Swift Student Challenge Submissions Now Open Ahead of WWDC 2026

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that submissions for the 2026 Swift Student Challenge are now open through Saturday, February 28.

The annual Swift Student Challenge gives eligible student developers around the world the opportunity to showcase their coding capabilities by using the Swift Playground or Xcode apps to create an interactive "app playground."

Apple said winners will be selected based on submissions that "demonstrate excellence in innovation, creativity, social impact, or inclusivity." A subset of Distinguished Winners with "truly exceptional" submissions will be invited to visit Apple in Cupertino, California for three days in summer 2026, with travel and lodging included.

Distinguished Winners are typically invited to attend Apple's annual developers conference WWDC, at the company's Apple Park headquarters. Apple has yet to announce WWDC 2026 dates, but the weeklong conference is typically held in June.

WWDC 2026 is where Apple will announce iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and other software updates.

Apple outlined key things to know on its developer news page.

Article Link: Swift Student Challenge Submissions Now Open Ahead of WWDC 2026

 

[techyOS]

have they not changed the icon in like 3 years?

 

[Ursadorable]

How are they going to prove the student's swift code wasn't written by AI? A checkbox on the submission form?

 

[Astuces iOS]

How are they going to prove the student's swift code wasn't written by AI? A checkbox on the submission form?

Any ideas of apps that I can do with AI for the challenge?

 

[Anywhere - Music Player]

Lol but Codex is there) so what's the point? There is NO entry level for beginner already.
For our project Codex could understand even more than I, because it can read all files instantly..

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Would be a lot cooler if they called it the Taylor Swift Student Challenge.

 

[goldmac2006]

How are they going to prove the student's swift code wasn't written by AI? A checkbox on the submission form?

Just so you know, they’re okay with AI code or coding intelligence, but it can’t be the whole show without a human touch. That means it can’t just create the entire app without any editing, refactoring, or creation work from a human.

They’ll still welcome it as long as it’s used for brainstorming ideas, fixing compiler errors when Xcode gets a little grumpy, and making it even better with proofreading.