Google Summer of Code is a Google-funded program directed at promoting open source software development among the students.
The program basically focuses on the development and promotion of the open-source software which are currently being used by different IT companies and organizations. Google is working with several open source organizations, also sometimes referred to as mentoring organizations for the program. These companies have different projects of their own and student programmers are assigned these projects over a 16-weeks time period.
Google hunts for talented programming students from around the globe and funds them so that they can take on these actual real-world projects. The total time duration of this off-site coding projects is about 12 weeks (and 4 weeks of community building) and takes place every year in summers. Last year, more than 1,300 students had participated in the program.
The Stages:
The whole project has been divided into four distinct phases to make sure that the set goals of the projects are achieved and the enrolled students get their fair share of learning. The first stage of the procedure is the proposal stage. In this stage, the aspiring contestants have to choose the projects on which they would like to work on. The contestants are then selected based on their proposals.
Also Read: We Need Pakistani Coders To Join Google Summer Of Code!
Once a project has been assigned, a dedicated community building stage takes place wherein the mentors and selected students get to know each other before the work finally commences. After the commencement of the project, three evaluations are scheduled to make sure that the demands of projects are met.
What’s in it for you:
It is one of a kind of opportunity especially for the students of computer studies. The program essentially bridges the gap between mentors from top tech giants like Microsoft and Facebook and brings them closer to the students. Also, due to the prestigious nature of the program, GSoC can also help the students in getting jobs and it also gets the participating student an express referral for job posts available at Google. The program also has a monetary value and the enrolled students are given $3,000 for the project.
How to Apply:
The program is yet to start accepting applications from aspiring students. Google plans to open the registration process from March 25 to April 9. The students can keep having a tab on the Google Summer of Code official website to stay updated.
