Hackathon Participation
Build real projects under pressure in 24-48 hours
Why It Matters
Shows initiative, creative problem-solving, and the ability to ship a real product. Universities and co-op employers both value this. Even not winning is impressive - the act of building and presenting matters.
How to Start
Search for high school hackathons in Canada or check MLH (Major League Hacking) for student events. Devpost lists upcoming hackathons - filter by high school eligible. Many are virtual and free.
Commitment
- Low commitment: a few hours a month, easy to fit around school.
- Best starting grade: G8
- G8 onwards - many hackathons welcome complete beginners and provide mentors on-site.
Programs It Supports
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Business
- Design
Majors it supports
- Computer Science – high 80s to high 90s depending on school
Universities where it fits
Our profiles for these schools suggest Hackathon Participation as a good fit for their applicants.
- University of Waterloo – Waterloo, ON
- Carleton University – Ottawa, ON
- Ontario Tech University – Oshawa, ON
- Toronto Metropolitan University – Toronto, ON
- Simon Fraser University – Burnaby, BC
- Concordia University – Montreal, QC
- University of Calgary – Calgary, AB
- University of New Brunswick – Fredericton, NB
Similar extracurriculars
- Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) – Waterloo's premier programming contest
- Coding / Computer Science Club – Learn and build together after school
- Build a Real Website or App – Create something people actually use
- Game Development Club – Design and ship video games as a team
- Canada Learning Code – Teach coding to others in your community
- University Youth Tech Programs – University-run summer tech programs for high schoolers
- School IT Help Desk / Tech Squad – Assist teachers and students with tech issues
- Hackathon Organizer (In-School) – Host a 12-hour coding competition in your cafeteria
- School Website / App Developer – Modernize your school's digital presence or create an announcements app