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The Linux Foundation · Paid open-source programLFX Mentorship
Work on Linux Foundation / CNCF projects — the infrastructure stack US startups actually run on. Three terms a year (spring, summer, fall), so there is always a deadline coming. The 2026 Term 3 window closed on 18 August and the 2027 Term 1 dates have not been published yet — worth watching the portal from around December.
Dates & timeline
Stipend
- Stipend calculated by your region of residence, paid in milestone tranches
- Projects across the Linux Foundation / CNCF ecosystem
- Three 12-week terms per year
Why it's worth your time
LFX Mentorship is the Linux Foundation's structured, paid mentorship across its project ecosystem — Kubernetes and the wider CNCF landscape, Hyperledger, and dozens of other projects that form the infrastructure stack modern startups run on. Each mentorship is a 12-week project with defined milestones, code reviews from maintainers, and a stipend paid in tranches as you hit them.
Three terms run every year (spring, summer, fall), so there is always an application window either open or close. Contributions land in globally used repositories under your own name — for a student aiming at backend or infrastructure roles, few credentials read better than merged PRs in a CNCF project.
The 2026 Term 3 (Sep–Nov) window has closed: mentee applications ran 3 August to 18 August at 18:00 UTC and that term runs 7 September to 27 November 2026. The Linux Foundation has not yet published the 2027 Term 1 application window, so there is no date to plan against right now — the useful move in the meantime is to pick a project you want to be mentored on and start contributing to it, because prior contributions are what make an application competitive.
How to apply
Applications for the 2026 Term 3 term are closed. Watch the LFX portal for the 2027 Term 1 window — spring terms have historically opened around the turn of the year.
In the meantime, pick a CNCF or Linux Foundation project and start contributing to it now. Mentors weigh prior contributions heavily.
Prepare a CV and a project-specific cover letter for each mentorship you plan to target.
When the window opens, apply to multiple projects and complete any prerequisite tasks each one sets.
Frequently asked questions
Is LFX Mentorship paid?
Yes — mentees receive a stipend whose amount is calculated from the region where you live, paid in tranches as you complete milestones.
Can Indian students apply?
Yes. The program is global and fully remote; applicants are evaluated on technical proficiency (Git plus the project's stack) and motivation, not location.
When is the next LFX Mentorship application window?
Not yet announced. The 2026 Term 3 (Sep–Nov) window ran 3–18 August 2026 and has closed; that term runs 7 September to 27 November 2026. The Linux Foundation had not published the 2027 Term 1 dates at the time of writing, so check the LFX portal directly rather than relying on a predicted date.
Does it cost anything?
No, applying and participating are free.
Official links
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