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Google · Paid open-source programGoogle Summer of Code
The most respected line a student can put on a resume. 185 orgs in 2026; US startups treat a completed GSoC like a completed internship. Selection is won months early — pick an org and start contributing now.
Dates & timeline
Stipend
- Small project: $1,500 (India base rate)
- Medium project: $3,000 (India base rate)
- Large project: $6,000 (India base rate)
- Rates are PPP-adjusted by country; paid in two installments
- 185 mentoring organizations in 2026
- Running for 20+ years
- India is historically the largest contributor base
Why it's worth your time
Google Summer of Code is Google's flagship open-source program, running since 2005. You spend a summer writing real code for a major open-source organization (185 of them in 2026 — from Python and TensorFlow to CNCF projects), guided by that org's own maintainers as mentors, and Google pays you a stipend on completion of evaluations.
For a Tier-1 student the leverage is unusual: it's fully remote, needs no visa, and the brand is recognized by every serious engineering team on earth. The catch is that selection is effectively decided before applications open — accepted contributors are almost always the ones who showed up in the org's repos and chats months earlier. If you're reading this in autumn, you're exactly on time for the next cycle.
How to apply
Shortlist 2–3 orgs from the current org list whose stack you already know.
Start contributing now: good-first-issues, docs fixes, small PRs — get known in their chat.
Draft your project proposal with the org's mentors in Feb–Mar.
Submit the final proposal inside the official application window.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Summer of Code paid?
Yes. The stipend depends on project size and your country — for India the base rates are $1,500 (small), $3,000 (medium) and $6,000 (large project), paid in two installments after your midterm and final evaluations pass.
Do I need to be enrolled in a college?
No. Since 2022 GSoC is open to anyone 18+ who is new to open source — students and non-students alike. You do not need any enrollment proof to participate.
Can a 2nd-year student get selected?
Yes — selection is based on your contributions to the org and the quality of your proposal, not your year of study. Second-year students from IITs, NITs and IIITs are selected every year.
Can I do GSoC from India?
Yes, it is fully remote. You work with your organization's mentors online on your own schedule, with no visa or travel involved.
Does applying cost anything?
No. GSoC is completely free — Google pays you, never the other way around.
Official links
US startups hiring on Tierones
Part-time, remote coding internships with funded US startups — quoted in USD per hour, open to verified 2nd- and 3rd-year students. Free for students, always.
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