Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hackathon?
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A hackathon is an event where students come together to create tech projects in a collaborative environment.
Through the course of 24-72 hours, teams of students will ideate, design, code, and create to complete their
project!
When/where is Cal Hacks 8.0?
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Cal Hacks 8.0 will happen on October 22-24. We're planning to host the event in a hybrid capacity, which means
that you can attend from anywhere in the world, but there'll be events that offer in-person components on the
beautiful UC Berkeley campus! (Unfortunately, for health and safety reasons, we are limiting our in-person
functions to UC Berkeley students ONLY.)
Who is eligible to attend?
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Cal Hacks 8.0 is open to all college students over the age of 18.
I'm a UC Berkeley student — do I still need to apply?
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Yes — UC Berkeley students should still apply through our application portal!
Do I need coding or hacking experience?
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Good question! The answer is no - you don't need any prior coding or hacking experience to have a fun time at
8.0! In fact, our hackathon is the perfect place to learn, and we hope everyone - regardless of experience -
gets the chance to learn something new!
Plus, we partner with UC Berkeley clubs to host workshops geared for hackers of all skill levels!
Can I participate as a volunteer / mentor / judge?
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For interested volunteers: Volunteers are the backbone of any event, especially those as large as our
hackathon. With opportunities for in-person events (i.e. food, swag distribution, workshops, etc.), we need
all the help we can get in making these events run as smooth as possible! If you are interested in helping Cal
Hacks 8.0 as a volunteer, sign up here: volunteers.
For interested mentors and judges: If you have a career in an industry related to entrepreneurship, tech,
design, and/or finance, we'd love to have you help us out as a judge or mentor! Mentors work with our
participants through hands-on interactions, whereas judges help with judging project submissions near the end
of the hackathon! If you're interested, be sure to let us know through the mentor signup or our judge registration! *Swag is provided for judges and
mentors!*
Where can I find the schedule for the event?
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Our finalized schedule will be released on this live site closer to the event! Be on the lookout for in-person
components 😉
What should I bring?
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For one - bring that positive attitude of yours! Most of our event will be virtual, but for our in-person
components (UC Berkeley students only), bring your student ID! More details to come.
How do teams work?
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The application lets you apply as part of a team of up to 4 students. All you have to do is enter their name
and email into the "Team" section of the application - make sure they submit the application as well! We'll
also match students who don't have a team prior to Cal Hacks 8.0! We will also let students compete solo ...
but where's the fun in that? 🙂
How much will this cost?
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Cal Hacks 8.0, like all our past hackathons, is completely free for all accepted hackers! We'll provide the
resources you need to hack comfortably and creatively. Did someone say swag? Yep, we'll also provide swag to
qualifying hackers!
Are there restrictions to what my team can build?
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Feel free to build whatever your heart desires! You are welcome to submit any project related to hardware,
software, or tech. However, you must not have completed this project prior to Cal Hacks 8.0 (yes, we do
check.) Projects will be judged by our qualified judges on criterion involving creativity, technical
difficulty, final polish, and usefulness.
What if I want to work on my project after the hackathon
is over?
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Glad you asked! One of our initiatives, the Cal Hacks Fellowship, was jumpstarted specifically for this
purpose! At the Fellowship, teams can continue their project with the help of one-on-one mentorship, direct
interactions with industry professionals, equity-free funding, and more! We recommend all hackers to apply to
Fellowship to take their projects to the next level ... dare we say, to the moon? 🚀