback
- Be responsive and communicative
- Follow organization-specific guidelines exactly
- Founded by Samson Goddy
- Promotes open source across Africa
- GSoC bootcamps have led to 6-7+ acceptances per cohort
- Chapters in Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, and more
"Africans had experience and interest but didn't know how to get into open source—they didn't know they could contribute to projects like React."
That changes today!
[Add your personal GSoC experience here]
- How to work with large codebases
- Effective communication with global teams
- Time management for remote work
- Technical skills that shaped my career
- Led to my GDE recognition
- Built my open source portfolio
- Connected me with global developer community
- Create GitHub account (if you don't have one)
- Learn Git basics (commit, push, pull, branch, PR)
- Explore gsocorganizations.dev
- Identify 3-5 interesting organizations
- Set up dev environment for 1-2 orgs
- Make your first contribution
- Join community channels
- Draft your proposal
- Get feedback from mentors
- Submit by April 8!
- GSoC Homepage: summerofcode.withgoogle.com
- Timeline: developers.google.com/open-source/gsoc/timeline
- FAQ: developers.google.com/open-source/gsoc/faq
- Student Guide: google.github.io/gsocguides/student
- GSoC Organizations: gsocorganizations.dev
- GSoC Discuss Group: groups.google.com/g/google-summer-of-code-discuss
- Open Source Community Africa: oscafrica.org
If GSoC doesn't work out, consider:
| Program | Focus | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Outreachy | Underrepresented groups | May-Aug, Dec-Mar |
| LFX Mentorship | Linux Foundation projects | Multiple cohorts |
| MLH Fellowship | Open source + projects | Various |
| Season of Docs | Documentation | Annual |
- GSoC is open to ALL beginners (not just students)
- Start contributing NOW - don't wait for applications
- Quality > Quantity for proposals
- Community engagement is crucial
- The stipend is nice, but the experience is invaluable
"The students who get accepted aren't necessarily the most skilled. They're the ones who showed up early, proved they could work with the codebase, and demonstrated genuine interest."
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Orgs Announced | February 27, 2026 |
| Applications Open | March 24, 2026 |
| Applications Close | April 8, 2026 |
| Results Announced | May 8, 2026 |
| Coding Starts | June 2, 2026 |
Set your calendars!
- "Can I apply if I'm working full-time?"
- "What programming language should I know?"
- "How competitive is it?"
- "Can I apply next year if I fail this year?"
Let's discuss!
Timothy Olaleke
- Google Developer Expert (Cloud)
- GSoC Alumni
[Add your social links]
- Twitter/X: @Timothy_Olaleke
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timothyolaleke
- GitHub: github.com/Timtech4u
Good luck with GSoC 2026!
Remember:
- Start early
- Contribute consistently
- Write a great proposal
- Enjoy the journey
Questions? Let's connect!
January 2026
├── Week 1-2: Explore organizations
├── Week 3-4: Set up development environments
February 2026
├── Week 1-2: Make first contributions
├── Week 3-4: Build relationships with mentors
├── Feb 27: Orgs announced - verify your choices!
March 2026
├── Week 1-3: Continue contributing, draft proposal
├── Mar 24: Applications open - submit early!
├── Week 4: Iterate based on feedback
April 2026
├── Apr 8: DEADLINE - Final submission
├── Wait for results...
May 2026
├── May 8: Results announced!
├── Community bonding begins
- Clear, descriptive title
- Executive summary (2-3 sentences)
- Problem statement
- Proposed solution with technical details
- Week-by-week timeline with milestones
- Your background and relevant experience
- Links to prior contributions to the org
- Time commitment and availability
- Any potential blockers or risks
- Followed organization's proposal template (if any)
# Git Basics
git clone <repo-url>
git checkout -b feature-branch
git add .
git commit -m "Description of changes"
git push origin feature-branch
# Create a Pull Request on GitHub/GitLab
# Keep your fork updated
git remote add upstream <original-repo>
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main