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Outreachy · Paid open-source programOutreachy
Fully remote, paid open-source internships with dedicated mentors, and the $7,000 stipend is among the highest a student can earn in open source. The December 2026 cohort now has firm dates: the initial application opens 24 August and closes 31 August 2026, 4pm UTC.
Dates & timeline
Stipend
- $7,000 total stipend, paid in installments during the internship
- Two cohorts per year (May and December)
- Dedicated one-on-one mentorship in established open-source communities
Why it's worth your time
Outreachy provides paid, fully remote open-source internships specifically for people from groups underrepresented in tech. Interns work one-on-one with dedicated mentors inside established open-source communities, and the $7,000 stipend is among the strongest in the student open-source world.
It runs two cohorts a year (May–Aug and Dec–Mar). The application is two-stage: an initial application about your background and eligibility, then a mandatory contribution period where you make real contributions to your chosen project before final selection — so the timeline starts months before the internship itself.
The December 2026 cohort's dates are now published and the window is short: the initial application opens 24 August 2026 at 4pm UTC and closes 31 August 2026 at 4pm UTC. Outreachy's own guidance is to start your application at least two to three weeks before the deadline, so read the eligibility rules now rather than in the last week.
How to apply
Read the eligibility rules now — the initial application window is only one week long (24–31 August 2026, 4pm UTC).
Submit the initial application before 31 August; Outreachy advises starting it 2–3 weeks before the deadline.
If approved, pick projects and complete real contributions during the contribution period (5 Oct – 2 Nov).
Record your contributions and submit a final application by 2 November, 4pm UTC.
Interns are announced 30 November and work 7 Dec 2026 – 8 Mar 2027 with their mentor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Outreachy pay?
A $7,000 stipend for the ~13-week remote internship, paid in installments.
Who is eligible?
Outreachy is specifically for people from groups underrepresented in the technology industry, with eligibility criteria published on the official site — read them carefully before the initial application. It is open to applicants from India who meet the criteria.
When do applications for the December 2026 cohort open?
The initial application opens on 24 August 2026 at 4pm UTC and is due on 31 August 2026 at 4pm UTC, per Outreachy's own eligibility and applicant guide pages. If your initial application is approved you then complete a contribution period from 5 October to 2 November, with the final application also due 2 November at 4pm UTC.
What if I missed the initial application deadline?
Then the December 2026 cohort is closed to you — the initial application is a hard gate, and the later contribution period and final application are only open to applicants Outreachy approved in that first round. Your next chance is the mid-year 2027 cohort. Outreachy has not published its dates yet; its applicant guide only gives the general yearly schedule, in which the call for mentoring communities opens in early January for the mid-year internships.
Is it remote?
Yes, fully remote — you work online with your mentor and community.
Does applying cost anything?
No, the entire process is free.
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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