Skip to content

Before org announcement — how to choose an organization, and ONLY the choosing factors.

No timeline, no process, no extra GSoC details.

Choosing a GSoC Organization Before Org Announcement

(Only the Choosing Factors)

Before organizations are officially announced, you are not selecting a confirmed GSoC org. You are selecting a potential open-source organization that is likely to participate and right for you.

The Only Factors You Should Use to Choose an Org

1️⃣ Your Genuine Interest (Non-Negotiable)

Ask:

  • Do I actually like what this project does?
  • Would I work on this even without GSoC?

Why this matters:

  • GSoC lasts months
  • mentors notice fake interest very quickly

If the answer is no → don’t choose it.

2️⃣ Technology Match (Reality, Not Dreams)

Choose an org where:

  • you already know some of the stack
  • you can learn the rest in 2–3 months

Avoid choosing based on:

  • hype
  • “this will look good on resume”
  • “everyone applies here”

3️⃣ Project Activity Level

Check:

  • commits in last 1–2 weeks
  • issues being answered
  • PRs being merged

Active project = alive mentors = real guidance.

Inactive project = high risk.

4️⃣ Contribution Friendliness

Look for:

  • CONTRIBUTING.md
  • setup instructions
  • beginner issues
  • welcoming tone in discussions

If onboarding is painful, selection will be painful.

5️⃣ Mentorship Signals

Good signs:

  • maintainers reply to questions
  • community chats exist (Slack/Discord)
  • previous contributors still active

You are choosing mentors, not just code.

6️⃣ Past GSoC Participation (Strong Signal)

Prefer orgs that:

  • participated in GSoC before
  • have public blogs or reports
  • accepted multiple contributors

Not mandatory, but much safer.

7️⃣ Problem Space, Not Just Features

Choose orgs where:

  • problems are clear
  • work can be broken into milestones
  • progress can be measured

Avoid orgs where work is:

  • vague
  • “research-only”
  • poorly defined

8️⃣ Size & Competition Level

Bigger orgs:

  • more slots
  • more competition

Smaller orgs:

  • fewer slots
  • higher visibility

Choose where you can stand out, not where everyone applies.

9️⃣ Long-Term Value (Beyond GSoC)

Ask:

  • Can I keep contributing after GSoC?
  • Would this help my career path?

Best orgs:

  • benefit you even if you don’t get selected

Factors You Should NOT Use

❌ Stipend ❌ Org popularity ❌ Brand name ❌ “This is trending” ❌ How easy it looks