Home › Opportunities › TreeHacks (Stanford)
Stanford University · HackathonTreeHacks (Stanford)
The biggest US collegiate hackathon — 2026 winners got cash up to $12k and guaranteed OpenAI interviews. In-person at Stanford but open internationally, and the official site says TreeHacks covers meals, travel and lodging, which is what makes it reachable at all from India.
Dates & timeline
Prizes
- 2026 pool: $150k+ per the official site
- Top cash prizes up to $12,000 (2026)
- 2026 winners: guaranteed OpenAI interviews
- Largest collegiate hackathon in the US
- Open to college students from all countries
Why it's worth your time
TreeHacks is Stanford's flagship hackathon and the biggest collegiate hackathon in the US. The 2026 edition ran a $150k+ prize pool with top cash prizes up to $12,000 — and, notably, guaranteed OpenAI interviews for winners. It is open to college students from all countries, which makes it one of the few elite US campus events actually reachable for Indian students.
It's in-person at Stanford, and TreeHacks states on its own site that it takes care of meals, travel and lodging for attendees — the single biggest reason this one is worth an Indian student's time rather than being a nice idea you can't afford. Treat it as a plan-ahead play: applications open around November for the February event, and you still have to sort a US visitor visa yourself. For a Tier-1 student, a TreeHacks weekend is US-network access that no online event quite matches.
How to apply
Apply when applications open (~November) — it's selective, so put real work into the application.
If accepted, start your US visitor visa immediately — that is the long pole, not the flight.
Confirm what the travel support actually covers for international hackers before booking anything.
Form or find a team before the weekend.
Build for 36 hours and demo to judges.
Frequently asked questions
Can students from India attend TreeHacks?
Yes — TreeHacks is open to college students from all countries. The US visitor visa is yours to arrange, so start on it the day you're accepted.
Does TreeHacks cover travel?
The official site states that TreeHacks takes care of meals, travel and lodging for attendees. It does not publish the terms for international hackers on the landing page, so confirm what is covered and any cap with the organisers before you book.
Is it free?
Attending is free for accepted hackers, and the official site says meals, travel and lodging are covered. Budget for your visa fee regardless.
What can you win?
The 2026 edition had a $150k+ prize pool with top cash prizes up to $12,000, plus perks like guaranteed OpenAI interviews for winners.
Is it worth it if I probably won't win?
The room is the prize: a weekend building alongside top US students, sponsors and recruiters is network access that compounds — winners are a minority of the people who get value from it.
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.
Browse open roles