Google Makes Some Major Changes To Summer of Code 2022 - No Longer Limited To Students

Over the past nearly two decades Google Summer of Code (GSoC) has been known as an initiative for getting students involved with open-source software development over the course of a summer while receiving a stipend/grant from Google. Beginning next year, GSoC will no longer be limited to students but open to all adults. Additionally, other changes are also coming.

This year Google shortened the GSoC length and cut the stipend amount. They made those changes this year in the name of COVID-19 while for GSoC 2022 there are even more changes.

The changes announced today by Google for GSoC 2022 include:

- GSoC will now be open to all newcomers that are 18 years or older. One of the fundamentals for GSoC all along has been a focus on student participation while that requirement is being removed entirely. To help those going through a career change, self-taught, or returning to the workforce, among other possibilities, all adults can apply to be part of GSoC.

- This year was focused on the medium size "~175 hour" projects while for GSoC 2022 those medium-sized projects will be available along with the return of the larger project with an intended time of around ~350 hours of development. This is good news for those that cut their GSoC 2021 participation over having less work that could be reasonably accomplished in the shorter timeframe.

- Another fundamental change with GSoC 2022 is changing up the format. Google Summer of Code had always been on a June to August schedule over the span of 12 weeks. There will not only be the 12 week option with GSoC 2022 but it's also opening a 22 week option for larger projects. The participants and organizations involved can work together to determine the suitability of extending the project deadline to 22 weeks.

More details on the GSoC 2022 changes via the Google Open-Source Blog.