As usual, when Apple invites developers to attend WWDC — June 5 to 9 this year — it also welcomes submissions for the annual Swift Student Challenge. Competitors create innovative coding projects with the help of Apple’s Swift Playgrounds app.
And some winners get to attend a special event at Apple Park on June 5, Apple said. That’s the first day of WWDC23.
Swift Student Challenge coding submissions accepted through April 19
On Wednesday Apple invited devs to WWDC 2023. The event takes place June 5 to June 9, mostly online, but with some developers in attendance via lottery.
A separate random selection process will determine which Swift Student Challenge winners get to attend, Apple said. Challenge entrants must opt-in for the chance to attend the June 5 event if they win when they submit their code.
Swift Playgrounds coding submissions opened Wednesday and run through April 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply to participate here.
See some of last year’s winners to get an idea of what budding devs can do. Of the 350 winners, Apple profiled three whose apps do very different things: one identifies invasive species, another teaches CPR and the third helps people questioning their gender identity explore different pronouns.
What you’ll do
Here’s the basic assignment: Create an interactive scene in an app playground on any topic you choose — but users must be able to experience it within 3 minutes.
As Apple described the process, you will “build your app playground, answer a few written prompts, provide documentation and submit.”
“Be creative,” Apple said. “If you need inspiration, use the provided templates for a head start on more advanced creations. Make them your own by adding graphics, audio, and more.”
Much more detail is included on the Challenge website at the links above and below, of course.
See if you’re eligible
Read the full eligibility requirements and more about entries and the submission process on the Challenge website.
Here are some basics to see if you can join in:
- You must be at least 13 years old in the US, or the equivalent minimum age in another jurisdiction (e.g., 16 in the EU, Apple noted).
- Be registered for free with Apple as an Apple developer or count yourself a member of the Apple Developer Program.
- Show you’re some sort of student (see site for details on the many qualifying possibilities, though “student of life” doesn’t cut it).
- Don’t be employed full time as a developer. That would be akin to cheating, wouldn’t it? This is for folks developing their skills.
Apple said it will judge entries on technical accomplishment, creativity of ideas and the content of written responses to queries.
What you can win
If you win, you get WWDC 2023 outerwear, which in recent years has been a jacket. You also get AirPods Pro, a customized pin set and membership in the Apple Developer Program for 1 year, Apple said.
And if you opt-in during the submission process, you could be randomly selected to go to Apple Park on June 5. But according to the small print, you’ll have to arrange your own travel and accommodations.
Entrants will hear about how they did on Tuesday, May 9. Go for it!
