November 20 - 22, 2026
In-person event
Hack Western 13
Discover the unknown
You have a message
Create. Collaborate. Innovate.
Collaborate in teams of up to four to create tech projects, while participating in workshops, learning from mentors, competing for prizes, and meeting like-minded hackers.
You have a message
It's on us
We cover food, travel, and lodging so you can focus on bringing your ideas to life!
You have a message
Build something unexpected
Spend the weekend exploring an idea, learning new tools, and sharing what you made.
Discover past projects
Here is what other students like you have created at Hack Western
Sponsor a weekend of
Sponsor a weekend of
inspiration and creation
inspiration and creation
Interested in supporting the event?
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Have another question? Reach out to us at [email protected]
The first time is always intimidating, but with support from mentors, beginner-friendly workshops, and a large network of passionate students, we're confident that you'll find your stride and have a great weekend. Hack Western is a hackathon where individuals from all disciplines, majors, and backgrounds are encouraged to participate.
Hacker applications open October 2 at 11:59 PM and close October 18 at 11:59 PM.
Hackers can be in teams of up to 4 people, which means you could also solo hack if you wish. You do not need to tell us who your team members are, simply add them to your Devpost submission before the deadline.
You won't be hacking for 36 hours straight, as there will be many workshops and activities you can participate in during the event as well as the week leading up to it. Last year, our workshops included topics like creating chrome extensions, building voice apps, pitching your hackathon project, recruiting, and more. Our full schedule will be released closer to the event!
Hacking begins at 9pm on Friday, November 20th, 2026 and ends at 9am on Sunday, November 22nd, 2026. All code written for Hack Western must be written within this timeframe, with the exception of code taken from public and open source libraries, APIs, or tutorials. Any projects found to be worked on outside of this time frame will be disqualified from judging.
A hackathon is an event designed for students to experiment with tech and bring a project idea to life. At Hack Western, participants will collaborate in teams of up to four to build web, mobile, and hardware projects. Students will get the opportunity to receive mentorship from industry professionals, connect with sponsors and recruiters, and compete for some cool prizes!
Hack Western applications are open to post-secondary students from across the world. Whether you are a freshman or completing your Ph.D., we want you to apply! Unfortunately, we will not be accepting high school students at this time. Each application is reviewed from the Hack Western organizing team, and decisions will be sent out on a rolling basis.
We follow the Major League Hacking guidelines, which prohibits students from bringing and continuing a project that they have already worked on. Your final project should be new and only built during the weekend of Hack Western.
Hack Western is completely free to attend, including free food and swag! Participants travelling to the event outside of Western and provided bus routes however may incur additional costs.
Your team cannot exceed more than four members. You can also work on a project by yourself, but we believe that hacking is more fun with friends. The more, the merrier!
All meals, snacks, and drinks will be provided throughout the hackathon to keep you fueled and hydrated.
Yes, we provide partial reimbursements for travel costs after the event. To be eligible, you must submit a project during the hackathon. Reimbursements are contingent on available funds and are not guaranteed. To request reimbursement, email [email protected] after the event with your travel receipts and project submission details.
The first time is always intimidating, but with support from mentors, beginner-friendly workshops, and a large network of passionate students, we're confident that you'll find your stride and have a great weekend. Hack Western is a hackathon where individuals from all disciplines, majors, and backgrounds are encouraged to participate.
Hacker applications open October 2 at 11:59 PM and close October 18 at 11:59 PM.
Hackers can be in teams of up to 4 people, which means you could also solo hack if you wish. You do not need to tell us who your team members are, simply add them to your Devpost submission before the deadline.
You won't be hacking for 36 hours straight, as there will be many workshops and activities you can participate in during the event as well as the week leading up to it. Last year, our workshops included topics like creating chrome extensions, building voice apps, pitching your hackathon project, recruiting, and more. Our full schedule will be released closer to the event!
Hacking begins at 9pm on Friday, November 20th, 2026 and ends at 9am on Sunday, November 22nd, 2026. All code written for Hack Western must be written within this timeframe, with the exception of code taken from public and open source libraries, APIs, or tutorials. Any projects found to be worked on outside of this time frame will be disqualified from judging.
A hackathon is an event designed for students to experiment with tech and bring a project idea to life. At Hack Western, participants will collaborate in teams of up to four to build web, mobile, and hardware projects. Students will get the opportunity to receive mentorship from industry professionals, connect with sponsors and recruiters, and compete for some cool prizes!
Hack Western applications are open to post-secondary students from across the world. Whether you are a freshman or completing your Ph.D., we want you to apply! Unfortunately, we will not be accepting high school students at this time. Each application is reviewed from the Hack Western organizing team, and decisions will be sent out on a rolling basis.
We follow the Major League Hacking guidelines, which prohibits students from bringing and continuing a project that they have already worked on. Your final project should be new and only built during the weekend of Hack Western.
Hack Western is completely free to attend, including free food and swag! Participants travelling to the event outside of Western and provided bus routes however may incur additional costs.
Your team cannot exceed more than four members. You can also work on a project by yourself, but we believe that hacking is more fun with friends. The more, the merrier!
All meals, snacks, and drinks will be provided throughout the hackathon to keep you fueled and hydrated.
Yes, we provide partial reimbursements for travel costs after the event. To be eligible, you must submit a project during the hackathon. Reimbursements are contingent on available funds and are not guaranteed. To request reimbursement, email [email protected] after the event with your travel receipts and project submission details.