How to Apply to Google Summer of Code – The Ultimate GSoC Application Guide

Google Summer of Code (GSoC) is an incredible opportunity for students and other new contributors to get involved in open source software development. Participants are paid a stipend to write code for open source projects over the summer, with guidance from mentors.

As an experienced software engineer who has mentored GSoC students in the past, I‘m here to share my best tips and advice for applying to the program. Whether you‘re a college student looking to gain real-world coding experience or a self-taught developer eager to break into open source, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to submit a strong GSoC proposal.

What is Google Summer of Code and How Does it Work?

Google Summer of Code is an annual program sponsored by Google that aims to bring more student developers into open source software development. Since 2005, the program has brought together thousands of students and mentors from around the world to contribute millions of lines of code to open source projects.

Here‘s a brief overview of how the program works:

1. Open source organizations apply to be part of GSoC.
2. Google announces the participating organizations.
3. Students review the organizations and project ideas.
4. Students contact organizations and submit proposals.
5. Organizations rank and select student proposals.
6. Accepted students are paired with mentors.
7. Students spend the summer coding their projects, with periodic evaluations.

Students whose projects are successfully completed receive a stipend, paid by Google. The stipend amount varies by country, but is generally in the range of $3000-$6600 USD.

In 2022, GSoC expanded eligibility beyond just students. Now anyone age 18 or older who is new to open source can apply, regardless of student status. This opens up exciting opportunities for career changers, self-taught developers, and others looking to gain open source experience.

Why Participate in Google Summer of Code?

There are so many great reasons to participate in Google Summer of Code:

• Contribute to meaningful open source projects
• Gain real-world software development experience
• Learn best practices like using version control and issue trackers
• Work closely with experienced mentors
• Expand your professional network
• Build your skills and resume
• Get paid to write open source code

For many, GSoC is a launchpad into the world of open source. Participants gain experience, credibility, and connections that can open doors to future opportunities. And by contributing to open source, you‘re making an impact. The code you write in GSoC can end up being used by thousands or even millions of people around the world.

On a personal note, I‘ve seen the impact GSoC can have. A student I mentored went on to become a maintainer in our open source community. GSoC gave them the initial boost to go from user to contributor to leader.

Determining Your Eligibility for GSoC

To be eligible to participate in Google Summer of Code, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a beginner to open source (typically less than a year of experience)
• Be able to commit to at least 175 hours (medium-sized project) or 350 hours (large project) over the summer

That‘s it! Unlike a traditional internship or job, there are no requirements around degrees, GPAs, prior experience, or geographic location. As long as you‘re passionate about open source and willing to learn, you‘re eligible to apply.

One important note is that you cannot be an employee or intern at an accepted GSoC organization or at Google. The goal is to bring new contributors into open source. But if you‘re already contributing to an open source project and meet the other requirements, you are still eligible.

Choosing a GSoC Organization and Project

One of the most important parts of applying to GSoC is selecting the right organization and project. There are usually 150-200 open source organizations that participate in GSoC each year, spanning a wide range of domains, technologies, and causes. So how do you choose?

Here are some tips:

1. Read the organizations list and project ideas. Filter by your skills and interests.

2. Check if the organization has participated in GSoC before. Look at their past projects and success rate.

3. Explore the organization‘s open source project. Do you understand what it does? Is the code welcoming to newcomers? Is the community active and responsive?

4. Look for good mentors and leaders. Are there mentors listed on the project ideas page? Drop into the community chat channels to introduce yourself and judge how supportive the culture is.

5. Get hands-on. Most organizations require you to submit a small patch or bug fix before submitting your application. Look for beginner issues and try to contribute something.

6. Engage with the community. Join forums or mailing lists, submit issues, and start conversations. Demonstrate that you‘re really interested and invested.

7. Propose your own project. Some organizations allow this – come up with an impactful idea that fits with the organization‘s mission and roadmap. Discuss it with mentors to get buy-in.

Most of all, I recommend choosing an organization and project you‘re genuinely passionate about. You‘ll be spending a lot of time working on this over the summer. It helps a lot if you really care about the organization‘s mission and enjoy working with their tech stack and community.

Writing an Awesome GSoC Proposal

Your GSoC proposal is the most important part of your application. It‘s your chance to convince an organization that you‘re the right person to work on the project. A strong proposal can be the difference between getting selected or not.

So what goes into an awesome GSoC proposal? Here are the key elements:

1. Introduce yourself. Share your background, skills, interests, and why you want to participate in GSoC with this particular organization. Show that you‘ve researched them.

2. Describe your proposed project. Give a high-level overview of what you want to build or fix and why it matters to the organization.

3. Provide a timeline with milestones and deliverables. Break your project down into weekly chunks. Specify what you will deliver at each stage. This shows that you know how to manage your project.

4. Outline your implementation plan. Go into the technical details of how you will complete your project. What methodology, tools and libraries will you use? Show that you‘ve really thought it through.

5. Demonstrate your skills and credibility. Link to your prior contributions to the project or other open source work. Share your GitHub, website or blog if relevant. Help them trust that you can deliver on your proposal.

6. Proofread! GSoC is a competitive program. Mentors look for proposals that are clear, specific, and achievable. Edit your proposal carefully and consider asking for feedback from the community before submitting.

Ideally, you‘ll start working on your proposal early, at least 4-6 weeks before the deadline if possible. This gives you time to compile feedback, build trust in the community, and produce something truly comprehensive and compelling.

Contributing to Open Source While Having Other Commitments

One big challenge that stops many people from applying to GSoC is the time factor. Students have classes and exams. Working professionals have jobs and life commitments. How do you find time to learn a new codebase, write a proposal, and complete a big project?

It‘s definitely a balancing act. But many successful GSoC students have made it work. When I mentored, I was always impressed by participants‘ dedication – they were taking a full course load and still put in the hours to code an amazing GSoC project.

Here are some tips for contributing to open source while having other commitments:

1. Plan ahead. Don‘t procrastinate on your proposal or project until the last minute. Use your time management skills to map out time blocks for open source contributions. A little bit each day adds up.

2. Communicate proactively. Let your mentor know about your schedule and other commitments. If you have a big exam or life event coming up, see if you can adjust your project timeline. It‘s all about managing expectations.

3. Timebox your tasks. It‘s easy to fall down a rabbit hole trying to understand a new codebase. Set time limits and use a technique like Pomodoro to maintain focus and avoid burnout.

4. Leverage your mentor. You‘re not expected to do everything alone. Your mentor is there to provide guidance, code reviews, and pair programming. Don‘t spin your wheels too long if you‘re stuck.

5. Prioritize and set boundaries. Open source contributions are important, but so is your mental health, relationships, and personal responsibilities. Know your own limits. It‘s okay to say no or put your GSoC project on pause if needed.

What To Do If Your GSoC Proposal Is Not Accepted

Google Summer of Code is a competitive program. Every year, there are many more strong proposals than there are slots available. If your proposal isn‘t accepted, please don‘t take it personally. It‘s not a judgement on your skills or potential.

In fact, many GSoC mentors and org admins participated in GSoC in the past and had to apply multiple times before being accepted. I know it‘s disappointing to put in the work and not get the result you wanted. But persistence pays off.

If your GSoC proposal is rejected, here‘s what I recommend:

1. Ask for feedback. Reach out to the organization and mentors to understand why your proposal wasn‘t selected. Take their input graciously and learn from it.

2. Keep contributing. Don‘t let a GSoC rejection stop your open source journey. You put in a lot of good work – keep building on it! Look for other ways to contribute to the project.

3. Find other opportunities. There are many other open source internship and mentorship programs out there, like Outreachy, MLH Fellowship, and Linux Foundation mentorships. Explore them.

4. Reapply next year. Many GSoC participants reapply with a revised proposal and get accepted the second time around. Apply what you learned and try again.

5. Recognize your accomplishments. Applying to GSoC takes a lot of initiative, commitment and courage. You put yourself out there, learned new things, and gave back to the open source community. Those are huge wins to be proud of.

Where to Get GSoC Help and Advice

Applying to Google Summer of Code can feel overwhelming, especially if you‘re new to open source. But you don‘t have to do it alone! There are many resources and people who can help:

• GSoC website & email list – The official GSoC website has in-depth guides and FAQs. There‘s also a public email list you can join to ask questions and get announcements.

• Organization websites & chats – Check if the orgs you‘re interested in have their own GSoC guides, FAQs, or Slack/Discord/IRC channels you can join. Talking to org admins and mentors directly is super valuable.

• Former GSoC participants – Reach out to people you know who have done GSoC in the past. Many are happy to share their experience and advice. You can find them on university campuses, in open source communities, and on social media.

• Online forums & communities – There are many helpful GSoC discussions and Q&As on sites like Reddit, Quora, and StackExchange. Do some searching and post your own questions.

• Your own network – Talk to classmates, professors, friends, and family. Even if they haven‘t done GSoC directly, they may have good advice on technical writing, project planning, and professional communication.

When reaching out for help, remember to be specific, polite and respectful of people‘s time. Come with thoughtful questions and be open to feedback. And always pay it forward – as you learn, turn around and share your own tips and encouragement with others!

General Tips for GSoC Success

To wrap up, here are some general tips for making the most of your Google Summer of Code experience:

• Do your research – Really dive into the organization, codebase and community. The more you know, the stronger your proposal will be.
• Start early – It takes time to understand a project, build relationships, and write a great proposal. Give yourself a couple months lead time if possible.
• Be proactive – Don‘t wait for a mentor to tell you what to do. Take initiative to ask questions, propose solutions, and get your hands dirty in the codebase.
• Communicate, communicate, communicate! GSoC is a remote program. You‘ll need to be extra proactive about communicating your progress, blockers, and ideas. Schedule regular check-ins with your mentor.
• Enjoy the journey – GSoC is a unique opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to the open source ecosystem. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the wins, and have fun! The experience and relationships you build will benefit you well beyond the summer.

Whether you‘re a student, career changer, or any open source beginner, I wish you the best of luck in applying to Google Summer of Code! It‘s an exciting and rewarding journey. With passion, preparation and persistence, you‘ll be well on your way to a super successful summer of coding!