FAQ

Who can apply to be a hackNY Fellow?

hackNY Fellows must be current, full-time students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the time of application. We encourage applications from institutions across the country. International students are also encouraged if they are already enrolled at a U.S. university.

They must live in NYC for at least 10 weeks during the summer, typically between the beginning of June to the end of the first week of August.

How should I prepare for the hackNY Fellowship application?

hackNY brings together diverse perspectives to build a responsible community full of future leaders in technology. We want your Application to showcase the real you! If you’d like more specific information, here is an Application Guide written by an alumNY. Please note that the application does change each year, and the Fellows program has also changed this year (see the Fellows Program page).

I will graduate with my degree in May. Can I still apply to be a Fellow?

Yes; as long as you are a full-time student enrolled in a degree program at the time the application is submitted, you are eligible to apply to be a hackNY Fellow.

What is the application deadline?

Please refer to the Timeline on the Fellows Program page.

When will I know if I have been accepted or not?

Please refer to the Timeline on the Fellows Program page.

What are the qualifications for being a hackNY Fellow?

hackNY is looking for quantitatively and computationally talented student-hackers interested in advancing their skills while meeting and collaborating with peers and leaders in the tech community. We accept applications from all areas of expertise, including design and product management, but are primarily focused on engineering.

What should my code sample look like?

hackNY looks for code that demonstrates excellence in building in code and evidence that you enjoy building. Personal and creative projects are of more interest than assignments for introductory classes. hackNY does not place requirements on code length or language; please submit whatever code you are most proud of in whatever languages you most enjoy using.

Is there an interview?

In the final stages of the application review processes, all candidates will be interviewed by a hackNY alumNY member. If you are accepted and matched with a company, your company may invite you for an additional technical or interpersonal interview to ensure that you’re a good fit for their team.

hackNY Fellows Program Details

What if my academic calendar has an ending date later than the start of the hackNY Fellows program?
No problem! hackNY has had many Fellows whose academic calendar prevented them from starting with the rest of the cohort. We're happy to work with you to find a schedule that works for you and your host company as well as manage any necessary adjustments to your housing and other arrangements. This will be done on a case-by-case basis after General Admission into the Fellows Program.

Where will I live?
All the Fellows live together in NYU summer housing at Othmer Hall which is near the Jay Street–MetroTech subway station. We’ll provide housing with the Fellows even if your home is in NYC, because it’s very important for our class to be able to easily be together as a community. This is a hard requirement - you must live in hackNY summer housing in order to be a part of the Fellows Program, even if your company provides shared housing otherwise. Currently we partner with NYU to host all our fellows at Othmer Hall.

Will the internship be paid?

Yes. Our partners pay a competitive salary and commit to hosting interns for meaningful projects.

Who else will be in the program?

The Fellows Program will consist of talented student hackers from around the globe. You will meet some great people and, in our experience, find future friends and collaborators at hackNY.

What activities do the Fellows do each summer?

Summer activities include our weekly Speaker Series, mixers with our friends and alumNY, Fellow-led workshops, and plenty of group outings around the city!

What's the Speaker Series like?
Each week, you’ll hear from speakers from the NYC tech community. They could be founders, CTOs, engineers, designers, nonprofit directors, NYC city reps, U.S. senators, community organizers, tech journalists, professors, activists, and more.

Will I have opportunities to explore NYC?

Of course! hackNY is excited to show you all NYC has to offer as a city, a home, and a welcoming tech community.

How will I learn about the NYC tech community?

Over your 10 weeks at hackNY, you will have the opportunity to attend our Speaker Series, which features the best and brightest in technology. Engage with esteemed speakers on topics such as new technologies, building a startup, raising venture capital, managing investors, and navigating legal challenges. hackNY Fellows also lead tech talks for each other over the summer to share complementary skills.

Additional Information

What have past hackNY Fellows done?

hackNY Fellows have impressed us with their diversity of accomplishments including: founding companies, getting graduate degrees, working at some of NYC’s best and biggest startups, working at large tech companies, becoming professional musicians, becoming game designers, freelancing as hackers-at-large, working at venture capital firms both as analysis and hackers-in-residence, or careers in design.

Where can I email questions?
Email info@hackNY.org — we look forward to hearing from you!