GirlScript Summer of Code (GSSoC)
A free open source programme from the non-profit GirlScript Foundation in India, where contributors spend a few months working on listed projects, earn points on a leaderboard and receive mentoring. Since 2026 it also has an AI agents track. It is a beginner-friendly way to make real pull requests before applying to paid programmes.
50,000+ developers and students
gssoc.girlscript.tech · Oct 2026
24 March 2026
gssoc.girlscript.tech · Oct 2026
Programme
Career Growth
GirlScript Foundation
About 3 months
Beginner
Free
Open source
- When
- Usually opens in March and AprilApplications usually open in March with selections by early April and contributions from May to July. Check the official timeline.
- Who can apply
- Students, developers and AI builders. It is run from India and most participants are Indian, but the site describes it as open to learners across India and beyond. Free to apply.
- Where
- Online, mostly India
Dates move from year to year. Check the official page before you plan around them.
What it is
GirlScript Summer of Code (GSSoC) is run by GirlScript Foundation, a non-profit in India. Project admins list open source projects, contributors pick issues, mentors review pull requests, and points from merged work feed a public leaderboard. The site describes it as a builder programme for developers, students and AI creators. In 2026 it added an "Agents for India" track for building AI agents that solve local problems.
Who can apply
Students, developers and AI builders. The site describes it as for learners across India and beyond. Contributors, mentors, project admins and campus ambassadors all apply through the site.
Timeline
For 2026:
- 24 March: launch event and applications open.
- Late March to early April: selections.
- April: onboarding; projects go live.
- May to June: main contribution period.
- June to July: final evaluations and results.
Expect a similar spring schedule each year and confirm on the official site.
How to get in and do well
- Apply as soon as applications open and join the community channels.
- Pick one or two projects in a stack you know, rather than chasing points across many.
- Read each project's contributing guide and claim issues the way it asks.
- Prefer meaningful pull requests to tiny ones; mentors notice quality.
- Keep a log of merged work with links for your CV.
What you get
Certificates, swag and featured recognition for top performers, plus mentoring and merged pull requests on public projects. There is no stipend. The bigger value is practice: after a season of GSSoC, a proposal for Google Summer of Code or LFX Mentorship is far easier to write.
Pair it with on Sefism
- Learn the contribution workflow with the Open source roadmap and cheat sheet.
- For the agents track, follow the AI agents roadmap.
- Turn the work into portfolio evidence with the Job-ready roadmap.
Best for: beginners in South Asia who want a structured, mentored first season of open source contributions.
Ready to start?
Opens on GirlScript Foundation in a new tab.
Stuck on something specific?
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