CruzHacks

2026 Hackathon

JANUARY 16th-18th • UC SANTA CRUZ

Help Innovators Shine

Want to make a lasting impact at CruzHacks? Apply today to be a mentor, judge, or volunteer! Your expertise, feedback, and support are essential in helping us create an unforgettable experience for our hackers. By joining us, you'll play a key role in shaping the next generation of innovators and ensuring that each year's hackathon is bigger and better than the last. We truly appreciate your contribution to making CruzHacks a success!

Mentor

Help guide hackers and provide insights on how to approach coding, design, or problem-solving issues. Mentors encourage creativity, and help hackers stay on track to achieving their project goals!

Form Closed- Thanks for applying!

Judge

Evaluate teams based on functionality, creativity, and impact, and identify projects that best align with this year's prize tracks. Judges provide constructive feedback, helping hackers grow and learn

Form Closed- Thanks for applying!

Volunteer

Ensures the event runs smoothly by helping with operations, supplies and supporting participants. Help out day-of and setup to ensure hackers have a seamless experience

Form Closed- Thanks for applying!

Our Mission

CruzHacks is the largest hackathon in Santa Cruz. Each year, we invite hundreds of students to develop solutions to real-world problems, pursue inclusion in tech, and kindle the spirit of innovation.

Tech Cares Tracks

SUSTAINABILITY

This category is dedicated to supporting sustainability and conservation efforts. How can we live harmoniously with our planet?

HEALTH

This category aspires to address healthcare disparities. How do we support mental & physical well-being with accessible services?

JUSTICE

This category aims to drive innovation for civil liberty and social justice. How can we uphold truth & order in a (mis)information age?

EDUCATION

This track encourages students to create apps that have a substantial impact on fostering a more effective and stimulating learning environment.

Category Prizes

Beginner

Hackathons are meant for everyone, especially our first-timers! We've created a prize category to reward teams composed of all first-time hackers.

AI

We're looking for projects that use AI/ML to solve a problem in a unique way!

UI/UX

Have a new paradigm for interaction design? Create a project that has an awesome user experience!

SlugHacks

Create something that benefits the UC Santa Cruz campus community!

Milestones

400+ hackers

$35k+ in prizes

56% first time hackers

27% female and non binary hackers

Q&A

What is CruzHacks?

CruzHacks is UCSC's largest hackathon. It is a three day event where you can work with others on new software and/or hardware projects. You'll be able to build your ideas, network, and show off your talent. Ideas can be formed through teams or individually. There are hundreds of students, mentors, sponsors, and judges that can help push your vision forward. The event also includes workshops geared towards students of all levels to learn and improve their technical skills.

When does the hackathon take place? How long is it?

CruzHacks 2026 is a 3 day event that starts Friday January 16 evening and ends Sunday January 18 afternoon!

Who can participate?

All students studying at a college/university and other alternative schools (such as bootcamps) can apply! CruzHacks is open to designers, project managers, artists, and anyone else interested in creating! Mentors will be available to help you through any technical difficulties. No coding or technical experience is necessary!

How much does this cost?

Thanks to our generous sponsors, CruzHacks 2026 is free for our student attendees, mentors, judges, and volunteers! We will cover all meals for the entire duration of the event. Note: CruzHacks 2026 may be unable to cover travel costs.

Do I need any previous experience?

Nope! No experience is required. We're looking for applicants who are passionate about learning something new and creating a vision. 25% of hackers in 2021 and 47% in 2020 were first time hackers.

What should I bring?

Some essential things to bring include a laptop (with charger), an empty bag for swag, a change of clothes if you plan on spending the night, and a sleeping bag/blanket if you're not local to Santa Cruz! We encourage the use of portable chargers at CruzHacks 2026 to be mindful of power usage.

What rules do I need to follow?

All CruzHacks 2026 participants will need to follow the MLH Code of Conduct, the CruzHacks 2026 Participant and Release Agreement, the CruzHacks 2026 Rules.

Can I help out another way if I don't want to be a Hacker, but am not eligible to be a judge or mentor?

If you are a current UCSC student, you're welcome to volunteer with us! Volunteers are invaluable in helping us set up, clean up, and everything in between! We will be releasing volunteer application forms closer to the event date!

How do I sign up?

Applications will open soon! To stay updated, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @cruzhacks and join our discord.

Will there be people there to help me with my project?

Yes! Mentors with various skills are present throughout the event to assist anyone on their project.

How do you evaluate the applications?

The short answer responses are the most critical part of your application. Make sure to put effort into those responses!

Will CruzHacks be in-person? Where is it located?

CruzHacks will be in-person this year at the Stevenson Event Center on campus!

Do I need to have a team to apply? Is there a limit to the size of each team?

It is not necessary to have a team at the time of application nor at the actual event! If you choose to build a team, there can be a maximum of 4 people. However, we accept all applicants individually, and once decisions are released, you can form a team with other accepted applicants.

Can I become a judge or mentor?

For CruzHacks 2026, mentors and judges will not be allowed to participate as hackers. In addition, judges cannot be a current high school or undergraduate college student. Mentors that are in the industry/working professionally are preferred, but we will still evaluate mentor applications from high school or undergraduate college students based on their experience. We will release mentor and judge application soon, so stay updated on our socials!