Outreachy provides paid, remote internships to people from underrepresented communities in tech. Learn, contribute, and grow your career by working on real-world open source projects.
Receive a competitive stipend for your full-time contribution.
Work from anywhere in the world with flexible hours.
Get guided 1-on-1 by experienced open-source maintainers.
Outreachy exists to remove systemic barriers to entering the tech industry by offering structured mentorship, financial support, and hands-on experience in open source communities.
Collaborate with interns and mentors from all over the world. Build a network that transcends geographical boundaries.
Your code won't sit in a sandbox. You will contribute to production-grade software used by millions of people daily.
Graduates of Outreachy often transition into full-time roles in tech, armed with a strong portfolio and proven experience.
Outreachy is designed to be inclusive. You don’t need to be a senior developer — you need curiosity, commitment, and the willingness to learn.
Note: Beginners are welcome! Prior open source experience is not required. What matters most is your ability to communicate and learn.
Outreachy runs two identical cycles annually to accommodate different schedules worldwide.
Mid-Year Cycle
End-Year Cycle
The process is designed to help you learn and demonstrate potential, not to test perfection.
Submit your basic details and essay answering eligibility questions on the Outreachy portal.
Select 1-2 projects, interact with mentors, and make your first pull requests over a 4-week period.
Draft a detailed project timeline based on what you learned during the contribution phase.
Selected applicants begin their 3-month paid internship with dedicated 1-on-1 mentorship.
This is the most critical phase. Mentors evaluate your communication, willingness to learn, and consistency.
Introduce yourself in the project's chat. Don't ghost mentors if you get stuck. Ask public, well-researched questions.
Don't try to contribute to 5 different projects. Pick 1 or 2 that align with your skills and commit deeply to them.
One well-documented, carefully written PR is worth more than ten 1-line typo fixes. Review feedback gracefully.
Understanding the differences helps you choose the right program for your current situation.
| Feature | Outreachy | Google Summer of Code |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Underrepresented groups in tech (globally) | Students & beginner contributors |
| Time Commitment | Strictly 40 hrs/week (Full-time) | Flexible (Small ~90h, Medium ~175h, Large ~350h) |
| Contribution Phase | Mandatory 4-week period before final selection | Highly recommended, but not strictly mandated |
| Types of Roles | Coding, Design, Documentation, Data Science, Marketing | Primarily Coding / Technical |